by E. K. Blair
“Hey,” he said in a soft voice and moved so he was close again. He moved on his side and tugged me so I faced him. His forehead rested against mine again. “Everything will be okay. I promise.”
I sucked in a tortured breath. And then I surrendered. “I’m scared.”
“I know.”
“After everything’s that happened...” I didn’t know I was trembling until he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me tight. The shaking stopped and a sense of safety started to seep in. This time it wasn’t a temporary feeling, it wasn’t going to leave after he left the bed.
“I’m tired, Mason.”
“I know.”
We both knew I wasn’t referring to sleep.
And then nothing mattered. His lips touched mine and it was tender. He didn’t roll me underneath him this time, but lifted so I was on top and then he let me set the pace. After I climaxed and collapsed on top of him, I blinked back tears. It was different. The tears were different. Our love making had been different and the way he held me was different. Or maybe I was the different one?
“Stop thinking.” Mason brushed a kiss against my shoulder and laughed. “We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Right now, we need to shower. I’m hungry too.” And he picked me up, bed sheets and all, and started for the bathroom.
I shrieked, laughing, as I hit his shoulder. “Put me down.” I was gasping as he did and danced out of his reach when he pretended to lunge for me again. I felt drunk. I wanted to giggle and smile, and never stop doing both of them. As we showered together, a delicious tingle raced up and down my spine. My heart never stopped pounding and I was lightheaded by the end. Afterwards, he slid on some jeans and started to tug me towards the door. I laughed and dug my feet in. “Let me put some clothes on first.”
The corner of his mouth curved up, but his eyes darkened as he watched me.
I sighed. “You should too.”
He smirked at me and dropped his jeans to pull some boxers on. He left the shirt and socks behind as he caught my hand. I dressed in a hurry and finished tugging my shirt down when he dragged me behind him and out the door.
As soon as we stepped outside, his demeanor dropped. The standoffish Mason was back in place, but his hand continued to hold mine. A buzzing sensation spread through me when I realized I was grateful for the touch. I missed the feel of his body against mine and knew I was addicted. Then I admitted to myself that I didn’t want to kick this addiction. It was threatening to take control of my life and I was okay with that.
Nate smirked at us as we approached the kitchenette and gestured from the coffee maker. “I called in the works. Bagels, omelets, bacon, pancakes.” He held out a cup for me. “And coffee.”
I inhaled the aroma and groaned. “I just cheated on Mason.”
There was a moment of silence before Nate burst out laughing. “Sorry, bud. I think I’m going for your girl.”
Mason flashed him a cocky smile and popped some bacon in his mouth. “No worries. I had her primed before we came out.”
I shot them both a look and sank down in a chair with my coffee. And then I started to take in the scene around us. A few girls sat at the table with their hair pulled up in haphazard ponytails. They were sprawled in chairs with bags under their eyes. One of the girls narrowed her eyes at me, but stopped halfway. She lifted a hand and let it drop down with a loud smack. “Hi. I’m too tired right now. I’m Natalie.”
I nodded and sipped my coffee.
She jerked a thumb beside her. “This is Kate and Parker. We go to school with these dickwads.”
Nate laughed as he lifted one of the girls and took the seat beneath her. He held her on his lap, but she never resisted. The movement had been done with an ease that spoke of its history. He’d done this many times with that girl. She nestled back in his chest and gave me a droopy smile. Her eyes shot over my shoulder. “Logan’s missing in action, Mason. We’re not sure where he is.”
He had taken a cup of coffee for himself and lounged against the farthest counter. He lowered it from his mouth now. A scowl took form. “Nate?”
“Relax,” Nate hissed at him and pointedly looked at the girls. “It’s done.”
Mason visibly relaxed. His coffee was lifted again.
And then the door to the suite was thrown open. Logan entered with his arms spread wide and an arrogant smirk on his face. “The deal has been done.”
Natalie lifted haughty eyes. “What’s done, Logan?”
He winked at her, but crossed the room and pressed a kiss to my forehead. He whispered to me, “Last night was a show. Did Mason fill you in?”
“A show?” I turned hard eyes towards the kitchenette. “Mason.”
He held my gaze for a minute and looked past my shoulders in a pointed fashion. A sick feeling took root before I turned. Everything seemed in slow motion and I froze at the sight of Miranda Stewart in the doorway. She wore nothing except for a long white buttoned-down shirt that grazed beneath her bottom. Black lacy panties could be seen and she looked back with wide eyes. I gulped as I saw fear in them. That look doubled when she surveyed the room and I turned as well. All three girls had disdain on their faces and each of them didn’t contain a smug look.
Miranda’s throat jerked up and down as she met my gaze.
A normal girl would’ve had sympathy for her. Everything went flat inside of me and I stood to stand beside Mason. He lifted his arms over my chest and leaned forward to rest his head on my shoulder. We watched together as Logan motioned for her to come in. As she did, her throat moved up and down again and she dashed for his lap. As soon as she was there, she curled in his arms and turned her back to the table.
Natalie spoke, “Oh. My. Gawd.”
Another started laughing. “Are you serious, Logan?”
The third girl in Nate’s arms laughed with her friends, but pressed her face against his arm.
I asked underneath my breath, “What is going on?”
“Logan’s got a new girlfriend. That’s what’s going on.” Mason sounded amused.
I twisted my pinkie to curl around his and leaned all my weight back on him. “Was that his idea or yours?”
“Mine.”
“Does Logan know that?”
His chest moved up and down. There was no response.
“Mason,” I prompted. My heart was pounding again. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear his response.
“No.”
I sighed, “At least you don’t sound proud for that fact. You manipulated him and you got Nate to do the dirty work. He thinks he’s dating Miranda to protect me, doesn’t he. And he’s not. He’s doing it because you got mad at her because she pushed the one button you’re worried about. That Logan will go away someday because Tate wanted you and you got me too.”
“Don’t tell him. Please.”
I turned around in his arms and looked up. He gazed down and the wall fell aside. It was the guy who was with me in the bedroom, the one who told me he loved me. And my heart broke. I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t move away. I couldn’t tell his secret and when I turned back around to the group I knew everything changed in that moment.
Mason and I were linked together with that one plea. And as a shiver of dark excitement wound through my body, I didn’t want to be anywhere else except at his side, no matter where it would take us.
My fingers slid through his and clasped on. Hard.
***
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BONUS SCENES
MASON POV: MASON AND LOGAN WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER
I needed my science book. Logan took it. I knew he did. Hilarious. It was so hilarious and he’d laugh from some hidden corner because he’d never tell and it’d take an hour to find the damn thing. Not again.
My phone buz
zed. It was from Nate. We up for night bball? Fischer said he could get us beer if we went to his place. Parents gone.
I cursed, but typed back. Trying. I need to do my homework before I can come. Mom’s being a bitch tonight.
K. How long?
How long? I was tempted to make Logan do my homework. I typed back instead, I will let you know when I find out. Logan hid my book again.
Haha.
Haha, my ass.
We’ll get him back. Don’t worry.
Damn straight we would, but I typed back, Be over asap. Gotta kill the punk first. Then I tossed my phone on the bed and shoved back from my desk. “LOGAN! You punk-ass bitch. Where’s my book?”
He sprinted past my door, laughing, and headed downstairs. Oh, man. He’d been waiting the whole time. I shook my head and tore after him. I could hear him going down the east stairs. That’d take him through the east wing and past dad’s library. I went to the north stairs to cut him off. He still didn’t know about the short-cut through the second pantry. It had a safe-wall that I knew how to swing open.
Hearing him hit the ground floor, I grabbed the handrail and launched over it. I skipped over an entire section of stairs that way, hit the ground in a smooth landing and pushed forward. The pantry was the second door. I was through it, pushed the back wall open, and paused when I entered the first pantry. The door was closed, but I could see Logan’s feet pressed against it.
He was hunched down. His heels were in the air, but I saw the bend of his feet with his toes on the floor. He shifted to the left and braced himself with his hand on the floor. His little pinkie slipped under the door as he was waiting for me.
I grinned. The little fucker. He wasn’t going to mess with me after this day, no fucking way. I started to reach for the doorknob. I was planning on shoving it open, hitting him with it, and then pounding him when he’d try to run away. I started to turn the handle when I heard Logan gasp from the other side. I froze. My head jerked up. I had left the back wall open so I could hear from the other end and I heard what Logan was hearing.
Our mom was crying.
Letting go of the handle, I went back through the wall and out through the second pantry. Trailing down the hallway, all the lights were off in the north hallway. A lone light was on in the dining room, but the kitchen was dark. The crying had turned to a soft weeping. It came from the kitchen.
I caught movement coming around the corner. It was Logan. His eyes were big and he came up to me and whispered, “Mom’s crying in there.”
I pushed him back slightly. “Go upstairs.”
“No.”
“Logan,” I hissed, frowning. He was just a kid, he didn’t need to deal with this crap. “Go upstairs and find my fucking book. I have to do my homework still.”
He rolled his eyes, wearing his own frown. His hair was sticking up all over and his gangly shoulders lifted in a breath. “I already did your homework. Don’t worry about it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, it’s why I took your book.” Then the tiny frown turned into a smirk. “And to use as collateral so you’d take me with you tonight.”
I laughed. I had to. “You’re such a pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, but I’m a smart pain in the ass.”
“You are.” I pulled him close and thumped him on the back, ruffling his hair at the same time. “But you’re not coming.”
“Why? I heard Nate and Ethan talking about beer at school. It’s cause you guys are drinking tonight?”
“Maybe.” My eyes narrowed down at him. How the hell did he know about everything? “You’re too young to drink beer.”
He rolled his eyes and pushed me back. Tried. He tried to push me away. When I didn’t move, even an inch, he let out a disgusted sound and mumbled, “Whatever. I’m a year younger than you.”
“So?”
“I did your homework.”
“No one asked you to. I can do my own homework.”
“I get better grades than you.”
“I’m number one in my class.”
Logan opened his mouth, ready with a retort, but didn’t have one. His mouth closed and he cursed at me. “Whatever.”
I was laughing on the inside. Logan was probably number one in his class too. I had no idea. If he wasn’t, there was one other girl who might’ve been beating him, but I didn’t know and I knew he didn’t know. Gotcha, punk-ass bitch. As he continued to glare at me, I tried to hold back my smirk. I lost. It slipped out and Logan started grinning too.
He hit me. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” He lifted his arm to hit me again, but I swooped in. Grabbing his arm and grabbing his waist, I lifted him in the air like he was a case of beer. Then I hoisted him around my waist, holding onto his legs and under his bottom arm. I started to turn in a circle, then went faster and faster.
“Oh my god. Mason.” He clutched my leg. “Stop.”
“This is for taking my book.” I went faster.
“I’m going to puke.”
I felt him laughing and went even faster. “This is for doing my homework when I didn’t ask, and trying to use it as blackmail so you could come with us tonight.”
His hand dug deeper into my leg. “I mean it, Mase. I’m going to puke.”
His body convulsed and I stopped, dropping him immediately. He fell to the floor and he rolled onto his back. His cheeks were flushed and he had a sour look on his face. “Shit.” I bent down and nudged him under a shoulder. “Roll over. If you puke, it’ll be on the floor.”
His hand flew up to cover his mouth. He started arching up from the floor. His eyes closed and it was coming. I started to back away, but then he burst out laughing.
Wait.
Logan flipped his legs in the air and jumped to his feet in one smooth motion. He pointed at me, still laughing. “The look on your face. You thought I was going to puke. Didn’t you?” He bent over and more laughter spilled out. As he slapped his knee, he shook his head. “That was awesome. I know what to do next time, just puke on you. Best prank ever.”
I hit him in the back of his head. “That’s the dumbest prank ever.” I rolled my eyes, but he kept laughing and I couldn’t stop myself from grinning with him. His laugh was so damn contagious. “Okay. Enough.”
He kept going.
“You can’t come tonight, but if you want to in the future, get my book right now.”
He stopped. “Really?”
“Really.” As he started to go, I repeated, “But you can’t come tonight. No way am I letting you drink and hearing about it from mom later.”
He shrugged. “Fine, but she wouldn’t know. I’m a fucking Kade, Mason. I know how to be discreet.” Then he was off. He disappeared down the hallway and I heard him sprinting up the north stairs. That was when I saw the flash of car lights and remembered our mom.
Peaking around the doorway, she was standing at the sink. The window overlooked the back parking area, the one that licked to a back alley that circled around the hill and connected to the street further down the block. The car’s lights were still on and trained on the house before they were cut. The room plunged into darkness once more, but I heard her crying.
As I moved closer, her shoulders shook. She was so damn skinny. I was starting not to like skinny girls. They needed meat on them. I liked the healthier-looking girls at school. Nate and Ethan liked the other girls, the skinny ones, but they were nuts. Those girls were weak.
My stomach twisted as my mom dropped her hand to the counter and held on. I watched as she bent down, her sobs coming from deep inside of her now. She sounded like a dying animal. The pain was too much.
“What’d he do now?”
She sucked in her breath at my question and froze. Her fingers had a death-like grasp on the counter. Then she let out her breath and sucked in another before she shot back up and ran a hand down her hair.
As she started to turn to me, I shook my head. I didn’t want
to see that. “Don’t.” That came out harsher than I wanted. I cringed. I hadn’t meant to yell at my mother. “Sorry, but don’t. I know you’re crying, mom. Don’t turn around and pretend that you weren’t.” Lies. The whole fucking house was full of lies, except Logan. He was the only one who hadn’t lied to me.
“Mason.” Her voice trembled. “I thought you went to your friend’s house tonight.”
I frowned. “I have to do my homework before I go.”
“Oh.” Her head bent down and she tightened the silk robe around her. “I suppose I should’ve known that. I didn’t.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m so sorry, honey. I’ve not been a proper mother to you lately.”
I snorted. Lately? She’d been absent for years. I only said, “Whatever. You’re crying about dad?” Again? I wanted to say that, but I held back. She would’ve started lying to me again. She always lied for him, but I caught her this time. She couldn’t lie.
Every nerve in my body was stretched thin. I was so sick of being lied to.
“Yeah.”
The tension left me, but anger filled its spot. She cried every night. She just didn’t know we knew about it. I glanced back and saw that Logan was peeking around the corner. Yes, he knew too. Motioning him back, I glared at him. He stuck his tongue out at me, but disappeared from the doorway. I knew he was listening, but he couldn’t hear everything then.
Moving closer to her, I ignored the mascara that ran down her face and looked out the window. I saw them too. My dad had a woman pressed against her car. Her arms were wound around his neck. One of her legs had lifted to his waist. He caught it and lifted it higher, pressing her body further against the car. He was almost on top of her.
“He doesn’t even take them somewhere else anymore.” My mom’s voice sounded hollow. “He brought this one here. They came in through the basement doors. I was swimming in the pool. They didn’t notice me. They’ve been down there for two hours and she’s just now leaving.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” As I asked, I knew her answer.
She laughed, the sound was mixed with pain, grief, and defeat. “What’s the point? Your father’s been cheating on me for years, honey. He’s not going to stop.” She took another breath. There was a slight wheezing sound that came with it. “I’ve tried to protect you guys from it, but I can’t. I won’t. You deserve to know the truth. This is what your father does. He won’t ever stop.”
