It’s a silent but tense ride home. I jog up the stairs from my garage, eager to get Trix in my arms. This shit isn’t over with my brother, but at least I have my woman back.
The place is dark. Not at all what I expected. I check the couch then turn to head up to the loft when my phone rings.
I check the caller ID.
“Hey, Trix, where are you?”
“Hey, Mason . . . sorry, I didn’t end up at your house.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m here. Where are you? I’ll come to you.”
She clears her throat. “Oh, um . . . about that. I’m with Angel, and Santos agreed to stay with us.”
“What? Trix, just let me come get you. We can—”
“No. Mason, look. I need some time, okay? A . . . a lot has happened, and you’re making decisions for me. I just . . . I need time.”
Is she out of her mind? “Decisions? When it comes to your safety, it’s my job to make decisions.”
“No, it’s not. I uh, I need some time to think.”
“Wait, hold on, is this about me refusing to allow you to continue with this suicide mission you’re on? Or telling you to go with Santos?”
“Please, don’t make this harder. Time is all I’m asking for.”
“How much time?”
Silence stretches between us.
“Trix, I don’t understand. I thought things were good. I thought . . .”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice shakes with emotion. “I have to do this.”
“Do this? Do what?”
“Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“See me around . . . Beatriks, stop.”
“Good-bye, Mase.”
“What?” My pulse pounds in my ears, sucking the breath from my lungs.
“You heard me. Good-bye.”
“No—” Good-bye?
The line goes dead, and I stare at the phone in my hand, not seeing it.
She told me she’d never say good-bye. I’m sure her learning that I dealt drugs to that biker piece of shit of hers was a jagged pill to swallow, but Trix is strong. She of all people knows what it’s like to be backed into a corner and forced to do things we’re not proud of for our family.
No, fuck this. We said no good-byes.
I need to see her. My legs carry me three steps before I realize I have no idea where Angel lives or the slightest clue how to get in touch with Santos. That means I sit on my ass until the morning and start hitting up her house and Zeus’s until I find her and force her to give me some answers.
“Why now?” Jessica’s voice comes from the stairs that lead down from my bedroom. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Business is taken care of, why not leave now?” Drake has her bag slung over his shoulder and his keys in hand. “You can sleep in the car, okay?”
I eye my brother. “You’re leaving?”
He only nods.
“You don’t have to leave now. Get some sleep and take off when you’re rested, man.”
“Can’t sleep.” He heads to the front door. “Driving will be good for me.”
Still dressed in her pajamas, Jess turns toward me with a sleepy smile. “Thanks for letting us stay, Mase.” She waves, and Drake opens the door for her then guides her out by the small of her back.
“Drake, you sure you’re okay?”
For the first time tonight, he looks at me, but there’s no emotion in his expression. “Did I ever tell you how I got this scar on my face?”
“Yeah, you got in a fight.”
He shakes his head. “Not exactly. I was cut in. Cut in to Eli’s crew.”
I cringe, wondering how bad that must’ve been to leave that deep of a scar.
“These guys aren’t fuckin’ around, bro. Believe me.”
“I do, but I’m not going to let them take down my family. Not if there’s something I can do to protect it.”
His chin drops to his chest, and he mumbles something that sounds like “that’s what I did.” He turns his back on me, but freezes in the doorway. “Mason, just know that . . . I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I squeeze his shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. You just focus on getting your girl and your baby home safe, yeah?”
He nods and slinks away, leaving me standing in my doorway, wondering what in the fuck my next move should be.
Thirty-four
Mason
The next morning I’m racing to the Youth Center. It didn’t hit me until last night after staring at my ceiling fan for two hours that today is Sunday. I called Blake, whose turn it is to run the MMA class, and it didn’t take much convincing to get him to give me his shift.
My tires squeal as I pull into a parking spot, scanning the lot for Trix’s car. I don’t see it, but maybe she parked out back. I jog to the door and Sylvia jumps when I rush in.
Her hand flies to her chest. “Take it easy on an old lady. You scared the heck outta me.”
“Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m here from—”
“Yes, I remember. Mr. Mason, right?”
I nod and run a hand through my hair, anxious to get back into the gym and find Trix, put my hands and lips on her to know she’s okay.
Sylvia pulls out her clipboard and slides on her glasses. “Hmm, okay, let’s see here . . .”
I practice my deep breathing and wait until she gets her fucking shit together.