Page 66 of They Break Beauty

He sucked in a breath and returned to working. “Fine. Hearing you out.”

“You tell Mason what’s really going on and it will cut through all the worry he’s currently feeling with your mysterious return and all the things not adding up about you becoming fixated on Brianna Walker out of the blue. It will calm him down, Lev. Meaning, it will get him off your back. It could even lead to him helping you, rather than being a thorn in your side to your plans. He won’t feel the need to exert control, he won’t throw obstacles in your path, and he won’t go after her either.”

He blew out a breath and stepped back from his work. Shoving a hand through his wild curly hair, he looked me in the eye and told me, “I didn’t just become fixated on her out of the blue. There’s much more at work here. It’s complicated. The kind of complicated that Mason will never accept. So, you see, even if I reveal the truth to him and I’m transparent about the reasons behind my recent actions, he won’t be on board. In fact, the threat he made over breakfast will seem like nothing in comparison.”

“No, if he’s aware of what’s coming, he can work with you. He’d be willing to. It’s the not knowing that amps him up and brings out his dictatorial side.”

“Sorry, brother, I know you’re trying so hard to make peace, but I can’t allow interference.”

“Lev, what could be so bad that you’d cut us out of it completely?”

“You’re not cut out. I like you growing closer to her, I’m all for it.”

“As pleasantly surprising as that is, I meant in the big picture.”

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall beside a peg board full of his many tools. “Because the fundamental difference between Mason’s approach versus mine comes into play in a big way here. While he has been known to take what he mistakenly terms calculated risks—the kind where it’s not even really a risk at all because he’s already planned moves ahead and manipulated the outcome he wants—I’m prepared to truly risk and wager everything to get what I want, and to cross any godforsaken lines in the process too. I don’t have any limits.”

“Holy shit, this is like a call to war. But against who? And where does Brianna fit in to all of this?”

“There’s a difference between wanting to know and needing to, Colt. Trust me, you’re better off where you’re at right now.” He pushed off the wall and came to me, telling me, “Believe me, this is me protecting you.” Reaching out, he cupped my cheek. “Okay, cupcake?”

“Lev—”

“Hey, don’t you need to get down to campus? Your first class of the day starts in fifteen minutes.”

“Of course you know my class schedule.”

Both him and Mason made a point to. It was an effort on their part to ensure I kept to it and wasn’t late, or missing classes entirely because of my focus issues.

“Why did Mason let you come in here when you should’ve been on your way down to class already?”

“He was pissed about what went down in the kitchen and I was pissed at the way he tried to handle you, so he took off without me.”

He shook his head. “Get your bag and I’ll give you a ride.”

“On your Harley?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind riding bitch. Either that, or you let me drive your Mercedes. There’s no way I’m getting in the passenger seat with you behind the wheel.”

I chuckled. “A year away and you still haven’t moved past those minor issues.”

“Minor? Sure, we’ll go with that.”

“I’m fine riding on the back of your bike. I’m hella secure in my masculinity.”

He grinned. “Don’t I know it.”

I watched him walk to his bag and hoodie. He slipped the hoodie on over his bare chest, unfortunately hiding the gorgeous sight. As he slung his laptop bag over his shoulder, then opened the door so we could head to his bike, I gestured at the butterfly he’d made.

“What’s it for?”

“It’s a night light.”

“Oh, that’s the stuff you were fiddling with to add to it? LEDs?”

“Nah, the LEDs are the easy part. What you saw me doing was rigging the hardware there to be able to send signals and work with an app I created.”

“To what end?”

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