Mason laughs and hugs me back.

"I better get going. I left Erin on the bathroom floor." Jake kisses my hair. "She still can't handle tequila."

"Bye Jakey! I love you!" I yell.

"Bye Dani! I love you!" Jake yells back, closing the door behind him.

"C’mon, Ma. Time for bed." Mason says.

"I’m hungry." I whine.

"If you eat, you’ll barf."

"Nah-uh."

"Ya-huh." Mason turns me towards the stairs and helps me up.

"You’re a good boy, Bubba. Anyone would be lucky to have you." I tell him.

He opens my door and I stop dead. There is a bouquet of roses on my bed. I wave a hand at the bed. "What’s all this."

Mason pushes me into the room. "Axe bought you flowers."

I blink up at my huge son. He winks and I smack his chest. "That’s not funny, Mason! After he saw me naked, I’ve been showering in my clothes just to be safe."

Mason shivers. "Please don’t remind me."

I smack his chest again. "So, who really sent the flowers?"

Mason shrugs. "No idea. Found them leaning against the front door when I got home." He leaves the room. I pick up the bouquet and look for a card. I find the small envelope and open it.

I’m going to own your ass and you’ll never see Mason again.

My blood freezes, my heart oozes into a puddle under my feet, my hands shake and sober up quickly as I pull my phone from my pocket and snap a picture. I fire a text to Mark and open Amazon. I order myself a ring doorbell camera and a set of four indoor/outdoor cameras. I should have done this years ago but I never thought I’d have to deal with Josh again.

My phone dings.

Mark: when were these dropped off?

Me: no clue, I just got home. Mason said they were here when he got home.

I throw the flowers onto the floor and kick them out the door. I want them nowhere near me.

Mark: he’s not to have contact with you, it states as much in his casefile. Do you have cameras in or around your home?

Me: just ordered some.

Mark: good. We’ll talk more tomorrow about our next move.

This day has been a shitshow.

That's Boy Smell

Dani

"Mason! Come help me with the groceries!" I yell as I use my butt to hold open the door while my hands are full. "Damnit," I mutter when a loaf of bread falls to the floor. "Mason! I could use your help here!"

Moaning coming from upstairs catches my attention. "The fuck?" I place the bags on the floor and climb the stairs. The moaning gets louder when I get to the top of the stairs joined by grunting. There’s no way in hell I’m barging into Mason’s room with all that grunting and moaning going on, but I can certainly scare the shit out of him. That’ll teach him for having a girl over while I’m out.