“Please unlock your elevator. The safety is on, so it’s not in use.”
“Right. Sorry. I’ll do that now. Thank you.”
Once he assures the delivery’s on its way, I head into the sleek kitchen and pour a glass of water. Then balk at the clock that reads nine in the evening. I’ve been napping for five hours, that’s more than I get on some nights.
Expecting the doorman to walk out into my space when the elevator dings, you can imagine my shock when I see Mason.
He drops his bag and holds out his arms for me, and I don’t hesitate. I round the island and run into his open arms.
“It’s like barreling into a brick wall.” I smile into his chest, despite my self-deprived mood. “You didn’t need to check on me.”
“Of course, I did. Perks of playing for Philly, now I’m close enough.” He kisses my forehead, then leads me to the kitchen to make himself something to eat.
I’m pretty sure he eats ninety percent of the time he is awake.
“I’ll be fine, Mase. I saw Nate today for the first time in forever, and it threw me off-kilter. I was more embarrassed that the office saw us arguing.”
“I know. He called me.” He finishes his sandwich with a spicy aioli I made the other day, then sits across from me on the kitchen stool, devouring it in only a few bites. “It’s why I came. I want to talk to you about something.”
“I’m good. I don’t want a sandwich.” I roll my eyes, then get up, realizing I haven’t eaten in hours, and I’m ravenous.
“I was going to make a second one. Sit down, and I’ll make us both one while I talk.”
I watch him move around the space, like it’s his own, because it is, but since I’ve helped design the place, and he seldom stays here, it’s starting to feel a lot more like mine than his.
“So what are you being so elusive about?”
From behind, his shoulders tense, and he rolls his neck around like he’s gearing up for a fight, immediately making my hackles rise.
“There’s something I need to admit, something I should have done a long time ago, but I was a coward, and on top of that, so much has gone down in our lives in the last few years, I never could find the right time. I’m not making an excuse, but I need you to understand before I go on.”
“Okay? What is it?” He passes me my sandwich, and I suddenly feel sick to my stomach and can’t even look at it.
“Fuck.” He frantically runs his hands through his hair.
“Mason! Spit it out. You’re making me so nervous.”
“Okay. Okay.” He hesitates. “When you were in college, I planted the seed in Nate’s head to break up with you. I?—”
My stool screeches loudly as I push back and jump off my chair, shrieking, “What did you just say?”
“You have to understand I’ve always had your best interest in mind whenever I’ve made any important decision. So it wasn’t easy. I was trying to protect you.” I begin pacing back and forth as he continues, “Right when you were going to escape living under my name, you met Nate. I wanted to say something, but I left it be. Then, when I realized you were planning to move to New York, I stepped in.”
“You had no right!” I yell as anger surges.
For the first time in my life, a feeling of disappointment toward Mase makes its presence known, and I don’t like how it’s making me feel toward him.
Not one bit.
“You’re right, but I thought it was the right thing to do, and since I’m laying it all out there, a part of me still feels like it was the right decision. Look at how successful you are. Who knows what would have happened if you had been riding Nate’s coattails?”
I veer back, struck by his words. “You thought I was riding Nate’s coattails? Did you have that little faith in me?”
“No, fuck. This is coming out wrong.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “How could you do this to me? You ruined my life.”
“Maddie,” he whispers. “Don’t say that. I made a hard decision to protect you.”
