Mason (Fallen Crest High 0.5)
I told Nate, “Mark Decraw. He played league baseball with Logan this summer.”
He asked Logan, “He didn’t tell you what she looked like or a name?”
“It was in passing, but he said she was in his grade. I didn’t have time to question him about anything else and I forgot to later.”
“Well, whatever she is, we can’t do anything about her now.” I started the engine and turned around.
Nate leaned back, asking, “So what are we doing again?”
I glanced at Logan. He understood. James would be at the house the entire weekend. She would be there with him and they expected us to act like good little boys? We weren’t going home this weekend. As if reading my mind, Logan nodded, giving me the go-ahead. Then he flashed me a grin. “I’ve always wanted to steal a cop car.”
“Wait. What?
” Nate shot forward again.
I returned my brother’s grin. “You could be the decoy. They’ll get out, I’ll rush in and take the car.”
Logan nodded. His wheels were turning and his eyes lit up. “I’ll be naked. They’ll get out, thinking I’m drunk. They won’t draw their weapons and then I’ll take off through the alley.”
“No, wait. You have to stumble to the alley so they will follow you. I’ll get the car then.”
He nodded. “As soon as I’m in the alley, I’ll take off. You better fucking pick me up on the other side.”
“I will.”
Nate groaned from behind us, “Oh my god, you guys. My parents are going to flip out. I can’t get arrested. They’ll move. I’m telling you right now. They hate you, Mason, and with this last thing, if you get me arrested, it’s over. I’m out of here. I just know it.”
As I turned towards the main street, where we knew the cops lingered, I told him, “You can take this car and just meet us later. You don't have to be a part of it.”
He groaned, shaking his head back and forth. “You don’t get it. I’m here. There’s no way I can’t not go with you guys.” A resolved look came over him. “I’m all in with you guys.”
“All-for-one-and-one-for-all type of shit?” Logan grinned back at him.
“Oh my god. I guess.”
I laughed, then slowed the Escalade when we saw a cop car parked outside of a taco shop. Pulling into the parking lot, I parked and we waited. When Logan started taking his clothes off, I asked, “Why do you have to be naked?”
“Are you kidding me? We’re going to steal a cop car. How could I not be naked for this story? It’s going to be epic.”
16
THE THREAT
It was the next morning when we were bailed out. As we went to the front of the station, James was there. Logan muttered next to me, “He looks pissed.”
I grunted. “Good. Let’s do this every weekend.”
He sent me a grin and then our dad was in front of us, shaking his head. “Get in the car. Now.” He stormed out, leading the way.
Logan followed first, but turned around to walk backwards. He flashed me a smirk. “Mission accomplished, huh?”
I nodded, watching our dad as we went outside and towards the car waiting for us. When we got into the back, he told the driver to go, but turned around to us. “Are you kidding me?” He was looking right at me. “I call you and tell you that Analise would be at the house; that we wanted to have dinner with you two, and you get arrested instead?” He glanced at Logan, then looked back at me. His nostrils flared from anger. His lips pressed tight together with disappointment. “And you get him arrested too?”
I rolled my eyes. “How much did you spend to make it go away?”
He drew in an angry breath. “I will ignore that last comment, Mason—”
I shot back, “I don’t give a shit what you ignore. Yes, we got arrested, and yes, I know you paid off a nice judge to let us off.”
“You did this because of her.”
“Damn straight I did.”
“You endangered his future.” He pointed at Logan.
“You endangered both of us every time you stuck your dick into some other woman that wasn’t your wife.”
His eyes grew heated and he leaned away from the seat, as if putting space between us would calm him. I waited, watching for his next move. When he didn’t make one and kept quiet, I taunted him. “What are you going to do, Dad? Ground us? Send us to Mom?” I laughed, and even I flinched when I heard the resentment in my own voice. “We both know you don’t want Mom to have us. Fuck the football scouts. I’ll get them to watch me on another team. I don’t give a shit.”
“You are so angry.”
I snorted and turned away to watch out the window. “I’m angry? Are you kidding me? Of course I’m angry—”
“She’s married,” Logan spoke up, and we both looked at him. His mouth was pressed in a flat line and he was glaring at our dad.
“What did you say?” James’ voice grew quiet.
He said again, “She’s married, Dad. We looked her up. Her husband is the football coach at Academy.”
He didn’t react. I was waiting for something, surprise, shame, or even guilt, but nothing flashed in his eyes. He didn’t move one damn bit. I shook my head and a disgusted sound came from me. He looked to me now, growing cautious as he did. I said, “You knew and you don’t give a shit, do you?”
“Mason—”
“Don’t start,” I cut him off. “Don’t even fucking start. She’s a married woman.”
“She’s unhappy in her marriage.”
I scoffed, shutting him up again. “I’m sure she is because she’s cheating on him. What if she didn’t cheat? Maybe she’d be happy? Why her? Pick another one. Pick someone who’s not fucking married. Don’t screw up another family.”
“He didn’t pick her.” Logan’s soft voice got our attention again.
“What?” James asked.
His voice grew louder. “She picked you, didn’t she?”
“What are you talking about?”
Logan looked at me. “I was at his office a long time ago, and she was there. They had lunch together or that’s what he said. He said it ran long. Dad was supposed to give me a ride somewhere, but he spent the whole afternoon somewhere else. His secretary had to call and remind him that I was there. She was with him when he got off the elevator.” He paused and then added, “And I saw her another time before that. She was at the gym. I was there with Dad, but he didn’t notice her then. She noticed him. When we went into the weight room, she followed us around.” He gestured to James. “He didn’t notice her at all. I think he had another girlfriend at that time.”
His words triggered a memory of the first time I met her. She had stared at me from the car when they left, after I caught them in the front entrance. I shook my head. My gut had been right. This one was going to be a problem. “I had no idea it’d been going on that long.” I looked at our dad again. “How long?”
He flushed. “It is none of your business.”
“She’s in our house too. That makes it our business.”
He shook his head. His anger rose and he lifted a hand over the seat to point at me. “Let’s get one thing straight, Mason. You will stop with this rebellious shit you’re pulling. You will stop being disrespectful to me. You will begin to cooperate with me, and you will set a better example for your brother.” Then he pointed to Logan, who started laughing. James turned to him and snapped, “Shut up. I won’t hear any more smartass comments from either of you. You will grow up and you will put on fake smiles when we get there.”
“Are you kidding me?” My mouth dropped open. “She’s still there?”
He was becoming more hostile. He clipped out icily, “Mason, you and I will have a private conversation later, but right now you will act like loving and respectful sons. She is waiting for us.”
“At the house?”
He turned to Logan. “What?”
Logan gestured out the window. “We’re not going home. Where are we going?”
I shook my head and said, “Unbelievable. You’re taking us to eat somewhere?” I glanced at Logan. “He doesn’t trust us in private at the house and he thinks we’ll act appropriately in public.”
Logan grinned. “It’s like he doesn’t know us at all.”
I grunted. This was all becoming ridiculous. I hadn’t said two words to this woman, but I was already beginning to hate her. “Do you love her?”
James grew still at my question.
I saw the answer in his eyes. “You do. Shit. You love her.” He was standing up for her. He was reprimanding his children for her. He was still going through with this meeting. My gut twisted as I realized that this was the love he should’ve had for our mom. “Are you kidding me?”