Chapter 8 #2
"If that's what you want," Mason says immediately, though I can tell he's reluctant to cut the evening short. "But Tom has officers everywhere, and the entire town is here. You couldn't be safer."
He's right, logically. But fear isn't logical.
"One more hour," I compromise. "Then home."
Mason nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "One hour. And I'm not letting you out of my sight."
We turn to head back toward the dance floor when a woman's voice cuts through the crowd. "Mason Walsh! Are you seriously going to avoid me all night?"
Mason freezes beside me, his posture suddenly tense. I look up to see a petite brunette weaving through the crowd toward us, determination written across her pretty features.
"Kelsie," he mutters under his breath, but there's a complicated mix of affection and exasperation in his tone.
His sister. The woman who started all this by signing him up for Sealed, Signed, Delivered.
She reaches us, crossing her arms over her festive red sweater dress. "Unbelievable. It takes your fiancée to get you to a social function, and you still can't be bothered to say hello to your only sister?"
"I've been busy," Mason says stiffly.
"Too busy to return my calls for a week?" She raises an eyebrow, then turns to me with a warm smile. "You must be Destiny. I'm Kelsie, the meddling sister responsible for your current situation."
I can't help but smile back. There's something immediately likable about her directness. "It's nice to finally meet you."
"Likewise. Though I was starting to think my brother was keeping you hidden on purpose." She shoots Mason a pointed look.
"Can we not do this here?" Mason glances around, clearly uncomfortable with the attention they're drawing.
"Where would you prefer? Since you've been dodging me since the moment you got my email about the matchmaking service." Kelsie's tone softens, a hint of hurt breaking through her confident exterior. "I know you were angry, Mason, but I didn't think you'd freeze me out completely."
Something in her words seems to deflate Mason's irritation. His shoulders drop slightly. "I wasn't freezing you out. I just needed some time."
"A simple 'thank you for finding me the love of my life' would suffice," Kelsie says with a teasing smile, though I can see real vulnerability behind it.
Mason sighs, but his arm tightens around me. "You couldn't have known it would work out this way."
"No, but I knew you were drowning in that cabin alone. And look at you now." She gestures between us. "The whole town's talking about how Mason Walsh is walking around looking like he's been hit by a happiness truck."
I bite back a laugh at her description, and Mason's lips quirk up despite his obvious attempt to maintain his scowl.
"Happiness truck?" he repeats.
"Grinning like an idiot. Being social. Dancing willingly." She ticks these off on her fingers. "Tom said you actually laughed at Darlene's Diner yesterday. A real laugh, not that sarcastic huff thing you normally do."
I glance up at Mason, who's fighting a smile now. "She's not wrong about the laugh," I tell him.
He shakes his head, but the tension has drained from his posture. "Fine. You were right, I was wrong. Is that what you want to hear, Kelsie?"
"It's a start." She grins, then her expression softens. "But what I really want is for my brother to be happy. And despite your best efforts to be miserable forever, you look happy, Mase."
Something shifts in Mason's expression—a vulnerability I've rarely seen. "I am," he admits quietly, his eyes meeting mine briefly. "Happier than I thought possible."
Kelsie's eyes suddenly shine with unshed tears, but she blinks them away quickly. "Well then," she says briskly, "I believe the traditional response would be to introduce me properly to the woman responsible for this miracle."
Mason rolls his eyes but complies. "Kelsie, this is Destiny Brooks, my fiancée. Destiny, this is my pushy little sister Kelsie, who will never let me forget that she was right."
"It's really wonderful to meet you," I say, genuinely meaning it. "Despite the unconventional start, I'm grateful for what you did."
Kelsie's smile is radiant. "I like her already," she tells Mason, then turns back to me. "So when exactly did this transition from 'arrangement of convenience' to the real thing? Mason's been suspiciously light on details."
"I—" I start, but Mason cuts in.
"We're still working things out," he says, his tone making it clear the subject isn't up for further discussion.
Kelsie studies her brother's face, then mine, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Understood. Well, I won't intrude on your evening any longer." She leans in to hug me, whispering in my ear, "Whatever's happening, stick with him. I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."
Her words send warmth spreading through my chest. She pulls back and punches Mason lightly on the arm. "Don't be a stranger, big brother. Sunday dinner at my place this weekend. Both of you."
"We'll see," Mason says, but there's a softness in his voice that suggests he'll be there.
"That's not a no, so I'll take it." Kelsie winks at me. "Use your influence for good, Destiny. He listens to you."
With that, she disappears back into the crowd, leaving us standing in her wake.
"Sorry about that," Mason says after a moment. "Kelsie has always had a flair for the dramatic."
"I like her," I say honestly. "And she's right, you know. You've been avoiding her."
He sighs. "I wasn't ready to deal with her smugness. Or her questions."
"She loves you," I point out. "And she wants you to be happy."
"I know." His expression softens. "And I'll make it up to her. After..." He doesn't finish the sentence, but I understand. After we deal with Greg. After the danger has passed. After we figure out what this thing between us really is.
"Sunday dinner sounds nice," I say, squeezing his hand.
The smile he gives me is worth everything. "Yeah. Maybe it does."
True to his word, Mason stays glued to my side for the remainder of the party.
We dance, sample Christmas cookies from the potluck table, and chat with his friends, but there's a new tension underlying our interactions.
I find myself scanning the room constantly, jumping at sudden movements, heart racing whenever the door opens.
"Try to relax," Mason murmurs during our last slow dance. "Everyone here knows you're with me. No one will let anything happen to you."
"I know." I force a smile. "I'm being paranoid."
"No, you're being cautious. There's a difference." His hand traces soothing circles on my lower back. "But I meant what I said. You're safe here."
I rest my head against his chest, trying to absorb his confidence, his certainty. "I just want this to be over. To stop looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to appear."
"It will be," Mason promises. "One way or another, this ends soon."
There's something in his tone that makes me pull back to look at his face. "What does that mean?"
Before he can answer, Jax appears at our side. "Sorry to interrupt, but there's a situation." His voice is low, meant only for us.
Mason's posture shifts instantly, shoulders tensing. "What kind of situation?"
"Black Escalade just pulled into the parking lot." Jax's expression is grim. "Tom's handling it, but he thought you should know."
Cold terror washes over me, my legs suddenly weak. "It's him. He found me."
"Hey, look at me." Mason cups my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to you. We have a plan, remember?"
"What plan?" I clutch his wrists. "You never told me about a plan."
His hesitation tells me everything. "You have a plan," I realize. "You and Tom. That's what you've been discussing all week."
"Destiny—"
"What kind of plan?" When he doesn't immediately answer, anger flares through my fear. "Tell me, Mason."
"Tom's going to confront him," he admits reluctantly. "Official capacity, away from the party. Warn him about harassment laws, restraining orders, make it clear the entire town is watching."
"That won't stop him." My voice rises with panic. "You don't know Greg like I do. He'll just find another way, use his connections—"
"There's more to the plan." Mason's voice is steady, controlled. "But I need you to trust me right now. Can you do that?"
Part of me wants to demand details, to know exactly what they're planning. But the larger part—the part that has grown to trust this man with my safety, my body, my heart—recognizes the calm certainty in his eyes.
"I trust you," I whisper, though fear still courses through me.
"Good." He kisses my forehead. "Now, we're going to finish this dance. Then Jax and Riley are going to take you out the back entrance and straight to our cabin."
"Without you?" Alarm spikes through me. "Where will you be?"
"With Tom. I need to see this through, Destiny."
"No." I grip his jacket. "You can't confront him. He's dangerous."
"So am I, when people I care about are threatened." His eyes hold a steely determination I've never seen before. "I'll be right behind you, I promise. But I need to make sure he gets the message—that you're not alone anymore, that you're protected, that coming after you means going through me."
"Please don't." Tears burn behind my eyes. "If anything happened to you because of me—"
"Nothing's going to happen." His thumb strokes my cheek. "Tom's the law in this town. We're just going to talk."
"Men like Greg don't just talk."
"Men like Greg are cowards who prey on women they think are isolated and vulnerable." Mason's voice hardens. "You're neither of those things now. You have me, you have this entire town behind you."
I want to argue further, but Jax returns with Riley at his side. "Time to go. Tom says he's entering the building."