“She went against him?”

“Yeah.” I frowned.

He was still so cold. There was no heat in his tone. He didn’t touch me, to reassure or comfort me. He was like a stranger.

An ice-cold shiver wound down my spine.

This was the dangerous and calculating Mason everyone was scared to go against. I was with him in the room. For once, I wasn’t protected by him. I knew Mason loved me. I knew he wouldn’t do anything to harm me, but I felt what others felt. It was within his ability to destroy them.

My pulse was pounding. I could barely hear over it. And Mason was still withdrawn from me, lost in his thoughts now.

I murmured, “You protect me.” My voice was a hoarse whisper. “I wanted to protect you back.”

He shoved back his chair.

He was leaving. I already felt the sting of his absence.

“Mason, please.”

He stuffed his textbook, his notebook, his pen into his bag. His laptop was last, and he paused, holding it, as we heard laughter coming from the bookshelves. Logan and Summer were coming back. The door was made of glass, so I turned, keeping my head hidden so that they couldn’t see signs of my distress.

Mason was still guarded. “I don’t want a word of this to Logan.”

I nodded, but I didn’t respond. It hurt too much to even attempt to talk.

“If you think you can trust her, you’re wrong.” Mason finished putting his laptop into his bag.

He was acting calm, which made the pain press even harder down on me. Sliding his bag onto his back, he went to the door, but he held it, so Logan and Summer couldn’t get in at first. I couldn’t look, but I knew he looked back at me.

“I know—fuck it. I need time.” His voice was clearer.

“Dude.” Logan knocked on the glass. “She won’t let me go for another round, so can you let us in? I’m finals-stressed, too.”

Mason didn’t let them in. He said to me, “She’s his family. Don’t assume that wasn’t a big act for you, showing that she was going against him.”

I frowned. “But—”

And it didn’t matter.

Mason opened the door, an easy grin on his face, as he waved Logan and Summer back in.

Logan clapped him on the shoulder. “Record time, big brother.”

“I wouldn’t brag about that.”

He shrugged, dropping back into his seat. “She said to stuff it in and pump until she came. I meant, a record time for her.” Logan didn’t down his cocky smirk. “I do believe I made the Kade name proud tonight.”

Summer groaned, coming in and sitting beside Logan. “Don’t tell me you measure your manliness by your lengths.”

“Uh,” Logan held a finger in the air, “again, I wasn’t lying when I said my name was Long Duck Dick, but we don’t. We measure our manliness in how satisfied our women are.”

“Shut up.” Summer moaned again, shaking her head. She grabbed her book and got busy highlighting it.

She was not looking at the rest of us, so Logan turned to Mason, and his grin slipped a bit. He looked to me, and his grin vanished completely. He lingered on Summer’s bent head.

Nothing was said, but Logan knew.

We weren’t that great of actors.

Mason met my gaze. He was still holding everything back, but I caught a glimpse of his rage. I saw anguish, too. I hurt him, and that had a lump forming in my throat again.

I never wanted to hurt him. I only wanted to protect him.

He left, and Logan looked back to me. He was going to demand to know what just happened, but I had no clue what I was going to say to him.

I was suddenly so very tired.

Logan waited until we got back to the dorm. Summer stayed behind, claiming she needed to study more, and she might’ve, but I caught the uneasy look she cast in Logan’s direction. I had a hunch she wanted to avoid that whole situation. When we went inside the lounge, I thought he’d start in or go home. He walked with me upstairs.

Ruby’s door was open. She saw us, and immediately shoved it closed.

It swung open a second later, and Blaze popped his head out. His eyes lit up when he saw Logan. “My man!” Wearing only gym shorts, he came out with his fist up and ready to be pounded. “How’s it going?”

The two bumped fists. Logan threw me a look. He was annoyed, but he replied with an easygoing grin, “Hey, man. It’s good. How are you?”

Blaze patted him on the shoulder. “Are we partying anytime soon?” He stepped close and lowered his voice. “There’s a rumor that Sebastian’s having a big end-of-finals blowout. The location’s secret, but I think we can find out where. You up for it?”

“Are you kidding me?” The fake easygoing facade was dropped. Logan stared at him, long and hard.

Blaze’s smile slipped, and he stepped back. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re going to seek out a party and do what?”

Blaze glanced to me. He was asking me if Logan was playing with him. He wasn’t. I leveled him with a dark look, too. I didn’t know what was going on, why Logan was acting like this, but I had my own problems. Mason had been cold to me. Mason was never cold to me. I had to make that right.

Blaze was laughing again, a forced note in there. “Nah, man. I mean, like last time.”

“Last time wasn’t planned. Sebastian’s crew wasn’t prepared for us.”

“Yeah…I mean…” Blaze’s eyes darted around. He lifted a hand to scratch his chin. “We could do it again. More guys, too.”