14. MASON
MASON
By the timeI wake up the room is bathed in sunlight, since I forgot to shut the blinds last night before we finally settled in to sleep. It looks to be well into the morning now. I let out a yawn, even though I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night I feel more well rested than I have in days and I know it’s because she’s back where she belongs.
I’mnot quite sure what the hell happened between us last night. It was too much too soon, with no time to process and now I have no idea what her mood will be like today. I’m pretty sure she’ll be back to giving me hell in no time.
Ihate seeing her in any kind of pain and finding her falling apart in the bathroom definitely fucked with me a little. NowI’m worried that what she pushed for us to do will affect her somehow.
Ididn’t plan to have sex with her last night and not because I didn’t want to. I’ll always want her, but it was because of everything she went through in the last few days. And as usual I couldn’t resist when it came to her. I guess she’ll always have me wrapped around her little finger.
Butmy girl looked so sad and hurt, so broken, when she asked me if I didn’t want her anymore because he touched her. I just couldn’t go on letting her think that shit, since she was so fucking wrong. I know that asshole raped her, but I would never hold that against her. None of what happened was her fault and now I just have to make her believe that. I was only thinking of her mental state. I hope she knows that I’ll always want her, since she’s mine.
Idon’t want her to hurt any more than she’s already hurting. I want to do everything that’s in her best interest so that I can help her get through this. But as usual, my girl is determined to put me through hell. Not that I still don’t deserve it…
Sothat’s how I ended up doing what she wanted, even though I didn’t want to. Not that I didn’t enjoy it still. I mean being with your girl after days without… who wouldn’t enjoy it? It felt fucking amazing after not having her for so long.
Ilook down at her sleeping form in my arms and bend my head to place a kiss to her forehead. She’s sound asleep and she looks so peaceful, but I know that probably won’t be the case when she wakes up. I have a feeling that I’ll need to prepare for a war with her or some shit like that.
Truthis, I don’t know what the hell to expect from her when she wakes up and that definitely has me on edge. The main thing I’m worried about is where her head will be at. Letting out a sigh, I decide to just deal with any issues if they arise. So, I stop myself from worrying so much.
Tokeep myself busy, I think about getting up and making breakfast for her. She’ll no doubt be hungry after that ordeal last night and then sleeping for so many hours. She needs to get her strength back, after the war her body has been put through. She’s gotten so skinny and I don’t like that one bit. I need to build her back up and that is exactly what I’m going to focus on.
Islowly move my arm from around her and gently place her head on a pillow, before pulling away from her warmth and silently slipping out of the bed. I make sure she’s covered, placing another kiss on her forehead and then slip out of the room.
Ihead for the kitchen and when I step into the room, I see that Hunter and Grayson are already in there. Hunter is making breakfast, while my brother is sitting at the table.
“Good morning,” I say to them both.
“Good morning, bro,” Gray replies.
“You look like shit,” Hunter says when he turns around to look at me.
“Yeah, well it wasn’t exactly an easy night asshole,” I grumble.
“You’re right. I guess anyone would look like shit after they went on their first murder spree. ThoughI didn’t think you’d end up loving it that much,” he says jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, well those assholes deserved it and I’d do it again and again if I had to. For her…” I mutter.
“Calm down champ. We have her now and that’s all that matters. We’ll deal with shit as it comes from here on out. Now, how is my sis doing?” he asks as he places a cup of coffee in front of me. I give him a grateful smile because this is exactly what I need at the moment.
“I’m not exactly sure. I mean she’s fine now that she’s asleep, but she kind of had an episode last night and I have no idea how she’ll react when she wakes up.”
“What kind of episode?” he asks worriedly.
“I guess it was all getting to her and she cut herself a little, but I got to her before she could really hurt herself,” I say hurriedly when it looks like he’s about to jump out of his seat to get to her.
“Is she alright?”
“She was by the time I put her to bed.”
“I really hope we can all help her get through this,” Hunter tells me as he walks back over to the table with three plates in his hands.
“I hope so too and thank you. Is there extra for her or do I need to make more?” I ask as we all dig into our food.
“What kind of brother do you take me for? Of course, there’s more than enough for her too,”
“SorryI didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers,” I laugh.
“How do we proceed with things when she wakes up?” Gray asks.
“Um… I’d say just stay out of her way until we see what she’ll do, I guess. She could be completely calm or she could want to kill us, anything between those two. Well not us two per se,” Hunter says pointing to Gray and himself. “But definitely Mason.”
“Gee thanks asshole.”
“Well, she is a total wildcard right now so I don’t know. I’m hoping my fabulous presence here will keep her calm so she won’t want to kill your ass.”
“I’m highly offended by that. She loves me so she won’t want to kill me,” I tell them and they both let out a snort at my words.
“Oh, you poor delusional sap,” Gray says, laughing it up right now.
“Sorry, bro. I don’t mean to laugh but it’s just funny. She’s likely to want to stab you in the balls or worse, rather than be calm with you. I mean you did make her life a living hell and all that,” Hunter says with a smirk on his face.
“GeezI get it. And by the way, you two are assholes! I know I still have a lot to do to make it all up to her, so if you two can refrain from being dickheads that’d be great!”
“Aww don’t pout. I’m just giving it to you straight,” Hunter says, trying really hard to hide his stupid smirk.
“I hate you, asshole!”
“Pfft! You wish you did! You love me and this weird and ridiculous bromance that we have going on,” he laughs.
“Well, I can’t argue with that. You’ve grown on me like some kind of rash I can’t get rid of.” I smirk.
“I resent that asshole.”
“Now back to business. Can you get the doc to come back and check her out later today once she’s awake and settled?” I question.
“Already called him. He’ll be here sometime after lunch,” he tells me and I nod my head.
“Thanks man.”
“No problem. Just looking out for my sis.”
Oncewe all finish eating our breakfast, I get up to make another plate, as well as juice and take it in to her. I quietly step into the room again and when I glance at the bed, I see that she’s not there.
Myheart instantly begins to race, before I realize that all the doors and windows are locked. I didn’t hear the door to the room being opened while we were in the kitchen either. I might have been talking and joking with the guys, but I still had my ears trained for any movement coming from the door to her room. I take a deep calming breath and then walk over to the bed to place the food on the nightstand.
Rightafter I put it down, I hear whimpering coming from the bathroom and I rush toward the sound. WhenI step inside the bathroom, I come to a complete stop. The sight before me breaks my fucking heart. She’s lying on the cold tiles in a fetal position, naked, and clutching at her head as her whole body shakes. I walk over to her and drop to my knees next to her and gently pull her up and cradle her in my arms.
“What’s bothering you baby? Are you hurt?” I question but she doesn’t even respond. She doesn’t even look like she’s here with me at the moment.
“Nooo!” She screams as she tries to buck out of my hold. “Don’t hurt me! Please don’t hurt me!”
Fuck! I quickly change her position so that we’re both upright and I pull her back against my chest. She’s now sitting between my spread legs and I have one arm around her stomach and the other just above her breastbone. I rock us back and forth a little, trying to calm her down.
“Baby! Shhh… I’m not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you. Look at me!” I tell her as I use one hand to grab her jaw and turn her to look at me. Her eyes are unfocused and I know that she’s somewhere in her head right now. “You’re safe baby, you’re safe.”
Justthen I hear Hunter and Grayson both burst into the room. I shift our bodies so that my back is facing the door when I hear their footsteps coming this way, since I don’t want them to see her naked.
“Hand me a robe,” I say. Hunter passes me one and I quickly wrap it around her body.
“What’s happening with her?” He asks with worry coating his words.
“I don’t know. I think she’s having some kind of episode or flashback. WhenI came back into the room, she was in here on the floor crying,” I tell him.
“Fuck! Get her out of here and put her on the bed. I’m calling the doc to get his ass here now,” he tells me and I nod.
Ilift her up into my arms and I don’t know what the fuck happened or what set her off again, but she starts to fight and claw at me, trying to get out of my arms.
Fuckinghell! I don’t fucking know how to handle any of this. I don’t want to do the wrong thing and hurt her in the process of trying to help her. I manage to get her onto the bed before moving to sit by her side, holding her. She turns to look at me and there is so much pain, anger and hate in her eyes, that it slices me directly in the gut, as I look into them.
“I fucking hate you!” she screams at me. “All of this is your fault! Why didn’t you save me sooner? Why did you let him take me and hurt me? How come you didn’t know that it was your father behind this?”
Everyword and every question she’s aiming at me feels like a dagger to my heart and if I wasn’t already sitting, her words would have had me crumbling at her feet.
“I know you’re in pain but?—”
“Pain. What could you possibly know about pain? You have no idea of the pain that’s running through my veins because of you! All you saw was something orchestrated by someone else and I’ve been having the shit end of the stick since then! They weren’t the only monsters in my life because you’re a monster too…”
“I’m so fucking sorry baby! I wish I could take it all back so you didn’t have to go through any of that,” I tell her, well more like plead with her to believe me.
“Do you have any idea what they did to me?” she sobs and it literally feels like my chest is being ripped to shreds with the pain in her voice.
“Baby please, you don’t have to go through it again,” I tell her softly, trying to keep my own emotions at bay.
“No! You’re going to hear exactly what they did to me because it’s all your fault!” she screams at me. Every time she utters the words that it’s all my fault, I feel like a piece of me dies inside. “I was beaten and tortured and the asshole even raped me! AmI broken enough for you now?”
Igrab her face and turn her head so that we’re looking into each other’s eyes. “I don’t want you broken. I never did and yeah maybe I said all that shit out my ass because I was being an asshole, but I don’t ever want you broken baby. You’re the only good thing in my world and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure that you don’t stay broken. You’re so strong and brave and I fucking love you so much. No matter what, I”m not leaving you ever, broken pieces and all…”
“Remember you said that if I ever let anyone else touch me, then you’d kill me? You should probably do that now,” she sobs out.
“Baby, stop! That’s not what I meant and you know it! None of this was your fault. I would never fucking blame you for what happened, but I am going to make sure everyone who had a hand in it pays!” I growl at her. “AndI don’t want you fucking dead either. That would mean half my soul would be dead with you. Don’t you know by now that I can’t fucking live without you. You are my life!”
“I wish I was, but I’m not. Maybe we were never meant to be together. If we were, then all of this shit wouldn’t be happening, right? I’m going to do us both a favor. I don’t want to be with you anymore. It’s over between us,” she tells me with nothing but seriousness in her voice.
Ihear her words and it feels like static is going through my head as I start to feel a bit dizzy. She looks up at me with a blank expression on her face, while I’m certain there’s devastation on mine. I stand up and tower over her, gripping the back of her neck and tilting her head so she’s looking up at me.
“No.”
“What do you mean no?”
“Exactly what I just fucking said.”
“I don’t fucking care. You can’t force me to be in a relationship with you. You’ve put me through so much and I’ve lost any feelings I had left for you when that asshole touched me,” she says with tears shining in her eyes and that lie on her fucking lips.
“Well then, I suggest you go find all the feelings you think you’ve lost because you’re not leaving me. I won’t let you. We’re never going to be over because you’re stuck with me for the rest of your life,” I tell her forcefully. There’s no fucking way in hell I’m ever letting her go.
“We. Are. Done!” she hisses at me. “I don’t fucking want you anymore.”
Islam my lips down on hers to shut her up and she responds to my kisses like she always does. Don’t have feelings for me, my ass!
“I know you’re only doing this to punish me for everything I did and I guess you’re within your rights to do so, if it will make you feel better. ButI’m never leaving you and you aren’t leaving me either! I know we still have a lot to work through from both before and after you were held captive, but I’ll be here every step of the way, whether you like it or not. There is no end for us, we’re inevitable baby!” I growl down at her and she looks like she’s about to cry again and that’s when Hunter steps in.
“Hey man, I think you should give her some space. We talked about this and you agreed to give her that space if she wanted it,” he says gently, but also with a hint of steel in his voice letting me know that he won’t have any problems using force if necessary.
“Yeah, I fucking remember,” I tell him, hating every moment of what’s happening right now.
Ibend down and kiss her again. It’s one that’s filled with emotion and conveys how sorry I am and a moment later I pull away from her.
“I’ll give you some space baby but I’m going to be right fucking here. You are mine and nothing and no one is going to change that,” I say and send a glare Hunter’s way. With that I leave the room and slam the door behind me, feeling like I’m about to spaz the fuck out at any moment now. I head to the living room and straight for the liquor cabinet. I grab one of the bottles of whiskey and open it, taking a drink straight from the bottle.
Itburns as it makes its way into my body, but right now, I prefer to feel that compared to the feel of my heart shattering into pieces. A moment later both Grayson and Hunter come into the living room and they both have pitying looks on their faces.
“I’m sorry I had to do that man. ButI did say if it came down to that, then I’d step in and do it. I have to protect my sister and keep her best interests at heart,” Hunter says as he moves to the liquor cabinet as well and pours himself a drink.
“I get it. I know you have to protect her, especially after everything she’s been through and I appreciate it. But just know that I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be there every step of the way through her recovery, whether she wants me there or not,”
“I figured as much. You are one hardheaded son of a bitch,” he grumbles and I smirk at him.
“That’s probably the doc,” Hunter says when the doorbell goes off and he moves to go get the door. He comes back with the doctor in tow and the man greets us.
“I’m going to go get her ready in the medical room and then I’ll call for you,” Hunter tells the doc. My chest aches at the fact that I should be the one doing this for her right now, but she won’t let me. I let out a sigh at that depressing as fuck thought. I continue drinking because I need something to take this fucking pain away.
Amoment later Hunter is calling for the doc and he leaves the room to go and tend to my girl. I get up and follow behind him, but I stay by the door to the medical room without going inside.
“I don’t want him in here,” Winter says to Hunter.
“Too bad babe, I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I”m not in there, even though I want to be. I’m technically outside,” I say, bringing the bottle to my lips again.
Shegives me a look when she sees me drinking, but she hides it so fast behind her mask of coldness and indifference that I couldn’t even decipher it if I tried.
Iwatch as the doctor checks over everything and then he puts new bandages on her cuts, gives her medication for her pain, and I watch as she swallows them. She hasn’t once looked at me again since I told her I wasn’t leaving and that shit burns my soul. Plus, it fucks with my head a little.
Hunterlifts her up into his arms and I move out of the way when he gets to the door to let him pass with her. He takes her back to her room and I walk over to her door, turning my back to the wall and sliding down right there in the hallway to sit on the floor.
Huntercomes out a moment later and looks down at me with no surprise in his eyes. I guess he expected this. He just shakes his head and walks away leaving me there. I take my phone out of my pocket and pull up the app to look at her.
Ihad to beg for access to the cameras in her room earlier. I had a hunch they were there since all his places are under surveillance and I knew he’d also want to keep an eye on his sister without disturbing her. The dickhead only caved when I said I’d camp out in her room instead if I couldn’t watch her through the feed. Since he doesn’t want me to disturb her too much, he begrudgingly gave in.
She’slaying on the bed, her back turned to the door while staring out the window. There are silent tears streaming down her face and I wish I was in there just so I could wrap my arms around her, to make her feel safe and wipe away her tears.
Ithink I knew somewhere inside that this was going to happen and that is why I wanted to keep eyes on her in case she tries to hurt herself again.
Isit on the floor by her door until she eventually falls asleep. That’s when I finally get up off my drunk ass to go look for Hunter, where I find him sitting in the living room.
“Is he here yet?” I ask.
Heeyes me for a long while before answering. “Yes.”
“Basement?”
“Yep,”
“Great. I’m going to go work out some of this anger and aggression that I’m currently feeling because of this asshole,” I growl before walking away from him and heading for the basement. I hear Hunter following me and I guess he either wants to watch or he wants to make sure I don’t accidentally kill myself, since I’m drunk and all. Who the hell knows with him sometimes?
Timeto go beat this asshole to a bloody pulp. I want him to feel the pain I’m currently feeling and all the pain he inflicted on Winter. Beating his face in will go a long way in making me feel a tiny bit better.
Assoon as I step off the last stair into the basement, I see Antonio tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He’s shirtless and his lips and one of his eyes is swollen. There are red bruises on his chest and torso like he was punched there and he’s currently passed out.
“Looks like you were having fun,” I say to Hunter when I twist my head to look over at him.
“Hey, you said I could have fun and just make sure I didn’t kill him.”
“Fair enough. I think it’s time I woke our guest of honor up,” I say with a smirk on my face.
Ihave a brilliant idea when I see a branding iron in a corner in the room. I walk over to it and pick it up and have to laugh when I get a good look at it.
“Really?” I say to Hunter and he just shrugs with a smirk on his face while a chuckle leaves me. The iron is in the shape of a dick. I guess the ass does have a sense of humor after all.
Iheat up the iron and then place it directly in the middle of Antonio’s chest. He comes awake with a scream so loud and filled with agony that it’s music to my ears. Now he has a dick branded into his skin.
“What the fuck?” he screams.
“Well, hello there asshole. Glad you can finally join the party,” I say with a smirk as he looks at me with nothing but hatred in his eyes. “You don’t look so good. My, my, how the tables have turned.”
“What do you two assholes want?” he snarls.
“I would think that it’s obvious you idiot. You fucked with what’s mine and now you’re going to wish you never laid eyes on her but most of all you’re going to wish you never took that job from my father.”
“I get you being here,” he spits out with venom in his voice. “But who is this other asshole? Oh! Never mind I got it. I’ve seen your girlfriend around a few times with him. Hate to break it to you but she’s a whore who’s been sleeping with him behind your back.”
“Should’ve done better research asshole,” I say laughing so hard it catches him off guard and he gives me a look as if to say I’m crazy.
“Who me?” Hunter finally butts in and asks in a casual voice like he isn’t seething with rage. “You fucked with my sister and I’m just here to repay the favor.” I see Antonio’s eyes widen.
“But she doesn’t have a brother…”
“Oh, but she does. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.”
“I should have paid more attention…” I hear him mumble to himself but both Hunter and I heard it.
“Yes. You should have,” Hunter growls. “And you’re going to be paying for your mistakes. You fucked with the wrong family asshole.”
“What does she see in you anyway?” Antonio asks me, not responding to Hunter’s words. His voice is coated in jealousy and envy.
“Everything she doesn’t see in you. You thought you had any claim on what’s mine? You have no idea how fucking wrong you were! She’ll never choose anyone over me, least of all you! We are about to have so much fun,” I tell him as I step closer to him once again.