by Tijan
James. He shouldn't lose his last few months with Mason before he went to college. And Logan, what about him? Where would we live in the next year? Nate would be gone. I wouldn't be able to live in his home, and Helen wouldn't approve of Logan being my only roommate if we rented an apartment.
The more I considered it, the more I realized that she would demand that Logan move in with her. That meant that he'd go to Los Angeles, or she would move back. But again, where would I go? She wouldn't let me live with them.
I glanced at David, but I knew I couldn't live with him. Too much had happened. There was too much distance between us.
My heart sank with that thought.
I would never get back the father that I had before.
He let out a breath of relief. "Well, that's good then. That's really good, Samantha. Would you—I mean—would you consider—where are you—" He struggled for words, but settled on, "What are you doing for your birthday?"
I waited, but when he finished with that question, I was dumbfounded. "What?"
"Your birthday is next weekend. I can imagine that Mason and Logan have a big party planned, but would you consider having dinner with me? We could go out? Or stay in? You could come back to the house." He nodded, so eager now. "We could make a homemade pizza, or no. I could order in. Chinese. You used to like Chinese. We could go to that restaurant you always liked when you were little."
"I…" I closed my mouth. I never considered my birthday plans. I'd been too consumed with the thought of being free from her, but that was done. And I was free now. So maybe dinner with David sounded like a good thing. That's what I'd been wanting, wasn't it? "Sure…"
My phone buzzed at that moment. It was a text from Mason. In the car.
"I'm, um, I'm going to go."
He nodded, a bright smile on his face. "Okay. That sounds good. I'm excited for your birthday, Samantha. I really am. I'm glad that there are boundaries with your relationship with Analise too. I've worried about you so much. You have no idea."
"I…" Again, I closed my mouth. I didn't know what to say to him anymore. Too much had happened. He wasn't my father anymore. Pain seared inside me. And what about Garrett? He was gone too. Both of them had abandoned me, maybe for good reasons, maybe not, but they were gone. I had survived my mother without them.
As I left, I didn't hear what else he said. I didn't care anymore. When I got into the car and shut the door, the shock was reeling inside of me. I didn't care anymore. I didn't care about David or Garrett. I had always cared, but not anymore.
"What's wrong?"
"I saw my dad."
"Garrett?" His eyebrows shot up.
"No." I shook my head. I was in a daze. "David. I saw him and…I don't care anymore."
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
I swallowed over a ball in my throat and turned to him. Everything seemed clearer now. "I thought that all I cared about was why he left me, why he wasn't trying to see me, and now I know that he was waiting. He was scared of what my mom would do."
He snorted. "Bat shit crazy."
"He wants to have dinner with me next weekend for my birthday."
"He does?"
I nodded, tearing up. Why was I crying now? "I can see my dad again, but I don't want to anymore."
Mason sighed and reached for my hand. He enveloped it in his strong hold and squeezed. "Things have changed, Sam. You're not living under your mom's thumb anymore. You don't have to be so scared anymore. You might care tomorrow."
"If I don't?"
He shrugged. "Then you don't. It's your life. You live it how you want. No matter the reasons, your dad screwed up. He stayed away. He shouldn't have. He didn't protect you."
"He didn't, did he?"
"No." His voice had a rough edge.
"Thank you."
"For what?" He narrowed his eyes as he frowned.
"For protecting me."
Mason smirked. "I didn't protect you."
"You didn't?"
He shook his head and leaned close. Then he whispered, his breath caressing my skin, "You protected me."
"I did, didn't I? I'm always protecting you." A smile came over me. As I looked up into his eyes, my heart constricted with love.
His grin widened. "Yeah, you do. That's what family does." Then his lips were on mine and nothing mattered besides that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It was the last Friday before school started again. When Mason and I got to the mansion, Logan and Nate were there with a few of their friends. I relaxed when I saw it was the guys from their school. I had only ever really interacted with Ethan before, but I was starting to recognize a few of the others. Strauss was one of them. He wore tight cowboy jeans with a big belt buckle and cowboy boots. I wasn't sure if his name was a nickname or his real name. I never asked.
They all gave us friendly nods, but Logan was the first one to reach us. He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground. "I did you a favor. Ask me what the favor was. Ask me! Come on!"
When he set me back down, I grinned. "What favor did you do for me?"
"I got your shift covered at Manny's!" He was so pleased with himself.
"What?"
"Yeah." He gestured to Nate, who came over and clapped a hand on Mason's shoulder in greeting. "We went to Manny's and asked who could cover for you tonight."
"Why?" My heart skipped a few beats. What had Heather said?
"Because we're having a huge party tonight. And I want you to be a part of it." He threw an arm around my shoulder and pressed me to his side. He bent close; the booze on his breath was strong. "So that Rosa chick said she'd fill in. And I invited all your friends to the party. They're coming after their shifts."
"Heather's coming?" She was the only one I wanted, but I doubted she would. She was too close to the Roussou side—and I remembered my brush with the Broudou siblings. I still hadn't told Mason about it. That was a conversation I wasn't eager to start. I didn't know how he would react, him or Logan.
Logan's grin slipped a bit. "Not sure about Jax. You know she runs with Channing."
Oh yeah. He knew.
Mason touched my hand and gestured upstairs. "I'm going to go shower." His eyes held the rest of his question if I was coming.
I nodded and followed.
It was after we had showered and were getting dressed that he brought Heather back up. He was in the closet with only a pair of jeans on, and as he was choosing which shirt he wanted, he said over his shoulder, "You like that girl, huh?"
I paused in my own dressing. I was wearing skintight black jeans that looked more like leggings and had finished pulling a sleeveless black shirt on. I tugged it around my waist and drew a deep breath. Here it was, the moment. "Yeah. I do."
He turned with a shirt in hand, but he made no move to put it on. He stared at me, long and hard. "She's Roussou territory, Sam. She's with Channing. He's a big player over there."
"But he's not the only one."
He narrowed his eyes. "No, he's not, but Jax has always been friends with that group. She's not going to change."
I sighed, "I like her." I needed a friend when I went to their school. Mason and Logan could only help me so far.
"She likes you. I know that. I've seen it, but I'm just preparing you. She's not going to start coming to our parties. Jax is fine by herself, but not the group she runs with."
What was this? A Jax intervention? I grumbled, "Why's she friends with them anyway? Why isn't she friends with you guys like all the normal girls at your school?"
"Do you know Jax? She's not a normal girl." Mason snorted before he pulled his shirt on in two movements. It fit perfectly over his chest, highlighting his muscular shoulders and trim waist. I couldn't stop myself from watching how his stomach muscles rippled and clenched. Even now, after we'd been together a record number of times over the last 24 hours, I still wanted him. The throbbing started between my legs again.
His eyes darkened, I knew he had cau
ght my reaction. He stalked towards me, his desire strong. He bent and lifted me with one arm so I entwined my legs around his waist. His other hand rubbed up my back, holding me in place while his eyes held my gaze. Intense. Then he leaned forward, ever so slowly. His lips touched mine, gently at first.
I groaned. I'd never get enough of him.
That was all he needed. His mouth opened over mine commandingly. He wanted inside. I gasped against him, and his tongue swept in, claiming me.
"You guys are too horny. I don't think it's normal." Logan was propped against the doorway. He rolled his eyes and came inside as Mason shot him a dark look, helping me back down to the floor. "I feel like I should give you two the birds and the bees speech. You know, before she gets pregnant or something."
I laughed, but Mason froze beside me so I wacked him on the chest. "You know I'm covered."
He gave me a pointed look, reminding both of us about the apartment. It had been the first time he hadn't used a condom, but I was on birth control. We were both clean. I hoped the one time wouldn't produce a baby. I was sure it wouldn't, but he stopped for more condoms anyways. Mason liked to make sure everything was covered.
"We're celebrating, Sam."
"We are?"
"Yep." Logan nodded his head with a look of intent on his face. "Come on. You signed up for our school. It's all official and shit. I've got shots ready downstairs." Then he caught a look from his brother and held up his hands. "Just in all good fun, Mase. She'll be fine. Promise."
Mason rolled his eyes. His hand touched the small of my back as we followed Logan downstairs. "She'll be fine because I'm here, not because of you. You'll be hooking up with someone before the night is half over."
Logan flashed him a grin. "Yeah, maybe."
"Maybe?" I scoffed.
"Okay. Probably." A group of girls walked into the center area from underneath us. "Definitely."
"Shots," Mason reminded him.
"Right. This way." Logan weaved through the crowd that had already formed. He slapped a hand on the counter. "Six shots, Strauss. Give it to me, Cowboy man!"
Six shot glasses were turned over and filled with something pink. Logan pushed two to each of us and lifted his first. "To Sam coming to our school and to Mason always fucking her!"
"Logan!"
Mason laughed as he tapped his shot with his brother's. Both swallowed theirs at the same time before looking at me. Oh, fine. I threw mine back. We heard the same toast again with the second round. I couldn't help but shake my head as the alcohol went down my throat. Still, it didn't taste too bad. I turned for Mason and tugged on his belt loop. "One more."
His arms came around me to rest on the counter. He nodded to his friend. "Strauss, another round."
"Really?"
"I'm off. See you two lovebirds later."
Before we could look, Logan had already disappeared into the crowd.
Mason swung a finger from me to him. "Make that just for us two."
Strauss flipped over three shot glasses. As the pink stuff went into them again, he lifted one for himself. "I wouldn't dare make that same toast, but here's to your girl joining the gang."
"Nice." Mason grinned before he took his shot.
Mine was held suspended. Join their group? The girls hated me.
"Sam?"
I shook my head. "Nothing." And down the alcohol went. It burned this time, for some reason. "Where's Nate?"
Strauss gestured towards the back patio. "He's out there with the guys. I think he's resting before Parker gets her claws on him tonight."
"Parker's been here every night?"
His friend lifted an easygoing shoulder. "I think so. According to her."
"What does Nate say?"
Strauss gave him a pointed look. "You know Nate won't say anything to us. He would to you, not the rest of us."
Mason frowned. "I haven't thought to ask. I thought he didn't want to make that exclusive?"
I frowned at the tension I felt from him. His hands moved to my hips in a strong grip. His fingers tightened into my skin, and he pulled me against him. As he pressed his hips into me, I didn't feel the usual bulge that Mason always had when we stood like this. Instead, I felt his anger.
Strauss frowned a bit but shrugged again. "I don't know. You don't want that exclusive?"
"It don't matter to me—not my relationship." But the bite that came from his tone said otherwise.
"Or is it a Parker thing? You don't want her having too much say with him?"
I became aware of Strauss's scrutiny as his gaze skirted back and forth from Mason to me. After the fourth stare, I straightened and rolled back my shoulders. I knew he was wondering if I had told them about the girls' vendetta against me, if that was his problem with Nate being so close with Parker. I shook my head. It was the tiniest of movements, but he caught it and his eyes widened even more. I couldn't tell if he was relieved or worried.
Mason's hands gripped me tighter and he pressed all of his body against mine. This time I felt the bulge and my eyes closed. The need for him started to rise in me, and the throbbing began again. As he brushed back and forth against me, I started not to care where we were.
Mason lowered his head to my neck. He breathed out, his nostrils flared, and I felt his possessiveness over me. His hand lifted one of my arms so it was entwined around his neck. My hand splayed out over the back of his neck as his other hand slid around to the front of me. Every inch of us molded together as his hand slid inside of my pants.
He never answered his friend's question, but it didn't matter. Before my eyelids dropped, heavy and laden with lust, I saw that Strauss had left. Then I was only aware of Mason lifting me and turning me around. I was placed on the counter and he was between my legs. His mouth was on mine, urgent and demanding.
"Don't you two breathe?"
We jerked apart, but Mason groaned and rolled his eyes as he saw who interrupted us. "What are you doing here, Tate?"
The tall leggy blonde looked fresh and healthy. She was dressed in similar jeans as mine, brown instead of black, and wore an off-the shoulder cream sweater that draped to give a glimpse of her lacy tan-colored bra. Her hair was swept to the side, and with a glow on her cheeks, she looked like she had stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. Grinning like a Cheshire, she lifted her shoulders and flashed her dimples at him. "I heard about the happy couple. I wanted to congratulate you two."
Mason rested his forehead against the side of me as he glared at her. "Leave." His hand twitched on my hip. I knew he was holding back.
"Or what?" She widened her eyes in a dramatic fashion. "Or you'll make me leave?" She rolled her eyes. "You're going to have to get used to me. I'm moving back, Kade."
His eyes narrowed, and he sucked in his breath—just a little, but enough so that I felt it. My hand rested against his chest. I felt his heartbeat pick up as his muscles clenched underneath my touch. "Like hell, you are."
"I am." The smiling façade fell away. She stared back at him long and hard. "Get used to me. I'm not going anywhere." Then her grin picked back up, a slow malicious glint appeared. "I heard that you've been ignoring your precious Marissa's phone calls. Tsk, tsk, Mason. How noble is that? Was she your charitable donation at the time, an attempt to persuade yourself that you're not that bad of a guy?" Her eyes slid to mine. "But now that you've got the good girl you can screw, you don't care about the Saintly Marissa anymore? I saw her, you know. Her parents moved to my town, and she even cried to me one time at a coffee shop. You're heartless, Kade, but then again—I never forgot that about you." She gave him a withering