Page 27 of Boundaries

“Well?” Mason growled. Waiting for an answer to who knew what?

“Well, what?” I shot back. I didn’t care how rude I sounded. The day when I was nice to this guy would never come.

“What the hell were you doing?”

I dashed a tear from my face as I squared up to him. He was huge, he’d filled out over the last few years and could probably squash me like a bug. At that point, I just wanted to be at home and safe. There was a definite dangerous vibe to him. Our clashes in the past had been more playful, with a youthful, cheeky feel. I now felt like a kid going up against a grown-up, like the age difference and physical changes had moved us further apart. Mason now looked more like a man than a boy. His voice had dropped to a throaty, rich rumble and when it was raised like it was then, it was rather terrifying.

I swallowed nervously, beating back my vulnerability, and hiding it behind a wall of surface angst, “It was a prank, I would have brought her back,” I said, defending my actions. Dropping my arms to my sides.

The heat in his eyes became more intense.

“She isn’t broken yet Amy, anything could have happened. As I said, your little stunt could have cost you your life and the horses.”

“I was fine, I can ride,” I bit back, folding my arms over my chest.

“I don’t know whether you’re just plain reckless or incredibly stupid. She could have thrown you. Is your position as the biggest pain in my arse more important than your fucking neck,” Mason growled, dropping his own arms, and fisting his hands by his sides. Boy, he was cross. A muscle ticked in his jaw and his teeth were clenched. He was fricking furious.

“Look, I’m sorry. OK. Are you happy now,” I replied, just blurting out what he wanted to hear to get him out of my face. He didn’t buy my poor attempt at an apology of course.

“Oh, I’m far from happy and you’re not sorry at all.”

“I am!” I replied, stomping my foot in frustration like the child I was.

The expression on his face changed suddenly, switching from dark to something else. Like he’d made some type of decision. It didn’t take long for me to learn what that was.

“You’re not sorry at all. But you’re bloody well going to be,” Mason said in a gruff voice.

I was helpless. Mason McKenna took one step forward, grabbed my scrawny arm and started to drag me over to the cluster of trees where there were a couple of broken logs. I struggled, trying to break away. I knew his intentions straight away. He was going to smack me.

If he hit me, I’d never forgive him.

Mason lowered his large body onto one of the logs and then bent me over his lap. My eyes were level with his boots and my bottom was high in the air, facing him. A perfect target.

I thrashed against his thighs, but he branded an arm flat over my back and I couldn’t move.

“Please don’t. I’ve said I’m sorry,” I cried, panicking, and attempting to wiggle my body free but it was impossible, there was no way I was moving until Mason decided to let me go.

I closed my eyes waiting for that first feel of Mason’s angry palm on my backside, but it never came.

After a moment of being held against my will, trapped across Mason’s lap, he lifted his hand and I slid from his thighs onto my knees before frantically pushing to my feet.

Mason stood and glared down at me and I launched myself at him. Hitting him squarely in the chest, my fists beating against him.

He warded off my blows easily. It was like hitting concrete.

“I hate you. I’m calling child services!” I cried.

He snorted, grabbing both my wrists, and stopping my flailing arms. “For what, I didn’t do anything although I should have smacked you senseless. You never fucking learn Amy. You’re lucky I’m not Mitchell. He would have belted the shit out of you.”

I stopped struggling and looked up into those dark features, suddenly feeling pity for him. I remembered how his dad used to beat him.

And then the waterworks came on and I lost control. Sobbing uncontrollably against his chest.

At first, he just stiffened as I wept against him.

Eventually, he released my wrists and put an arm around my back, patting it gently in a brotherly manner.

“Shush, stop. Amy. Calm down, please,” he said in an even tone, “Come on, you’ve had a scare. It’s over now.”

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