He stepped toward me, my name on his lips, but the cop yanked him back.
“Stop!” I ran to them.
Two cops moved to intercept me, but Heather and someone else stopped me before I could get to them. Heather shot a hand out to stop the police from coming closer.
“She’s fine. We got her.” She leaned close and whispered to me, “Chill or they might arrest you for making a scene.”
I could only watch as they led Mason inside. Then I looked to see who else had stepped in to help me.
Becky. She released me, her eyes darting away. “No one else needs to get hurt…or arrested.”
I reached out, saying a soft thank you before Heather started forward, and I went with her. I looked back over my shoulder. Becky watched us go, and I mouthed again to her, “Thank you.”
She nodded, offering a faint smile.
Heather held my arm close to her. “We’ll sing the friendship song with her later. Come on. We have to start harassing for bail.”
But in the end, that was taken care of.
James Kade had called in an army of lawyers. They walked in wearing their three-piece suits like they were secret service—except with briefcases. Once they showed up, it wasn’t long before Nate, Logan, and Mason were released.
I leaped into Mason’s arms as he came out, rubbing at his wrists. He caught me, tucking his head into my shoulder and neck.
“This is worth the pain,” he said.
I’d forgotten, and tried to pull away.
He only tightened his hug, holding me another moment longer. “God, Sam.” He lifted his head. A raw and tender look appeared in his eyes, and he traced my face with his finger. “Caldron could’ve really hurt you.”
Logan murmured, “He was more dangerous than we thought.”
Mason didn’t let me go, and Logan nudged him. “Buddy, I know we were in the clinker, but it’s not like you had to hide some soap in your ass cheeks. Nate and I were there the whole time, and it was just a couple hours.”
Mason stiffened and pulled back to glare. “Buddy?”
“It’s the joint. I’m already a hardened criminal.”
Mason released me, but his hand still held one of mine. “You’ve been arrested before, and excuse me for hugging my girlfriend when I realized how Caldron could’ve really hurt her.”
Logan stepped in front of him, shouldering him out of the way. He pulled me in for a hug. “It’s my turn.”
“You have your own girlfriend.”
“Who went back to see her dad. Remember?” Logan squeezed me. “Besides,” he added as he let go, “Sam’s going to officially be my stepsister after next week.”
That was right. The big wedding was next Saturday. I didn’t have the energy to deal with the tension that clung to me anytime the wedding was mentioned. Mason and Logan had been discreet in going to get their tuxedos fitted. Beyond that, I didn’t know anything about the wedding. Malinda was helping, but I didn’t live with her and my father anymore. I didn’t have to see any of the decorations or preparations she might’ve been doing at her house.
Heather and Channing came over, his hand resting at the small of her back.
“What’s going to happen after this?” Heather asked.
Nate and Logan shut their mouths and looked at Mason.
I felt tension flood him, though he showed none of it. “We’re in the clear as long as those guys are okay.”
“What guys?” Heather looked around the station. “Everyone’s here.”
We all looked over as Adam and Becky entered the station. Behind them two police officers brought in Steven Quinn. His hands were in front of him with a sweater laid over them. It didn’t matter if we didn’t see the handcuffs. We knew they were there.
“Ah…” Logan cleared his throat. “Mason means Caldron and all his goons.”
“But Mason doesn’t have to worry about that.” Nate shot him a meaningful look.
Mason let out a silent sigh. I could feel the release from his chest. “You’re not doing that.”
Nate shook his head. “I don’t care. I’ll do it before you can.”
“Nate—”
“Stop it, Mason. I mean it. You have football yet.”
“What’s happening?” I asked them.
Nate and Mason fell silent. Logan said, “We’ll tell you later.”
“Nothing’s going to happen—” Mason started.
Nate cut him off again. “You’re right because there’s no way in hell I’m letting my best friend throw his life away because he was protecting himself and his loved ones. It will be self-defense. My parents are movie directors. They have good connections. If it goes to a trial, I won’t get convicted. You know that.”
“Nate—“
“For the last goddamn time,” Nate snapped. “Shut up.”
I was putting the pieces together.
Mason said if those guys were okay, so if they weren’t… I looked up at Mason and horror struck me deep in the chest. If one of them died, or even if they had serious damage, he would be arrested, again. He would be charged. There could be a trial.
Feeling like I was in water, like an invisible force had slowed my movements, I looked at Nate.
He would take the fall. That was what he meant.
My lips parted. I felt a gasp, though no sound came from me, and I reached back down to find Mason’s hand. I squeezed. I knew he was in pain. I knew I should loosen my grip, but I couldn’t. I felt like I’d almost just lost him. And now, if that happened, I could lose him all over again.
He would never let Nate take the fall.
I looked at Logan to find him watching me. He knew what I was thinking, and I could tell he knew it, too. I looked again at Nate and saw the same look there. He knew it as well. No amount of convincing would change Mason’s mind.
I wasn’t waking up from a nightmare.
It was only beginning.
When we got home, James followed us into the house, but he only repeated what he’d said at the station: Don’t say anything. That was the bottom line, and judging from the exhaustion and pain on Mason, Logan, and Nate’s faces, no one was going to argue with him.
Matteo had been sitting in the living room when we all went inside, but he waited until James left before standing up.
“Uh.” He folded his arms over his chest, his biceps and chest muscles bulging a little. Glancing around, he seemed unsure. “Do you guys need anything?” He turned to me. “Bandages? Antibiotic cream? Are you stocked with all that stuff?”
Mason’s hand came to rest on the small of my back. “I think we’re good on everything. Thanks, though, Teo.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Just let me know. If you need me to run and grab something, I can do that, too.”
I fought against leaning back into Mason’s hand. I wanted to. I wanted to sink into his warmth and reassure myself he was okay. I didn’t. I didn’t know the extent of his injuries, and I was grateful when Nate and Logan murmured they were going to bed.
Logan paused on his way to his bedroom. “I’m going to call Taylor.”
I rested a hand on his arm. “That’s a good idea.” She left a week earlier to spend some time with her dad and her friends. “She’ll want to know you’re okay.”
“Yeah.” He sighed.
Matteo lingered as everyone dispersed. Even Mason went to our room, but I held back.
Matteo’s shoulders fell. “I don’t know what to do.”
He looked lost, like a three year old whose mother was out of sight.
I knew that look. I’d seen it on others who’d thought they were in the circle and then realized they weren’t.
I patted his shoulder. “Just be a good friend. That’s it.”
“I didn’t—I know the three of them are tight, but I could’ve helped. They didn’t even give me the option, you know?”
“You’re a good guy. That’s how Mason views you. He doesn’t want to make you not good.”
“That’s what he thinks? Because it feels a whole lot like I’m not good enough.”
“Stop!” I ran to them.
Two cops moved to intercept me, but Heather and someone else stopped me before I could get to them. Heather shot a hand out to stop the police from coming closer.
“She’s fine. We got her.” She leaned close and whispered to me, “Chill or they might arrest you for making a scene.”
I could only watch as they led Mason inside. Then I looked to see who else had stepped in to help me.
Becky. She released me, her eyes darting away. “No one else needs to get hurt…or arrested.”
I reached out, saying a soft thank you before Heather started forward, and I went with her. I looked back over my shoulder. Becky watched us go, and I mouthed again to her, “Thank you.”
She nodded, offering a faint smile.
Heather held my arm close to her. “We’ll sing the friendship song with her later. Come on. We have to start harassing for bail.”
But in the end, that was taken care of.
James Kade had called in an army of lawyers. They walked in wearing their three-piece suits like they were secret service—except with briefcases. Once they showed up, it wasn’t long before Nate, Logan, and Mason were released.
I leaped into Mason’s arms as he came out, rubbing at his wrists. He caught me, tucking his head into my shoulder and neck.
“This is worth the pain,” he said.
I’d forgotten, and tried to pull away.
He only tightened his hug, holding me another moment longer. “God, Sam.” He lifted his head. A raw and tender look appeared in his eyes, and he traced my face with his finger. “Caldron could’ve really hurt you.”
Logan murmured, “He was more dangerous than we thought.”
Mason didn’t let me go, and Logan nudged him. “Buddy, I know we were in the clinker, but it’s not like you had to hide some soap in your ass cheeks. Nate and I were there the whole time, and it was just a couple hours.”
Mason stiffened and pulled back to glare. “Buddy?”
“It’s the joint. I’m already a hardened criminal.”
Mason released me, but his hand still held one of mine. “You’ve been arrested before, and excuse me for hugging my girlfriend when I realized how Caldron could’ve really hurt her.”
Logan stepped in front of him, shouldering him out of the way. He pulled me in for a hug. “It’s my turn.”
“You have your own girlfriend.”
“Who went back to see her dad. Remember?” Logan squeezed me. “Besides,” he added as he let go, “Sam’s going to officially be my stepsister after next week.”
That was right. The big wedding was next Saturday. I didn’t have the energy to deal with the tension that clung to me anytime the wedding was mentioned. Mason and Logan had been discreet in going to get their tuxedos fitted. Beyond that, I didn’t know anything about the wedding. Malinda was helping, but I didn’t live with her and my father anymore. I didn’t have to see any of the decorations or preparations she might’ve been doing at her house.
Heather and Channing came over, his hand resting at the small of her back.
“What’s going to happen after this?” Heather asked.
Nate and Logan shut their mouths and looked at Mason.
I felt tension flood him, though he showed none of it. “We’re in the clear as long as those guys are okay.”
“What guys?” Heather looked around the station. “Everyone’s here.”
We all looked over as Adam and Becky entered the station. Behind them two police officers brought in Steven Quinn. His hands were in front of him with a sweater laid over them. It didn’t matter if we didn’t see the handcuffs. We knew they were there.
“Ah…” Logan cleared his throat. “Mason means Caldron and all his goons.”
“But Mason doesn’t have to worry about that.” Nate shot him a meaningful look.
Mason let out a silent sigh. I could feel the release from his chest. “You’re not doing that.”
Nate shook his head. “I don’t care. I’ll do it before you can.”
“Nate—”
“Stop it, Mason. I mean it. You have football yet.”
“What’s happening?” I asked them.
Nate and Mason fell silent. Logan said, “We’ll tell you later.”
“Nothing’s going to happen—” Mason started.
Nate cut him off again. “You’re right because there’s no way in hell I’m letting my best friend throw his life away because he was protecting himself and his loved ones. It will be self-defense. My parents are movie directors. They have good connections. If it goes to a trial, I won’t get convicted. You know that.”
“Nate—“
“For the last goddamn time,” Nate snapped. “Shut up.”
I was putting the pieces together.
Mason said if those guys were okay, so if they weren’t… I looked up at Mason and horror struck me deep in the chest. If one of them died, or even if they had serious damage, he would be arrested, again. He would be charged. There could be a trial.
Feeling like I was in water, like an invisible force had slowed my movements, I looked at Nate.
He would take the fall. That was what he meant.
My lips parted. I felt a gasp, though no sound came from me, and I reached back down to find Mason’s hand. I squeezed. I knew he was in pain. I knew I should loosen my grip, but I couldn’t. I felt like I’d almost just lost him. And now, if that happened, I could lose him all over again.
He would never let Nate take the fall.
I looked at Logan to find him watching me. He knew what I was thinking, and I could tell he knew it, too. I looked again at Nate and saw the same look there. He knew it as well. No amount of convincing would change Mason’s mind.
I wasn’t waking up from a nightmare.
It was only beginning.
When we got home, James followed us into the house, but he only repeated what he’d said at the station: Don’t say anything. That was the bottom line, and judging from the exhaustion and pain on Mason, Logan, and Nate’s faces, no one was going to argue with him.
Matteo had been sitting in the living room when we all went inside, but he waited until James left before standing up.
“Uh.” He folded his arms over his chest, his biceps and chest muscles bulging a little. Glancing around, he seemed unsure. “Do you guys need anything?” He turned to me. “Bandages? Antibiotic cream? Are you stocked with all that stuff?”
Mason’s hand came to rest on the small of my back. “I think we’re good on everything. Thanks, though, Teo.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Just let me know. If you need me to run and grab something, I can do that, too.”
I fought against leaning back into Mason’s hand. I wanted to. I wanted to sink into his warmth and reassure myself he was okay. I didn’t. I didn’t know the extent of his injuries, and I was grateful when Nate and Logan murmured they were going to bed.
Logan paused on his way to his bedroom. “I’m going to call Taylor.”
I rested a hand on his arm. “That’s a good idea.” She left a week earlier to spend some time with her dad and her friends. “She’ll want to know you’re okay.”
“Yeah.” He sighed.
Matteo lingered as everyone dispersed. Even Mason went to our room, but I held back.
Matteo’s shoulders fell. “I don’t know what to do.”
He looked lost, like a three year old whose mother was out of sight.
I knew that look. I’d seen it on others who’d thought they were in the circle and then realized they weren’t.
I patted his shoulder. “Just be a good friend. That’s it.”
“I didn’t—I know the three of them are tight, but I could’ve helped. They didn’t even give me the option, you know?”
“You’re a good guy. That’s how Mason views you. He doesn’t want to make you not good.”
“That’s what he thinks? Because it feels a whole lot like I’m not good enough.”
