The Price of Mason (Forbidden Men 10)

Shit.

Eva’s mouth dropped open as we made eye contact. Reese tried to act as if nothing were awkward about the moment, but I made it worse when I asked if she knew where my shoes were, because I had no clue. We both tried to ignore Eva glaring at me and crossing her arms over her chest. I asked Reese if she was still coming to my sister’s birthday party later that day, and she reassured me she was. Then she gave me my drink she’d bought me along with my doughnut. I kissed her on the cheek in gratitude.

We successfully ignored her cousin until I tried to leave.

That’s when Eva blocked the doorway with her body and started to bitch me out, telling me how I’d just shattered Reese’s reputation because Alec had seen my Jeep sitting outside Reese’s apartment.

So, yep, everything I’d worried about happening to Reese by simply befriending her was coming true. Patricia was going after her, and people were talking shit about her. Why the hell hadn’t I just listened to myself and stayed away from the beginning? I’d known better. All along, I knew she’d be the one to pay for any kind of relationship we had, no matter how innocent or pure the relationship was. And I’d just… I had risked too much.

As I stood there, feeling like shit with the guilt festering, Reese and Eva started to argue, Reese defending me, and Eva trying to get her to realize she’d be better off far away from me.

Finally giving up on making Reese see sense, Eva whirled to me, snarling, “You. You stay away from Reese. She’s so far out of your league you aren’t fit to lick her shoes. In fact, if you go anywhere near her again, I’m heading straight to the police station and telling them what you are.”

And then Reese’s name would get dragged through the mud, right along with my mom’s and Sarah’s. Paling, I stared at Eva, wondering how serious she was.

“That’s enough,” Reese broke in, nudging Eva out of my way so I’d at least have a clear shot to the exit. Then she touched my arm. “Don’t listen to her. She will not be telling the police anything.”

“I wasn’t—” I started, but she talked over me as she opened the door. “You and I are friends, and we’re going to stay friends.” Then she motioned for me to go, adding, “I’ll see you at two o’clock.”

I stared back, wanting to hug her for sticking with me and believing in me, no matter how foolish it was. All the while, I wondered why she had so much faith in me to begin with. I could only bring her pain. So why did she always defend me? Why in the hell did she even like me?

I wasn’t worthy of this girl.

She devastated me even more by lifting up onto her tiptoes and pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. I turned my face in just enough to make our skin brush for a second longer than necessary, making my heart thump in triple time.

As I left the apartment, I felt different, as if I wasn’t myself any longer but hers, and whatever I did from here on out would be for her.

I was still dazed by that realization when I got home a few minutes later, entering through the back door, only to find my mother in a flurry of activity, already setting up for Sarah’s birthday party that wouldn’t even take place for another five hours.

“I can’t find the paper plates and napkins we bought for today,” she said, sounding harassed. Mentioning nothing about the fact that I’d stayed out all night, she demanded, “Where are the plates and napkins?”

“I put them up in this cabinet,” I answered, moving past her and opening a door to pull down the two grocery bags full of serving-ware we’d bought specifically for Sarah’s party.

When I held them out to my mom, she sniffed at me as if she could smell Reese’s sweet pea scent but she said nothing, only took the bags and inventoried the contents.

“Good, good,” she murmured, nodding and beginning to relax. “I think we have everything. Can you get the punch bowl down, too?”

“Sure.”

I found the bowl and was in the middle of reaching up for it in the highest cabinet when Mom distractedly added, “Oh, and I ran into Mrs. Garrison outside this morning, so I invited her to the party too.”

Forgetting about the bowl, I whirled to my mom. “You did what?”

At my tone, she glanced up, giving me half her attention as she huffed out an exasperated breath. “She’s the landlady, Mason. She caught me when I returned from picking up Sarah’s cake and commented on it, so I had to invite her. I couldn’t be rude.”

“Yes, you could,” I shot back. “I hate that woman. I don’t want her at Sarah’s party. And I’m sure Sarah doesn’t either. She always calls her the cripple.”

I didn’t want her near my sister at all. Or around my mom. Or Reese. Or—

Oh… Shit.

Reese.

Patricia and Reese were going to meet. Today.

Black spots dotted my vision, and a full-body cold panic stole up my legs as I tried to picture the horror of those two meeting, face-to-face. The juices in my gut stirred with unease, and my breathing went all wrong.

Today meant a lot to Sarah. We’d actually invited girls from her class, and she’d been looking forward to it for weeks. Nothing could ruin her special day. But I swear to God, if Patricia Garrison did one thing to hurt Reese or even make her feel remotely uncomfortable, I’d cause a scene in a heartbeat.