“Why are you smiling?” she asks, then she begins to nod. “Ahh… you planned your revenge, didn’t you?” She lets out a sigh. “If you’re thinking of throwing me in the pool again, just remember I can’t swim for shit.”
That’s why.
She’s different.
She’s a challenge.
And her sass, damn, her sass is everything.
“Mason?” she asks, and a worried frown settles on her forehead. She steps closer to me and places her hand on my arm. “Are you okay? I’m seriously not used to you smiling.”
Shaking out of my thoughts, I take a deep breath, then say, “We need to talk.”
“Oh-kaaay,” she points to where her suite is. “You want to come in?”
I gesture for her to go ahead.
When we walk into her suite, she goes to place the bag on the coffee table, while I shut the door.
I take a couple of steps deeper into the room. “I’ve been looking for you.”
She digs through the bag and pulls out a lollipop. “I went to the store. Needed to restock my candy stash. I was supposed to go last night, but yeah, you know what happened.”
Unwrapping the candy, she pops it in her mouth. “Want one,” she mumbles around it.
“You seriously don’t care what people think about you, do you?”
She shrugs and sitting down on the couch, she points to the other couch. Taking the candy from her mouth, she says, “Sit.”
Yeah, let's get this over and done with. I walk to the couch and sitting down, I rest my forearms on my knees and lock eyes with her.
“Are you going to tell the entire Academy we slept together?”
Leaning forward, she grabs the wrapper and folds it around the candy, then she sets it down on the coffee table. She mirrors my position, placing her forearms on her knees, and then she gives me a smile I haven’t seen before.
Is it affection?
Fuck no, I’m certain she hates my guts.
“Mason, I totally get you feel awkward, and I’m not exactly the kind of girl you’re normally seen with. I was just messing with you because I knew you’d be embarrassed, and I was trying to make things easier for you.”
Is she serious or joking right now?
Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her serious.
“Are you fucking with me right now?” I ask.
“No,” her lips begin to pull into a smile, “that was last night.” She takes a deep breath, then continues, “I’m serious now. My best friend loves your best friend, and we can’t screw with that.”
I nod because I agree.
“So I have a proposal.”
“What?” I ask.
“If it bothers you that much just pretend it never happened.”
That really bothers me. “No.”
Surprise flashes over her face. “No?”
“Kingsley, I’m an asshole. Everyone knows that, but I knew what I was doing when I initiated the kiss.” I take a breath before I continue, “But I don’t want people knowing anything about my personal life.”
She looks down at her hands for a while before she says, “Then you don’t have anything to worry about. But honestly, if I would tell someone, it would be Layla. The same way you would share your secrets with Falcon and Lake.”
“Well, Lake already knows,” I mumble.
“Yeah?” she grins at me. “He’s quite fast at picking up on subtle hints.”
“Hunt, that wasn’t a hint. The writing was on the fucking wall by the time you left.”
She snorts, which is quickly followed by laughter.
“You want to know what he called us?” I ask, knowing she will get a kick out it.
She nods, trying to compose herself. “Tell me.”
“Fuck frenemies.”
Laughter explodes from her, and she slides off the couch.
I only realize I’m smiling when it freezes on my face as I realize why – Kingsley and Lake could’ve been twins.
She glances at me, and her laughter quickly dries up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I say. “You just reminded me of Lake.”
She chuckles, then mumbles under her breath, “Maybe one day I can remind you of me.” She gets up, and when she smiles again, I almost wonder whether I just heard her murmur the words. “Well, we talked. Everything is fine. I need to study, so if you don’t mind…” she gestures to the door.
“Sure.” I walk to the door with the niggling feeling that I’m forgetting something. Shrugging it off, I open the door and let myself out.
Chapter 13
Kinglsey
Walking to my class, I’m deep in thought about the conversation I had with Mason.
He doesn’t regret sleeping with me, he just doesn’t want anyone to know.
I’m not going to take that the wrong way. Mason can’t have his personal life splattered all over for everyone to see. He at least had the decency to come talk to me.
“Kingsley,” I hear Serena calling and glancing over my shoulder I see her a couple of steps behind me.
Crap.
She catches up to me, and grabbing hold of my shoulder, she turns me around and asks, “Are you avoiding me now that you’re a part of the elite group?”
“No, I’m avoiding you because you’ve been downright mean to my best friend,” I answer her honestly.
“Oh, my God. And here I thought we were all adults,” she sneers, “Seems like some of us still have to grow up.”
I shrug. “It is what it is, but I’m glad you realized it’s time for you to grow up. You’d be doing us all a huge favor.” I smile at her and give her a wave.
I turn back around to head to my class, only to come face to face with Mason and Falcon.
I take a step to the left so I can pass by them, but Mason’s hand darts out, and he wraps it around the side of my neck. When he pulls me toward him, I remember how he hugged me the night before.
I’m so damn confused as I turn sideways, my eyes darting up to his face.
Keeping his hand on the side of my neck, his eyes are hard on Serena. “Are you fucking with my friends again?”
My lips part and my eyes widen as I stare at his face.
Did he just call me a friend?
“What? I can’t talk to Kingsley now?” Serena crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing on Mason.
Mason surprises me again when he answers, “I’d prefer if you didn’t.” He pulls me closer, moving his arm around my shoulders. “You see, I have an image to uphold, and you talking to my friends…” he draws his bottom lip between his teeth, then let it go before he continues, “would only taint my image.”
Holy hotness.
Please bite your bottom lip again.
Serena’s face sets into a dark look. “Mason, you’re not the only one with a powerful father. Keep pushing me and see what happens.”
A smile spreads over Mason’s face, and letting go of me, he takes two steps forward. “And that’s the difference between you and me.” He takes hold of one of her ginger curls, giving it a look of disdain before flicking it away. “You start a war you can’t handle, then you run to your daddy so he can clean up the mess.” He leans closer to her. “When I start a war, I always finish it.”
He glances at me from over his shoulder, “You’re going to be late for class.”
“Yeah, I should go.” I swing back around and rush down the hallway.
Ugh. My life is becoming a freaking drama.
After my last class, I go look for Layla because I’m in serious need of some girl time.
When Layla opens her door, I make a praying gesture with my hands. “Please tell me you haven’t made any plans for tonight.”
“Nothing yet. I was just going to hang out. Why? Do you want to do something?” she asks, much to my relief.
With an excited face, I walk inside and ask, “Can we go somewhere off-campus. I need some girl time with my bestie.”
&nbs
p; “Sure, but where would we go?” She pulls her phone out to start searching for places.
“We can go to my family home. My dad is hardly home, and if he is, the place is so huge we won’t even know he’s there.”
“And your mom?” she asks.
“My mom passed while giving birth to me. It’s just my dad and me, so no worries.”
A compassionate look softens her features. “I’m sorry, my friend.”
I wave a hand. “Even though I would’ve liked a chance to have known her, I’ve dealt with it a long time ago. And my dad made sure I didn’t feel like I was missing something while growing up.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She smiles again, then asks, Okay, when do you want to leave?”
“How soon can you be finished with packing and kissing Falcon goodbye?”
My eagerness makes laughter bubble over her lips. “Let’s quickly shoot up to his suite so I can kiss him goodbye. Then we can stuff a couple of things in a bag and hit the road.”
“Awesome! You’re a lifesaver.” I follow her out of the suite, and when we step into the elevator, I grab her arm and I do a little excited jump while letting out a squeal, “This is going to be so much fun.”
“Can we get McDonald's for dinner?” she asks. “I’ve had a craving all week.”
“We can get some on the way to my house. Totally my treat.”
“And a milkshake,” she adds.
“Done,” I say as we stop in front of the door.
Layla knocks, and we both grin at Lake when he opens the door.
“My girls,” he smiles at us. “You look like you’ve just planned a murder and got away with it.”
“Nope, we planned a girls night out,” Layla answers. “Is Falcon here?”
Lake tips his head toward Falcon’s bedroom. “Last time I checked he was showering.”
“In that case I’ll wait in the living room,” I tease Layla, winking at her.
She chuckles as she walks to his bedroom, and quickly knocking, she lets herself in.
“So, what did you plan for this ladies night?” Lake asks when we sit down on the couch.
“Junk food, binge-watching something funny, aaaannnddd probably some more junk food.”
Lake smiles. “Do I have to wear a dress so I can join you?”
“If you do facials with us, and I get to paint your nails hot pink then it’s a deal.”
“Facials, yes. Hot pink, solid no.”
I pout playfully, “No fun.”
His eyes dart to something behind me, but before I can look, Mason jumps over the back of the couch and ends up sitting right beside me.
“Where do you put all the junk you eat?” he asks, resting an arm behind me on the couch.
I lean forward and glance back at him. “It all goes into energy to create comebacks for whenever we go at each other.”
I feel him tug at my hair, and can’t help but frown.
What’s going on?
Yes, we had sex, but it was a heat of the moment thing.
I thought we’d just go back to the way things were. But after the encounter with Serena, and now him sitting next to me and tugging at my hair?
Damn… way to screw with a girl’s mind, Dude.
He brings his other hand to my face, and I pull back, which makes the corner of his mouth curl up. He brushes a finger over my forehead. “Stop frowning, Hunt.”
“Then stop being so weird,” I say. “It’s… it’s… weird.”
A smile stretches over his face, and it only makes me look at him like he lost his mind. “Did you smoke some weed? Drank a little too much?”
He leans into me and feeling his breath on my ear, he whispers, “Payback for this morning.” He pulls a little back, and our eyes lock. “Watching you squirm is way more fun than getting you all riled up.”
“Ahh… is that so?” I tilt my head and close the distance between us again. When I’m so damn close to his mouth that my lips begin to tingle, I repeat his words from this morning in a seductive whisper, “Careful, Mason. When I start a war, I always finish it.”
His lips pull in to a sexy grin which has the power to melt a thousand panties.
Okay, maybe I won’t win the war, but damn, as long as he grins like that while wiping the floor with me, it will be worth it.
“Is that a dare I hear, Hunt?” His voice is so low and rough, it sounds the same as when he was deep inside of me.
“Uhm… guys.” Lake gets up, pulling us out of the moment. I quickly pull away from Mason. “You don’t want to move this to the bedroom?” Lake asks, and when we look at him, he smiles, “Daddy don’t need to see this.”
“Falcon and Layla also don’t need to see it,” Falcon teases behind me.
I shoot up from the chair, and when I see the huge smile on Falcon’s face and Layla’s eyes wide with surprise, I say, “Let’s go, Layla.” I hold my hand out to her. “Before I do something stupid.”
She presses a kiss to Falcon’s mouth, and whispers, “I’ll call you when we get there.”
Taking my hand, she wags her eyebrows at me, “Something stupid like… ?”
“There’s a strong possibility I might bite someone,” I say as I glance at Mason, who still has the grin plastered all over his face, which makes me add, “And there will be blood.”
“Kinky, Hunt,” Mason chuckles. “Careful, I might hold you to that.”
Frazzled because he’s teasing me and not biting my head off, I drag Layla to the door.
“We better go, before we get whatever bug Mason has,” I mumble as I drag her out and down the passage.
Layla laughs her ass off all the way down to the bottom floor.
“You have a lot to tell me,” she says as we step out of the elevator. “What happened between you and Mason?”
“Angry sex,” I mumble.
Layla’s eyes grow huge with surprise, and opening her door to the suite, she says, “What? And you’re only telling me now?”
“It only happened two days ago,” I explain.
“I have to admit, my friend, I never thought I’d see you and Mason end up together,” she says while shoving a couple of things into a bag, “but, damn, it sure is fun watching you and Mason fall for each other.”
“We’re not falling for each other,” the words burst from me which makes Layla wag her eyebrows at me.
“It’s only a matter of time before it strikes you like a lightning bolt and you realize you’re head over heels for the guy.”
“If that lighting bolt hits me, it will only end up frying my ass. Never in a ka-zillion years will Mason fall for me.”
Sobering up, Layla asks, “What makes you say that?”
“I’m just not his type.”
Layla grabs the bag, and we lock her suite before heading to mine.
She throws her arm around my shoulder, and says, “Like I said, it’s going to be one hell of an awesome show watching the two of you fall for each other.”
Chapter 14
Mason
The second the girls are gone, Falcon asks, “Is this thing between you and Kingsley serious?”
“Nah, I’m just fucking with her.”
“Literally,” Lake mumbles under his breath.
Falcon stares at me, and a smile begins to form on his face.
“It’s nothing like that,” I quickly defend, knowing exactly what he’s thinking.
“You’re at stage three. Don’t worry, it passes quickly,” Lake says as he lies down on the couch.
“Stage three? Do I even want to hear this?”
“Stage one, fighting. Stage two, you either kiss or like in your case, become fuck frenemies. Stage three, denial. Stage four, you realize you like the girl but then have no idea what to do. Stage five, you take the plunge, and it’s game over for your bachelor status.”
I look to Falcon and grinning the fucker nods. “I’m afraid he’s right.”
I let out a chuckle. “That will never happen. When it comes to H
unt, there are only two stages, fighting or fucking, but definitely no denial and taking a plunge.”
Lake lets out a sigh. “Like I said. Denial.”
“Don’t worry,” Falcon says, and he leans over so he can pat me on the shoulder. “You’ll survive.”
“Yeah?” I ask as I grab his arm and yank him to me. I wrestle him to the ground, growling, “Can’t promise you’ll survive.”
It’s been a quiet weekend with the girls gone.
Falcon’s been working on the business plans and Lake’s been talking with Lee-ann. She’s arriving next month, and I really hope it turns out well for Lake.
I park my car in the driveway and getting out, my eyes sweep over my family home.
There’s the familiar grip of grief around my heart, but it’s not as tight as before.
I let myself into the house and first go up the stairs to Jen’s room. I stop outside the bedroom and take a deep breath before I open the door.
The first thing I notice is that the smell has changed. Jen’s scent no longer hangs in the air.
I walk over to her dresser and pick up the perfume she used. Bringing the bottle to my nose, I close my eyes.
‘What are you doing in my room?’ Jen asks, catching me red-handed while I take a photo of the perfume she likes, so I can get it for her birthday.
Grabbing the first thing in sight, I hold it up. ‘I wanted to borrow this.’
‘A scrunchie? For what?’
Shit. I stare at the scrunchie, then do the only thing I can think off. I gather my hair at the top and struggle to tie it, but finally succeed… sort of.
‘Really?’ she grins while crossing her arms.
‘Yeah, I want to see if a man bun will work for me.’
‘I dare you to go to school like that tomorrow.’
I yank the thing out and drop it on her dresser. ‘No, way. Falcon and Lake will never let me live it down.’
Her laughter follows me as I rush out of her room.
Opening my eyes, I look at all the photos she stuck to the side of her mirror. Seeing one of us, pulling faces at the camera, I reach for it.
Mason (Trinity Academy Book 2) Page 8