I do care, and that’s what scares me the most.
Mason must sense my nerves. He glances at me and says, “You’re going to be okay.”
“I know.”
“None of us will let that fucking aunt of yours hurt you again.”
I fiddle with my hands on my lap. “I know.” And I do. I do know it. These guys… thanks to them, I won’t have to do any of this alone. Still, it’s amazing to me I’m doing it in the first place; I honestly never thought this day would come. It seemed so far out of the realm of possibility that it would simply never happen.
Yet here we are, on our way to a meeting with Rourke’s boss and my aunt.
When we stopped for lunch earlier, Rourke detailed how the meeting would go. I knew the gist of what would be said, the loopholes that Darius and Alabaster Security were using to keep the law on their side when it comes to me not returning home right away. I just… it doesn’t feel real yet. Only when the smoke settles and everything is clear, only when my aunt is out of my life for good will it feel like reality and not some dream.
Mason speaks, “You know, when I first saw you and Asher at the cabin, I… I wasn’t very happy. I went up there to be alone. Being alone was easier than being surrounded by people I didn’t give a shit about. I never had to pretend when I was alone. I was so pissed off at you and my brother for showing up out of nowhere.”
I nod along, remembering it well. It might feel as though it’s been ages since then, but it hasn’t been long at all. Things really do move fast when you know.
He goes on, “But then something happened. I don’t know what and I don’t know when, but something changed.” He tosses me another quick look. “I blame you for that.”
The corners of my mouth pull into a small smile, but I don’t say a word.
“You were… feisty and aggravating. You wouldn’t take my shit sitting down. I couldn’t push you away.” His hands grip the wheel tighter. “You were not what I expected, but somehow… you were just what I needed.”
“Needed?” I highlight his use of past-tense.
“Yeah, you were what I needed, just like you’re still what I need and what I’ll always need, and now it’s my turn to be what you need.” His tone is deadly serious when he says, “If your aunt thinks she can get to you, she’ll have to go through me—and Asher, and Rourke. That’s a promise, Jess.”
It’s not an outright declaration of love, but coming from Mason, it might as well be. It makes my heart swell in my chest, those butterflies in my stomach to flutter about.
“You know,” I tell him, “I think that was the sweetest thing you’ve ever said—and it didn’t have any fucks in it.”
“Fuck,” he swears, “you’re right. I’m losing my edge.”
“Seriously, though, I’m glad you’re here. I’m happy you’re with us. I couldn’t imagine doing this without any of you. You, Asher, Rourke… I never sat down and thought about my future. I guess I always thought it’d be shit since most of my life was like that. It was impossible for me to look ahead and see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m glad you’re my light.”
Mason takes a hand off the steering wheel and brings it to my lap, and I slip my fingers around his and hold on tight. “And you’re mine.”
In the distance, the city lines the landscape, skyscrapers and other densely-populated areas growing bigger and bigger the closer we get. A sight like that might’ve made me uneasy before, but now… now I have something else to look forward to, a future that’s beyond bright.
I can do this.
No, wait. Correction:wecan do this.
Chapter Twenty-Eight – Rourke
We get to Alabaster Security headquarters before Cecilia Dryers does. I get everyone set up in the conference room—a large rectangular room with tinted glass all around for privacy. A long, sleek black table sits in the center of it with a dozen chairs carefully arranged around it. After I get them some water and some snacks, I meet with Darius in his office. To my surprise, Pax is there as well.
Darius sits behind his grand desk, lost in thought until I poke my head into his office, while Pax sits nonchalantly on the corner of said desk, probably to the chagrin of the former. While Pax is technically the eldest brother, he’s not a fan of paperwork. Like me, he’s a doer, a man of action.
Another thing that sets them apart is their wardrobe. Pax likes black like me, whereas Darius sticks to suits and fitted clothes. Both are über alphas, so both are about as tall and muscular as me, though neither of them have the sheer amount of tattoos I do.
“Darius,” I say as I step inside the office, giving the big boss a nod. “And Pax, what are you doing here?”
“Darius told me you were meeting with Cecilia Dryers today, so I made it a point to hang around and bug the shit out of him while we waited for you to show up.” Pax definitely seems more at ease than he did before he found his scent match and his pack. I hate to say it, but the man was kind of a dick before he settled down.
He’s a good friend, so I’m allowed to say stuff like that.
I approach both alphas. I was not expecting to have extra backup, but I’d never turn it down. “From what I read about her, I think all we’ll need is the right lawyers on our side. Make sure we dot all our i’s and cross all our t’s.”
