“You’ve already done enough.”
I winced. I knew what she meant by that comment. I didn’t put up a fight or shed a tear as she told me she’d fallen for my boyfriend or that he was in love with her. I didn’t scream or cause a scene when she’d told me that he’d proposed, even though it was supposed to be me that he married. But there was something else in her tone, an edge to her words like she wished I had told her no, forced her to choose between the two of us. Maybe I’d made it too easy. Maybe the sparkle of their secret affair had dulled, and now she was having second thoughts.
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” I asked, closing my eyes and bracing for the information I didn't want to know.
“Would you like to grab a coffee or something? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages, and now that you’re so close, we have a lot of lost time to make up for.”
“Um, sure. Where do you want to meet?”
“I can come to grab you from the hotel, and we can hit the Jumping Bean over on Second Street.”
“No... You don’t need to come all the way to the hotel. I’ll meet you at the shop. I’m not in my room right now anyway,” I said with a cringe, chewing my lip as I waited for her to call me out.
“I’ll see you in a few.”
I sighed, shaking my head. Of course, she wouldn’t call me out. She didn’t ever want to know the truth because if she did, she would have to admit that what had happened was wrong, and she had hurt me. Instead, she believed my smile.
I glanced out the front window of the house. The weather was beautiful, and I could use the exercise. I wanted to get myself back in shape.
Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I headed out of the front door and began jogging toward town.
By the time I made it to the coffee shop, I was glistening with sweat, and I could barely catch my breath. I hadn’t realized how far I’d let myself go after I’d left college. Yanking open the door, I slipped inside, my eyes scanning the tables for Cadence, but instead, my gaze landed on Mason as he sat at a table near the back, sipping coffee with a brunette. Were they holding hands?
“Hello, Earth to Annabelle!”
My head snapped to the right where Cadence sat, a cup of coffee nestled between her hands. I gave her a small smile, ignoring the knot that had formed in my belly. I hurried over to her table, my cheeks burning, but I played it off like I was just exhausted from my run.
“What took you so long? Isn’t your hotel right down the street?”
“I told you, I was out.” I lied again. She nodded, her eyes dancing over me.
“I can’t believe you’re still running. I would have thought you’d have outgrown that by now.”
“Running? I didn’t realize it was for kids.”
“I didn’t mean –”
I waved my hand. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.” It wasn’t her I was annoyed with.
“Anyway, I got you one of those pumpkin spice things you like. It’s probably cold now.”
“Thanks.” I picked it up and took a small sip, struggling not to make a face. “Still... warm.”
She smiled, pleased with herself as she dug a binder out of her bag and placed it on the table between us.
“What is this?” I asked, glancing to my right. Mason was still there. I hadn’t imagined it. Luckily, he seemed so engrossed in whatever miss big boobs was saying; he hadn’t noticed me.
“I thought you could use a bible,” she replied, pushing her curly blonde hair over her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, what?” My eyes snapped back to hers, which were so brown they almost looked black.
“Your bridesmaid bible. It lists all the responsibilities of everyone in the bridal party.”
My eyes danced over the cover, which featured a blown-up picture of my best friend kissing my ex-boyfriend with a giant heart around their faces. “Perfect.”
The moment Annabelle slipped into the coffee shop, I noticed her. And it didn’t take long for her to look my way, frozen just inside of the doorway.
Rose droned on with her apologies, and I stiffened as her long slender fingers slid over mine.
“Are you even listening to me? You seem... distracted.”
My eyes went to hers, blue and shimmering with unshed tears. That sight would have broken me down years ago, but I wasn’t the same man I was when we’d dated.
“I think we’ve said all we’ve needed to say.” I pulled my hand from underneath hers and leaned back in my seat, stretching my legs under the cramped table. Public spaces weren’t built for men of my stature.
She cleared her throat, a nervous smirk playing on her lips. She wasn’t used to this side of me. When we dated, I would hang on her every word. But that was before...
“Are you going to hate me forever?”
“I don’t hate you, Rose. I just don’t love you anymore. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t think you’ve ever loved me more than the fights.”
And there it was. She was placing the blame for our demise on me and ignoring the fact that she let my brother and my opponent run a train on her.
“But you don’t fight anymore... do you?” Her eyebrow rose, and I could hear what sounded like hope in her tone.
“I don’t date anymore, either.”
“Oh,” she took a sip of her drink before pursing her lips. “So, I guess the rumors are wrong.”
“What rumors?”
“I heard you’ve been running around with some girl.” She paused, her eyes trained on me as she waited for confirmation, but I wasn’t going to give it to her. “It’s not like it matters, anyway. I didn’t expect you to be celibate. We both know about your reputation.”
“I never cheated on you. You’re the one who went and fucked Hunter and Daniel.”
“All you cared about was fighting and winning.”
I sat back in my seat, biting back an angry retort. She was right. Before everything fell apart, I was consumed by my career.
“Speaking of which, I heard he’s back in town.”
ELEVEN
AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR listening to Cadence drone on about her wedding and attending a dinner with her soon to be mother-in-law while still wearing sweaty clothing, I walked back to Mason’s place. I was shocked to see him hunched over sitting at the table, eating a bowl of soup.
“Dinner,” he motioned to the bowl at the other end of the table.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Fine. Go ahead and starve,” he muttered.
I continued on to the kitchen, grabbing another bottle of water from the fridge and guzzling it down as I leaned back against the counter. Mason appeared in the doorway, his eyes lingering on me for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I shrugged as I tossed my bottle into the recycle bin. As I went to walk past him, he grabbed my arm, stopping me beside him.
“Are you mad at me for something?”
I glared up at him and shook my head. “Why would you think that?”
He stood up, his hand falling to his side. “Because when you saw me at the coffee shop today, you didn’t even say hello.”
I felt the heat creeping across my face. I didn’t think he’d noticed me. “I didn’t want to interrupt your date.”
He laughed, making me feel like more of an idiot than I already had. “I already told you, Beauty, I don’t date.”
“Why didn’t you say hi to me?” I asked.
“Because you were with your friend, and I assumed you still hadn’t told her you’re staying with me, being that you’ve never brought her by.”
“Oh.” I felt horrible. I’d spend the day being mad at him for no reason. I probably looked like some jealous clinger.
“Hey, if you’re ever worried about something, just talk to me.”
“I wasn’t worried.” I plastered a smile on my face before heading upstairs to my room. A few hours later, there was a knock at my door. I pulled it open to see Mason
in a black button-down shirt and black slacks. He looked incredibly sexy, and I bit my lip just to keep myself from reaching out and touching him.
“I have to run to The Ballroom for a few hours.”
“Oh. Do you want me to come along?”
“Nah. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“Okay.” I tried not to look disappointed. “I was going to read a book anyway.”
“Here,” he held out a set of keys for me. I reached up and took them.
“What is this?”
“I have an old Mustang in the garage. Next time you have to meet Cadence or something, you can take it instead of running across town. It’s safer.”
“Thanks, Mason.” I threw my arms around his neck to give him a friendly hug, but my body immediately reacted to touching him. I wanted to press myself harder against him. I took a step back, forcing myself not to act desperate. “This is really sweet of you.”
He nodded, before turning to head down the steps, and a few seconds later, the front door slammed, and his bike roared to life.
I laid down on my bed and flipped open the new romance novel I’d picked up the other day. I got lost in the story, nearly nodding off several times before my phone chirped with a message.
Tay: Serious wardrobe malfunction
The message was followed by a picture of one of Tay with her bottoms nearly torn in two.
Me: What Happened?
I sent my reply and waited for her to explain that she’d snagged it on a nail, and when she pulled a loose thread, it practically disintegrated. I messaged back not to worry about it and gathered something new I’d been working on. Mason had told me that I could use the car whenever I needed, and right now, one of his best dancers was in need of help.
I giggled with glee as I hurried down to the garage and started the old muscle car. The drive across town was too short, but I had made it in time before Tay had to be on stage. I slipped in through the back door and made my way to the dressing room. Tay’s face lit up when she saw me.
“You are a lifesaver.” She held up the skimpy outfit that was a dirty take on a biker ensemble.
“Oh, this is hot,” she squealed before looping her arms around my neck and pulling me against her ample chest. When she pulled back, she cringed. My shirt was coated in glitter. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’m just heading back home anyway. Mason said he had some work to take care of.”
She made a face. “He’s just in the back.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know exactly where she was referring to. I’d seen every inch of the building, or so I’d thought. But I couldn’t help the way my stomach sank. Was he not working? Why did he need to come in here, and why didn’t he want me to join him?
“So, you, like, live with him?”
“Just as friends,” I mumbled a little too quickly.
“I didn’t think he had any friends,” she joked, but I knew what she meant. Mason was kind to the women, but he wasn’t very social. She gave me another smile before stripping off her clothes to put on her new outfit. I slipped back out of the dressing room to the main area when I stopped short. Sitting near the back of the room was Roland, Cadence’s fiancé.
I shook my head and began to walk toward him when I noticed a redhead approach. They talked for a brief moment before he got up from his seat and followed her down a side hallway and into room one. I didn’t recognize her as one of the dancers.
I glanced down at my cell phone in my hand. It was none of my business. He had cheated on me, so Cadence had to have known he couldn’t be trusted. Who was I kidding, she was marrying the guy.
“HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?” I growled, slamming my fist against the desk, causing the metal to rumble like a burst of thunder. Devin’s palm slid over his mouth, his eyes unfocused. He fucked up. Big time.
“She was gone. None of this makes sense, man,” he replied, his tone even like he didn’t believe it himself.
My mind flashed to her quivering lip, the unshed tears in her eyes on the day I met her – Amie Flack from Concord. Her body was found bound and bruised on the other side of town. This town – not across the country where she should have been. My eyes drifted over the picture that lay on the desk. It looked like Beauty; her hair fanned out around her. The thought made my muscles tighten. My jaw clenching so hard it felt like my teeth would give way and crumble.
“Now she’s fuckin’ dead,” I snapped, my fingers raking through my hair.
“Mason –” His eyes met mine, weary. His fingers splayed as he held his palms up toward me. “This wasn’t my screw up –”
“You saying it was mine?” I asked, towering over the desk between us. His body slammed back in his chair, causing it to skid across the concrete.
“No! I’m saying something happened. Someone had to have known...” His voice trailed off as he got lost in his own thought, his brows knitted together.
“No one knows what happens in West Wing but us. No one.”
He nodded once, shoving to his feet. “What if –”
“No one,” I snapped again, my voice echoing off the walls in the nearly barren space. I knew what he was thinking, and I wouldn't let him entertain the idea. Beauty had no clue what had brought her into my life, and she was equally oblivious to what I did when she wasn’t around.
“Whatever you say, man.” His eyes flitted to the flat screens beside the doorway. I followed his gaze, my eyes landing on Belle in black and white as she stood by the stage.
TWELVE
I SCROLLED DOWN THROUGH my contacts before a large hand landed on my shoulder. I jumped, a squeal escaping me as I spun around to see Mason. He looked stressed and not pleased to see me.
“What are you doing here?”
“I had to bring Tay an outfit.”
He nodded, his mind obviously preoccupied as he looked over the crowd.
“You aren’t going to believe who is here. Roland, my ex. I saw him go off with some girl. I need to get a picture, or Cadence is never going to believe me.”
He grabbed the phone from my hand and clicked the button on the side to make the screen go black before shoving it into his back pocket.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?”
“Saving you a lot of trouble. If Cadence doesn’t believe you, she isn’t really your friend. And if word gets out that people will be reporting back to their wives or girlfriends or whatever, no one is going to want to come here anymore.”
“Mason, I have to tell her.”
“Why?” he snapped.
“Because she’s my friend.”
He shook his head, a menacing laugh escaping him. “You really are naïve. Cadence doesn’t want to be your friend. She wants to be you. She is rubbing her relationship in your face, and you are letting her walk all over you like some kind of abused puppy.”
“Why are you being so mean to me right now?”
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed loudly. “I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy night. I’ve had to fire two dancers, and my bartender didn’t show, so everyone is working double duty to pick up the slack.”
“Why didn’t you call me? I can help.”
He laughed, dragging his palm across his bearded jaw. “What are you going to do, ‘Belle? Are you gonna get up on the pole in your little yellow bikini? You willing to grind against your ex with a smile on your face?” His eyes narrowed. “I didn’t think so. This place isn’t for someone like you. That’s why I don’t bring you here at night. Please just go back home so the grownups can work.”
I didn’t feel it happening, but something had taken over my body. Maybe it was realizing that everything I’d gone through silently for Cadence was all for nothing. Maybe it was because I didn’t have any way to help Mason, or perhaps it was the way he was talking down to me. But my hand flew up on its own volition and landed hard across his cheek. Stinging pain radiated through my palm.
“You just fucking hit me.” He reached up and touched his face as if he didn’t
believe what I’d done. I couldn’t believe it either. But the look in his eye made me immediately regret my decision.
“I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, nostrils flaring.
“I didn’t mean to do that.” I felt the tears beginning to form. Was he going to kick me out on the street? Was I going to end up having to go back... I couldn’t even finish the thought. The idea twisted my gut. Would he hit me back?
I flinched, and he noticed, his face twisting in confusion before his shoulders sagged.
“Locke, you’re needed in room one,” Devin, one of the bouncers, called from our left. I hadn’t even seen him approach. I’d hoped he’d only been there for a second.
“Can’t you see I’m busy right now? Handle it.”
“They want to speak to The Beast from the East, man. It’s about – ”
Mason’s eyes never left mine. “Take ‘Belle to my office. I’ll deal with her later.”
“I can just go back to our place... Your place,” I corrected. He shook his head.
Devin gave me a sympathetic glance. “You sure that’s a good idea? There’s a lot going on tonight.” He spoke up.
Mason groaned while he thought it over. “I said, take her to my office. Now.”
I released the breath I’d been holding as he turned to walk away.
“Mason?”
He turned back to face me, the anger seeming to have evaporated somewhat. “What, Beauty?”
“Can I have my phone?”
“Don’t push your luck.”
I slammed into room one, ready to fucking kill Roland. I pointed to the girl at his side. “You, out.”
She glanced at Roland but scurried out of the door past me.
“I’m going to fuckin’ kill you.”
He pushed to his feet, taking a step backward to put some more distance between us. “Mason, I think you and I have some things to talk about,” he held up his palms to me like a submissive little bitch. I took a step toward him.
“Unless you have my fuckin’ money, we don’t have shit to discuss.”
Breaking Beauty (Twisted Tales, #1) Page 8
