“Hey.” I cringed. That came out like a nervous squeak.

His eyes narrowed a little bit, and the corner of his mouth dipped down, but he shook his head, and an easy grin appeared next. “Hey back. What are you doing?” He saw the package in my hands. “From Malinda?”

“Oh.” I looked at it. My hands were clutching it to me like it was my life raft. “Yeah. I guess this is what normal moms do?”

Summer murmured behind me, “Da fuck?”

She didn’t know about Analise. I shared some things about my family with her, but I hadn’t explained all the craziness or the reason for all the craziness.

Mason noticed my tension, and he gestured to the room. “Can I come in?”

“Yes. Yes.” I shuffled to the side and closed the door behind him.

He paused and lifted his head. A low, “Roommate,” came from him. That was his greeting to Summer.

She did the same, grunting out, “Boyfriend.”

I rolled my eyes. “You guys can use each other’s names. I live with her, Mason.”

He lifted a shoulder, sitting down on my bed. “Roommate.”

A soft growl came from Summer, but she stood and let out a big sigh. “All right, you two lovebirds, I’m off to my last class for the week.” Grabbing her bag, purse, and keys, she halted right before leaving. She asked me, “Are you going to be around tonight?”

“Oh.” I glanced at Mason. He gave me a blank look back, so I replied, “I’m not sure. I’ll let you know.”

“Sounds good.” She waved before leaving. “Toodles, Sam…and her superhot boyfriend.”

Mason scowled, but it lacked any heat. “She shouldn’t talk to me like that.”

Putting the package on the desk, I went and curled up in his lap. “She’s a fan. She’s getting over it.”

“Still weird to me.” He studied me for a second, his hand went to my mouth.

I caught it and drew one of his fingers into my mouth. My tongue wrapped around it. I wanted to forget about my afternoon and how I was going to handle that situation. I wanted to get lost in his arms.

Seeing what I wanted, Mason tipped us both back, cradling me on his chest as he lay down. I was securely in his arms, and he rolled me over, so he was looming above me. His eyes darkened, holding my gaze before dropping to my lips where a small smile showed, and I let go of his finger. The ache for him already started inside me.

A knowing grin formed on his face, and without saying a word, he slipped from the bed to lock the door and flip the lights off. My heart started pounding. The need for him was rising between my legs, and I licked my lips, watching as he took his shirt off. He was all muscle. I could make out every single one of them as he came back to me. The flames were growing hotter and hotter. I wanted to slide my hands over every inch of him. I wanted to feel his weight on top of me. I wanted to feel him inside me.

I wanted him to break the fucking bed for me.

I was going to lie to him. Even now, watching him coming back to me, I knew what I was going to do. Park Sebastian’s name would take this from us. I wouldn’t allow it. Mason would be upset, if he ever found out, but I’d stand by my decision. This lie between us was for us. It was for him. He protected me from so much.

I had no choice.

I loved him, but I was lying to him.

Guilt rose up in me, threatening to choke me, but I envisioned Sebastian winning. I envisioned the hurt on Mason’s face. I envisioned what he would do to Sebastian. Then I envisioned the consequences afterward; Mason could get kicked out school. He could get kicked off the football team. That meant no football career, no fulfilling his dream; but worse—he’d be hurt because of me.

That. Could. Not. Happen.

I was wrong in what I was doing, but it was my turn to protect him. My turn.

He paused above me, leaning down so that his lips were just above mine, and he whispered, “We’re going to the house after this.”

I closed my eyes, feeling his hands under my shirt.

He added, taking my shirt off, “I want to do this all night with you.”

Hell to the yes.

LOGAN

I weaved around a group of people. The girls looked good. The guys looked lazy. The redhead caught my eye, and normally, I’d stop, share a few jokes, and wait and see how the guys reacted to me. If they were pro-Logan, I’d stay and end up taking one of the girls back to the car for privacy. If the guys were anti-Logan, I’d keep going. The girls would find me later.

That was how it usually ended but not this time. The party was in the backyard of someone’s house. It was on the outskirts of town, but my information was good. This was one of Park Sebastian’s parties, and I only had so much time. Nate hurried to catch up, and he was casting nervous looks to the side, watching the groups of guys who were observing us.

Yes, bitches. A motherfucking Kade was in their presence.

The news would reach Sebastian before I could, so I hurried even faster. I wanted to get there first. I didn’t want him to have time to strategize and round up his assholes. This was his territory, but I had the element of surprise…for the next few minutes.

“Logan.” Nate veered close, dropping his voice so that only I could hear him. “Are you sure about this?”

I wasn’t surer about anything else. “Yes.” I gave him a dark look. “Don’t turn chickenshit now. We’re doing this.”

“I know. And I’m not. I’m just,” he kept going, “saying that we need to make sure we have everything worked out ahead of time. I mean, this is one of their parties.”