He slammed my head back against the headboard. “I’d beat the truth out of you if I thought it would work, but…”
He didn’t have to finish speaking for me to understand what he was thinking. The way his eyes dropped down to my abdomen was enough for that.
I swallowed down the truth and whispered, “I fell.”
If I said it enough, maybe he’d believe me.
“So you keep saying.”
“It’s the truth,” I insisted.
I could feel the fury burning in those emerald depths. It raged around in a storm of resentment that shredded my heart. The boy in the picture on my bedside table would never look at me like that. He would hold me and tell me everything would be okay, and in that moment it would be, because I was with him. I missed that little boy.
Mason grabbed my chin, making me wince as his fingers dug into my cheeks. For a second I thought he might snap my neck. Instead he let me go – yanking his hand away like I disgusted him – and got off the bed.
The instant he was off me, I resumed my protective position and tucked my legs tightly into my torso.
A tear slid down my face as I shook my head. “You used to love me.”
I’m not sure why I said that. Maybe I was trying to reach a part of him that I prayed was still there. Then I’d have a little bit of hope. I should’ve known better.
“And you used to not be a lying cunt, so I guess we’re even.” I felt something drop down on the mattress, followed by Mason’s deep command. “Get up.”
I peeked over my arms at the black bag sitting on the foot of the bed. What was that for?
“Now, Freckles!”
A shiver ran up my spine when he impatiently folded his arms across his broad chest.
My body twitched, itching to obey him, but my limbs were frozen, weighed down by the terror coursing through my veins. He wanted to take me somewhere. Why couldn’t he just torment and humiliate me? I could handle that.
At this point, pain and humiliation were my comfort zone. This was different than all the other times Mason Kessler confronted me. There was a determination on his face that had me horrified to find out what he had planned.
Still I asked, “Why?”
Four words caused my eyes to go wide.
“You’re coming with me.”
What? No, no, no.
“B-but I-I can’t.”
“The fuck you can’t.” A shiver ran down my spine when his eyes narrowed in on me. “If you don’t want to tell me who beat the shit out of you, then I guess I’ll just have to keep you by my side. Let’s see how long you can keep the truth locked up behind those lying lips.”
My heavy swallow echoed around the room like the beat of a drum.
“Mason, I can’t…”
“Tell me you can’t one more time, Freckles.” He leaned over and braced his hands on the bed next to the foreboding black bag. “I dare you.”
* * *
I smackedmy fists off Mason’s solid back. “Put me down.”
Why was I being carted through my house like a sack of potatoes? Because, according to Mason, I took too long. I didn’t argue. I never argued. My only infraction was staying hidden under my arms while I tried to wrap my head around things.
There was barely enough time for me to comprehend what he was saying before I was hefted off the bed and thrown over his shoulder.
