Razor: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance(29)

“Mason’s not on drugs.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Fuck.

Mason noticed my slip and looked over at me. He started making a cutting motion at his throat, signaling me to end the call.

Suspicion laced Brian’s voice. “How would you know that?

I motioned sharply at him to quit his antics. I couldn’t just hang up on him and invite more suspicion. Besides, he’d probably just call right back.

“Uh, because it doesn’t seem like him. He never was the type. He was all about keeping his body in perfect condition.”

“Not what I heard.” Brian crackled. “Your brother’s a damn crackhead!”

I twisted my lips. There was no use in arguing and casting further suspicion on myself. He was probably talking in anger anyway, still bitter after all this time. “If you say so.”

There was a slight pause. “Have you seen him?”

I tried to play stupid. “Huh?”

“Have you seen Mason?”

“No, why would I?” I tried to sound as convincing as possible. “I haven’t heard from him since that day he walked out.”

There was a very long pause this time and I began to sweat beneath my palms.

When Brian spoke next, his voice was calmer. “Some detectives came by here looking for him. You know he’s in trouble, right?”

I let out an exaggerated gasp of surprise, my eyes going wide. “You’re shitting me!”

Suddenly, Mason started laughing and I looked at him with alarm, slapping him on the arm. Thankfully, it was a silent laugh, the type that you have to hold in but your whole body shakes from it. Mason’s shoulders rocked as his face turned red. He literally looked like he was gasping for breath, his hands barely holding onto the wheel.

He was so distracted that he drifted slightly into the other lane just as a red pickup came speeding around the corner. At the last possible moment, he swerved back into our lane, narrowly avoiding a collision.

“Jesus Christ!” I yelled, my heart pounding within my chest.

The pickup blazed past us, honking at us, the driver flipping Mason the bird.

“Watch where you’re going *!” He yelled out of his window.

“What was that?” Brian asked, sounding concerned.

I gave Mason my most venomous glare. “Uh, nothing. I just accidentally knocked my latte into my lap and ruined my skirt.”

“Oh, you scared me for a second. Are you on a highway?”

I paused, glancing at Mason who was just now getting over his giggles. I didn’t want to lie. Brian could probably tell I was in the car anyway, you usually can. “Heading to a friend’s place, actually.”

“All right. Where are you staying at these days? I’d love to come visit.”

Mason, who now seemed almost recovered from his fit, shook his head violently. Apparently, he heard what his father asked.

“You know what? Let me call you back later. I’ve got to stop by a gas station and change my clothes. I don’t want to show up at my friends smelling like a mocha latte. Love ya!”

Brian began to protest. “Carly wait. I really need to speak with you. It’s important—”

I tapped the hang-up button and then powered my phone off, giving Mason my most venomous scowl. “Keep your eyes on the road! You almost ran us smack into that truck.”

Mason was still chuckling. “I’m sorry, Carly. You’re just such a terrible liar and I couldn’t help it.”

Mason’s expression suddenly became serious. “He knows you’re with me.”

I stared. “You think so?”

Mason pulled us off the main road and onto a back road that would take us straight to the cabin. “Trust me — he either knows you’re with me, or suspects that you’re with me. Either way, it’s not good, because if he knows, everyone knows. It’s only natural that I try to make contact with the person I care about the most.” A strange look came over his face after those words left his mouth, as if he was surprised that he said it.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “Still, what does it matter even if he does? He has no clue where we are.”

“And do you really think you can trust this landlord of yours?” Mason asked skeptically.

I nodded. “I do. He’s been a huge help to me.”

“We’ll see about that after they plaster your name on the news along with mine.”

“All we have to do now is lay low and wait. It’s only a matter of time before the video spreads like wildfire.”

“If Anonymous or Dad doesn’t have me killed first,” Mason muttered darkly.

I turned on him with a disbelieving stare. “What the hell are you talking about? Brian may still be angry at you, but why would you think he’d want you dead?”

Mason snorted. “I don’t think. I know.”

We came up on the dirt road that served as a driveway to the cabin and the neat little structure came into view. I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to see it, but I suppose almost being killed will do that to you.

I continued to stare at Mason. I was starting to think being in the shadows so long caused him to be a paranoid schizophrenic.

I shook my head. “You’re crazy.”

“You don’t know him like I do.”