"Well, I guess I could get a job." I spread my arms apart so I could put my big, pregnant belly on display. "What do you think? If I took after you and sold myself on the street, would anyone buy an hour with me in this condition?"
I knew that was a low blow; I really should get a job. But my words were also completely uncalled for. Another rule Reese had made me adhere to before letting me move in with her was that I never, ever mention what he used to be before they'd moved here. But I wanted to push him over the edge already, so my cousin could see just how much of a bastard he really was.
I realized I'd made a mistake a second too late, right around the moment Reese gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth.
Mason sliced me with a glare. He stared at me so intently I held my breath waiting for him to finally lose it. My brain skipped around the kitchen, wondering what kind of gadget I could use to defend myself if he turned violent. His scowl told me just how much he wanted to wring my neck.
But instead of saying or doing anything, he turned away. Shoulders rigid and hands fisted at his sides, he marched from the kitchen, into the small living room and yanked open the front door of the apartment.
Reese leapt out of her seat. "Mason?"
He paused as if the tremor in her frightened voice held him captive, but he didn't turn around. Lifting a hand over his shoulder, he grated out, "I have to go." Then he fled the apartment. He didn't even slam the door in his wake.
Both Reese and I gaped at the closed exit. Well, I certainly hadn't expected him to do that. I'd pushed him past the limit. I'd made him angry enough to release his bastard, but he'd chosen to walk away instead of engage.
Shit. That wasn't good. A bastard definitely would've engaged. Why hadn't he engaged me in a fight? Called me a bitch? Taken a swing? Kicked me out?
This was all wrong.
Reese whirled toward me, her eyes wild. I tripped a step backward. Oh, double shit. She was beyond pissed.
"Why did you do that?" she cried. "E.! I told you not to ever, ever mention anything to do with that again. You know how much it bothers him."
I wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach, though I have no idea why. Reese wouldn't do anything to hurt my baby. I just couldn't help it. Old habits die hard.
"He . . . he was being a jerk to you."
"No, he was not. He was freaking out about the credit card bill . . . for a damn good reason. Money is a very sensitive issue for him."
I already knew that. Reese had confided to me months ago why Mason had become a male prostitute to begin with, how he'd felt the need to see to his family's security and how his landlady had blackmailed him into servicing her.
It all sounded heroic the way she told it, making him out to be this really good, stand-up guy. But I was so stuck on my theory that inside every male lurked a selfish, devious, evil prick, I just couldn't think of him in noble terms.
Except now that he'd opted out of releasing his anger on me, I was confused.
"I never should've bought that stupid baby changing table. Damn it, we haven't even gotten diapers yet. How the hell are we supposed to use a changing table if we don't even have diapers?"
My throat felt raw as I watched her break down. This wasn't her fault. It was mine. Every stressful issue for her in the past few months had been my fault because I was here, invading her life and mooching off her and her boyfriend.
But I pushed my guilt aside because knowing what I should do-leave her and try to make it on my own-scared the crap out of me.
"I can't believe he just left," I said, still stunned.
"Me neither." Reese lifted her face and pinned me with a strange stare as if a new idea had struck her right before her face drained of color. "Oh, God. What if . . . what if he doesn't come back?"
I started to shake my head. Impossible. Mason was just as addicted to Reese as she was to him. Bastard or not, he'd never leave her. But tonight had been a breaking point for him. Maybe he couldn't forgive her for letting me move in with them. What if, because of me, he just couldn't take this anymore?
Reese must've seen the worry on my face, because she let out a whimper and sank into the kitchen chair, covering her mouth with both hands.
"Ree Ree?" I stepped toward her with my arms open. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I didn't apologize often-rarely ever-but for Reese, I would. She was the only person on earth, other than the little girl swimming around in my belly, who I loved.
But she held up her hand, warding me off.
I stopped in my tracks, watching helplessly as tears slid down her cheeks. "Just leave me alone."
Backing away to respect her wishes, I retreated to the doorway where I'd watched her and Mason fall apart to begin with. But that wasn't enough for her.
"Go . . . away," she screamed.
I scurried around the corner and pressed my back to the wall just out of sight of her. Then I slid down until I was sitting on my butt, and I listened to her weep into her hands. Hugging myself, I just sat there, feeling like crap and rubbing my belly for my own comfort.
Reese had gone above and beyond for me; I never should've broken her rules.
Then again, we probably wouldn't even be in this predicament if she hadn't come to Florida in the first place.
I'd had everything planned out. A few of my things were discreetly packed, money had been tucked away, and my escape plan was complete. As soon as I graduated from high school, I was going to leave Bradshaw and Madeline Mercer for good. I was going to be free.
But then Reese had run into trouble. Her loser boyfriend at the time-another bastard, of course-had tried to kill her, and she'd needed a safe place to stay until everything blew over and he was put behind bars for good.
I had snorted when I'd heard that one. Safe place? Here? Whatever. But my mother had already made plans with her sister-Reese's mom-and Reese came to the Mercer home to stay with us whether I approved or not.
Well, I didn't approve. I didn't want sweet, innocent, fun-loving Reese anywhere near my father. I somehow talked Mom into making her stay in the loft above the garage, so at least she wouldn't be sleeping under the same roof as him. And then I delayed my plans to leave. I was probably the worst kind of safeguard between her and Bradshaw Mercer ever, but I wasn't leaving her alone with that monster.
So I enrolled into the local community college with her, and took classes with her, and I kept dating Alec, the egotistical asshole I'd had a summer fling with. I totally didn't plan for her to meet Mason and fall head-over-heels in love with him. And I didn't plan to get knocked up with Alec's kid. And I most certainly didn't plan to get shot by Reese's psycho ex-boyfriend who finally found her. But I'd been through a lot of shit I'd never planned on happening. So I had to evolve and deal with what I got.
By the time Reese moved back home to Illinois and took Mason with her, Alec-who turned out to be the typical bastard-had dumped my ass, and my parents had demanded that I quietly get rid of the little embarrassment I'd created with him.
But that's one thing I hadn't been able to do. I'd never thought of having kids. I'd never wanted to be a mommy. I was too fucked up for that kind of shit. But now that there was a baby growing inside me, nothing else mattered but taking care of her. I was not going to hurt my child, a little piece of complete innocence I was supposed to love and nurture. I refused to become my parents. I was going to devote my life to this kid and make sure nothing bad ever happened to her.
So I had forgone the abortion my mommy and daddy had tried to pressure me into. Instead, I ran to Reese, begging her to take me in. It was too bad I'd already exhausted most of the money I'd saved for my escape. I could've helped Reese and Mason with some of their financial worries, but I wasn't used to saving, so I had nothing.
Sitting on the floor in the hallway of their apartment as I listened to Reese weep, I wondered why she didn't just boot my ass out now. It seemed like every time I'd ever tried to help her, I'd screwed the whole situation up and only ended up hurting her more. Me and helping someone other than myself just didn't mix. I'd always been too concerned with conveying a certain image so no one would ever know my secrets to worry about anyone else, and now that I did care, I was a complete bumbling idiot about it.
I don't know how long I sat there, listening to her sniffle and blow her nose over the mess I'd caused, but it gutted me. My hands began to tremble as I rubbed circles over my stomach a little faster. My throat went so dry it burned.
When the front door came open, I jerked hard in surprise, making the baby inside me start too.
"Reese?" The worry in Mason's voice was evident as he shut the door. "What's wrong?"
I scooted sideways on the floor just enough to peek around the corner of the hall and into the kitchen. Mason fell to his knees in front of Reese and gathered her hands into his, pressing them against his mouth.