by Tijan
“Right now.”
She turned to me. Anger flashed in her gaze for a second and I grinned. Got you, bitch. That was the real Analise, not this articulate and kind-spoken woman.
She cleared her throat, the anger gone instantly. “Excuse me?”
I opened my mouth, but Logan beat me to it. He said, “You’re married.”
She choked on a gasp, turning to James again. The blood drained from her face.
“Mason,” he hissed at me.
“I know. You threatened to send Logan to a boarding school if I didn’t play nice.”
“What?”
The fury rose in him; I watched as it filled his gaze. He reached forward, but he grabbed onto his fork and held it tightly. His knuckles turned white from his hold. He said through clenched teeth, “You will play nice now.”
“Or what, Dad? I thought about it in the two seconds from the front door to here and I’m calling your bluff. You’re not sending Logan away. You have shared custody with Mom and there’s no way she’d agree to that.”
“Dad was going to send me away?” Logan was mystified. “Dad?”
He ignored Logan. “Mason, do not test me on this.”
“Or what?” I leaned forward again, staring right at him. I never looked away. I never blinked. I wasn’t backing down. “I’m not even being mean right now. I’m just saying it how it is. She’s choosing to be ignorant if she thinks her daughter won’t have problems.” I turned to her now. She froze at my words, but she blinked, catching up with the conversation. “You’re married. What’s your end goal here?” I pointed to my dad. “To marry him? You’re going to have to leave your husband. What then? You’re going to uproot your daughter? Take her from her father? If you think she’s going to handle that well, you either want to act delusional or you don’t give a shit. If that’s the case, I pity your daughter. Take it from me, coming from a destroyed family, it’s one of the hardest goddamn things I’ve gone through, and with our family, it was probably the best ending we could hope for.” I fixed her with a cold stare. “Walk away from him. Find a way to love your husband again and don’t fuck up your daughter’s life. Take my advice. Please.”
She held my gaze. No doubt. No regret. No emotion. She stared right back at me and she never wavered. My gut had been right. I laughed, shaking my head. “I wanted to be wrong. I’m not, though. That is your goal, isn’t it? You want to marry him.”
“Or she wants his money,” Logan joined in. His tone was bitter. He turned to our dad again. “You were going to send me away?”
“Logan,” James started. “That’s not how it was said.”
“Bullshit.” I stopped him. He wasn’t going to do this.
“Mason doesn’t lie and he wouldn’t make that up.” Logan shook his head, leaning back in his chair. As he did, he looked down at his lap, a frown appearing. “I can’t believe you, Dad. I’m always with Mason, but man, to threaten that? That’s just cold. And you did it to control him. You were trying to control both of us.”
“Because you’re both so goddamn out of control,” James burst out. He began drawing attention from the other diners and Analise leaned forward. She hissed, “Keep your voice down, James.” He didn’t. He was shaking his head and his voice rose. “Why do you two do this? Why? What have I done so wrong to have both of my sons turn against me?”
“James.” She touched his arm, looking around. “Lower your voice. We’re drawing too much attention.”
“Yeah,” Logan spoke up, disdain dripping from his tone. “You wouldn’t want this to get back to your husband, would you?”
I threw him a grin. I was proud of my brother in that moment.
As he sat up and his shoulders rolled back, he added, “Your daughter’s in my grade, isn’t she?”
The air changed. It had been hostile, but it dropped to a more intense level. Everyone was silent for a moment. Then she clipped out, “What does that mean?”
Logan was holding her gaze steadily. He lifted a shoulder. “Nothing. I’m just checking my facts. She’s my age. She’s a year younger than Mason.” He paused, drawing out his message. “We might know people in common. She might even start to hang out with us, be our friends.” He gestured to me. “All the girls are crazy about Mason. Who knows? Maybe living with us could help her reputation? Is she popular in her school?”
Logan wasn’t offering to help her social standing. Everyone read the threat correctly.
Her face grew pale again. “You had better stay away from my daughter. You hear me?”
Logan threw me a triumphant grin. I nodded. There she was. The real her came back out again. She had come out earlier, but pulled back in. Her mask shielded her, but he got it to fall away. I leaned forward, signaling to Logan that I would take over. He leaned back in response and she turned to me, reacting to the undercurrents between us. I narrowed my eyes and spoke clearly, “We’re not threatening anything against your daughter. We’re reminding you what we could do if we choose.”
“Mason.” James looked at Logan. “You too. Stop this. Both of you. This is ridiculous.”
“Maybe, Dad.” Logan shook his head. “Or maybe you should listen to us.” He pointed at Analise. “She’s not a good person. We both know that. Why can’t you see it?”
Because he loved her. Our dad glanced at me, and we both remembered what I had said in the car. He loved her and if Logan knew the extent of it, I shook my head. I wasn’t sure how my brother would react. Clearing my throat, I stood up. So did Logan. I said to our dad, “We’ll get home by ourselves.” I glanced at her. When she held my gaze, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She’d been one of the women to help destroy our family, and she had every intention of trying to become the new Mrs. James Kade.
She was crazy, cunning, and ruthless.
I had no idea how to handle her so I didn’t say anything and left. Logan followed me. We never went home that weekend. We drove to see our mom in L.A. and didn’t come back until late Sunday night. We never did tell her about Analise or getting arrested.
18
THE HEADS-UP
There was a knock on my door, but I already knew who it was. Logan always yelled my name on his way inside. He wasn’t home and there was only one other person who lived with us. “Yeah?”
My dad came inside. I saw the tension on his face and knew what he was there for. It’d been six months since we were arrested, since Nate’s parents shipped him off, and the disastrous meeting with Analise. At first there’d been nothing. It was like my dad’s girlfriend went away and I had hoped she was gone for good, but when he didn’t bring any other women home, I knew Analise wasn’t out of the picture. That stopped three months ago and she was over more and more lately. I sighed, shaking my head. “I suppose I should just be happy you haven’t force-fed her down our throats.”
He stopped, the grim look doubled, and he sat on my couch. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. Still dressed in his business suit, the top three buttons were undone and he reached up now, tugging at the collar. My dad looked in pain, but I doubted it had anything to do with the shirt. He cupped his hands together. “I don’t know where to start.”
I tossed my pen on the desk. “I’ll do it for you. She’s moving in, isn’t she?”
He opened his mouth, ready to say something and then closed it. He nodded slowly.
Fuck. “I don’t like her.”
He held my gaze, flinching a bit, but let out a sigh. “I’m aware.”
“Logan won’t be happy.”
“Logan hasn’t been happy for a while.”
We shared a look. We were thinking the same thing. It’d been a year ago when Logan’s girlfriend came in here. My lips pressed tight at the memory. Logan was still working through those issues. He had loved Tate.
I said, “She’s just like her.”
“No.” He shook his head.
I leaned forward on my chair. “Yes.”
“No, Mason. You have this irrational anger
at women—”
“They’re both cheaters,” I stopped him. “They’re both manipulators. They’re both liars. They both don’t care who they hurt.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Does she cry when she thinks of leaving her husband?” I didn’t need to wait to hear the answer. I knew she didn’t. “Or is she the one pressuring you to let her move in? Because she’ll be so happy to be with you? I’ve met her husband, Dad. He’s not that bad of a guy. He’s a good coach too.” I paused a beat. He looked away. “He could’ve been my coach.”
“Stop.”
I was getting to him, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good. I shook my head. “Why this woman?”
“What do you mean?”
“She has you wrapped around her finger. Why her? Does she have magical lube or something?” I channeled Logan. “Is her vagina some fairyland for your prick?”
“Stop it. My god. You and Logan. You’re both so crude sometimes.”
I shrugged. “I say it how I see it. Sometimes.”
He shot me a look, tugging at his collar again. “I’m aware. You’ve been barely tolerable since the divorce.”
I snorted. “You mean since you started cheating. Wait, that’d be your entire marriage, wouldn’t it?” Even thinking about it was making me angrier. “Why’d you marry her? It’s obvious you didn’t love Mom. Did you think you did at some point?”
He closed his eyes and hung his head. His shoulders slumped downwards. “I tried. I really did, Mason. It just wasn’t meant to be.”
“You didn’t even try.”
“I did too. You have no idea. You don’t remember the beginning, dealing with her family, dealing with her father’s threats.”
“Right. Because Grandpa’s such a controlling asshole.”
“He was.” The intensity in his eyes made me pause. He softened his tone and ran a hand through his hair. “He was before he died. Your mother never listened to me. It was their way before us. We were doomed from the start.” He grew bitter. “You don’t put someone else’s wishes before your partner’s. You don’t do that. When you marry, that’s your first priority. It should’ve been. I tried, but your mother didn’t see her loyalties like I did.”
“You thought you loved her?”
He grimaced. “I tried to love her.”
I grunted. He never answered the question.
Then he said, softly, “She got pregnant, Mason. That’s why we got married.”
She had been just another one of his women. A hollow laugh ripped from me. Fuck. I’d been the doom of them. I’d been the reason for all the pain for everyone. A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed it down. “That’s a hard pill to swallow. Shit.”
He shook his head. “I tried. I really did, Mason. Your mother wouldn’t take my side in things. She wouldn’t listen to me. It was about what her family wanted. To give Helen some credit, she’s the oldest daughter and they’re old money. They have a lot of expectations for her to live up to. I know that’s part of the reason she held onto our marriage as long as she did.” A soft curse slipped from him. “She’d still be here if I hadn’t ended it. I am sorry for how things worked out.”
“You gave up.”
“Mason,” he sighed.
“Were you ever faithful to her?”
He pressed his lips together and glanced away.
He couldn’t look me in the eyes. I was so tired of the lies and the manipulation. I was sick of everything.
Then he murmured, “I did try.”
“Not hard enough. What? A month?” I was disgusted. “That’s not a marriage. I don’t blame Mom for not giving up her loyalties to Grandpa. I wouldn’t either if my wife had another dick in her after a month of marriage.” I laughed. “What a riot. You tried. That might be one of the biggest lies I’ve heard from you.” It was killing me because he wouldn’t cheat on this new one. I had sensed it in him for a long time. He would be the husband to her that he hadn’t been for my mom.
“I am sorry for putting you guys through all of this. We should’ve been more discreet, your mother and I.”
“Just stop.” I sneered at him. I sneered at my own father. That was wrong, but somehow it seemed so acceptable in our lives. “I don’t want to hear about your failed marriage. I lived it. Say what you came to say.”
“She’s moving in.”
“When?”
“Next weekend.”
I felt sucker punched. We had less than a week.
“Do you want me to tell Logan or—”
I didn’t even let him finish. “No. I will.” He had to hear it from me. “I’ll tell him.”
He stood, nodding to himself. As he went to the door, he wiped his hands down the front of his pants and I had to laugh. He looked up. “What?”
It was like he’d been nervous, but that was the irony. It didn’t matter what we wanted or what was best for us, he was going to do whatever he wanted. We never mattered. For him to be nervous now? It didn’t make sense.
“What?” he asked again.
“I think you’re a coward.”
He took a step back, looking like I had sucker punched him instead.
I didn’t care. “After all the stuff you’ve done and now you give me a week’s heads up that some new woman is moving in? Should I thank you for the consideration of even telling me?” I gestured to his hands. “You were sweating. That means you were nervous and that means you cared how this would go. Why? You haven’t cared this whole time.”
Pain and regret flashed over his face and he didn’t answer for a moment. I didn’t think he would. His throat jerked up and down as he cleared his throat. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse, “I’m sorry for threatening to send Logan away. I’m not a great father. I know that. I wasn’t a good husband at all, but this is a new beginning. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
He started for the door, but I stopped him again. “Were you with her the whole time?”
“What?”
“Logan saw her around years ago, but I know you were with other women. Have you been with her this whole time?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I didn’t want to leave a marriage and jump into another serious relationship, but you’re right. Analise has been around. She’s been patient. She waited for me. I love her, Mason. I love her a lot.”
I knew he did. I hated that he did. “What about her kid?”
“She’s coming too.”
I narrowed my eyes.
So did he. He hesitated and then said, “I’m quite aware of what you are capable of, Mason. I’ve watched you grow up.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You will leave Samantha alone. If you have any idea of pursuing her to hurt me or hurt Analise, let it go now. That girl has no idea about any of this. Her entire world is going to be turned upside down in five days. You let her be when they move in.”
I laughed again. “I don’t have to hurt that girl. You and her mother have already done enough. If I did anything, it’d be to help her.”
He studied me for a long minute. “You just let her be. Logan too. I don’t want either of you to even talk to her.”
Of course. As he left, I had to appreciate even more irony. He was telling me to be a stranger to his old mistress/new girlfriend’s child when they became our roommates. Only in our lives would that make perfect sense.
Then my phone buzzed and Logan’s name appeared on the screen. He needed to be told too.
19
TELLING LOGAN
We were at a party, but I couldn’t hold it in. Nodding to Logan, I gestured away from everyone. This had nothing to do with them. This was family business. This was private. When Ethan and Strauss started to come with him, I shook my head. They fell back immediately. They never questioned me, but Logan saw the exchange and he frowned.
We went to a back room. Once we were there, he said, “What’s going on? You’re acting weird.”
Shit. I didn’t want to say it,
but he had to know. “She’s moving in.”
Logan was silent.
I waited. He was my kid brother and I was scared. What would he say? How would he react? Then he shrugged. “Okay.”
I frowned. “Next weekend.”
He hung his head.
There he was. He was my little brother again. We didn’t talk about our parents’ relationship or lack of one. We talked about people who were trying to hurt us or use us. We were a united front against them, but this was different. Logan had always clammed up when it came to Mom and Dad. He needed to talk about it, but fuck. I had no idea what to say.
I tried, “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” He bit out a bitter laugh. “You didn’t force Dad to sleep with all those women. You didn’t make him give up on their marriage or Mom to put up with his shit. You fucking raised me. That’s what you did.” He wiped at his eyes, swallowing for a moment. “Shit. For real?”
I nodded. “Dad told me today.”
“Christ. My god. FUCK.” He closed his eyes and turned away. His shoulders shook.
“Logan.”
“Stop, Mason.” He turned to me.
The sight of his tears silenced me. He had cried in front of me before, but this was deep. This had been going on for so long. My own emotions were coming up in me. I didn’t want to deal with it.
He asked, his voice hoarse, “Why the fuck can’t we have normal parents? You know, where the dad and mom don’t lie all the time? Maybe some of the time, but they fight, make up, and the family pretends everything’s fine. Why’d we have to have ours?” He shook his head. “We’re not even a family. It’s you and me. Who the hell is Dad to us? He’s not a father.” His arm jerked up to me. “You’re my father. You raised me. He didn’t. She didn’t. FUCK.”
He turned back away, but it didn’t matter. He hurt. I hurt. No one could deny it or ignore it anymore. Everything he said was true. It was us against the world. It had been for a long time.
“He loves that bitch, doesn’t he?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“He’s going to marry her.”
“Probably.”