Mason (Fallen Crest High 0.5)(36)

“Mason, this isn’t—”

“What?” A genuine laugh came now. “What are you going to say? You can screw now, Dad, not that anything stopped you before.”

He sucked in his breath, as if I had punched him, and turned away.

The woman tried to smooth her hair back and plastered a fake smile on her face. “You are?”

I rolled my eyes. I knew this bitch. She’d been sniffing around my dad for a while now. “Don’t play that game.”

“Mason,” my dad hissed at me.

I ignored him. “You’ve been calling him, sending him letters, showing up at his company for a goddamn year. You f**king knew he was married. Don’t act ignorant, not for me. If you want to do it for your sake, go ahead, but it’s a worthless cause. You can’t brainwash yourself into believing you’re not what you are.”

My dad’s head hung down and his shoulders drooped. She was silent behind him. I was waiting. I knew the lengths she could lie. Hell, Logan wanted to sic a private detective on her because this one stuck around. All the others came and went, but this one was sticking like a parasite. Then she stepped around him. Her hair was in place. Her dress was smoothed down. Even her face had lost the dumb-f*cked look they always got on their faces. She was cold and as my gaze collided with hers, I saw the crazy mixed with intelligence. That only confirmed my suspicion. She was ruthless and cunning.

My dad was a goner, whether he realized it or not.

She said now, “They’re divorced.”

I grinned. “There you are. Show your true colors. Admit to everything. You don’t have to fool anyone in this room.”

“Mason, stop it.” James stepped forward and took her arm. “Analise, can I have a minute with my son?”

Her eyes flashed at me with hatred, but she murmured to him with a soft smile, “Of course. I’ll be outside.”

Before she went out, her eyes narrowed one last time at me before the door shut behind her. I snorted. “She have a glass in that purse? You know she’s listening through the door.”

“Enough,” he ground out.

I laughed again. “You say that to me? Enough? Really? Am I supposed to walk past you and pretend I didn’t see my dad pressing his latest whore against the wall? Shit, James. We live here, Logan and me. This is our home too.”

His head whipped back. “You will watch how you talk to me. I am still your father—”

I turned away, shaking my head and laughing. “That’s priceless. It really is. You’re as much of a father as you were faithful to Mom. When you’re getting that bitch off, let that simmer in the back of your mind. Hope it brings you pleasure.”

He cursed behind me. “You’ve got so much anger in you.”

“No shit, Sherlock.” As I headed up the stairs, I gave him a mock-salute. “That’s what happens watching my dad bring home woman after woman and watching Mom cry about it every night. You ruined this family. You, Dad, and it was because of women like that.” I stopped. Rage and pain were in me, like always. Fuck. Would it ever leave? I was starting to think I’d never be normal. “I know Mom wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t cheat on you. She was here. She was in the house. That’s a lot more than you. You were off working or with those women. You weren’t around to be her husband, to be my father, and certainly not Logan’s father—” I stopped myself, my chest was tight. “This shit’s been going on forever.” Another laugh came from me, but this one was hollow. I flinched, hearing it myself and went to my room. It was pointless. He’d never care.

I couldn’t hear the door close from my room, but I went to the window. His car left the driveway a moment later, but she turned around as he drove away. She must have known where my room was because she saw me. There was no reaction on her face, but I listened to my gut. This one was going to be a problem.

15

KATE AND THE COPS

Kate was sprawled over me and she grinned, panting slightly. “So, that was amazing.”

I grunted. This was my last time with Kate. She was done after this. I had wrestled with myself when she was hurting Marissa. I hadn’t done enough, but I was going to do something now. Lifting my leg up, I started to push her off of me. I wasn’t rough, but it wasn’t a gentle shove either. Kate complied and laid beside me on the bed. She grabbed for one of the blankets and wrapped it around her chest, tucking it under her arms. Running a hand through her hair, she gave me another lopsided grin. Then she sighed and turned on her side, facing me.

I ignored her and reached for my phone. This was coming to an end.

“Are you expecting a call?” Anger stirred in her tone. “Another girl?”

I sighed. “Stop, Kate. It makes you look pathetic.”

She laughed, it was harsh and biting. “Are you kidding me?”

I sent a text to Logan. Where are you? Then I glanced at Kate. “We’re friends and we screw. That’s it.”

“You’re an ass**le.”

“That’s already been established.” I pointed to the door. “I’ve told you enough times you’re not my girlfriend. Maybe it’s time you finally start accepting that.”

A strangled scream ripped from her throat, but she squashed it right away and scrambled off the bed. When she was dressed, she stood there and glared. I waited, trying not to laugh. Her hands were balled into fists and she had crazy eyes. Then I couldn’t stop myself. I grinned at her and asked, “Planning my murder?” She would be in a few hours. I knew that much.