I flushed, leaning back against the cushions. “I know. I just… I’m feeling bad. That’s all.”
“Sam.”
I lifted my head to meet his gaze. His eyes smoldered, and instantly I felt a fluttering in my chest. My body warmed.
“Are you sure this is about what Steven Quinn is doing? Or is this about something else?”
My lips parted. My throat suddenly dried up. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
“About me being disloyal to Becky?”
“About whatever had you running for almost five hours the other day.”
The fluttering picked up its pace. My heart was flying around like a damned rocket trying to take off inside of me.
I looked away, shrinking in my seat. “I can’t talk about that.” I could hear Heather as clearly as if she were out there with us. Tell him, Samantha! Tell him! I ignored her voice. “It was nothing anyway. It’s stupid.”
He stopped rubbing and cupped the underside of my leg. I looked over at him in reflex, and he leaned forward, making sure I couldn’t look away.
“Anything you’re scared to talk about is the opposite of nothing or stupid. And whatever it is, you don’t have to worry. Unless you cheated. Then you need to worry.”
I grinned, kicking him lightly with my foot. “You’d have to worry about that, too.”
He caught my foot and held it. “So it’s not that you were unfaithful.”
“What?”
“You didn’t flinch when I said that. I know that’s not the issue.” He leaned his head back, resting it against the side of the house behind us, still watching me intently. “What it is, Sam? Please tell me.”
My heart stilled. This man—he’d been a boy, but I didn’t think he’d ever been a child. He was already a man when I met him. Powerful. Alpha. A mastermind. Beautiful. His presence captivated so many, but right now he was under my control.
I leaned forward, though he still had my foot, and touched the side of his face. “I don’t think I could love you any more than I do right now,” I whispered.
His hand rested over mine. “You’re not going to tell me?”
“Yes,” I breathed out. “I will, but not now. When I’m ready.”
“You have to tell me.”
“I will. I promise.”
My fear was real, but when Mason stood and lifted me with him, I knew I’d been granted time. I wound my arms and legs around him, kissing him as he carried me through the house to our bedroom.
It was a few hours later when he left the bed. I rolled over, able to see his silhouette as he dressed in the darkness. I didn’t ask where he was going. I already knew.
He came over, dropping a kiss to my forehead. “I love you.” His hand rested against the side of my face.
My hand covered his. “Just be safe.”
“Always.” He left, and a moment later, I heard Logan and Nate’s voices outside. Headlights came on, and I heard the sounds of a vehicle leaving the driveway.
Whatever was going to happen had been set in motion.
MASON
My dad hadn’t wanted the meeting at his house, where Analise was, and that had been fine with us. We’d met at his office instead. I’d handed over the copy of the files I made for him, and he’d said he’d take care of the rest. I hadn’t asked what would go down or how he’d use it. I knew he would, and I also knew James Kade had questionable connections. Probably better not to know.
With the meeting over, Logan, Nate, and I traipsed back outside, all quiet. I glanced at Logan as he bypassed me for the front passenger seat. We’d learned a year ago how far on the other side of the law our father could travel. He’d helped keep a crime boss off our backs. But this—something was nagging me.
I reached for the door handle on the Escalade and was about to open it when someone stepped out of the shadows.
“I can see I didn’t do my job very well.”
Caldron and a bunch of his guys surrounded us.
I stepped away from the door. “Excuse me?”
He held a bat in his hands and gestured with it to the office building. “That was you taking that copy of Quinn’s files to your dad, right?”
“What makes you think that?”
These guys were here to stop us. I don’t know how Caldron knew, what business it was of his, but if they were going to stand against us, I knew my dad wasn’t safe either. I caught Logan’s gaze and jerked my head toward the building. He nodded and began easing his way backward. He’d get James to safety—or try.
“No.” Caldron pointed at some of his buddies. “Block him. We don’t want the rich daddy dearest to get away scot-free, not after we wipe the floor with his sons.”