Chapter Five
Harper
It had been my fault. That’s all I could think about as I sat in our tiny living room, curled up on the couch. I got up, trying to clear my thoughts, but my mind continued to pester me. Natalie had been right. If Mason hadn’t been at the bar, trying to say that he loved me as I pushed him away, he never would have gotten hurt.
The sirens. The police. Everything flashed through my mind like a living nightmare. The bitchy girls talking about a hot man behind me. Mason. Joe telling Miles that some bloody, tall man had been lying face down on the ground near a fancy car. Everything had happened in a flash; one second Mason had stood before me, living, breathing, trying to get me to love him back after all of his lies. The next, he had disappeared.
The cold, sinking feeling of shock and dread had stayed in my belly all night. My eyes felt puffy and sore from crying; crying over this man who had just broken my heart all over again without even trying to. How could he have gotten caught so unaware? Mason was a capable person. More than capable. But he had been hit over the back of the head and knocked out cold. Maybe his mind had been somewhere else, thanks to me.
I picked up my phone off the coffee table for the thousandth time, madly pacing the room as I scrolled to the text from the unknown number. I looked up with a sigh, my eyes catching on the half-dead orchid in a vase by the television.
“Delicate beauty.” That was what Mason had said the flower meant when he had given it to me. I half smiled as I said the words, my mind automatically wishing he were here with me, saying those words to me again.
I looked back at my phone. I still had Jake’s number, and now I had Stacey’s. I could text them, ask what happened. Maybe Jake would give me a confession.
Then again, maybe he would come after me. Or even Mason again, if he found out Mason was alive.
I felt torn. I didn’t want to put Mason in any more danger, but if I could get a confession from Jake...
I turned off the phone display and tossed it on the couch. I didn’t know what to do. I was lost. Closing my eyes, I wished for an answer just as the phone began to ring.
With a leap over to the couch, I fumbled for the phone as I saw Mason’s name on the screen. My hands shook as I tapped to answer the call. “Hello?”
“Harper. It’s me.” His voice sounded like it always had, calm and genuine.
“Mas—Asher. You’re ok?”
“I’m fine. I heard you came over.”
“I’m surprised Natalie told you. She’s pissed at me. Can’t say I blame her.” I paused for a few seconds, not knowing what else to say The silence was awkward. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I was hit by a truck.” It sounded like he tried to chuckle, but didn’t quite make it that far. “My head is ringing and a bit foggy, but otherwise, alright.”
“I was worried about you. I couldn’t reach you. Natalie wouldn’t answer.” I could feel the sobs welling up inside of me again.
“Harper...” he hesitated. I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting. “Could we just... talk?”
I took a deep breath and calmed myself as I anxiously answered. “I’ll be there in a few.”
* * * *
I looked at myself in the mirror, not entirely happy with my sundress. Every time I had gone to mansion, I had made it a point to dress up. But now that Mason and I weren’t exactly on the best terms, I didn’t know if I should dress up for him or not. I had settled on the blue sundress and makeup to cover the dark circles under my eyes. Casual, but formal enough so I wouldn’t be uncomfortable if he was too dressed up.
I still didn’t even know if I really wanted to see Mason. At least, not the Mason who had lied to me. But after the turmoil of the night before, I knew I had to see for myself that he was okay.
When I hadn’t known the status of his condition, all I had thought about was his beautiful laugh, his giving nature, and his powerful presence. But honestly, once I had heard him on the phone, playing down his whole situation as if it had been nothing more than a minor bump on the head… my anger had been rekindled a little. This was a man who had lied to my face, time and time again.
I saw the paper with his words scribbled on it on my bedside table, the words I had read over a dozen times already.
I didn’t know if I was eager to see Mason, or just nervous. As usual, I felt undecided about him. I wanted closure, a way to break things off properly without Mason taking a hit to the head. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but to miss him, not wanting to give up the piece of myself I had given to him so earnestly.
My phone buzzed. A text from Avery popped up on the screen. I exited it, reading Stacey’s text again instead.
Whether or not I was going to break up with Mason, I had to at least make sure nothing like this ever happened to him because of me again.