40. Mason
FORTY
MASON
“Well, Mase, you really went and fucked things up.”
I chuckle at Don’s words, even though humor is the last thing I’m feeling. I rub a hand over my brows and light up a cigarette. “Yeah, tell me about it, old man.”
“So what now? You making a trip to see me?”
My stomach clenches because I know what he’s doing. He’s asking if I’m going to run. He’s telling me that’s what he thinks I should do, and while that may have worked for the past ten years, it won’t now.
It never really did, if I’m honest. I didn’t hide successfully because I ran ; it was because my father was choosing not to find me.
But now Lily and Chase are in the mix. And I’ll do anything to protect them.
“I’m gonna stay here.” I suck in a drag, my eyes scanning the motel parking lot. My bags are packed and I’m headed out, but first, I need to go to Lily and try to explain.
“I mean…not here in Raindale,” I continue. “I finished the job. There’s nothing left for me here.” My chest tightens at the lie. “But I’m going to stay with my father.”
“What?” His voice is incredulous. “Are you out of your mind?”
I glance down at the worn copy of The Art of War resting on top of my bag, reminding myself why I’ve kept it on my person all these years: so I could soak in the words like gospel in case I ever had to face my enemy.
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
The truth is on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t trust my phone to not be tapped, so I swallow down the words and let him think what he wants.
“Yeah.” I cringe, my stomach turning. “Just like that. It’s useless to keep running, Don. Listen…” I squeeze the phone tighter to my ear. “I’m sorry to leave you high and dry like this. I just?—”
He exhales heavily down the line. “I get it, kid. I don’t like it, but I get it. I’ll figure it out.” Even over the phone, I can feel the emotion seeping through the cracks in his voice. “You always have a place with me, okay? Take care of yourself, Mase.”
There’s a click, and I take the final drag on my cigarette, melancholy swirling through my chest.
I haven’t been able to sleep since I called Chase, my mind plagued with guilt. But I have to let her go.
At least temporarily.
Keeping them safe is the only option, and the only chance for me to take care of my father is to be in the belly of the beast. He has to think I’m agreeable, that I’m willing to do whatever he says. That’s the thing about narcissists: they’re always so caught up in themselves, they don’t see anyone else for what they truly are. And out of everything that’s wrong with Thomas Wells, that will be his biggest downfall. Even if I lose Lily in the process.
One day, when this is all over, maybe I can come back and set things right with her.
When I talked to Chase, I told him not to make any rash decisions—to wait for word from me before showing up. I may be a piece of shit for what I’ve done, but I won’t just leave without giving her the truth. She deserves to have an idea of what’s coming.
My back straightens as I pick up my duffel bag and head to my bike, my stomach heavy and my heart fracturing more with every beat.
A car pulls into the lot and parks a few spaces down, and my eyes glance over as I load up my bag. When my eyes meet the gaze of the driver, my lungs seize, and I choke on air because behind the steering wheel is none other than Chase Adams.
That motherfucking bitch .
I should have known better than to think that he would listen to me. My eyes move across the car, noting the blond guy in the passenger seat and the pixie of a girl in the back. Lily. My heart plummets to my feet, the fissures tearing until they’re gaping holes.
This isn’t how I wanted this to go down.
But sometimes life doesn’t give you what you want, so I suck in a breath and prepare for the explosion, hoping there’s enough of me left to sort through the debris and find my bloodied pieces.
Chase’s eyes find me immediately as he opens the driver’s side door. I tip my chin in greeting.
My eyes flash to Lily as she steps out of the car. Does she already know?
Her eyes lock with mine and her posture softens, like seeing me is a relief. But like watching a train wreck, it happens in slow motion, and I can do nothing but brace for the impact.
My gaze stays on her, unable to break away. But I’m speaking to her brother. “I thought I told you to wait for my call.”
Confusion flickers through her gaze and my stomach twists, nausea simmering deep in my gut.
“What are—” she starts.
“Remind me when the fuck I asked for your permission to do anything, Mason?”
My eyes glance to Chase, my teeth grinding at what a gigantic pain in my ass he is.
“Mason?” Lily’s voice grabs my attention. “No, this is… I— what?”
Chase spins around, his head tilting. “Lily, this is Mason, the PI who I was telling you about.”
Her brows furrow, her head moving back and forth like her brain’s been rattled and she’s trying to shift it back into place. “No. No, it isn’t.”
With every shake, our foundation crumbles, our trust having been built on top of sinkholes. And even giants fall when the ground collapses beneath their feet.
“This is Alex .” She waves her hand toward me. “Tell them, Alex. Tell them who you are.”
I bite my lip, nostrils flaring to stem the burn behind my eyes. “Little bird,” I whisper.
“No,” she snaps, her voice cracking. “No.” She walks closer to me, her fists clenched so tight her knuckles are white. “You tell them.”
I glance down because I can’t physically stand watching as our love shatters. My tongue swipes across my bottom lip.
“Lily,” Chase interrupts. “I don’t know what the fuck he told you, but his name is Mason .” My eyes swing to him and then to his friend who has been silently watching, like he paid for tickets to the show.
Lily walks even closer, her rising ire branding me with its heat, singeing through my clothes. I welcome the burn, knowing it’s only a small part of what I deserve. The toes of her shoes hit mine and she gazes up at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
My chest caves, my fists clenching to keep from gripping her face.
“Tell them,” she hisses through her teeth.
I shake my head slowly, my stomach churning. “I can’t.”
Her hands come up and shove at my shoulders, my body jostling from the unexpected pressure. I close my eyes, knowing if I watch her break apart, then I’ll break along with her, and I need to keep it together so I can bring my father to his knees.
“You fucking asshole! ” she screams, shoving me again. “You look me in the eyes and you tell me you lied.” Tears stream down her face. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to do this to me.”
The energy between us flares, my throat clogging with things I want to say but knowing there’s nothing for me to defend. There are no words that will make this better. I already did do this to her.
Arms wrap around her waist and Chase drags her back, leaning down and whispering in her ear. She lets out a sob that slices straight through my sternum, and she turns, collapsing in his embrace. Chase’s eyes are dark and murderous as they glare at me from above her head, his hand smoothing down her back. Comforting her. The way I always promised I would do.
“What the fuck is she talking about, Mason?” he spits.
I ignore him, my vision laser focused on Lily, and I take a step forward, overcome with the need to explain. To make her understand.
Things weren’t supposed to happen this way.
“Little bird.”
Her head snaps to me, her fists gripping her brother’s shirt as his arms tighten around her. “Don’t call me that, you son of a bitch. You don’t ever get to call me that again.”
I take another step forward. “Just let me explain.”
“You don’t get to explain shit to her, Mason,” Chase says, interrupting again. “You did your job. You can go now.”
My jaw tenses, panic wrapping around my jugular and squeezing. “Lily,” I try again.
She ignores me, burying her face in her brother’s chest. I bite back the burn that’s scorching my esophagus and nod, blowing out a breath.
Maybe this is for the best.
If there’s at least one thing I can take comfort in, it’s that she isn’t alone. Calling Chase was the right thing. He’ll catch her when she falls. So instead of causing more grief, I back away, straddle my bike, and fire it up.
And I ride away from the best thing that’s ever happened to me, terrified that she’ll never happen again.