I turned to look out over the landscape behind the house, trying not to judge how far I’d have to run. There were hills everywhere, but it didn’t mean there were many places for me to hide. The track to the house was dirt. Who knew how far the main road was from here?
Movement in the distance caught my eye. I blinked, then squinted. Unless I was seeing things, four figures were walking this way. My heart lurched, imagining it might be my men.
Had Prescott, West, Francis and Drake found me?
“Scarlett.”
My head whipped around to the house. Mason stood by the patio door. My eyes went to what he was holding. I swallowed. My heart thumped hard against my ribcage, making me even more nervous.
Why the fuck does he have a shotgun?
I’d never seen a gun in real life before. The sight of him with one made me fear for my life.
“What is it, Mason?”
“Come inside.”
I didn’t want to. Not when he had a fucking gun on him. Why did he even need that? What was the reason he had it out right now?
My eyes went back to the figures I’d seen, but they weren’t there any longer. I must have been seeing things.
“Now, Scarlett.”
Letting out a sigh, I made my way towards the house. I couldn’t take any chances. Not when he was brandishing a shotgun like it was normal behaviour.
When I reached Mason, he looked down at me with annoyance written all over his face.
“Get in the house.”
“Why on earth do you have that?”
He looked down at the gun.
“I was cleaning it.”
“No, I mean, why do you have it in the first place? I didn’t know you owned a gun. Do you even have a licence for it?”
He looked slightly taken aback by my questions. They were valid as far as I was concerned. The only reason people in this country owned rifles or shotguns was for hunting or sport. Mason wasn’t interested in either of those, as far as I knew.
“Of course I have a licence for it.”
“Well, how am I supposed to know? You could have a stash of illegal handguns.”
He let out an exasperated noise.
“Where do you think I’d get hold of one?”
“Well, you shouldn’t have one, considering who your father is. But oh wait, you helped a man kidnap me, so excuse me for being sceptical.”
I probably shouldn’t have been giving him attitude when he had a shotgun in his hands, but I didn’t think it was loaded. He said he was cleaning it. Didn’t make me feel any better about him having it. Not to mention I was a little on edge after thinking I saw four people in the distance.
“My father…” he paused and scowled. “They told you.”
“Of course they fucking told me, Mason. How do you think I found out about you and Phoebe?”
He stepped closer.
“What else did they tell you?”
“That you used to watch me when I was a teenager and have been obsessed with me since before my accident.”
I didn’t mean to blurt those words out, but apparently, my common sense had fled. Mason’s eyes narrowed on me. I didn’t step back. Despite the fact he had a weapon on him, I wasn’t going to be a meek, obedient girl any longer. It was time to stand my ground.
“And you believed them?”
“What’s not to believe? Unlike you, I’ve known them my whole life.”
“They lied to you for months about not knowing who you are.”
“I was there to destroy them. They couldn’t trust me. I couldn’t trust them. Go figure. You’ve lied to me too, so don’t you stand there and act like you’re on some moral high ground.”
His expression hardened to stone.
“Get in the house, Scarlett. Now.”
“Or what?”
“Or I will use force and I don’t think you want that.”
I wanted to fight him. I really fucking did, but I didn’t think I would win. Besides, this argument wasn’t getting us anywhere.
I shoved past him and went inside. Mason glanced around outside before he followed me, shutting the patio doors and locking them.
“You’re not going back outside without me. Is that understood?”
“Why? Do you think I’m going to run off?”
“Yes.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Well, you shouldn’t exactly be surprised considering you’re keeping me here against my will.”
His hands tightened around the gun. I should be scared, but I wasn’t. He wasn’t going to kill me.
“I’ve had about enough of your attitude today. Get in the bedroom and stay in there.”
“You’ve had enough of me, huh? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but this is what you’re getting. I did not ask for this. And I don’t fucking want you.”
Mason walked into the kitchen and placed the shotgun down on the counter. Then he turned and approached me, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. I didn’t back away. He needed to understand I wasn’t going to be a willing victim.
“Get in the bedroom, Scarlett, before I do something I regret.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“What a way to take responsibility. Blame your inability to control yourself on me because you don’t like how I’m talking to you. Did you think I would be the same sad little meek girl once I remembered who I am, hmm? Did you think Stuart broke me so I’d be an obedient girl for you?”
I saw it coming from a mile off and yet I did nothing to stop it. His hand came up, and he struck me across the face. My head snapped back, but I took it. I let him do it because it proved my point. He was as bad as Stuart.
I turned my face back towards him. Then I smiled before I spat blood at him. He glowered, then took me by the arm and dragged me along to the bedroom. He threw me into the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
I went over to the mirror on the dresser and looked at my face. Opening my mouth, I found the source of the bleeding. The impact of his fist had knocked my cheek into my teeth. I rubbed my jaw and got a tissue to wipe the blood from around my mouth. Stuart had hit me in the face enough times for this to be a minor assault as far as I was concerned.
Provoking Mason hadn’t been my smartest idea, but I was no longer in the mood to be nice. Not after the way he’d behaved. Not after he’d kidnapped me. I was done being a pawn for other people. No, I was a warrior. I’d survive this shit and get back to my men.
I went over to the bed and lay down, staring at the wardrobe, and wondered how long Mason intended to keep me in here. He needed to cool off, so I wasn’t going to go out and ask him.
I must have fallen asleep because I jolted awake to a faint tapping sound. Looking around, I couldn’t locate the source of it. It had got dark, but the room was lit by the moon streaming in through the windows.
The noise came again. I hopped off the bed. Something was tapping against the glass. I walked towards it and realised there was a hand there. I looked out, but I couldn’t see who the hand belonged to. I almost jumped out of my skin when something slammed against the glass. It took me a second to register that it was a piece of paper. I peered at it, wondering what the fuck was going on.
Open the bathroom window. Get the shotgun. Bring it to us.
It was gone a moment later. I stared at the space it had been for a long moment. There was only one logical explanation for who had written that. They were here. They had to be here. The four figures I’d seen in the distance had been them.