Mason (Trinity Academy 2)

Quite a while later, he whispers, “You scared the fucking shit out of me.”

I let out a breathless burst of laughter. “That’s hard to believe.”

His arms tighten around me and then he presses a kiss to my neck. My eyebrows pop up, and my hand freezes on his back.

Was he really that scared?

Because of me?

He lays me back down, but then surprises me, even more, when he frames my face with his hands. His eyes search over me as if he doesn’t quite believe that I’m okay.

“Mason, I’m fine.” I let a weak smile form around my dry lips. “Stop fretting.” I take a couple of breaths, then continue, “I’m not used to you fussing over anything.”

The corner of his mouth lifts, and it might be because I’m still out of it, but I can swear there’s warmth in his gaze.

“Can you do me a favor and tell me to go to hell?”

With an eyebrow lifting, I ask, “Dude, why?” I shake my head, which is still cupped in his hands. “Oh, wait…” I hate that I can’t say a couple of words without becoming breathless, “maybe this is some weird-ass dream.” My chuckle sounds more like a wheeze before I finally finish, “There’s no way you’d be so nice to me in real life.”

“Have I been that big of an asshole?” he asks, a smile stretching over his face.

“I just drowned,” I complain.

“Almost,” he corrects me.

“I almost drowned,” I say wryly. “Give me a break.”

Nausea tightens my stomach and pushes up my throat again. I swallow a couple of times before the feeling subsides a little.

“I’m not back to full capacity yet.” I try to grin. “Honestly, I don’t know how to react to you not growling at me.”

“Okay,” he agrees. There’s a weird look on Mason’s face as if it hurts him to see me struggling to talk.

Maybe he’s just tired.

He pulls away but remains sitting next to me on the bed. Picking up my hand, he wraps his fingers around mine, then rests our hands on his thigh. “I’ll ease up on the nice. Can we talk about what happened? Do you remember?”

My memories are foggy, but I remember one thing clearly, and it makes anger and hurt wash over me. “Serena.”

My breathing begins to rush over my lips as I recall how she yanked me toward her before pushing me into the pool. The beeping from the machine monitoring my heart speeds up, and when a coughing fit overwhelms me, Mason pulls me slightly forward so he can pat my back.

“It’s okay,” he says. “We don’t have to talk about it now.”

The coughing subsides, and I take a couple of deep breaths.

Then I remember the smirk on her face and the gleam in her eyes, and it makes an awful feeling shudder through me.

“She pushed me.” The words are nothing more than a whisper filled with disbelief. My eyes meet Mason’s, and he brings his hand back to my face, brushing his fingers lightly over my cheek. Doubting my memories, I ask, “Did she really try to kill me?”

A look filled with hurt and anger tightens his features. “It was caught on camera. Security gave me the footage yesterday.”

Oh, my God. I never thought she’d go that far.

Some of the details leading up to my near-drowning shudder through me, and it makes me feel unbelievably vulnerable. My bubble of safety pops, making me feel exposed and threatened.

Mason must see the distress on my face because he leans over me and braces his arms on either side of my head. He locks eyes with me, and says, “I’ve got you, Hunt. I’ll take care of Serena. I promise I’m going to make her pay.”

A sob pushes up my throat, and it makes it harder to breathe.

Mason moves his left hand to my head, and he begins to brush repeatedly over my hair. “I’m here, babe.”

My chest aches as I keep my eyes locked on his until tears blur my sight.

I can’t say anything and quickly blink the tears away so I can see Mason’s face.

She tried to kill me.

As if he can read my thoughts, he answers, “I’m going to make her pay.”

I’m scared.

“I’m not leaving. I’ve got you.”

Promise.

“You’re stuck with me, Hunt.”

My erratic breaths calm down, and it takes a lot of strength for me to lift my arm. Placing my hand on the back of Mason’s, I move his palm to my cheek. Turning my head slightly, I breathe in his scent.

I’ve never been one to hold grudges or to condone violence, but she tried to take my life.

“I want her to pay.” My voice trembles from the disturbing emotions overwhelming me. “I want her to pay…” I swallow hard on the nauseous lump in my throat, then finish, “for what’s she’s done to me.”

Mason leans closer, and his words are in total contrast to the caring warmth in his eyes. “I’m going to destroy her.”