Mason (Fallen Crest High 0.5)

I threw him a grin. I was proud of my brother in that moment.

As he sat up and his shoulders rolled back, he added, “Your daughter’s in my grade, isn’t she?”

The air changed. It had been hostile, but it dropped to a more intense level. Everyone was silent for a moment. Then she clipped out, “What does that mean?”

Logan was holding her gaze steadily. He lifted a shoulder. “Nothing. I’m just checking my facts. She’s my age. She’s a year younger than Mason.” He paused, drawing out his message. “We might know people in common. She might even start to hang out with us, be our friends.” He gestured to me. “All the girls are crazy about Mason. Who knows? Maybe living with us could help her reputation? Is she popular in her school?”

Logan wasn’t offering to help her social standing. Everyone read the threat correctly.

Her face grew pale again. “You had better stay away from my daughter. You hear me?”

Logan threw me a triumphant grin. I nodded. There she was. The real her came back out again. She had come out earlier, but pulled back in. Her mask shielded her, but he got it to fall away. I leaned forward, signaling to Logan that I would take over. He leaned back in response and she turned to me, reacting to the undercurrents between us. I narrowed my eyes and spoke clearly, “We’re not threatening anything against your daughter. We’re reminding you what we could do if we choose.”

“Mason.” James looked at Logan. “You too. Stop this. Both of you. This is ridiculous.”

“Maybe, Dad.” Logan shook his head. “Or maybe you should listen to us.” He pointed at Analise. “She’s not a good person. We both know that. Why can’t you see it?”

Because he loved her. Our dad glanced at me, and we both remembered what I had said in the car. He loved her and if Logan knew the extent of it, I shook my head. I wasn’t sure how my brother would react. Clearing my throat, I stood up. So did Logan. I said to our dad, “We’ll get home by ourselves.” I glanced at her. When she held my gaze, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She’d been one of the women to help destroy our family, and she had every intention of trying to become the new Mrs. James Kade.

She was crazy, cunning, and ruthless.

I had no idea how to handle her so I didn’t say anything and left. Logan followed me. We never went home that weekend. We drove to see our mom in L.A. and didn’t come back until late Sunday night. We never did tell her about Analise or getting arrested.

18

THE HEADS-UP

There was a knock on my door, but I already knew who it was. Logan always yelled my name on his way inside. He wasn’t home and there was only one other person who lived with us. “Yeah?”

My dad came inside. I saw the tension on his face and knew what he was there for. It’d been six months since we were arrested, since Nate’s parents shipped him off, and the disastrous meeting with Analise. At first there’d been nothing. It was like my dad’s girlfriend went away and I had hoped she was gone for good, but when he didn’t bring any other women home, I knew Analise wasn’t out of the picture. That stopped three months ago and she was over more and more lately. I sighed, shaking my head. “I suppose I should just be happy you haven’t force-fed her down our throats.”

He stopped, the grim look doubled, and he sat on my couch. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. Still dressed in his business suit, the top three buttons were undone and he reached up now, tugging at the collar. My dad looked in pain, but I doubted it had anything to do with the shirt. He cupped his hands together. “I don’t know where to start.”

I tossed my pen on the desk. “I’ll do it for you. She’s moving in, isn’t she?”

He opened his mouth, ready to say something and then closed it. He nodded slowly.

Fuck. “I don’t like her.”

He held my gaze, flinching a bit, but let out a sigh. “I’m aware.”

“Logan won’t be happy.”

“Logan hasn’t been happy for a while.”

We shared a look. We were thinking the same thing. It’d been a year ago when Logan’s girlfriend came in here. My lips pressed tight at the memory. Logan was still working through those issues. He had loved Tate.

I said, “She’s just like her.”

“No.” He shook his head.

I leaned forward on my chair. “Yes.”

“No, Mason. You have this irrational anger at women—”

“They’re both cheaters,” I stopped him. “They’re both manipulators. They’re both liars. They both don’t care who they hurt.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Does she cry when she thinks of leaving her husband?” I didn’t need to wait to hear the answer. I knew she didn’t. “Or is she the one pressuring you to let her move in? Because she’ll be so happy to be with you? I’ve met her husband, Dad. He’s not that bad of a guy. He’s a good coach too.” I paused a beat. He looked away. “He could’ve been my coach.”

“Stop.”

I was getting to him, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good. I shook my head. “Why this woman?”

“What do you mean?”

“She has you wrapped around her finger. Why her? Does she have magical lube or something?” I channeled Logan. “Is her vagina some fairyland for your prick?”

“Stop it. My god. You and Logan. You’re both so crude sometimes.”

I shrugged. “I say it how I see it. Sometimes.”

He shot me a look, tugging at his collar again. “I’m aware. You’ve been barely tolerable since the divorce.”

I snorted. “You mean since you started cheating. Wait, that’d be your entire marriage, wouldn’t it?” Even thinking about it was making me angrier. “Why’d you marry her? It’s obvious you didn’t love Mom. Did you think you did at some point?”

He closed his eyes and hung his head. His shoulders slumped downwards. “I tried. I really did, Mason. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

“You didn’t even try.”

“I did too. You have no idea. You don’t remember the beginning, dealing with her family, dealing with her father’s threats.”

“Right. Because Grandpa’s such a controlling asshole.”

“He was.” The intensity in his eyes made me pause. He softened his tone and ran a hand through his hair. “He was before he died. Your mother never listened to me. It was their way before us. We were doomed from the start.” He grew bitter. “You don’t put someone else’s wishes before your partner’s. You don’t do that. When you marry, that’s your first priority. It should’ve been. I tried, but your mother didn’t see her loyalties like I did.”

“You thought you loved her?”

He grimaced. “I tried to love her.”

I grunted. He never answered the question.

Then he said, softly, “She got pregnant, Mason. That’s why we got married.”

She had been just another one of his women. A hollow laugh ripped from me. Fuck. I’d been the doom of them. I’d been the reason for all the pain for everyone. A lump formed in my throat and I swallowed it down. “That’s a hard pill to swallow. Shit.”

He shook his head. “I tried. I really did, Mason. Your mother wouldn’t take my side in things. She wouldn’t listen to me. It was about what her family wanted. To give Helen some credit, she’s the oldest daughter and they’re old money. They have a lot of expectations for her to live up to. I know that’s part of the reason she held onto our marriage as long as she did.” A soft curse slipped from him. “She’d still be here if I hadn’t ended it. I am sorry for how things worked out.”

“You gave up.”

“Mason,” he sighed.

“Were you ever faithful to her?”

He pressed his lips together and glanced away.