by E. K. Blair
Logan slipped his arm from my waist and maneuvered me behind him. In the blink of an eye, Mason was in front of me too. Miranda gasped and looked around wide eyed. She kept glancing from the Kades to Adam.
Everyone watched him.
His angry scowl intensified and he bit out, “Why’d you take Tanya? You didn’t care about her before.”
Logan’s shoulders jostled in silent laughter. “Are you kidding me?”
“No!”
His shoulders stopped and stretched out instead. “Are you pissed because you never got there?”
“I think...um...I think...” Miranda stepped between them. Her arms were shaking.
Peter moved her aside and puffed out his chest. “Guys, let’s be civil here.”
“No!” Adam tried to shove him aside, but Mark shot between them instead. Cassandra was pulled out of the way by Miranda.
Logan sounded calm, too calm, as he chuckled. “Let him through. He’s got something on his chest. Let’s help him get it off. This is the trust tree, right? Here we go, therapy group for everyone.”
“You think you’re so awesome, don’t you?” Adam growled. He had a glass of beer in his hand now. He waved it back and forth in the air now.
“I prefer badass.”
The growl grew. “‘You’re so rich’, ‘you’re so hot’, ‘everybody wants you.’ I am so sick of you two—”
“Both of us?” Mason’s voice was low, eerily low.
Everyone snapped their attention to him.
Logan laughed. “Wait your turn, Mase. My fun first.”
Mason shot him a dry look, but Logan ignored it. His grin grew wider and he beamed at Adam. “Come on, tell me more. I’d love to hear what else you hate about me.” He tsked him with a finger in the air. “Just me, though. You hear that? We’ll move onto my big brother in the next session.”
Rage leapt to Adam’s eyes. I stepped back from instinct. I’d never seen so much rage within him before. My heart started to pound. It grew in speed as Adam bent his head. His mouth had curved in a hateful scowl.
“You laugh at me? Are you kidding me right now? Do you know who you’re messing with?”
Logan’s laugh sounded genuine. “Do you think I care? You’re the guy who gets the leftovers. That’s what I know about you.”
Adam grew silent. My heart was pounding so loudly. It was deafening to my ears.
“I had Ashley before you, and during you.” Logan’s smirk grew. “I had Tanya before you and again before you. Who else is there?” He made a show as he turned around. He tapped his finger to his chin and he paused when his gaze rested on me. “Who else is there?”
“Logan.” It was a quiet warning from Mason.
Logan twisted back around; the delight on his face was unsettling. “There’s got to be others. Tina Schnieder? She told me you wanted to date her too, but no one knows about that one. She goes to public. She’s beneath you, right? Isn’t that you thought about Tanya? You thought for sure you had her in the bag, she goes to public. All those girls are beneath you, isn’t that what you think?”
Adam’s face was set in stone. The hand that clenched his glass was white around the knuckles. A quiet crack was heard. The group had grown silent and everyone heard it. Another crack sounded.
Logan’s voice was so quiet now, going in for the kill. He bent his head forward and his eyes were narrowed. “What about your friend Casssandra there?”
She whipped her head around. Fear was evident as she started to shake. “What are you talking about...” She stammered out, “I..id...Idnever...” She bent forward and took some shuddering breaths. Miranda scurried away from her with a look of terror on her own face. Peter held her hand in his now and he lifted it to his chest.
Adam was white around the corner of his mouth. He turned his head slowly, so slowly. My heart pounded in my ears. My hands started to tremble and I knew my knees were quaking against each other.
He asked in a soft voice, “Is it true?”
Cassandra’s mouth hung open. Her eyes bulged out as she looked from Logan’s confident smirk to Adam’s tightly controlled face. “I...I...”
“Is it true?” Adam asked again.
The tenderness in his voice sent chills down my back. I hugged myself and tried to ward off the promise of violence in the air.
“I can’t believe you.” He seemed so calm, but his eyes were too dark. “You know how much I hate them.”
Logan and Mason glanced at each other and both wore a small grin.
Cassandra’s voice was hoarse. “I didn’t—it was stupid of me, but... Oh gawd. I’m so sorry, Adam.”
Emily started laughing by the bar. She saluted her martini glass in the air. “Way to go, Cassie. Way to start the New Year by being honest.”
Cassandra hissed at her, “Shut up, Emily. Like you haven’t done the same thing. Logan’s probably slept with all of us, Miranda included.”
Miranda’s eyes got wide and Peter jolted away from her like he’d been burned. She turned to him and pressed her hands to her mouth. “I haven’t, baby. I haven’t. I swear.”
He studied her with narrowed eyes. “You’ve always wanted Logan to be in the group. You’ve talked about it for years.”
Her hand shot out and she pointed at them. Her foot stomped down. “Only because they should’ve been in our group. They were supposed to pick our school. We have the better school. Just because they have a better football team, that’s the only reason they picked public. They were supposed to be in our group, but instead everyone wants to go to the public parties. Everyone thinks Fallen Crest Public High is so great, all because of them! They were supposed to be at our school. Fallen Crest Academy is the better school. That other school is beneath us, it should be beneath us. They should be kissing our feet. That’s the only reason why I’ve talked about them. I swear, baby!”
Logan bent over laughing. He slapped a hand on his leg. “Man, you guys are so easy. It’s been, what? Ten minutes?” He continued laughing as he shook his head. “My job here is done. Have a great night, ya’ll.”
Adam frowned. “What are you saying? You didn’t sleep with Cassandra?”
“Oh no. I did, at the party actually. I was just with Tanya later. Emily was one time and I think,” He frowned at Amelia who stood beside Mark. “...Halloween last year?”
She gaped at him, but jerked her head in a nod.
“He’s joking,” Mark burst out, but he turned sharply on her.
She closed her mouth and slowly turned her head from side to side.
“Amelia!”
Her shoulders lifted up and she held her palms outward. “You didn’t want exclusivity, Mark. What do you expect? He’s hot.”
“You’re a slut.”
Everyone turned to Miranda who was glaring at Logan. Her hands held her glass tightly. Her arms were still shaking, but not from fear this time. She repeated, “You’re a slut.”
Logan smirked and glanced at Peter. “I don’t hide it.”
Her eyes went wide again and she whirled to her boyfriend, who looked away at the same time.
Emily exclaimed, “This was a great idea, Miranda. We should invite Strattan every time.”
At this, all eyes went to me. I realized that it looked like I was cowering behind Mason and Logan so I shouldered past them and straightened my back. My chin rose and I stared Miranda down. “You sent me text after text tonight and you called me. You were begging me to come. So I came. If you want to blame me for this, fine. I told you to stay away from Mason and Logan, but you didn’t.”
“I didn’t invite them.”
I rolled my eyes. “We all know you wanted them here so here they are. You got what you wanted. I bet you don’t want it anymore. You can’t control them and you can’t control me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Who said I wanted to control you?”
“You’ve been trying since you warned me Cassandra was jealous of me.”
Cassandra gasped. “Miranda!”
&
nbsp; Miranda moved back against Peter, who raised a hand to her shoulder. He started to rub up and down her arm in a soothing motion. She sent me a withering look. “You can leave, Samantha. Good luck at school tomorrow.”
“Sam,” Adam spoke up.
I met his gaze and saw the loathing there. “Don’t bother, Adam.” I tugged on Logan’s arm. “Let’s go.” And both of us started for the door, but when we realized Mason wasn’t following, we turned back.
He watched us with lidded eyes.
Logan frowned. “What are you doing?”
Mason gave him a tight grin. It didn’t reach to his eyes. “We have a problem now.” He turned towards the group. “She’s one of ours and you declared open season on her.”
“I didn’t.” Miranda seemed to melt back into Peter’s arms.
He gave her a hard look. “You did.”
Logan went to his side. His mouth curved upwards, mocking them. “I did this for sport tonight. You really want me to go after you, pissed if you’ve done something to Sam?”
Mason shot him a look. “Because it’s all you, right?”
Logan grinned at him. “I told you. My fun first.”
He rolled his eyes and walked to me. As he drew abreast, he took my arm, and tugged me behind him. “Logan, they got the message.”
“I hope they do.” Logan’s eyes held a much deeper message as he scanned the group.
My legs were shaking so much. As we drew closer to Mason’s Escalade, he swept me in his arms and I hung on. I wouldn’t have made it otherwise. He deposited me in the seat and went to his own. Logan paused in his open door. He frowned over at me. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine, just shaken up.”
All amusement had vanished. Both of them watched me with grave eyes. Then Logan sighed. “What do we do?”
Mason continued to watch me as he spoke to him, “We wait and see what happens.”
“And if they do something to her? We can’t be there during school hours. This is why we didn’t go to their school. We didn’t want to deal with them.”
“I know.”
I swallowed as my eyes held Mason’s. A promise passed through him to me and my body warmed to it. I wanted it, even now, I wanted him.
“Mason, hell. I think I opened a bigger can of worms than I thought.” Logan slapped his hand on the Escalade’s door. “I’m sorry, Samantha.”
I tried to shrug against the seat. My shoulder lifted halfway. “I’ve dealt with worse.”
“They’re vengeful bitches. And they don’t forget.”
My eyes held onto Mason’s. “I told you I was going to piss off some people this week.”
He grinned back at me. His hand touched my knee and I clasped onto it.
***
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
I rolled out from underneath Mason’s arm that he had thrown over me. One of his hands cupped my breast and I fought back a snort. Of course he’d fallen asleep cupping a feel. After I snuck to my room and got ready for school, I headed downstairs. Moustefff always had a lunch bag ready for me, but I was surprised to see my mom behind the table. The lunch bag was plopped in front of her and she had a steaming cup of coffee beside it.
“You’re drinking coffee again?”
She snorted and picked it up. “I hate tea. I tried it, but I hate it.” She took a big whiff of the coffee. “And this stuff, it’s so addicting.”
I eyed her up and down. “Are you feeling okay?”
She gave me a polite look and pulled the ends of her robe tight. “I went to your room earlier, but you weren’t there. I guess you went for a run, huh? Anyway, I owe you an apology. Hell, I owe you a lot of apologies.”
“Mom?” I glanced around. “What’s going on?”
“I was completely wrong about everything.” And she brought out a manila folder.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a tentative deal with David.” She took a deep breath. “It says that he has rights to you as a father and you can live with him, if you’d like...or you can visit him...whatever’s your choice. I can’t keep you from him anymore.”
“Anymore?” I picked up the folder, but hesitated to open it. “What are you talking about?”
“He got a lawyer, honey, and that lawyer said he had rights to you. Plus, with everything you’ve said to me and how I seem to be the worst mother in the world, I didn’t fight it. It’s the right thing to do. He raised you. He’s your father, not some hotshot lawyer out in Boston.”
“My real dad’s a hotshot lawyer in Boston?”
She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now. I contacted him last night and told him about you. So you might be having two fathers to deal with.”
“And the change of heart came because...?”
“Because I was wrong.” She looked up. My heart skipped a beat. She seemed so earnest. “I do love you and I haven’t been the best mother to you. I’ve put myself first. I’ve continued to do so, but you were right last night. I saw that I lost you. Losing your respect, when it’s spoken to you from a seventeen year old who’s looking at you like they’re thirty-that said a lot to me.” Her laugh sounded hollow. “It said a whole hell of a lot.”
I fingered the edge of the packet and glanced up. “You told my dad about me?” I was breathless, though I didn’t know why I should’ve been.
She took a big sip of coffee. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, hon. He’s a big arse.”
“No, I know, but...um...” I looked at the manila folder in my hands. “So I could live with David if I really wanted to?”
She took another deep breath and nodded. Her head moved so slowly. “You sure could...you could be there tonight even.”
“Really?”
“He’s been fighting for you since day one.”
“He has?”
“Yep, he has.” She looked away and wiped something away from her eyes. When she looked back, she gave me another bright smile. Her lip trembled. “I wanted to keep you all to myself. I didn’t want to share you or lose you, but I can’t control that. I see that now. You told me that last night. But, honey, I love you so much.” She lurched forward and grabbed my arm. “You know that, right?”
“I know, mom.”
It felt right to call her that. She’d been Analise so much, but she was my mom at that moment. I gave her another smile. “I’m not going to leave, mom. I’d like to see David, but you’re my mom. This has become my home.”
I glanced up and saw Mason. He hesitated on the stairwell.
When I gave him a small smile, he came into the kitchen. His eyes fell on the folder in my hands. “You want a ride to school?”
“Sure.” I tried to say it brightly, but my life had just been spun around. Two dads... I couldn’t get that through my head. What did that mean?
Mason grabbed something from the kitchen and started for the door. I turned to follow and my mom shot up from the table. “Honey, are you okay with this?”
“Yeah.” I beamed back at her, or I tried to. “I’ll be fine, mom.”
“Are you sure? I could call in for you. You don’t have to go to school today. I’m sure it’s a lot to take in...” She seemed timid as she stood beside the table. Her steaming coffee cup was forgotten behind her.
I waved as I went through the front door. I heard Mason get into his Escalade. “I’ll be fine, mom. Promise. Have a good day.”
“You too, honey...”
He pulled out of the driveway and waited until we’d gone a block. “So what was that about?”
I still held the manila folder in my lap. “She gave rights to David. I can see him if I want to and she called my real dad last night. I guess he’s some hotshot lawyer in Boston.”
After a few blocks, Mason wheeled into a fast food drive-through. “You want anything?”
I shook my head. I couldn’t believe this was happening. He ordered me a coffee anyway.
He handed it over. “So are you going to stay with him now? That’s what you wan
ted, right?”
I shot him a look and sipped my coffee. I hissed when I felt how scalding it was. “Yeah, but there’s...” I glanced at him warily. “That’s not in the cards.”
He grinned from the side of his mouth and eased his Escalade into my school’s parking lot. “You snuck out of bed this morning. I was hoping for a morning ride.”
I grinned as memories from last night sent a surge of heat through my body. Need started to throb between my legs again and I clamped them together. I couldn’t go to school hot and bothered, and aching all over...again. Last night had passed from one sensual moment to another. Mason had taken me on an insatiable journey and every time I thought I was done, he slid back in and started it all over again.
We’d slept for two hours, tops.
As he parked front and center, I spotted Adam at his car. He was with Mark Decraw and Peter Glasburg. Everything sexual left me and I tightened my hold on my coffee. “Yeah, well, we’ll have to do it another time.”
He nodded in their direction. “You want me to stay for a while?”
“No.” I did. “You have to get to your own school.”
“Alright. I can’t run you home after school.”
“Why not?”
He grimaced as he stretched back in his seat. “I’ll have enough time to come get you and head back for my practice. Can you hang out there for a while? I think Logan would love it. He can show off his throwing arm for you.”
“Sure. See you.” As I reached for the door, the first warning bell went off and everyone started to head inside. Our eyes met and held as I walked around the front to the door. As I neared it, I expected to hear him zoom off. It never happened and I turned around.
A blast of cold air hit me. It drenched me.
Mason was out of his car and he was face to face with Adam. Peter and Mark were behind him. All three of them had fierce expressions on their faces and firm jaws, but Mason looked relaxed as he eyed each of them up and down.
My stomach dropped. This was not good.
