“And then they’ll have to tell us who they are so that we don’t go after them,” Reid points out.
Claude looks a little put out but slips his shoes back on and returns outside with an irritated huff. I let go of Mason’s hand after giving it a good squeeze, then move to sit beside Dante on the couch. Tilting my head back against the soft cushions, I let my eyes drift closed for a moment. Everything is too much. It’s all too much.
The sound of the sliding glass door has me opening my eyes to glance over at Hayden. His shoulders are still hunched, eyes a little lifeless, and I can’t contain that feeling of utter asshole that I felt earlier once Mason pointed out that maybe what I said was insensitive. But it never crossed my mind that Hayden didn’t know the plan, didn’t know the entire point of why Jacob was so obsessed with him. Although, after Hayden’s reaction, after Hayden called him Jake multiple times, I’m starting to wonder if maybe I don’t know the entire point of why Jacob is obsessed with our insufferable boss.
Hayden plops down at the dining table with an air of resignation, like he can’t give any more up before losing it all. I consider crossing the room to comfort him, but I fear saying or doing the wrong thing again and making everything worse. So, instead, I stay on the couch beside Dante and smile at Mason when he lowers himself beside me, pressed against my side in a way that settles all the jagged, aching pieces inside of me from Jacob’s absence.
“Alexis is kind of cool,” Reid says, effectively breaking the tense ice.
Dante snorts fondly. “Of course, you’d think so. She’s fucking terrifying.”
Reid smiles with stars in his eyes. “I want to be her when I grow up. Maybe I’ll go to law school.”
“A lawyer who moonlights as a vigilante,” Dante says with a curl of his mouth. “Sexy, baby.”
Reid practically preens. “Right?”
“You’d hate being a lawyer,” Mason points out with a roll of his eyes. Everyone turns to look at him. “Reid, you’ll get kicked out of court the first time you sass back at a judge when they do something you don’t like.”
“Well, I’d make them listen.”
“Of course,” Mason replies sarcastically.
“Anyway,” Reid says, changing the topic. “What are you going to do now that you’re not digging up dirt for Uncle Marc?”
Mason shrugs. “Don’t know. I think I’ll take some time off and help all of you get this drama settled, then I can figure myself out, see what I want to do.”
Hayden shifts uncomfortably at the table, drawing everyone’s attention toward him, but everyone else shifts their gazes away, while I can’t seem to look anywhere else. I pat Mason’s leg before standing and then heading into the kitchen. I go about the familiar routine of boiling water in Mason’s kettle. I make two cups of peppermint tea and settle at the table opposite Hayden.
Hayden circles his uninjured hand around the warm mug, mouth twitching at the corners like he wants to say something.
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” I ask softly.
Hayden keeps his gaze on the tea. “No. We just need to get Jacob out.”
“Alexis will handle it.”
“Maybe.” Hayden hums and sips the still scalding tea. His gaze shifts to mine, sharp and assessing. “Robin won’t speak to me.”
“I’m sure there’s a reason.”
His laughter is pained and bitter. “Yeah, maybe. Or maybe I’ve spent the last four years trying to do everything perfectly to earn favor, and it was all for waste. In so many fucking ways actually. I’m never good enough, ever. It’s my fault Jacob is where he is and…” He curses and tosses himself back against the chair, closing his eyes tight so he doesn’t have to look at me. “You look nothing like him, but you look identical at the same time. It’s fucking cruel.”
“Well, my hair is much longer.”
“Yeah,” Hayden says with a forced laugh. “Those same fucking eyes though.”
I reach across the table to rest my hand on Hayden’s. “Boss, it’s okay to love him, to love us.”
Hayden yanks his hand away as if he’s been burned. He stands sharply and stares down at me like I’ve said the most disgusting thing he’s ever heard. I feel a little lightheaded at his attention. I’m not used to it.
“Love is a useless emotion, Parker.” Hayden’s chest heaves as he stares down at me, pain radiating from every molecule of his body. “At least for me. Now stop trying to performwoo wooemotional crap on me, and let’s figure this shit out.”
I watch Hayden’s back as he heads toward the front door, no doubt to go pester Claude into hurrying the deal up. But just as he’s about to yank it open, Claude pushes in with another blast of freezing air. They stare at each other for a moment before Hayden lifts his chin in defiance under Claude’s careful gaze.
“I have a deal,” Claude announces, hands in his pockets as he rocks back on his heels. “Psycho redhead, you better have as much dirt as you insinuated.”
Mason skewers Claude with a look so pissed off that Claude looks a little shaken by it, which pleases me more than I can ever say. Beneath all his anxiety and fears, Mason is a little spitfire, and I’m so excited to watch him flourish.
