SAMANTHA
I was finishing my shift by taking the garbage out at midnight when I felt someone behind me. Dropping the bag, I whirled around. I didn’t know if I was going to launch myself at them or run, but my knees were bent and ready to do one or the other.
I did neither.
It was Kate.
I felt the old disdain automatically rise up. Mason’s psycho ex-fuck buddy. I wouldn’t have recognized her except for the cold hatred in her eyes. She’d filled out, gaining a few pounds since high school, and she wore a low-cut red corset. Her blond hair was pulled back in two French braids, and she wore heavy makeup with raccoon-style eyes and bright red lips. Glitter on her lipstick matched the glitter spread over her chest. She took me in as I stared right back at her.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
“What’s Mason up to?”
And we were right down to business. Good to know. “Uh…” I cocked my head to the side. “Even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“He went into Channing’s bar. My boyfriend was there. What would Channing and Mason have to talk about?”
“You mean besides the fact that their girlfriends are best friends?” I shook my head, mocking her. “Because we are. Heather Jax. Me.” I linked my hands and showed her my entwined fingers. “Like this. Tighter than your vagina ever was.”
“Nice.” She rolled her eyes, smacking her gum. “Same old annoying-as-fuck Samantha Strattan.”
“Yeah. That’s what I am. Annoying.”
A second eye roll. “Has Mason picked up some of Logan’s sarcasm, too? Because if so, he’s not the guy I fell for in school.”
“Oh, no.” Well… “He might’ve picked up some of Logan’s sarcasm, but he’s definitely not the guy you fell for in school. That was just a guy using you for sex. The guy he is now is way better. Better standards. Better girlfriend. Better everything, really. Better future, too.” I forced a smile, knowing she’d see the hard edges. “You’d never have a shot with him now.”
“I stand corrected.” She snapped. “You’re a bigger bitch than you used to be. Too bad I didn’t get you worse than I did in that bathroom.”
I sucked in a breath. This bitch didn’t just go there… My hand formed a fist, and I thought about swinging. I might’ve, except Mark stepped out from the shadows behind her. She didn’t seem to notice he was there, but his presence brought me back to reality. Mason and I were here for the summer. We were moving on in a couple months. And everything I’d said was true. Mason had a much better future.
Mark circled around her, his hands stuffed in his pockets. His confused gaze switched from me to her as he came to stand next to me.
“Who are you?” he asked.
I let some control back in, smoothing my fingers out.
“Who are you?” Kate countered.
I didn’t want to hear some jab about whether I was going to screw this stepbrother, too, so I said quickly, “He works here. He’s a friend.”
“Really?” She skimmed him up and down, interest softening her mouth into a seductive smile. “How good of a friend?”
“You’ve got no shot with me.”
“A good, loyal friend.”
“Hmmm.” Her features flattened. “Whatever then, but I meant what I said. Mason needs to keep out of Roussou, Sam.”
“Why are you here warning me about this?”
“Because I still care about Mason. I think I always will. It’s not his fault he has piss-poor taste in women, but it is his fault if he keeps poking his head around Channing’s bar.”
I felt Mark’s gaze on me. I could feel him wondering what the hell she was talking about. I ignored him. “Channing’s a friend.”
“And Mason has enemies who hang around with Channing. Enemies he doesn’t even know about.”
Oh. That wasn’t good.
“Just warn him for me?” she added. “I’d hate to see that fine, rich ass six feet under, if you get my drift.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Yeah.” Now her sarcasm was thick. “I’m here as a big prank, because I’ve been hoping to seek you out for the last three years. You know, for the fun of it.” Her gaze intensified. “I mean it. This is for Mason’s safety.” She gave Mark another long, considering look, and let out a soft sound before she turned and left.
“What was that about?” Mark asked after a moment.
“I have no idea.” But I was going to find out. “What are you doing here? I thought you finished earlier.”
“I did, but Mom called. Thought I’d give you the heads-up in person.”
“Oh.” That didn’t sound good. “What is it?”
“She’s doing a pool party at the country club, and everyone is invited.”
“Everyone?” The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
“Everyone. Cass, Quinn, Becky, Amelia. Even Peter is going to be there.”
“Why would Malinda do that?”
“Because it’s my birthday.” He threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me tight. “I want my stepsister there, so buck up, Sam. We’ve got another shindig to look forward to.”
I groaned. I almost would’ve taken more Kate over this event. Almost.
Mark walked me to my car after I clocked out. He followed me home until I turned left toward Helen’s house and he kept going. I texted him after I parked.
Thanks for following me home.
He buzzed back a moment later. No problem. Mason was going to come, but I told him I’d do it.
I found Nate and Matteo taking shots in the kitchen when I went inside. They waved, lifting their glasses in the air.
“It’s Sam!! Samantha is hoooooome!” Matteo bellowed.
“Hey guys.” I waved back. “Mason?”
Nate pointed to the hallway. “Bedroom. He’s changing. He was going to join us until you got here.”
“Yeah, well, here I am.”
Matteo cupped his hands around his mouth, calling out in an announcer-style voice, “And she is off, folks. Like a racehorse running the race of her life. Veering down the hallway, past the other rooms, closing in on the bedroom, she is nearing home. She’s nearly across the threshold. That victor’s crown is just waiting for her—”
“If you don’t stop likening me to a racehorse, I’ll come back there and turn you from a stud to a gelding, Matteo,” I yelled to him.
I heard a smattering of laughter before he called back, “Noted, and I love you, Sam.”
I could hear Nate still laughing. A second later Matteo said something more, and Nate’s laugh got louder, but instead of going back, I went into the bedroom.
I had someone else’s ass to kick.
Mason was coming out of the bathroom, wearing sweats that hung low on his hips. He had a shirt in hand and was about to pull it over his head. I grabbed it and tossed it to the floor.
“What’s up?”
I shut the door, crossing my arms over my chest. “What were you doing in Roussou today?”
“How did you know that?” He scowled. “Mark?”
“Did Mark know?”
“No, but Matteo could’ve told him.”
Okay. I didn’t have to ream my stepbrother out. “I heard it from Kate.”
“Kate?” His scowl lessened to a frown. He began rubbing at his forehead.
“Yeah. Your ex-booty call found me when I was taking the garbage out.”
His shoulders tightened. “Did Caldron send her?”
“No.”
“So how’d she know?”
“She said one of the guys who saw you in Channing’s bar was her boyfriend.”
“What else did she say?”
“That there’s someone close to Channing you and he can’t trust. Whoever that is talks to Caldron.”
“Kate said all this?” He pointed at me. “To you?”
“I know.” I crossed the room and lay on the bed, where he joined me. “Imagine my shock. She still cares about you.”
“I want to know who’s been talking to Caldron.” He leaned forward, his back muscles bunching as he rested his elbows on his knees.
I fought the urge to run my hand over them. If I did, this interrogation would soon change tones, and I didn’t want that to happen. Not yet. I sat up and moved over so I was half-facing him, one leg pulled up to rest on the bed, my other foot still on the ground.
“What were you doing in Roussou?”
“I wanted to find out where Caldron lives and works.”
“And?”
He was still thinking, wondering who the traitor was in Channing’s crew.
I sighed, giving in and tracing a finger up his back. “It could be anyone. You don’t know all of Channing’s friends.”
“True.” He relaxed slightly, reaching up and catching my hand. He laced our fingers together, using his hold to tug me closer. I shifted so my leg went around him. He pulled my other leg over his knee, and I only had to lean forward half an inch to rest on him, hugging him from the side. His hand moved to my knee, and he began tracing up and down the inside of my thigh. “He works for my dad. I’m going to see if he’ll promote him.”
“What?” I started to pull away.
He caught my hand, keeping me in place. He shot me a sideways look. “The requirements will be that he has to protect you, not hurt you. One move against us, and he’s out of a job.”
“You think that’ll work?”
Mason shrugged. “If it doesn’t, we’ll figure something else out. I know where he lives, and it’s no gated community.”
“You’d do something to his home?”
Mason moved so he could see me squarely and touched the side of my face. His thumb rubbed over my cheek. “Do you not realize the lengths I’ll go for you?” he asked softly.
A pocket of air caught and held in my throat.
He leaned forward, his forehead resting on mine. “I scare even myself, Sam. There’s nothing I won’t do for you.”
And his lips lowered to mine.