Chapter 45
I feel lighter lately.
Not fixed.
Not completely okay.
But... more like myself again.
The fear isn't sitting in my throat every second anymore. I'm sleeping a little better and eating because Mason practically supervises it like it's a military operation.
And somehow, slowly, life has started feeling real again instead of something I'm barely surviving through.
Ava helps.
Mason helps more than he probably realises.
He doesn't push me to talk when I don't want to.
He just stays.
Steady.
Constant.
Safe.
The dangerous word doesn't scare me as much anymore.
Today, Mason woke me up early, handed me coffee, kissed my forehead, and told me to get dressed because he was "taking me somewhere."
Which obviously means he refuses to tell me where.
"You're annoying," I tell him from the passenger seat as he drives.
"Mm."
"That wasn't even a denial."
One corner of his mouth lifts slightly.
"You ask too many questions."
"You're being suspicious."
"I'm being prepared."
I narrow my eyes at him.
He reaches over casually and squeezes my thigh once.
The touch is brief.
Grounding.
Possessive in that quiet Mason way that somehow makes heat creep into my cheeks every single time.
Ava babbles happily from the backseat, completely unaware that I'm trying not to stare at how unfairly attractive this man looks driving.
Grey hoodie.
One hand on the wheel.
Dog tags glinting slightly against his shirt.
It should honestly be illegal.
"You're staring," he says without looking at me.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
Unfortunately true.
I look out the window before he catches me smiling.
The drive takes longer than I expected.
Soon we're moving through a quieter suburb filled with trees and larger houses, the streets calm and peaceful in a way that immediately feels different from apartment living.
My brows pull together slightly.
"Mason..."
"Hm?"
"Where are we?"
"You'll see."
"You're the worst."
"Still drove you here."
I mutter something under my breath that makes him smirk.
Then the car slows.
Turns down a quiet street.
And stops.
I blink.
In front of us is a house.
Beautiful.
Not huge in a ridiculous way, but warm-looking. White weatherboards, dark roof, wide front porch. A fenced yard with enough space for Ava to run around one day.
It looks...
Safe.
My eyes catch on the sign out front.
SOLD.
I stare at it for a second.
Then slowly look at Mason.
He's already watching me.
Completely calm.
Like he's been waiting for this exact moment.
"Mason," I say slowly. "Why are we here?"
He unbuckles his seatbelt casually.
"I bought it."
I blink.
"What?"
"For us."
My brain fully stops functioning.
I stare at him.
"For..." My voice fails. "For us?"
Mason nods once, like this is the most obvious thing in the world.
"You hate the apartment."
"I never said that."
"You jump every time someone walks past the door."
My throat tightens instantly.
Mason's expression softens slightly.
"No shared walls," he says quietly. "No upstairs neighbours. Yard for Ava. More space."
I look back at the house.
At the SOLD sign.
Then back at him again.
"You bought a house?"
"Yeah."
"Mason!"
"What?"
"You can't just casually buy a house!"
He looks genuinely unconcerned.
"Already did."
I stare at him in disbelief.
"You didn't even tell me!"
"You would've overthought it."
"That's because this is insane!"
"Probably."
His hand slides over my thigh again, warm and steady.
"But you need somewhere you can breathe, baby."
The nickname hits differently lately.
Softer.
More real.
I look back at the house again, and suddenly my chest aches so hard it almost hurts.
Because no one has ever done something like this for me before.
No one has ever looked at my fear and tried to build safety around it instead of using it against me.
"Mason..." I whisper.
His thumb strokes once slowly against my leg.
"If you hate it, we don't keep it."
I immediately shake my head.
"No. I don't hate it."
The truth is—
I already love it.
Not because of the house.
Because of what it means.
Home.
The word settles quietly into my chest while Ava squeals happily in the backseat.
And for the first time in my life...
Home doesn't feel like something temporary anymore.