CHAPTER 2 The Truth Between Enemies #2
My chest tightened.
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded.
But something was wrong.
There was more.
I could feel it.
Then he said, “Noah was there.”
Everything inside me stopped.
“What?”
Mason immediately looked at me.
“I shouldn’t have said that.”
“My brother was there?”
“Emma.”
“What does that mean?”
“Forget it.”
“No.”
I stepped toward him.
“You cannot tell me your sister died in a car accident and Noah was there, then tell me to forget it.”
Mason’s expression hardened.
“I said too much.”
“Was Noah driving?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Relief hit me.
“Was he in the car?”
Mason hesitated.
That hesitation frightened me more than any answer.
“Mason.”
“Ask Noah.”
“Stop saying that.”
“He needs to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not going to.”
I stared at him.
Anger replaced shock.
“You keep doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Giving me pieces of something and then refusing to explain.”
“I didn’t intend to tell you anything.”
“But you did.”
“I made a mistake.”
“So now I’m the mistake?”
His face changed.
“No.”
“You’re acting like it.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“You don’t have to say everything out loud.”
I walked away.
Mason caught my arm.
Not hard.
Just enough to stop me.
“Emma.”
I looked at his hand.
He released me immediately.
“Sorry.”
“Why was Noah there?”
His jaw tightened.
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Both.”
“Did he cause the accident?”
“No.”
Again, immediate.
“Then why do you hate him?”
Mason looked at me.
For one terrifying moment, I thought he might answer.
Instead, he said quietly, “Because sometimes someone doesn’t have to cause something to make it impossible to forgive them.”
The words settled between us.
I didn’t know what they meant.
But I knew I would remember them.
“Does Noah blame you too?”
Mason’s eyes darkened.
“Yes.”
“For Lily?”
Silence.
“Mason.”
“Yes.”
The room suddenly felt colder.
“What happened?”
“I’m done talking about this.”
I wanted to push.
I wanted answers.
But the pain in his face stopped me.
Whatever happened four years ago had broken something between Mason and my brother that hockey had never repaired.
And somehow, Mason’s sister stood at the center of it.
I returned to the fireplace.
Mason remained near the window.
Minutes passed.
Neither of us spoke.
Eventually, he sat on the opposite side of the fire.
The playful energy from earlier was gone.
I hated that.
Strangely, I wanted it back.
I wanted arrogant Mason.
Flirting Mason.
The man who irritated me until I forgot I was trapped in a snowstorm.
This version of him felt too real.
“Your turn,” I said.
He looked at me.
“What?”
“The game.”
“You still want to play?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because sitting here in miserable silence seems worse.”
Something softened in his face.
He returned to the cards.
We played.
This time, the questions became safer.
Favorite movie.
His was The Godfather.
Predictable.
Mine was Before Sunrise.
He accused me of being secretly sentimental.
I accused him of believing every problem could be solved by wearing an expensive suit and staring menacingly at people.
Favorite food.
His mother’s lasagna.
Mine was Thai curry.
First celebrity crush.
He refused to answer.
I won another hand and forced him.
“Rachel McAdams.”
I laughed so hard I almost spilled my water.
“What?”
“That is unexpectedly wholesome.”
“I was fourteen.”
“You’re blushing.”
“I do not blush.”
“You absolutely do.”
“I’m sitting beside a fire.”
“Sure.”
For the first time since Lily’s name entered the room, Mason smiled.
I felt absurdly relieved.
Then he won.
His expression became dangerous.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t trust that face.”
“You shouldn’t.”
He leaned forward.
The firelight moved across his features.
“Have you ever wanted someone you knew you shouldn’t?”
My heartbeat changed.
The question was no longer harmless.
“Mason.”
“You lost.”
“That question is suspiciously specific.”
“So is avoiding it.”
I looked at him.
His eyes didn’t move from mine.
“Yes.”
His jaw tightened.
“Who?”
“One question.”
“Emma.”
I smiled.
“Win again.”
He did.
Of course he did.
“Who?”
I should have lied.
Instead, I said, “Once in college.”
Something almost like disappointment crossed his face.
“He had a girlfriend.”
Mason frowned.
“Did anything happen?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I laughed.
“Why do you sound personally offended?”
“Because men who cheat are pathetic.”
That answer surprised me.
“Interesting moral position for a man with your reputation.”
His expression cooled.
“My reputation says I sleep with women.”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t say I lie to them.”
I became quiet.
Mason leaned back.
“I don’t cheat. I don’t sleep with women who are married or in relationships. And I don’t promise anyone something I don’t intend to give.”
There was something almost harsh in his honesty.
“So all those women…”
“Knew exactly what it was.”
“And what was it?”
“Temporary.”
“Why?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because temporary doesn’t hurt anyone.”
I thought about Lily.
About his father.
About all the things Mason had lost.
Suddenly his reputation looked different.
Not better.
Just different.
“Do you really believe that?”
He looked toward the fire.
“I try to.”
The wind struck the windows again.
I shivered.
Mason noticed immediately.
“Come here.”
My heart stumbled.
“What?”
“You’re cold.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’ve said that about six times tonight.”
“Because you keep asking.”
He moved closer to the fire and held out his hand.
“Come here, Bennett.”
I stared at it.
“This feels like a terrible idea.”
“It’s approximately three feet.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
His expression changed.
He understood.
Of course he did.
Mason lowered his hand.
“Right.”
Something about that disappointed me.
Which was ridiculous.
Dangerous.
Completely unacceptable.
So naturally, I moved anyway.
I sat beside him.
Not touching.
Just closer.
The fire warmed my face.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then the lights flickered.
The heating system groaned somewhere inside the walls.
“Power?” I asked.
“Maybe.”
The lights flickered again.
Then darkness.
I laughed.
“Never mind.”
Mason chuckled.
The fire was the only light now.
I leaned my head against the couch.
My eyelids felt heavy.
“What time is it?”
Mason checked his phone.
“Two eighteen.”
“God.”
“Tired?”
“No.”
I yawned immediately.
He smiled.
“Convincing.”
“I’m not sleeping while you’re awake.”
“Why?”
“Self-preservation.”
“Think I’m dangerous?”
I looked at him.
That question felt different.
I should have joked.
Instead, I answered honestly.
“I don’t know.”
His smile disappeared.
“I’d never hurt you.”
The certainty in his voice made my chest tighten.
“You barely know me.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Mason…”
“I mean it.”
His gaze held mine.
“I might be a lot of things your brother says I am, Emma. But you never have to be afraid of me.”
The room became still.
I believed him.
That might have been the most dangerous realization of the entire night.
My eyes dropped to his mouth.
Just for a second.
But Mason saw.
His breathing changed.
Mine did too.
He leaned closer.
Barely.
Not enough to call it movement.
Enough to ask a question.
I should move away.
I didn’t.
His face was inches from mine.
Gray eyes.
Dark lashes.
That tiny cut near his temple.
My pulse became painfully loud.
“This is a bad idea,” I whispered.
“Yes.”