10
The drive to the hospital passed in a blur. I was on auto pilot and somehow found myself shoving through the doors to the emergency room without a clue how I got there. Taking two heart-stopping steps, my foot lifted for another when I spotted Logan in the corner. His head was down, his arms folded over his chest, leaning against a wall. His friends were around him—guys and girls I didn’t recognize—but no Mason.
My chest lifted and my lungs struggled to take a breath.
Then Logan lifted his head. It happened in slow motion, his eyes scanned the room and then he saw me. Surprise came over him before it clicked. Comprehension flared next. My foot came down hard. It was worse than I thought, but he shook his head and pushed off the wall. His movement drew attention, and everyone watched him cross to me.
“No, no, Sam. It’s not like that.”
I was too scared to say a word. For one split second, I considered running. If I didn’t know, I couldn’t lose him, but I had to know. “Is it bad?” Tell me he’s alive.
“He’s fine. The brakes were cut so he got blindsided by an oncoming car. He couldn’t stop when he was leaving the lot. I would’ve driven onto the grass or something, not out into an intersection.” Logan rolled his eyes. His arm came around my shoulder and he jerked me against him. I could feel the laughter reverberating through his chest. “He’s such an idiot, but it’s a good thing he drives like a grandpa sometimes.”
My eyes closed and I sagged under his arm. I couldn’t believe it. Mason is going to be fine. Mason is going to be fine. Mason is going to be fine. I could breathe, I tried telling myself over and over, but my brain and my body weren’t working together. My chest was still tight, stretched from fear.
“Sam?” Logan jostled me a little, hugging me tighter into his side. “You okay?”
Mason was going to be fine.
I opened my mouth to fill my lungs. Nothing.
“Sam?”
I heard him and my eyes flew open. Mason was at the end of a hallway, frowning at us, and a rush of relief came over me. My mouth dropped, but then he was heading towards me. As he drew near, he asked, “You okay?”
A buzzing sound was in my head. I shook it so I could hear him, but then his hand was on my arm, and he tugged me from Logan. Oh my god. My arms were numb, but I wrapped them around him and tried to hold tight.
He moved us and somehow we were in a private room. Looking around, I saw a small room with some clothes lying on a cot. There was also a computer and a small TV. It looked like we were in a room where the doctors slept when they were on-call. I closed my eyes when his head bent and I felt his breath on my neck. It felt good. It felt reassuring. I tried to hold him even tighter, but he asked, “What’s wrong? Nate’s going to be fine.”
Wait.
I leaned back. “Nate?” My voice was shaking.
He frowned at me. “Yeah.”
“Nate? Nate was in the car accident?”
“Yeah.”
He was still looking at me, frowning as his eyes roamed over my face. Then it all hit me and I shoved him away. “I thought it was you! I thought you’d been hurt and that I was going to lose you.” I threw my arm up, gesturing to the lobby. “Logan’s talking about what an idiot you are, but I thought someone had crashed into your car!”
“No.” He tugged me back into his arms. “You’re shouting.”
I didn’t care. “I thought it was you!”
“It wasn’t!” he yelled over me. “Calm down. I’m sorry—”
Shoving my hand into my pocket, I pulled my phone out and checked the number. It was Logan’s number. I put it in his face. “Logan texted me. Not you. I thought it was you. Why else would Logan be the one to text me? And he texted! He should’ve called—no!—you should’ve called! And why didn’t you even tell me about your basketball game? I had no idea. I’m new, remember? I don’t know these things, and no one talks to me—”
“I’m sorry.” Mason was fighting back a grin as he pulled me against his chest and wrapped both arms around me. He took the phone from my hand and pushed it back into my pocket. The intense anger kept me stiff in his embrace, and I lifted a fist to his stomach. He said, “I knew you had to work tonight. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to feel bad about missing the game. I’m sorry … again … I’m sorry, Sam. I am. I was the one driving. I told Logan to call you, but we were right behind the ambulance so he texted instead. I’m sorry. Next time I’ll be the one to call you.”
Oh shit. Next time. There better not be a next time. “Mason …” The anger left me then, and a void took its place. There was a big gaping hole left in me. I thought I had lost him.
“I’m sorry.”
Mason …
I couldn’t even finish that thought. I was just so relieved it hadn’t been him. My knees sagged in relief. “Is Nate okay?”
He nodded, looking down at me, searching inside of me. “Yeah, he’s fine.”
“Logan said his brakes were cut?”
“Yeah.” His jaw went rigid. “My guess is that it was Budd and Brett Broudou.”
My eyes got wide. Oh holy shit. “Can you prove that?”
“Who cares about proving? We already know.”
Oh. My heart started beating fast. Now would be a good time for that second confession … I took a deep breath and stepped away from him. “Mason?”
“Yeah?”
Three …
Two …
“Yo.” The door burst open, and Logan popped his head inside. “The doc wants to see you. He’s waiting for you by the nurse’s station.”
Mason moved around him and took off. He disappeared around the corner. There went one …
“You okay?”
I nodded. “Never better.”
“I heard you shouting.” He propped his shoulder against the doorframe and kept studying me. “I’m sorry about the mishap. I should’ve told you we were fine; I just didn’t think about it.”
“Yeah.”
“Sam?”
There was a giant ball of guilt and worry in my stomach. I had to tell them about Budd and Brett. It’d been too long ago, but with Brett asking me out, Mason and Logan needed to know first. “Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“What are you guys going to do?”
He frowned, but moved inside so the door shut behind him. Same room, different Kade. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you guys are going to do something to get even.” It wasn’t a question. That was a fact. Everyone knew it. “What are you going to do?”
He lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know. Nate will probably make the decision. They did this to him. Of course, I’m guessing they did it because he clipped Budd with his car.” His eyes turned feral. “Now I wish he’d gotten hit harder, would’ve put him in the hospital first.”
I sucked in a breath. “Are you guys going to hurt them?” Did I want that? Didn’t that mean they’d retaliate? Mason or Logan could get hurt. That couldn’t happen. Maybe I could talk to Brett … no. I’d make it worse then. “They’ll hurt you guys back.”
“Oh.” Understanding flashed in his eyes and he lifted a hand. It went to my arm, meant to comfort me, but I bolted into him. Bumping against his chest, I wrapped my arms and hugged tight. Logan was family. Mason was more. I couldn’t lose either of them.
I mumbled against him, “Don’t hurt them. They’ll hurt you back. I can’t handle that.”
“Oh, Sam.”
“Logan, promise me.”
He stiffened under my arms and moved me back. “I can’t promise you that.”
I knew it.
It felt as if a hand reached inside of me and was gripping my heart.
Logan added, “I’m sorry, but they’re going to do it anyway. They’re looking for you. Why do you think that is?”
“For running lessons?” My voice came out high-pitched and shrill. The panic was full blown. “Why wouldn’t they?”
He sighed and shook his head. As he bit down on the corner of his lip, I turned away. I couldn’t see the pity there. They were going to do it anyways, no matter the consequences. One of them was already hurt. When would they be next? I knew it was only a matter of time.
I had to try again. “Please, Logan. Go to the police. This is going to end badly.”
“They’re hoping to hurt you. You’re Mason’s girlfriend. Everyone knows how protective we are of you. You’re our weakness, Sam. We have to finish this before they do something to you.”
I gritted my teeth. Mason and Logan would not get hurt, not if I had anything to do with it …
“Logan,” Mason called from down the hall.
“Gotta go.” Logan cupped the back of my head and pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead. “You okay?”
I nodded. The numbing sensation had left, but it was coming back. As he broke away and headed off, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. I was given a glimpse into the future. One where it was one of them, not Nate, in that hospital bed, but it was worse.
“Um,” a voice broke through my reverie. I jerked my head sideways and saw a girl standing in the doorway. Her top lip was curled up in a sneer, and she was eyeing me up and down. Dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and jeans that clung to her tiny form, I figured she was cheerleader. The glitter was still on her cheeks. Tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, she pointed at me with her other hand. “Your leg is ringing.”
My leg is ringing … Oh. My phone.
It was James. I closed my eyes for a second and heaved a big sigh. I could only take so much, but I answered as I left the room and headed back outside. “Hello?”
“Sam.” His relief was clear. “Thank you for answering. I can’t get Mason or Logan on the phone.”
“They’re busy right now.”
“I know. Is Nate okay?”
I frowned. “How do you know?”
“About the accident? His parents were called, but they’re in New Zealand so they called me right away.”
His parents? Sometimes I forgot he had them. “Uh, I’m not sure. I think he’s fine. Mason and Logan are with the doctor right now.”
“Yes. His parents told the doctor to release information to them. Are they okay?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m sure they’re worried.”
He was silent. Then, he added, “No, not Nate’s parents. I meant my sons. Are they all right?”
“Oh. Yeah, they’re fine.”
“Good.” I could picture him, nodding with the phone pressed to his ear. “That’s good. Do you think I should come down there?”
Oh dear god. “NO! I mean, no.” There was no way I could handle Analise right now.
He gentled his voice. “I wouldn’t bring her, Sam. Not to this. I know Helen was called as well. I’m sure she’s heading there now.”
My heart started to race again. I couldn’t handle her either. “She is?” My fingers gripped the phone tight.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m trying to get ahold of my sons. Could you ask them if they want me to come down? Neither have responded to my earlier text about them moving back in and dinner.”
“Um …”
“I’d imagine Helen will want them to stay with her,” he commented without waiting, then continued, “and I’m sure they won’t want to stay at Nate’s house since his parents are coming.”
They are? That was not in the conversation. Had I missed that?
“Do you need a place to stay? I couldn’t imagine Helen being okay with you being at the hotel with them.”
“What?” I squeaked into the phone. Was it possible to have a heart attack at my age? It was pounding in my chest. A rush of heat came over me as chills went down my spine at the same time.
“Sam?”
Hearing Mason’s voice, I jumped, and turned in the air. His eyes widened when he saw my face, and he took two steps to reach me. My phone was plucked from my hand and he barked into it, “Who is this?”
The fight left him when he heard his father’s voice.
Glancing at Sam as I drove to Nate’s house, I watched as she curled in a ball. The seat belt was restricting her from completing the fetal position, but that wasn’t what sent a searing pang through me. It was the look on her face. She was lost. I recognized the look and heard her sniffle, trying to cover up the lone tear at the corner of her eye. I figured it had something to do with our upheaval. Nate’s parents were flying in. The last I heard, they were in New Zealand so they’d be here in a day, but we would be booted out when they arrived. James said that Helen was coming as well. That meant she would book a suite in the best hotel, expecting Logan and me to be there.
She had a rude awakening coming. Sam was coming too.
Reaching over, I put a hand on her thigh. She glanced up, her dark eyes made darker by her misery. “Things will work out.” I tried to reassure her with a smile.
She closed her eyes. Just like that, I’d been given a window to her soul, and then she took it away. Sam would never know how much that affected me. I needed to feel connected to her. Sometimes it was like air to me—I needed it to breathe. When she would pull away, it staggered me—every time. I tried again, “It will, Sam.” They opened again, baring her insides to me. My lungs filled as the connection happened.
“I thought it was you,” she whispered.
I frowned.
“When Logan sent that text, I thought it was all over.”
Regret washed over me. “I’m sorry. I should’ve asked what Logan texted. No, I should’ve called you myself. I’m sorry.” I grimaced. If I’d gotten a text like that, I would’ve gone nuts. My reaction would’ve been a lot worse than hers had been. Even considering it, the beginning of rage swirled inside of me. I don’t know what I would do if she was ever hurt …
Then she sent another pang through me when she said, “I can’t go back to my mom’s. I thought I could before. I was willing to do it for you and Logan. I think you guys should live with your dad. It’s your last semester here,” her voice hitched on that last statement, “you should have as many memories with your dad that you can.”
“We can’t. Sam—”
“I know.” She sat up and faced me.
She was now in the shadows, but the streetlights flashed over her, illuminating her for a brief second. As I watched, her eyes never changed. There was always such earnestness mixed with sadness in them. Everything in me sank. There’d always been pain in her, but it had gone away for a little while, but it was back now. It had increased. My eyebrows furrowed together. Was this because of my dad?
She murmured, “You said your mom would get you guys’ hotel rooms.” She bit her lip. “I can’t stay with my mom, not if you guys aren’t there. There’s no way.”
“You won’t.” My voice grew rough. “You’re staying with us.”
“But your mom—”
“I don’t care about my mom. If she thinks she can push you out … there’s no way in hell. You’re staying with us.”
“But what if she—”
“Sam.” My hand gripped her thigh harder, my fingers sinking into her jeans. “I don’t care what my mom says. Logan and I both have our own money. We can get our own room. Besides, even if you didn’t stay with me, for some unknown reason that I can’t imagine, Logan would have you in his room. He’d hide you in his suitcase or something.” I grinned at her. “You’re covered no matter what.”
Her eyes held mine, so stricken and vulnerable.
I tried not to let it slip, but this was killing me. Sam was strong. I knew that. I’d seen it and it was one of the things that drew me to her in the first place, but she was fragile too. I could see her nearing the line of too-much. The fight with her mom had almost defeated her. I couldn’t fight for her, not with that battle. It was on the inside. She was still dealing with all the emotional turmoil Analise shoveled at her.
F*ck her, that’d been my theory for Sam’s mother from the beginning, but I knew she needed to put Analise behind her on her own. If she didn’t, her mother would still hold so much power over Sam and nothing good would ever happen then.
Analise Strattan was toxic. She ruined everything she touched. It was only a matter of time before she’d ruin my father, but James remained with her, his eyes wide open. He knew what he was getting himself into. I would never have sympathy for my dad. He refused to leave Analise, so f*ck him. She hurt Sam. I was done with my dad as long as he was with that woman.
Feeling Sam slip her hand underneath mine, I broke out of my thoughts.
She smiled at me. She didn’t waver, but the sadness in her eyes would haunt me. I lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
“What was that for?”
I shrugged, putting our hands back in her lap. Then I took a deep breath. I was rattled. I thought my best friend had died. Now his parents were coming back. I knew they would circle the wagons. He’d be banned from seeing me. There was a lot left to handle. Parker. Whatever else Kate was planning. I had a strong feeling when my mom got here, she wouldn’t be leaving for a while.
Things were about to get interesting.
It seemed to take forever to get to the house, but when we did, I held the door for her. Sam brushed against my arm, and the need to have her was sudden and overwhelming. I reached for her without thinking, but stopped. More and more waves of intense desire rocked through me. I wanted her. I wanted to be wrapped up in her. I wanted to pin her against the wall right then and there.
Holy shit.
My hand shook as I forced it to return back to my side. She paused in the door, stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to my lips before moving inside.
I let loose a ragged breath. F*ck. Needing Sam had developed into an addiction after my first taste, but she had no idea how she could affect me. If I was being honest with myself, I was scared of letting her know. Marriages could be broken from that. If someone had more power over the other, they could use that love to manipulate the other. It went down the same all the time. Even with Tate and Logan. He adored her, and she didn’t care. She had all the power and had used it to walk all over him.
A part of me knew that Sam was different. I could tell her, and she wouldn’t use it against me, but I didn’t know for certain. I was too scared to find out, so I kept quiet. She knew I loved her. She just didn’t know how much.
“You okay?” Her voice carried around the corner.
I needed to clear my head. My dick twitched. I needed to clear that too. Dropping my hand, I adjusted myself before answering back, “I’m fine.”
When I entered the kitchen, she had the freezer open and pulled out an ice cream carton. That was good. She was eating. Sam hadn’t said a word about it, but I knew she didn’t eat enough. “You hungry for anything else?”
“What?” She dug in with a large spoon.
I fell silent, leaning against one of the counters as I watched her put two big-sized portions of ice cream in her bowl before pushing the carton aside. Neither of us had bothered to turn the light on. The moonlight filtered in through the windows enough so we had no problem seeing. I liked it on nights like tonight. It helped with masking emotions at times.
“Nothing,” I answered.
“You sure you’re okay?” She turned from the counter, bowl in hand, but didn’t lift the spoon from it. She wore a small frown and her eyes were filled with concern.
My dick twitched again. And love. Her eyes were filled with love too. I tried to reassure her with a small grin. “I’m good. You want a burger or something?”
“Oh.” She glanced down at the bowl. “No, I’m good with ice cream. It’s been a long night.”
I grunted. That was true enough.
“Are you okay?”
This was the second time she’d asked. “I’m fine.”
“Mason.”
“Sam?” I grinned at her as fantasies of taking her, pinning her against the nearest counter, and pushing inside of her overwhelmed me. Sam had been through too much tonight for me to be that rough with her. She deserved better.
“You can talk about it, you know?”
“About what?”
“Nate. The car accident. He’s your best friend. I’m not stupid. It must have rattled you.” As she finished her statement, she sat on a chair at the table and drew her knee against her chest. Wrapping her arms around it, she lifted her bowl and spoon, but propped her chin on top of her knee. Filling her spoon with ice cream, she popped it into her mouth.
I watched how she savored the taste of it. My dick was full force again.
Enough.
Pushing off from the counter, I went to her. I didn’t pause, even when her eyes got big and the bowl fell from her hands. I needed her now. I needed her any way I could get her, and I wasn’t going to be gentle.
“Mason?” She squealed when I lifted her in my arms.
As she looked in my eyes, she saw the hunger in mine—I wasn’t hiding it. That feeling, needing to be enraptured by her, wasn’t meant to be hidden or repressed. It was meant to be shared. When her mouth opened, a soft sigh left her, and I knew she felt it too. Her hand lifted to cup the side of my face.
It was one of those touches that I savored.
Carrying her upstairs, I didn’t make a sound. Neither did she. I just watched her. When I went inside our room, I lowered her to the floor, but kept her against me before I kicked the door shut. I savored that feeling, too. Bending down, my hands still on her waist, I breathed her in. She smelled of fresh air and vanilla. She never wore the fancy stuff or the expensive stuff. I’d seen her in the mornings when she would lift her body spray and use one spray. It was enough. The scent of her was embedded in me; I’d never forget it.
I’d never get enough of her.
“Mason?” she murmured again, her voice throaty.
My eyes opened and saw that she was watching me. Her hands were on my chest, but she was clinging to my gaze.
Lifting my hands, I cupped both sides of her face. Without realizing I was going to, I asked, “Do you know how much I love you?”
She shuddered before me, and her mouth fell open another inch. Her eyes got wider and a look of wonderment shone through.
She didn’t know the depth of my love for her, but that was part of her magic. It was one of the reasons I loved her. She had no clue what made her special or what made her beautiful. It wasn’t her trim body. It wasn’t how my hands fit perfectly around her waist or how her breasts fit in the palms of my hands. It wasn’t even how her dark eyes would tear up when I’d whisper my love to her, or how her perfect lips would open. Samantha was gorgeous, but she had no idea. She didn’t think about looks. I watched her this week at school. She had no idea how people watched her. She thought it was because of me, but it wasn’t. People watched her because she was beautiful. She had a look that no one did. It was natural and graceful. She was kind and loving. The guys could see it with one glance. All of them wanted her. I knew it, but she was mine, and the girls, the nicer girls liked her without even talking to her. The others were jealous. She had what they didn’t, inside and outside beauty.
She had no idea just how rare she was.
She had no f*cking clue, and I didn’t have the words to tell her. Even if I did, she’d be uncomfortable at the idea. She’d fidget, look anywhere other than at me, and then convince herself that I was being dramatic. Samantha didn’t know how to be loved—her mother made sure of that—so she’d never understand how special she truly was.
With that last thought, my hand fell from her cheek to her thigh. I took a firm grip, my fingers sinking into her leg, and I lifted her into my arms.
She gasped, but she wrapped her arms around my neck. Grinning, she murmured, “What’s this about?”
“I’m not going to be gentle.” My blood was pumping too much for that to happen. “I’m not going to be quick.” God no. I was going to enjoy the feel of her body underneath mine. All of her soft curves, the little gasps she made when I was inside of her, and the feel of her hands skimming over me. I was going to make it last. “And you are going to be thoroughly f*cked when I’m through with you.”
I lowered her onto the bed. As she kneeled on the mattress before me, her shoulders and chest lifted when she took a deep breath. Her hands were on my chest, and she tipped her head back. Her dark hair fell backwards, and then she grinned. The look of her made my heart skip before pounding back with a renewed vigor.
In a soft husky tone, she murmured, “What’s taking you so long?”
That was all the okay I needed.
I took her lips with mine. I claimed her, forcing her to open for me, and swept inside to taste every inch. That was just the beginning. I heard another soft sigh from her. She always did that, right before she surrendered to me. With that sound, she pressed against me so every inch of her was touching me and her hands wrapped around my neck. Then she pulled me down to her, and I knew I could do whatever I wanted.
So I did.