A threat of warmth unraveled in my chest knowing Maddox had broken one of his rules for me. “And you assume he was with me?” I challenged, even though we both knew the answer.
His brows lifted deliberately as he flattened a hand near the side of my face. “Am I wrong?” When the denial didn’t immediately come out of my mouth, his grin widened with satisfaction. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“So what if he was?” I snapped, my chin lifting. Fuck him and his intimidation tactics. Mason Corvo didn’t know who he was screwing with. “I don’t care about your rules.”
“Glad to see you’re holding up your end of the bargain, Freckles.” He kissed the tip of my nose, and I contemplated bringing my knee up to meet his junk.
My eyes narrowed. “We don’t have a bargain.” I squared my shoulders, pulling myself up to my full height even though he still towered over me. I held his gaze. “I didn’t sleep with your brother.”
“Maybe not yet,” he added smoothly, his dimples appearing fully now, flashing those stupid, unfair genetic advantages like weapons.
He leaned in so our mouths were too damn close. I thought he might kiss me, and if he did, my reaction would be swift, and he would be groaning on the locker room floor. That was a promise. I stood my ground, not giving him the satisfaction of bothering me, but something fluttered loose from the pocket of his jeans.
A folded piece of paper.
It drifted to the floor, stealing my attention, and my stomach dropped, plummeting somewhere below the floor.
It looked…familiar.
Too familiar.
The size. The way it was folded, forming a perfect square. Just like the notes I’d been receiving.
I bent to pick it up, my hand reaching out, fingers extending, but Mason was faster. His hand shot down, snatching it before I could. He straightened in one smooth motion, tucking it back into his pocket.
Our eyes met.
Held.
Mason frowned, something I’d rarely seen him do. “Hasn’t anyone told you not to touch what doesn’t belong to you?”
“Hasn’t anyone taught you not to accost girls in locker rooms?” I fired back. “Pretty sure that’s frowned upon in most civilized societies.”
Mason’s gaze hardened, the easy charm vanishing to reveal a darkness underneath that I bet he rarely let people see. It reminded me he was a Corvo, and he carried the same potential for violence his brothers did, even if he hid it better behind dimples and jokes. “Just make sure my brother loses all interest in Kaylor. Or you’ll see what the Corvo name really means.”
Something inside me snapped.
I stepped closer instead of backing away, refusing to be pushed around by him. “I’m the last person you want to threaten, Mason.”
Surprise flickered across his features.
I was done with this conversation, done with his shit. Shoving past him, I stormed out of the locker room, the door swinging shut behind me. I didn’t look back and didn’t slow down until I was halfway down the hallway, my breathing coming fast and ragged.
My heart was racing, adrenaline singing through my veins. One thought kept repeating louder and louder in my head, drowning out everything else.
The note.
Why the fuck does Mason have a note that looks exactly like the ones my stalker has been leaving?
26
MALLORY
The front door clicked shut behind me, the TV in the next room traveling down the hall. I dropped my bag by the stairs and followed the voices, finding Mom stretched across the couch, legs tucked beneath her and laptop balanced precariously on her knees. Her fingers flew across the keys, a bowl of half-empty popcorn resting beside her on the cushion.
She glanced up as I walked in. “Hey, Malibu.”
I plopped heavily onto the opposite end of the couch and let out a long breath. It felt so good to be home.
