Heather sat next to me, eyeing my bruised hand. “You sure you don’t want to get that checked out?”
I nodded. “It looks worse than it is. It’s not broken. I can tell.”
“Okay.” But she didn’t seem convinced. “I can’t believe you took down three of those guys.”
Mason smiled. “Apparently, she’s deadly with a bat.”
I grinned, my chest feeling lighter with his teasing. “You said to aim for the knees. That worked with the first one. The rest I had to improvise.”
“I’m pretty sure I saw you head-butt a guy’s junk.” Heather got up for another washcloth.
Channing laughed, tugging Heather into his arms as she passed him. He took the washcloth from her hand and tossed it into the sink. “She’s fine. You’ve given her ten different washcloths. Your friend is okay.”
She bit her lip, eyeing me from the shelter of his arms.
“I’m fine. Really.”
Her eyebrows furrowed together. “I saw one of those guys kick you in the ribs. I think you should get that checked.”
“Ribs?” Mason turned to me.
I didn’t remember that, but I touched my side and found she was right. I hissed as I touched a swollen spot. I could move around okay, though.
“I’m sure I’m fine. I didn’t even notice till now.”
“Maybe we should go in,” Mason countered.
I looked at him and was about to protest, but then I saw some of his bruising. If I looked as bad as he did, I understood why Heather was so worried.
I sighed. “Maybe we should both go get checked?”
He nodded.
As we stood to go, Channing gestured to one of his friends. “Congo can drive you guys there.”
Congo?
A short, bald guy came over. He clipped his head at us, flashing blinding white teeth. He was so tanned, even the whites of his eyes seemed too bright.
“Wouldn’t want either of you to lose consciousness on the drive over,” he said.
Heather moved forward. “I can go with you guys.”
“No.” I touched her arm. “I’m fine. Really.”
She was so tense, but she melted at my touch. Then she was hugging me, her head resting where Mason’s had been earlier. I could feel her trembling.
“I was so scared,” she whispered. “You didn’t see yourself, Sam. You were…” Her body twitched again. She couldn’t finish her statement. “I never should’ve invited you to come with me.”
“Stop. I mean it.” I pulled back, keeping my hands on her arms. “I chose to go, remember? If anything, this is my fault.”
She began to shake her head, and I opened my mouth, ready to take more of the blame, when Mason pulled me away.
“Both of you shut up. Caldron’s my enemy. Stop with the blame game. You’re giving me a headache.” He touched the small of my back. “Come on, Sam. The sooner you’re checked out, the sooner we can go home.”
He was right. Home. Bed. His arms. That was the list of where I wanted to be.
I said one more time to Heather, “I’m fine!” and hugged her a last time before turning away and following Mason outside.
Matteo was waiting next to Congo at the car. I didn’t know the specifics of the fight, and I hadn’t realized Matteo had fought with us, but his cut lip told me he had. Before I slipped into the backseat with Mason, I reached through the opened window and touched Matteo’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t thank me. I was deep in pussy and booze. I got in a few good hits at the end, but not enough. I never should’ve left your side.” He spoke to Mason as Congo started the Escalade. “I’m sorry, man. I let you down.”
Mason waved him off. “This was my fight, not yours.”
Anything else Matteo was ready to say, Mason must’ve changed his mind because he closed his mouth. As we pulled away, Mason lifted his arm for me, and I leaned into him, my head resting on his chest and my eyes closed.
I could’ve stayed there forever, but soon enough I was pulled away to go into the hospital. A couple hours later, we checked out. The x-rays showed we were both fine, and I was back in his embrace.
Everything was just as it should be.
MASON
The girl at the front desk gasped when she saw my face the next morning. I couldn’t blame her. I’d woken to a pounding head, black eye, busted lip, and aching ribs as well. Fucking Caldron.
I didn’t want to shock this receptionist too much, so I kept my shades on. “James Kade said to be here at seven. I’m Mason Kade.”
“I know.” Hearing my dad’s name and mine seemed to settle her a bit. She glanced around. “My manager said you’d be coming in, along with another guy. I’m supposed to show you to the conference room you’ll be using.”