“I came here instead.”

“Sam.”

I heard the reprimand coming, but I put my hand up, stopping it. The lust was held at bay. “It’s fine. They’re doing a movie and popcorn night in the lounge. I’m going to go back and join in with that. I figured any bonding I could’ve done while walking to get ice cream could be done while I made popcorn for everyone tonight.”

He nodded, but his face closed off. I couldn’t read him anymore, and I frowned, but I knew what was bothering him. It had been the same since he came back to Fallen Crest with a busted face.

Leaning over him, I cupped both sides of his face in my hands. “Hey.”

His eyes looked up.

“Let me in.”

And like that, his wall slid away, revealing the concern that I knew was there.

I whispered, “I will be fine.”

“You don’t know what he’s like.”

We both knew who he was.

We both knew what we were talking about.

I asked, “Do you think he’ll physically attack me?”

“He did with me.” His hands rested over mine, rubbing my wrists. “I don’t think he would with you. That’d be…there’s no going back from that, but I can’t promise he won’t. I don’t know.”

“Well then, I’ll carry a Taser with me, and I promise not to go anywhere alone. Would that make you stop worrying so much?”

“Sam,” he started.

His stomach muscles contracted, and he caught me around my waist, holding me in place, as he lifted himself back up, so we were sitting face-to-face, like we had been an hour earlier. He added, “I’m always going to worry. When it comes to you, there’s nothing I won’t do, and he knows that. That’s my weakness—how much I love you, the lengths I’ll go to protect you. Sebastian’s smart. He’ll use that against me.” He shuddered, running a hand down the middle of my back and over my spine. “Promise me that if you see him, you’ll call me or Logan. Promise.”

“I will.”

My words didn’t matter. The storm of unrest was still with him, but it’d have to do. We’d have to see how things progressed as we went.

I wasn’t the mastermind that Mason was. I couldn’t predict people’s behaviors like he could, but I knew one thing. I’d gone against my fair share of formidable enemies. Park Sebastian was a guy. The only thing he had over my other enemies was his physical strength. I didn’t think he could outcast me like Jessica and Lydia tried my sophomore year at Fallen Crest Academy. I didn’t think he’d have a group of girls assault me in a restroom, and I didn’t think he had the mojo to make me fall in love with Logan. The only other threat that we’d endured was my mother, and she was long gone. I knew she wasn’t coming back.

I sighed, pressing a kiss to Mason before crawling off his lap and heading for the shower. “I need to get going. Floor movie and all.”

“I’ll take you back.”

I flipped on the light and stepped under the water. Mason was dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me when I came back out. My eyes narrowed, but as he looked me up and down, a slow grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, and I started to forget the small hope I’d had of him joining me. Raking a hand through his hair, I tugged his head to look up and into my eyes.

His hands rested on my hips, and he pulled me to stand between his legs.

I said fiercely, “I will be okay.” I paused and then asked, “Okay?”

His hands tightened once before relaxing. “I know you will be.”

Logan was in the living room when we passed, heading for the vehicle. He grinned and waved his fingers to us. “Toodles, lovers. Don’t screw in the parking lot. I heard they ramped up their security guard detail.” His gaze shifted to Mason. “Something about a fight by the campus bookstore.”

“Really?” I frowned. “I hadn’t heard anything. My RA would’ve said something—well, I think she would’ve anyway.”

He went back to the football game on the television and shrugged. “Hmm. Yeah, well, maybe she’s not in the know, like I am.”

“Logan.” A low warning came from Mason.

Ignoring him, Logan raised a hand in the air again. “Tell your roommate she’s hot, Sam. I’ll be stopping by for morning coffee and crumpets.”

“Toodles and now crumpets.” I rolled my eyes, following Mason out the door. Bypassing him as he stopped to hold the door for me, I said, “Your brother needs to stop watching the BBC network.”

Logan shouted from inside, “I heard that, and never, woman. BBC holds my heart like no vixen ever shall.”

I groaned.

Mason grinned and let go of the door so it could swing shut. “He’s hyped up for a good fight. He was bored last year in Fallen Crest when all the action was here. He’s been in a Monty Python phase lately. Don’t get him going on the burning of witches.”

I glanced up at him as he said that, rounding the car for the driver’s seat. I tried to judge if there was an undertone or hidden meaning in his statement, but as Mason got into the car and started the engine, he didn’t seem to hold on to anything. His shoulders were relaxed. He grinned at me and reached over to grab my hand when I got inside. He held my hand the entire drive back.

The tension from in the bedroom seemed to have lifted off his shoulders—at least for now—but I knew some of that was because Logan was here.