We’re together. We’re fine. Nothing will come between us, I tried to tell myself, but his rigid shoulders were causing me to worry.

“Hey,” I tapped the underside of his mouth, “talk to me.”

He grinned before lightly kissing me. Dropping to his back, he lay next to me and scooped me, so I was curled halfway over him. His hand fell down my back, causing a trail of tingles in its wake. “It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing. I had two guesses, but I only needed one. “You saw Park Sebastian today?”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

“And it didn’t go well?”

“It did, but…”

I was done with his hesitation. Sitting up, I fixed him with a stare. “Talk. Now.”

He started to reach for me, but I caught his hand. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

He sat up, resting against the headboard, watching me. “Logan threatened to go after someone Sebastian loves, someone who’s vulnerable.”

I waited, hearing what he wasn’t saying. “You and Park Sebastian are not the same.”

“You’re right.” Mason gave me a half grin, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “He’s a monster that hurt a friend of mine where he was vulnerable. I’m the monster that let my brother threaten someone Sebastian loves.” He shook his head. “I don’t see how we’re that different.”

“Threatening someone so that he’s scared is completely different than actually doing it.”

“But Logan would do it.”

Our eyes caught and held. He was right.

I swallowed. “Logan wouldn’t do it unless he was forced, unless he had no other option.”

“Sam…” Mason tugged on my arm, drawing me closer to him.

I was almost kneeling on his stomach.

He caught and held my hand on his lap. “I know what you’re saying. I’m just worried that we’ve bitten off more than we can handle.”

His gaze was focused on me, but I had a feeling he wasn’t really watching for my reaction. He was watching me. He was worried about me.

I squeezed his hand. “Hey.”

I shifted until I was straddling him, and his hands rested on my hips, holding me in place.

“You and Logan are not monsters. You protect. You take care. You shield those you love. Yes, you’re ruthless. Yes, you go to lengths others don’t, but you do it so that no one—and I mean, no one—can hurt you or even try to hurt you. That’s why you do what you do. That’s why you’re who you are and why you’re loved by me and wanted by so many others. That’s why you’re respected. You protect and you love and you don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

I leaned down until my forehead rested against his. I was staring right into him, and I felt like I could see his soul. He was stripped bare to me, like I had been moments ago for him.

“Do not let Park Sebastian get into your head. Handle him how you handle everyone. You go right through them, no matter what fight they put up.”

He grinned and his lips nipped at mine. His hand caught the back of my neck, and he held me still, adjusting our hips. I had a second’s notice as he said, “I love you so damn much.” He pushed inside me.

I closed my eyes, leaning back, and he started moving in and out of me again.

I loved him, too.

And I would tell him right after—

He held me to him and rolled, so he was on top of me.

I grabbed his hips and began to move with him.

Yes. Right after this.

“How do you like your roommate?”

I peered up at Mason, lying next to him. I was half-tempted to glare at him and give him the silent treatment. He hadn’t let me return the favor for his earlier torture that was…delicious. I didn’t know why, but something was still bothering him. I wouldn’t push it though.

I answered, tugging my tank top over my head, “She seems nice. We went to get our books after you guys left.”

“Right after we left?” He’d been rubbing my stomach, but his hand stilled.

I shook my head. “No, like two hours later. We visited for a while, and her parents brought a bunch of stuff to the room.”

He went back to rubbing in a circle. “Did you like her family?”

He was acting funny.

I shrugged. “They were okay. Normal parents.” I grinned. “Not like any of ours anyway.”

Mason waited until I pulled my arms through my top. He caught one of my hands and toyed with my fingers. “I didn’t do the dorm thing. I lived in the football house right away. Do you do things with your whole floor, like to get to know each other?”

I took a moment and stared at him, fighting from smiling.

He noticed. “What?”

“You. Being so cute.” I nudged him with my elbow. “You’re trying to be coy, but I know you want to make sure I meet people.”

He rolled his eyes and sat up to rest against the headboard. “Ha-ha. I honestly have no clue what the dorm thing is like, but yeah, I think it’d be smart if you became friendly with your neighbors. The more support you can get, the better.”

“I will, and yes, we had a floor meeting. Everyone went to get ice cream today, too.”

“Did you?”

“No.” Just looking at him, my mouth started watering. Again.

His green eyes were piercing me, and his firm lips were grinning back at me. Mason always had a chiseled face and strong jawline, but they were beckoning me once more. I ached to run my fingers over them.

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