Fallen Crest Home (Fallen Crest High #6)(41)

“And?”

He was still thinking, wondering who the traitor was in Channing’s crew.

I sighed, giving in and tracing a finger up his back. “It could be anyone. You don’t know all of Channing’s friends.”

“True.” He relaxed slightly, reaching up and catching my hand. He laced our fingers together, using his hold to tug me closer. I shifted so my leg went around him. He pulled my other leg over his knee, and I only had to lean forward half an inch to rest on him, hugging him from the side. His hand moved to my knee, and he began tracing up and down the inside of my thigh. “He works for my dad. I’m going to see if he’ll promote him.”

“What?” I started to pull away.

He caught my hand, keeping me in place. He shot me a sideways look. “The requirements will be that he has to protect you, not hurt you. One move against us, and he’s out of a job.”

“You think that’ll work?”

Mason shrugged. “If it doesn’t, we’ll figure something else out. I know where he lives, and it’s no gated community.”

“You’d do something to his home?”

Mason moved so he could see me squarely and touched the side of my face. His thumb rubbed over my cheek. “Do you not realize the lengths I’ll go for you?” he asked softly.

A pocket of air caught and held in my throat.

He leaned forward, his forehead resting on mine. “I scare even myself, Sam. There’s nothing I won’t do for you.”

And his lips lowered to mine.





It was Saturday, and I wasn’t working. Petey had told me he wanted his regular staff on. They were complaining about not getting their usual amount of tips. He’d had a weird look on his face, his features all twisted up, but when I didn’t argue, the weirdness left him.

And this meant I had an entire afternoon just for running. I’d been skipping lately, which seemed to appease Mason. He always reached for me when he woke in the mornings, and the last few days, I’d been there.

Those had been good mornings indeed.

This morning had been no exception. He reached for me, and it wasn’t long before he was sliding inside. I knew this was always the best way to start a day. Always. No exceptions.

My theory had been reinforced when we went to the kitchen and saw the haggard set of Nate and Matteo’s shoulders.

I pointed at Nate’s face. “You actually look green.”

He moaned, lurching for the sink. Grabbing hold of the counter, he waited, but nothing came out. He was only dry heaving.

“Oh my God. Never challenge Matteo to a shot contest. And if he challenges you, just let him have the victory.” He gave Matteo a dark look where he lay across the island counter, his butt on a barstool.

His mouth moved against the granite. “I still don’t think you won.”

“Oh, God.” Nate held his head over the sink again. “It comes in waves. I have air, and then nausea. Air, then nausea. It won’t go away.”

Mason moved behind me, putting the coffee into the machine. I held the empty pot, unsure if I wanted to use the sink.

“That could be contaminated just by you being there,” I noted.

“What?” Nate saw what was in my hand. “Oh.” He moved back. “Go for it, quick. I might spew at any moment.”

I filled it quickly and poured the water in the machine as I pressed brew. It started to churn, and I stepped away. “If you guys are so hung over, why are you up?”

Both pointed to Mason.

I looked up at him. He grinned. “I have today off. I made them promise to get up and go golfing with me, no matter how much they drank last night. They promised.”

“You’re going golfing?”

He nodded.

“Were you drinking last night?”

“It’s not really the actual act of golfing that’s of interest. It’s more about who else is going to be there.” His eyes locked on mine, waiting for me to figure it out.

Mason had two enemies, at least that we were dealing with right now. One was not the golfing type, but the other…

“Ah. I got it.” Adam or his father was going to be on that golf course. “And that reminds me, Malinda is throwing a BBQ at the country club today. She reserved the pool and everything.”

Nate and Matteo groaned.

Even Mason grimaced. “You’re going to make me go to that?”

“If I have to go, my posse has to go.”

“We’re your posse?” Nate was grinning at me, or trying. The pallor of his skin made him look like the Joker.

“Mason is, and you’re his, so same thing. I need backup.”

Nate glanced to Mason. “Quinn will be at the party. That’s different than what we have planned for today. That’s socializing.” He said it like that was a bad word.

“I think Quinn senior, too.” Wait. I didn’t know that. “Well, maybe not. I don’t know, but it’s at the country club. It’s Saturday. I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up.”

Matteo sat up, clutching his stomach, and asked, “Why do we care about Adam’s dad?”

Mason, Nate, and I shared a look before Nate coughed. “Uh…We don’t. Why would you think that?”

Matteo lifted his head in confusion. “What? But you guys just said—”