Chapter 2 #3
“No,” I breathe out. “That’s not true. I’m on your side. I’ve always been on your side, Mason. I’m your nobody.”
A spike of hurt flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone just as fast, walled off behind that same dead-cold mask he wears with everyone else.
“Yeah, whatever,” he mutters, stepping back. “Looks like you’re gonna survive.” Then he turns, biting out, “I’m going back.”
“And how the fuck do you think you’re getting there, Pretty Boy?” Luc asks, making Mason freeze.
“Stop calling me that,” he spits, spinning around. “I’m so done with this shit. Fuck you. Fuck her. Fuck everyone. I’m walking if I have to.”
“Fuck everyone, yeah?” Luc surges forward right up in Mason’s face.
“Hey, hey, hey…” Dane’s voice cuts through the tension as he steps away from my side, moving fast to get between them, but Finn is already there, grabbing Mason’s arm and yanking him back.
Dane catches Luc by the shoulder, pushing him hard, then Mason shrugs Finn off and shoves back.
Luc yanks free of Dane just as Finn snaps, “Get the fuck out of here. Both of you. You wanna fight? Do it outside. Get your shit together before you come back in.”
He drives them out of the room like a bouncer with zero patience, and the door slams behind them with a final, echoing thud.
The silence after is sharp, and the fog in my head lifts another inch, peeled back by the shock of their yelling, of Mason yelling at Luc, at me.
No soft cotton left to fall into, just dread. The hurt hasn’t settled back in yet, but my heart knows what’s coming. It tightens in my chest, and beneath that, rising fast, is nausea.
Fuck.
Fuck, what did I do?
“Baby girl.” Finn turns to me, voice too soft for how guilty he’s looking. “I’m so sorry.” His eyes flick to Dane’s, and just like that, it all floods back.
The gondola, the way he held me—touched me—like I was something beautiful. The way he looked at me, like he wanted me, maybe even loved me. But the second he saw the blood and realized how inexperienced I am, everything in his face shifted, and I stopped being a person and became a problem.
A regret, back to being a mistake.
But what did I think would happen? The last few weeks with Finn have been a flame that flares hot one second and leaves frostbite the next, and right now, I’m not sure which one I’m burning from more.
The nausea spikes hard, curling in my gut. I can’t do this, not here in front of Dane. I can’t hear Finn say it out loud, say it was a mistake again. I can’t survive that.
“Get out,” I tell Finn, and my voice cracks, along with everything inside me.
Finn and Dane both go still.
“Alaina.” Dane looks confused. “What are you even—”
“No.” I shake my head, harder now. “I need him gone, please.”
“Al, come on.” Dane takes a step closer. “That’s Finn. You’re woozy from the meds, it’s fine. You want him here.”
I turn my face away. “No. I want him out.”
A pause, then Finn says softly, “No worries. Absolutely. I’ll just wait outside, okay?”
I hear the door open and close, giving a quiet click that sounds a little too final, like something breaking.
Dane steps closer again, his brows pulled together. “What was that? Just because he kicked your little boyfriends out? They were acting like fucking kids.”
“No,” I whisper. My throat is raw. “He just…”
What can I even tell him?
That he hurt me?
That he made me hope, really hope, that maybe I could have something good and safe for once, only to rip it out from under me the second things got real?
That nothing has ever broken me this way before, not even the crash that almost ended my life?
“He made me mad,” I finish weakly.
“What?” Dane lets out a disbelieving laugh.
“Why? He was the first one at your side, Alaina. Finn was with you in the helicopter and next to you every second they would let him. He talked the UCI out of following and finding out your secret. He was there for you. He doesn’t deserve you acting like that.
” His voice softens. “If you want to act out, act out on me. I’m the one who wasn’t fast enough to be there. ”
My chest aches, and I blink back tears.
“You’re never the problem,” I whisper. “I’m the problem.”
Dane sighs and shakes his head. “Sure as hell looks like it right now.” But it’s not cruel. Just soft, sad. His hand ruffles over my hair like I’m still six years old, and I haven’t made a total wreck of everything.
“Calmed down a little?” he asks, after watching me carefully for a few moments. “I can go grab him. I don’t even think you have to apologize, and he’s definitely not mad about you calling him yours.”
Fuck, I did say that, didn’t I?
I want to scream, cry, or throw up.
“No,” I choke out, the nausea crashing over me again. “Please, I feel sick. Can you call a nurse?”
Dane studies me for a long moment before finally nodding. “Of course.” He leans over and presses the call button, but his other hand stays right where it is, resting gently on the top of my head.
“Don’t think for a second I’m buying your bullshit, though,” he murmurs.
And then the room is still again, except for the storm in my chest.