Fallen Crest Alternative Version

  The female cop asked, “Who is this?”

  Mason answered for me, “She’s no one. Send her home.”

  I couldn’t look away from him and I ignored the anger in his eyes. He looked fine, irritated, but fine. A knot loosened in my gut and my chest lifted with more ease. I could breathe again. Then I blinked back some tears. I knew they would come from the relief, but I turned and wiped them away. A scowl came over my face. What the hell? I was crying, now?

  I heard Logan giggle and whipped around. “Shut up. I was worried.”

  His shoulders shook, and he doubled over. Then Mason shared in his grin.

  The female cop cleared her throat. “Wanna fill us in?”

  Mason fixed me with a stare after he stopped his laughter. “Go home, Sam.”

  I swallowed thickly.

  He gentled his voice. “We’ll talk later.”

  It was all I needed. I needed to know he was safe, they were both safe.

  As I made my way back outside, exhaustion had settled in. Everything in me wanted to fall to the ground. I wanted to curl in a fetal position, have Mason carry me home, and tuck us both into bed. But when I saw Ethan by his garage, I figured he’d do. He stood with a group of guys, but all of them moved away when I approached.

  “No cops?” I glanced around.

  Ethan’s frowned as he took in my sweaty state. “No,” he clipped out. “The main attraction is inside. I just own the property.”

  I was a bit more wary now. “Could you give me a ride home? Mason—”

  He lifted a hand. “No need. I’ll give you a ride.” Then he gestured for his buddies to leave and they did. One of them tossed a pair of keys to him and he caught it in a swift motion. He nodded towards the red Ferrari behind us, and I slid into the front seat with even more relief.

  The engine purred to life and he drove frontwards instead of backwards. There was another driveway that rounded to the edge of his place. He was able to bypass a lot of the extra traffic and any that lingered on the premises. As we turned at the end of his street, he murmured, “You might want to duck down.”

  “Why?”

  He eyed a group on my side. I caught the orange and black and slid to the floor. There was no explanation needed. When we went past, I heard a few curses yelled at the car, but Ethan drove past with a bored expression on his face.

  “You can come back up.”

  I glanced in the rear view mirror. A few of their guys stood in the street now. It was obvious they still watched us.

  And then I asked him, “Who’s Broudou?”

  He grimaced, but he didn’t hesitate. “Budd Broudou.”

  “Who is he?”

  “Their ring leader. He hates Mason.”

  He grunted and rolled his eyes. The car slid smoothly down the street. “Because his little sister is obsessed with Mason, that’s why.”

  “Are you kidding me? This is all because of his sister.”

  He lifted an easy shoulder. “More or less. Broudou was unstoppable in football and pretty much every sport he played, but that ended when Mason and Logan came to town. They moved here two years ago, you know. When they did, the first football game we had against Roussou took the cake. They always dominated us before that, but we killed ‘em. We massacred them. They got pissed and Budd took it personally. Then his little sister propositioned Mason after a game. You can figure how well that went over.”

  “He turned her down?”

  “He laughed in her face.” At my lack of shock, he grinned. “Mason doesn’t laugh in girls’ faces anymore, but he did then. He was a bigger jerk back then.”

  It was hard to believe, but moving along.

  He chuckled at my face. “Broudou lost a scholarship to Mason. He tell you that? He’s got a golden ticket to most schools he wants, but he also got the one that Broudou wanted. Mason turned it down ‘cause he wants to stick close next year, but they never offered Broudou the alternate. They learned of the rivalry and threw his application out of the prospects. Another reason to hate Mason.”

  When he was about to pull into the mansion, I pointed up. “Two more houses. I’m staying at my dad’s.”

  He glanced at the house when he pulled into the driveway. “Don’t look like anyone’s here.”

  Garrett’s car was gone, but when wasn’t it? I had grown used to having the house to myself. I shrugged. “His wife’s in town. Pretty sure he’s at her hotel, or that’s what I’m guessing. I don’t know. I don’t care.”

  When I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car, Ethan’s window slid down. He called out, “Mason’s worried about you, you know. If Broudou learned who you are, how much they both care about you…” He whistled and shook his head. “Not good, girl. Not good.”

  A sense of unease fluttered in my stomach.

  Then he flashed me a cocky smirk. “See ya, Kade’s bitch.”

  I sighed as the car roared away. In his world, that was considered a compliment.

  When I went inside, there was a note from Garrett. I’d been right in my guess. Bella was at a hotel and he was with her, but then I got another shock. She was moving in the next day, when I moved out. My fingers went numb at that moment and the note fluttered to the floor. I sighed. Should I have been surprised? I was out and she was in. I swallowed over a knot in my throat and turned for my room. Instead of bed, I changed into a tank and shorts and grabbed my iPod. Off to the treadmill I went, and I remained there for another three hours.

  When I limped back to my room, I showered before I checked my phone. There was no message from Mason. I was too numb to feel anything more so I crawled into my bed.

  I woke when my door opened. Light from the hallway blinded me for a moment before it was turned off and then Mason slid into bed with me. I glanced at the clock and saw it was six in the morning, but I was too tired to ask any questions. He bundled me against him and tucked his body around mine. With a big yawn, I felt him start to relax. His breathing evened out a couple seconds later and then I closed my own eyes again.

  My hand slid over and I linked my tiny finger around his.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  When I woke the next morning, it was late. Mason had gone. He whispered his reason, but I only remembered something about basketball. My legs still ached from the late-night run so I took my time as I packed everything together. Two hours later I had it all back in my old bedroom. There was no sign of Analise, which I was grateful about and no sign of anyone else. I didn’t doubt that Logan was wherever Mason had gone, but I didn’t text either of them to see when they would return.

  I was back in the mansion. I would see both of them more often, though I still saw Mason quite a bit when he slept over.

  Becky texted me in the afternoon and asked if I would go to a movie with her. I did. Her mindless chatter about Rex kept me entertained throughout the movie. The money I spent hadn’t been to see the cinema; it was to get my mind off my mother and Budd Broudou. I shuddered at the thought of him. A bad feeling had taken root in my gut after Ethan’s warning the previous night. It had spread since and I couldn’t shake it.

  “And then Rex touched my boob!”

  Becky’s shriek jerked me from my thoughts and I turned with a grateful smile. Then it registered. “He did what?!”

  “I’ve gotten to second base, Sam. Can you believe it? I am now an experienced woman.” She seemed so pleased with herself, wiggling her shoulders. She slapped a hand on her chest and jerked closer. “People can talk about me now! Can you imagine?”

  A different sense of dread filled me. “I think they already do.”

  “Really?” Her eyes went wide and her smile matched.

  “Oh, dear.” I cleared my throat. “You seem happy with Rex.”

  Her cheeks flushed and she clapped her hands to them. “I am. I really am. He gets me. I don’t even need to talk and he understands, but he likes it when I talk. He’s always asking me to tell him things, anything. He does this sort of humming thing when I do, but it?
??s like his body is vibrating or something. It’s weird, but he seems happy so I just keep talking. I can’t believe he touched my boobs. He wants to do it again.”

  I snorted. “I’m sure he does.”

  She sighed with a dreamy smile on her face. Then she turned and stared at the screen. “Oh my gosh. The movie’s half over.”

  She’d made the Budd Broudou knot loosen, just a bit. I looked down, but I couldn’t hold back my smile.

  After the movie, Becky wanted to gush more about Rex. I humored her, but as we went to a coffee shop, I had to force my hands to loosen. Then I was forced to face the inevitable. I was back at the mansion. I was back under the same roof as Analise. A shuddering breath left me and when we claimed two recliners in a back corner, I was happy to stay until the coffee shop closed. I hoped to avoid my mother.

  Becky went on and on. It wasn’t until a clerk tapped her on the shoulder and informed us they needed to close did she realize the time. She jumped to her feet and grabbed her purse. Her hands were frantic. “I can’t believe it’s this late. I was supposed to go see Rex tonight. He’s supposed to pick me up and take me home.”

  “I’ll give you a ride.”

  But she had pulled her phone out. Her fingers flew over the keypad and she bit her lip. “What if he’s asleep? And my mom.” She groaned. “My mom will be so mad I was out this late.”

  When there wasn’t an immediate response, she pressed her legs together and slumped down. “What am I going to do? I missed him. I bet he’s sleeping already.” Then her phone vibrated and she sighed in dramatic relief. “Hallelujah! He’s still awake. He’s coming right now.” When her phone went off again, a giggle burst out. She slapped a hand over her mouth but kept giggling as more text messages came through.

  It didn’t take him long. A few minutes later he picked her up. As I waited on the sidewalk, she flew to her seat to climb in. The two locked lips in the same fashion as they had the day before, and it was awhile before Rex turned to me. His eyes were glazed, no surprise, but he gave me a lopsided grin and the peace sign. “It’s Dudette Sam!”

  “Hi, Rex.”

  He bobbed his head back and forth and Becky waved over his shoulder. It wasn’t long before the station wagon roared away, and I waved a hand to clear some of its exhaust.

  When I made my way home, I wanted to avoid any run-in with Analise so I bypassed the sidewalk for the front door and went all the way around. As I slid open the basement patio door, I was trying to convince myself that I wasn’t taking the coward’s way out. But I was. I knew I was.

  “Hey! It’s Samantha!”

  And then it didn’t matter.

  I blinked as I took in the scene before me.

  Logan was at the pool table with Ethan. Both of them had pool sticks with a game spread out before them. Mason lounged against the wall with his arms crossed. Kate and the rest of the girls were spread out through the room.

  I tried not to notice, but it was hard. All of them wore barely-there shirts and their jeans were ripped at the waistline. If it was meant to make them look cheap and sexy, it did the job. What sealed the deal were the black or pink bras that were visible through their shirts. However, as I met Kate’s hard gaze, I knew they didn’t give a damn. None of them did. She was the only one who wore a black tank top with a pink bra strap that showed. The rest had white shirts on that sucked to their skin.

  I refused to meet Mason’s gaze now. I knew he was studying me, trying to figure out my every move. Instead I met Kate’s, and she surprised me when a hard look passed in her eyes. It was gone instantly and she tipped her head in a tight nod.

  I nodded back.

  And then Logan scooped me up in the air. He paraded me around the pool table before he sat me back down beside Mason. He pointed his pool stick at me. “Stay.” He leaned over the table and took aim, but he said from the corner of his mouth, “You can tell us why your mom’s in a tizzy that you’re back.”

  I shifted against the wall.

  “Logan.” It was a soft reminder from Mason.

  We didn’t talk about personal business in front of others.

  Logan got the message and flashed me a grin when he took aim again. “Sorry, Sam.”

  “She doesn’t want me here?”

  Mason stood up from the wall and Logan stepped back from the pool table. The low murmur from the rest quieted and all eyes went to me. I ignored the tension beside me and held Logan’s gaze. I clipped out, “She doesn’t want me here?”

  His pool stick went to the floor in a slow motion. He seemed to choose his words with caution. “I didn’t say that.”

  My eyes flashed and my jaw hardened. “You said she’s in a tizzy I’m back. I thought she wanted me back.”

  “Come on, Sam.” Logan glanced around. “We’ll talk about this later.”

  I heard Kate snort.

  I whirled on her. “Do you mind? This is a family meeting.”

  She stiffened, but she jerked to attention. She crossed her arms and stuck out her chin. “Then don’t have it in front of me.”

  I knew her friends waited at the ready. My eyes flashed at her. “Go ahead and leave.”

  Her eyes widened a bit.

  I jerked a hand to the door. “It’s that way.”

  Then they narrowed.

  I felt the unrest in the air and knew I’d stepped down the wrong path, but I didn’t care. I was sick of Kate; sick of how she was always around Mason, how she’d had her hand plastered on his arm before I came through the door or how I knew she’d been the one that he used in bed on a regular basis before me.

  “I don’t think you know—” she started to say.

  I swung at her.

  As soon as my arm let loose, Mason swung around my waist and lifted me in the air. He carried me backwards while Logan leapt forward. He caught Kate who realized what I’d done. Her eyes were wide, wild, and her breathing was fast and shallow. He held her in the air, but then Ethan ducked down and used his shoulders to push back the rest of the girls. They were lined up in a hallway while Mason took me to the stairs and started to carry me up.

  “You bitch!” Kate seethed over Logan’s shoulder.

  I flicked her off and cursed. “This is my home too. Get out!”

  I heard her screaming the whole way until we reached the second floor. When we got to my room, he dropped me on the floor but urged me inside with his hips. I rolled my eyes and pushed off from him. I started to pace as he took position in front of the door. “I’m not leaving. I’m not stupid.”

  “Those girls will rip you apart.”

  I rolled my eyes at him and raked my hands through my hair. I knew that. I did. They were tough, but I wanted to fight them. I wanted to rip into them, do as much damage as I could, but he stopped me. If he hadn’t been there, I knew Logan would’ve stepped in. As well as Ethan and so on. If Nate had been around, he would’ve stepped forward.

  I was tired of people stepping forward.

  Then I took a book from my couch and hurled it at the wall.

  “She’s in the city. My dad has some big meeting and they got a hotel room the night before.”

  I cursed under my breath. “She doesn’t want me here?” My chest heaved up and down.

  Mason held my gaze steady. He was always steady, too steady. I wanted to rattle him, but he folded his arms and sighed. “You threw her against a wall. She was pissed.”

  I shook my head. “I didn’t throw her against a wall. She came at me and I pushed her back. It wasn’t how it seemed.” My chest kept heaving up and down. I clenched and unclenched my fists. I felt like a caged animal.

  Mason murmured, “You need to calm down.”

  I closed my eyes and forced myself to let out a deep breath. I did. I knew I did, but my mom—everything hit me and I sank down onto my couch. I caught my head in my hands. “Oh my god. I can’t believe I went after Kate.”

  He snorted. “Don’t worry about it. She respects that stuff. Trust me.”

  I
still groaned. I didn’t respect that, no matter how thrilling it felt at times. I crumpled to the couch and raked my hands through my hair. “What is going on with me? I feel like I’m crazy and it hasn’t even been a day.”

  Mason chuckled and sat beside me. He lifted me so I was turned towards him and straddled his waist. I let out a deep breath and