Page 21 of Sweetheart

“You shouldn’t—” Levi started.

“What shooting?” Tristan asked, butting into their conversation.

Mason huffed. “You both know what I’m talking about.”

“Maybe…” Levi shifted from foot to foot. “We were wrong. I…”

Oh, Levi was trying so hard to cover his tracks. But not lie? Was that what was happening?

“Maybe we made a mistake,” Levi finally finished.

“We didn’t,” Mason told him. It would be so much easier if Mason could just confess to what he already knew. “I heard the shot. You saw the bullet in the tree. It’s not there now.”

Levi’s fingers shook as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Like Levi said. Must have been a mistake.”

Mason shook his head. “I have been doing this a long time. I know what I heard and saw. Even if someone managed to cover their tracks, there is something going on.” Mason wasn’t letting this go. He couldn’t. There were too many people in the line of danger that could be hurt.

Levi furrowed his brows. “But—”

“What are you two doing out here?” Mason questioned. Even though Mason was certain that Levi and Tristan were doing the exact same thing he was. Searching for answers.

“Hiking!” Tristan said quickly. “I’m visiting for a few days and Levi is showing me around.”

Mason peered into Levi’s intense gray eyes. “It’s not safe out here. You need to be careful and stay on the marked trails.”Mason couldn’t kick the feeling that somehow his father had tracked him down. One look at Levi and his friends and Mason’s father would know they were different.

Levi didn’t even blink. Just stared back at Mason like he could see through him. He frowned. “You are out here.”

“Doing my job,” Mason said.

“I know these woods like the back of my hand,” Levi countered. “I’m safe enough. And I have a friend. You’re out here all alone.”

“A friend?” Mason repeated. “A friend that wants to have sex with you.”

Levi blushed. How fucking cute was it that the big guy’s cheeks turned a bright red and he squirmed? Mason couldn’t help his jealousy. He still didn’t know where Levi often disappeared to and Tristan was an attractive being. Tristan and Levi were obviously close friends.

“I told him no.” Levi’s words were soft but firm.

“He did. Multiple times,” Tristan agreed.

“Not helping,” Mason told Tristan.

Tristan shrugged. “You hu…people always take things so seriously. This is why I never come up here.”

“Where are you from?” Mason asked. Any information was helpful.

Tristan rocked back on his heels. “A land far, far away.”

Mason just bet.

“But that’s not important,” Tristan said. “Where are you from? What’s your last name? Family name? When did you arrive? Why’d you come here?”

Mason smiled. “I think you know just who I am.” Reaching out, Mason grasped Levi’s hip, then tugged him forward. “And what I’m doing here.” Was Mason staking his claim? Fuck yeah, he was.

Tristan sucked his bottom lip into his mouth before nodding. He walked closer with his dark eyes still on Mason. “Yeah, I think I do.”

As Tristan approached, Mason tried to keep from reacting in any outward way. He slipped his arm around Levi’s waist to hold him close. Tristan was the first to be suspicious of him. That Mason had noticed anyway. Levi was far too trusting. It made Mason nervous for Levi. Tristan was trying to be subtle, but he was scenting Mason. With a tilt of his head, Tristan stopped right in front of him.

---