When he was about to pull into the mansion, I pointed up. “Two more houses. I’m staying at my dad’s.”
He glanced at the house when he pulled into the driveway. “Don’t look like anyone’s here.”
Garrett’s car was gone, but when wasn’t it? I had grown used to having the house to myself. I shrugged. “His wife’s in town. Pretty sure he’s at her hotel, or that’s what I’m guessing. I don’t know. I don’t care.”
When I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car, Ethan’s window slid down. He called out, “Mason’s worried about you, you know. If Broudou learned who you are, how much they both care about you…” He whistled and shook his head. “Not good, girl. Not good.”
A sense of unease fluttered in my stomach.
Then he flashed me a cocky smirk. “See ya, Kade’s bitch.”
I sighed as the car roared away. In his world, that was considered a compliment.
When I went inside, there was a note from Garrett. I’d been right in my guess. Bella was at a hotel and he was with her, but then I got another shock. She was moving in the next day, when I moved out. My fingers went numb at that moment and the note fluttered to the floor. I sighed. Should I have been surprised? I was out and she was in. I swallowed over a knot in my throat and turned for my room. Instead of bed, I changed into a tank and shorts and grabbed my iPod. Off to the treadmill I went, and I remained there for another three hours.
When I limped back to my room, I showered before I checked my phone. There was no message from Mason. I was too numb to feel anything more so I crawled into my bed.
I woke when my door opened. Light from the hallway blinded me for a moment before it was turned off and then Mason slid into bed with me. I glanced at the clock and saw it was six in the morning, but I was too tired to ask any questions. He bundled me against him and tucked his body around mine. With a big yawn, I felt him start to relax. His breathing evened out a couple seconds later and then I closed my own eyes again.
My hand slid over and I linked my tiny finger around his.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
When I woke the next morning, it was late. Mason had gone. He whispered his reason, but I only remembered something about basketball. My legs still ached from the late-night run so I took my time as I packed everything together. Two hours later I had it all back in my old bedroom. There was no sign of Analise, which I was grateful about and no sign of anyone else. I didn’t doubt that Logan was wherever Mason had gone, but I didn’t text either of them to see when they would return.
I was back in the mansion. I would see both of them more often, though I still saw Mason quite a bit when he slept over.
Becky texted me in the afternoon and asked if I would go to a movie with her. I did. Her mindless chatter about Rex kept me entertained throughout the movie. The money I spent hadn’t been to see the cinema; it was to get my mind off my mother and Budd Broudou. I shuddered at the thought of him. A bad feeling had taken root in my gut after Ethan’s warning the previous night. It had spread since and I couldn’t shake it.
“And then Rex touched my boob!”
Becky’s shriek jerked me from my thoughts and I turned with a grateful smile. Then it registered. “He did what?!”
“I’ve gotten to second base, Sam. Can you believe it? I am now an experienced woman.” She seemed so pleased with herself, wiggling her shoulders. She slapped a hand on her chest and jerked closer. “People can talk about me now! Can you imagine?”
A different sense of dread filled me. “I think they already do.”
“Really?” Her eyes went wide and her smile matched.
“Oh, dear.” I cleared my throat. “You seem happy with Rex.”
Her cheeks flushed and she clapped her hands to them. “I am. I really am. He gets me. I don’t even need to talk and he understands, but he likes it when I talk. He’s always asking me to tell him things, anything. He does this sort of humming thing when I do, but it’s like his body is vibrating or something. It’s weird, but he seems happy so I just keep talking. I can’t believe he touched my boobs. He wants to do it again.”
I snorted. “I’m sure he does.”
She sighed with a dreamy smile on her face. Then she turned and stared at the screen. “Oh my gosh. The movie’s half over.”
She’d made the Budd Broudou knot loosen, just a bit. I looked down, but I couldn’t hold back my smile.
After the movie, Becky wanted to gush more about Rex. I humored her, but as we went to a coffee shop, I had to force my hands to loosen. Then I was forced to face the inevitable. I was back at the mansion. I was back under the same roof as Analise. A shuddering breath left me and when we claimed two recliners in a back corner, I was happy to stay until the coffee shop closed. I hoped to avoid my mother.
Becky went on and on. It wasn’t until a clerk tapped her on the shoulder and informed us they needed to close did she realize the time. She jumped to her feet and grabbed her purse. Her hands were frantic. “I can’t believe it’s this late. I was supposed to go see Rex tonight. He’s supposed to pick me up and take me home.”
“I’ll give you a ride.”
But she had pulled her phone out. Her fingers flew over the keypad and she bit her lip. “What if he’s asleep? And my mom.” She groaned. “My mom will be so mad I was out this late.”
When there wasn’t an immediate response, she pressed her legs together and slumped down. “What am I going to do? I missed him. I bet he’s sleeping already.” Then her phone vibrated and she sighed in dramatic relief. “Hallelujah! He’s still awake. He’s coming right now.” When her phone went off again, a giggle burst out. She slapped a hand over her mouth but kept giggling as more text messages came through.