55. Mason
55
MASON
I hadn’t been sure what to prepare for, but Sabrina was asleep. She looked peaceful, unlike herself. They’d brought in extra chairs. Steele was sitting in the main visitor’s seat by the bed, holding his sister’s hand. Axel and Beltraine had pulled up some folding chairs so they were beside Steele.
Sam and Heather were also on folding chairs, but toward the wall.
Seeing us, Heather stood. Letting out a tired yawn, she pulled Sam in for a hug before coming over and grabbing one of the coffees from the holder Logan had in his hands. “Your arrival is my cue that I get to go home, and this coffee is my gift. Love you all. Good seeing you again, Logan. Let’s do it again, but later. Much later. Think I’d like to sleep half the day, if only my children would let that happen.” She gave a wave to the other boys. “See you, guys. Your sister will be just fine, I have a feeling. Don’t be strangers.”
Her eyes met mine, holding, and I got a message that there was something extra to her words. She flicked a look in Sam’s direction and I gave her a small nod. I’d be checking in with my wife, finding out what happened before her arrival and ours.
But before I could say anything, Steele shoved up from his chair. Glowering at us, he said hotly, “We all need to fucking talk.” He didn’t let anyone respond, stalking out of the room.
Beltraine and Axel shared a look before following their friend.
“What happened?” I asked Sam.
She stood, moving at a slower pace. I felt a kick inside at seeing the sadness in her eyes. I didn’t like seeing it there. And it was worse because I wouldn’t be able to remove it, not anytime soon. She came over, giving Logan a hug first before moving to my chest. My arms came around her.
“Come on, my Threesome Fearsome Sister. We brought coffee for you. Isn’t that like catnip for you?”
A grin tugged at her mouth, which warmed me a little.
I mouthed thank you to my brother over her head.
He only lifted one corner of his mouth up in response, his eyes in shadow.
Sam took one of the coffees offered but didn’t move from my shelter.
The door was shoved open from the side.
Axel stood there, grimacing when he saw us. “Uh, Steele’s going to lose his shit if we don’t get on the same page.”
Logan took point for us, advancing on him. “And what page would that be?”
Axel was eyeing him, giving him a quizzical look. He started to respond.
Logan cut him off, “Oh, by the way. I just saw your folks. It’d been on the agenda to let him know your mom’s fucking your buddy’s father, but then Moreaux didn’t show up, so that news never came to light. You’re welcome.” He breezed past the kid, who gaped after him.
I almost felt sorry for the boy. Almost.
There was no surprise on Axel’s face so he’d known, but Logan blasted him with that news that we also knew, and on this night, it would’ve felt like he’d been hit with a grounder from left field. I knew what Logan was doing.
He’d been briefed on the drive and that Sabrina was the opposition. In Logan’s view, her brother and the two guys that stood shoulder to shoulder with him were also the opposition. He was knocking them off-balance, one by one. As we followed him, who was following behind Beltraine, who was walking at a slower pace to where Steele was waiting, I knew we’d witness something similar to each of the other two. I just wasn’t sure what Logan was going to use as ammunition.
“Fucking finally,” Steele snapped, going through a door that he’d held open for us. Beltraine got there first, holding it for Logan, who swept past him.
He blinked at him in surprise before his gaze jerked to us, and he nodded to himself. As if reminding himself that Logan was with us. I didn’t blame him. The only one who really noticed Logan’s presence at the house before the ambulance got there was Steele because Logan had been the one who helped stop the bleeding.
We entered the room, which I almost started laughing because it was a chapel.
Logan was fighting back a grin, which doubled at seeing my reaction.
I groaned. “Fuck’s sakes.”
“Now, now. None of that cursing, Mason. The Head Honcho wouldn’t approve.” Logan held up his finger at me.
I flicked him off. “Fuck off.”
A genuine laugh came next from him.
Steele was at the altar, his back to it, and the glowering hadn’t eased up. It seemed to have worsened. His hands were in fists again, pressed tight to his pants, as if he needed to hold himself back from… Doing something he didn’t want to do.
Beltraine came in last, shutting the door.
“Lock it,” Steele ordered.
Click .
“Done,” Beltraine commented, coolly. He rounded around us, barely sparing us a look as he went to join his friends. “You got the floor, Steele.”
He cocked his head up, skewering me. He lost some of the heat when his gaze went to Sam, then returned as he flicked Logan a wary look. “I want to know what the fuck happened in that room. And don’t bullshit me. My sister would never hurt herself. I know what Maddy said, but I don’t believe her.”
Logan opened his mouth.
“No,” Sam said to him. Her voice was sharp. “This is my brother, Logan. I’ll handle this.”
Logan’s eyes met mine, but he gave a nod, stepping back.
Sam pulled away from me, going toward her brother. Her voice was soft, but strong. I hoped he was noting that. “What do you want me to say, Steele? You want me to put into words that my daughter might’ve harmed your sister?”
His head folded down. “My sister wouldn’t have—”
Her head went with him, just a bit. But not her tone. She was strong as ever as she continued, “But she did. She harmed my husband’s father. She harmed my daughter’s grandfather. Your friend’s grandfather. You heard her. If Maddy wasn’t Maddy, your sister planned to try and take her away from us. If she’d been successful, in getting Maddy to want to join The System, you know what that would’ve done. Park Sebastian has only sought to hurt Mason and myself. Since the beginning. Your sister doesn’t know the true history. She was one part of his revenge on us. He took away my father and in doing that, he also took away my sister.” Now her voice softened. “I’ve wanted to know you for so long. I wanted to know my dad. Park Sebastian took you away from me. He took me away from you. Are you thinking of it that way?”
“Don’t tell me how to think,” he snarled. “It’s my sister that he put all that fucked up shit in her head. But he’s not the one who stabbed my sister and was standing there, in her blood, just watching it pool at her feet. Your daughter did that—”
“Dude,” Beltraine barked. “That was Mads. Our friend. I get that it was your sister’s blood on the floor but keep perspective. We didn’t befriend Maddy because your sister told you to. You were the one who didn’t want us hanging out with her. Remember? You said she was weird. Well, I like her weirdness. She’s fucking cool.”
Steele turned that skewer on his friend. Glowering.
“Bell, man.” Axel nudged him.
“No. He needs a fucking wake-up call. I’m not vouching for your sister. She’s fucked in the head. We know what Maddy really did, but the story should stand.”
What… My eyes darted to Logan, who looked just as surprised. This was a turn I’d not expected.
“What are you saying?” Steele hissed at him. He jerked forward a step, but Sam was there. She held up a hand so he wouldn’t knock into her, and at the contact, he made another hissing sound, wrenching away from her. He backed into the altar, making it shake and the two glass jars that’d been on top fell to the floor. They rolled over, stopping in front of Sam. She bent down to pick one up.
She said, so gently, “It’s a candle. I think we should light it for James.”
Her eyes met mine for a fleeting second.
My throat swelled up. “My dad would love that. You can do the other for—”
“My daughter.”
Everyone looked in Logan’s direction, taken off guard by his sudden hoarse exclamation. He cleared his throat, a brief apology crossing his face for Sam. “Sorry. I know you were going to say your mom, but I tend to avoid these places. Since I’m here… I think Taylor would appreciate it.”
She picked up the other, handing it to Logan. “You’re right. We’ll light the one for James and my mother. The second one for your daughter.”
I moved to the back, content to be there and watch Sam and Logan do their thing. Part of this was legit. They really were lighting those candles for the ones we’ve lost, but they were also doing this as a wake-up call to get through to Steele. He was the one blocked by his rage. Seeing his sister bleeding out on the floor tore out a primal instinct to protect his loved one.
Welcome to the club.
I studied Beltraine and Axel, who were watching Sam and Logan as if they were new animals in a zoo. Both seemed mystified by this simple act of lighting a candle for lost family members. But, fuck. I got it then, what they were seeing that I didn’t think Sam and Logan were even taking into account.
They were witnessing two adults, both parents, express love and kindness.
Was this really such a new thing to them? They must’ve witnessed other adults express… This was different. This was personal. This wasn’t a show. This wasn’t fake. There was genuine love being expressed from Sam and from Logan. And as they lit the candles, I watched the boys hold their breaths.
Beltraine blinked a few times, his eyes a little glassy.
Axel leaned against the wall, one of his hands in his pockets. He lifted the other to drape around Beltraine’s shoulder. The closeness between the two was visibly evident. It seemed they’d adopted Steele into their group so he was just as close, so I wasn’t surprised to see him glancing at them a few times.
When Logan placed the candle on the altar, Beltraine was enraptured. He let out a soft sigh, his head angling down so it rested against Axel’s, who shifted to stand a little closer so they were more comfortable. Beltraine gave Steele a brief grin. He lifted up the corner of his mouth, letting it fall just as quick as it appeared. If it was meant to be reassuring, I didn’t know, but whatever hold that’d been on Steele began to crumble.
His shoulders slumped down.
His head went further.
He raised his fists to press into his face, and as he hunched further over, his shoulders began to shake. We all heard a sob come from him.
Sam froze before glancing at me.
I gave her a nod, gesturing to her brother.
“Hey.” She pulled him to her, and as if in slow motion, they began to sit down on the floor. Sam held out her hand, the one with the candle. Logan took it quickly, putting it on the altar next to the one for his daughter. By then, Steele was sobbing into Sam’s shoulder.
We all stood and watched.
I didn’t know the reasons Steele was crying, but the sounds he was making were gut-wrenching. He was letting himself be exposed in this room, raw in a way I’d only experienced with my family. His friends weren’t holding back their tears. Both boys had tears streaming down their faces. They weren’t ashamed of them or brushing them away. They were just letting them flow.
Seeing that, seeing how freely they felt for their friend and let it be seen, remembering what Beltaine just said for Maddy and remembering some of his past supportive comments about Maddy, I was beginning to change my mind about this group being friends with my daughter. Of course, in Maddy’s case, it wasn’t really about anyone being a bad influence on her, but why add to it? I’d been concerned after seeing the drugs at Beltraine’s house but I also knew that Sam had every intention of bringing these three boys into the fold so the drugs would go anyway. She’d never stand for that, and knowing my wife, she’d schedule a K9 dog to come through the house for unexpected visits.
Logan migrated over to me. He gave me a look, and I grinned back, hooking an arm over his shoulder as Beltraine and Axel were standing. It felt good to stand like this with my brother. I’d missed him when he went to Boston. It felt right being back here, having him by my side.
He gave me a smartass grin. “Are we going to bump foreheads too?”
“Fuck no. That’d hurt my back.”
“But Mason—”
“Shut up.”
He laughed, but he stopped talking.
Steele grew quiet after a few minutes. He shifted so he was facing the rest of us. Sam moved so she wasn’t hugging him, but she was still there. Right at his side.
He wiped the palms of his hands down his face, trying to wipe away the tears before he lifted his eyes to take the rest of us in. Whatever he saw had him cursing. “Shit’s been stressful with my family.”
Beltraine gave him a wicked grin. “Dude. We know. We’ve literally had a front row seat.”
Axel asked, somber, “You okay, Steele?”
“Yeah. I…” His face closed off before he looked at Sam, then found me. “My dad told me to do whatever you and Sam said to do, but I don’t think he’d agree with—”
“Stop, Steele,” Axel clipped out. “I get what you don’t want to do, but we’re going to do it. She’s going to wake up and say that she didn’t try to hurt herself, that Maddy stabbed her. But we’re going to all say that she’s lying. Of course she doesn’t want to admit that she tried to hurt herself and of course, she’s going to try to blame it on Maddy, because it’s going to be apparent how much your sister hates your other sister. But, we’re all going to say the same thing. Your sister needs help, real serious help. So fucking what if this one thing is the truth she’s saying. Everything else is twisted and fucked up and a lie. We’re taking a page out of her playbook. That’s it.”
I spoke, my eyes on Steele, “It’s either this or I’ll involve the police. There’s witnesses to what she said she did for her part in my father’s death. Things are changing now. People are being charged with committing crimes if they maliciously and intentionally meant to cause harm. It’s my father, Steele. I will throw everything I have at the district attorney to ensure he brings charges against your sister. She either needs to be locked up in a hospital of some sort or prison.”
“Mason—”
I cut my eyes to Sam. “No. This was my father. Logan’s father. I won’t destroy her in the way I want to because she’s your sister, but she will be punished. That’s nonnegotiable.”
“I know. I’m not arguing on her behalf. I was going to say that you’re speaking for both of us. I’m with you. Always.” She let out a soft sigh. “She wants to hurt my daughter. I’ll never forget that.”
I shouldn’t have doubted her.
“I can’t—” Steele shoved to his feet. “I know what you all are going to say. Cops said they’d come back when she was awake.” He said to the rest of us, “They already took Traine and Axe’s statements, and they backed up what Maddy said. Mrs. Monroe showed up when they started to ask for my statement, but she tossed ‘em out. Said they needed to come back when parents were present. Course, that was bullshit, which they’ll find out later, but I know. I get what you all are saying. And I get what you’re saying, Mr. Kade, about picking your battles. Hospital or prison. I know which one I’d pick, but I made a promise to my sister. She used to get confused when we were little sometimes and I promised her that I’d never lie to her. I can’t lie to her. I won’t go back on that promise.”
“Technically, you’re not lying to her. You’re lying for her. Just, whenever she confronts you, evade and then answer truthfully in private.”
Steele stared at Logan. “What?’
“You’re lying for her, not to her. Just say it that way. She won’t push you and you’re still holding up your promise to her.”
It was a thought Steele had never had before, apparently. He looked dumbfounded, but Axel was looking at Logan with stars in his eyes. That’s when I knew everything was going to be okay.
This particular fight was over.
I wasn’t worried for when Garrett and Sharon would arrive. They couldn’t fight this.
The next morning a detective took Sabrina’s statement. She said what we all knew she would, but afterward, Steele gave his statement.
Sam gave hers.
I gave mine.
Logan was next, adding what he saw when he got to the room.
The same detective came to our house that afternoon and took Maddy’s statement. She kept to her story, and when the detective left, a myriad of mixed emotions battling over her face, Sam and I had another huge talk with Maddy.
No charges would be pressed against our daughter, but that didn’t mean we were out of the storm. Maddy was her own storm, all by herself. These sociopathic tendencies would need to be addressed.
So we were going to do that. It didn’t matter how long it would take, how hard it was going to be, we’d do it. That was always a nonnegotiable.
When it came to family, we were all in.