Then Mason drew my hand away from his face, holding it briefly before letting me go. “I wish things were different. That we didn’t have the past hanging over our heads. You’ll always resent me.”
“I don’t understand why you won’t tell me.” I drew in a shuddering breath. “From your reaction, I’m guessing it’s not pretty, but not knowing is worse. I keep imagining what happened, and it tears me apart.”
He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. His embrace was warm, comforting, and right. It convinced me that we could work through anything. I didn’t believe either of us could walk away from it.
When he finally pulled back, he pressed his lips to my forehead, lingering there for a few seconds before turning from me. “I’m sorry, Brooke.”
The words stabbed at my heart. I didn’t know what he was apologizing for. Maybe for Aaron, for not giving me answers, or for not accepting me as his mate. Maybe for all of it. All I knew was I couldn’t stay here. I needed to be alone to figure out what I wanted to do next.
I stood, movements wooden, and left, closing the door quietly behind me. Without knowing how, I arrived back at my cabin.
When I stepped inside, I leaned my forehead against the door, stomach threatening upheaval as I wished things were different. That Aaron had survived, and I’d met Mason through him. Or that Mason would get rid of this big secret hanging between us. Instead, he insisted on keeping my brother’s ghost in the middle of our mate bond.
I turned from the door, took a single step forward, and froze. My suitcase had been moved.
I scanned the cabin, cataloguing anything else out of place. There was nothing. Stepping forward cautiously, I checked the bathroom and the closet, but no one was here. Then I grabbed my bag that was now on the bed.
The ringing of a phone startled me. I pulled out my cell, but it was dark. I followed the ringing and found a basic cellphone on the nightstand. The ringing stopped but immediately started again. I picked it up slowly, bringing it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Brooke. Thank you for taking my call.” The slight drawl told me the caller was a local.
“Who is this?”
“Vince. I believe you were looking for me.” Rustling came over the phone. “You shouldn’t be at Shifter Ranch. You won’t get what you’re after there.”
“Why not?”
Bitterness coated his voice. “Mason will never admit the truth.”
I sank onto the bed, ignoring the warning in my gut. “What’s the truth?”
“It’s Mason’s fault. He’s the reason your brother is dead.”
FIVE
Mason
I cursed as I banged my knuckles against the frame of the tractor trying to put the alternator in place. I was struggling to concentrate. My thoughts kept returning to Brooke and the way she felt in my embrace. Nothing had ever been so right yet so wrong at the same time. I couldn’t have her, but I desperately wanted to claim her.
I took another stab at installing the alternator, this time managing to slot it into position. After I finished installing it, I hopped onto the seat and turned the key. The engine roared to life, the sound steady and healthy.
The door to my workshop opened, and Declan stepped inside. I turned off the tractor and wiped the grease off my hands. “What’s up?”
Declan leaned against the worktable as I put away my tools. “The barbecue for the guests has already started. Wondering if you planned to make an appearance?”
“I’ve got a lot to do. I still need to fix the water trough, and?—”
“We’re not using that pasture right now. The trough can wait.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Everyone needs to dotheir part entertaining the guests. I’m not a fan of it either, but we can’t leave it to Ethan and Austin just because they enjoy it.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, searching for some excuse that might satisfy him. Declan’s expression told me not to bother, and thinking about it made me realize I should attend.
I was nervous about seeing Brooke again, but I needed to keep an eye on her. Vince wouldn’t get to her if I was nearby. Hiding away in my workshop wasn’t the way to protect her.
“I just need to clean up. Give me fifteen minutes.” I put the last tool away and followed Declan outside, turning right toward my cabin while he turned left to the pavilion. There wasn’t time to shower, but I washed quickly and threw on some clean clothes.
When I reached the pavilion, my eyes were immediately drawn to Brooke. She was chatting with Chloe, laughing at something she said. Without thinking, my feet took me to her side.
Her gaze cut to me, and her smile faded. She ignored me and addressed Chloe directly. “I’m going to get a drink. I’ll see you later.”
