Page 41 of Shameless

I noticed they left a voicemail though and something makes me listen to it.

Eddie had a will and he must have mentioned me in it if I’m being asked to attend the reading.

They ask me if I’m free later today. The dust hasn’t settled in the aftermath of Eddie’s death, so my schedule is wide open. Probably attending this meeting will help shed light on what will happen to Star Thunders and to my job. I’m still not going to West Point. Even if I hadn’t already withdrawn, nothing can change my mind. There’s no way I’m going anywhere unless Lula is by my side.

I’ve been running for about an hour, doing a full circle of the Cove that gives our little town its name. It’s several miles in reality, but I’m a fast runner even over long distances. The town has also grown and expanded a lot from the original settlement by the sandy cove that’s now covered by the biggest mansions in the area.

“What do you say we take a shower and go get breakfast for Lula? I would cook her breakfast, but if I do, Mom will have me make it for everyone and it’s much easier to buy it.”

Masha replies with a soft whimper; she knows exactly what I’m talking about, I always buy her a sausage and egg sandwich. She’s a fully fledged member of the family and I love spoiling her.

Just like I love spoiling my girl.

Thinking about Lula, is that her over there? I squint to focus on two figures that seem deep in conversation a couple of hundred feet away.

I jog toward them and it’s definitely Lula and a guy I have never seen before.

I quicken my pace when I see her hugging her middle in a protective stance. Whoever that is, he better not be bothering Lula or he’ll have to deal with me.

I catch the tail end of their conversation as I come to a stop behind Lula.

“No thank you,” she sighs. “I want to try to stay out of trouble.”

The guy gives her an appraising look. “Even with your mother and her stepson in town? This is how you and I met after all and if you need me to scare that fucker off, our old deal still works for me.” He says with a shrewd grin.

A deal? This isn’t a stranger. Lula said the guy she used to deal for protected her from Evan.

Motherfucker. This can only be the asshole who let Lula take the fall for him and get arrested in his place. A part of me wants to introduce him to my fist for being a scum bag and letting Lula get into trouble to protect his sorry ass. Another part of me wanted to thank him for protecting Lula when I couldn’t and because at the end of the day, what happened last year in New York resulted in Lula coming back to Star Cove.

“My stepbrothers and Crew will protect me.” Lula turns him down.

I don’t understand why she’s so tense. She always said this Mason guy was her friend but her body language is telling me things must have changed.

I know Lula can stand on her own two feet, she’s survived more than the average woman her age. But what kind of boyfriend—and stepbrother—would I be if I didn’t protect her?

“Yeah,” I say, taking a step closer to her. “We’ll keep Lula safe. Who the fuck are you anyway?”

The stranger confirms my hunch. “I’m Mason, one of Lula’s oldest friends. Who the fuck are you?”

The challenging grin on his face tells me that he knows exactly who I am.

I wrap my arm around Lula’s shoulders, squeezing her affectionately when she nestles against my side. “Stefan Cutler.” I say, holding his gaze. “Lula’s oldest friend and boyfriend.”

Mason doesn’t look intimidated by my tone or by the fact that I have at least five inches and fifty pounds on him.

“You might want to up your game in protecting your girl then.” The fucker provokes me. “Where were you when Lula almost died in last night’s storm?”

Guilt twists my insides. I let Crew distract me with making sure that Rikki didn’t get wasted—or more wasted than he already was—and I wasn’t by Lula’s side when she needed me most.

It pisses me off beyond belief that if my brother hadn’t followed her, Evan could have hurt her. Or Lula could have drowned when her boat capsized. Jules wasn’t sure exactly why Lula stole that boat in the middle of that storm but he said it had something to do with that black bag she took with her and wouldn’t let out of her sight.

When I got here just a few minutes ago, Lula was turning Mason down. Was he trying to get her to sell for him again? Is that the whole deal with that bag? My gut feeling tells me that it is.

I don’t answer Mason’s question. “Lula just told you she doesn’t need your protection,” I bite out. “So go back to wherever you came from.”

If he had some sense, the asshole would heed my warning, but instead he chuckles. “No can do, I’m afraid. I have business in town, so I’ll be around a little longer. Lula,” he says, ignoring myscowl. “If you change your mind, or if you need anything, I’m staying at the Morelli’s house. It’s the last house on this stretch of beach. Like I said, I owe you one.”

I wait until Mason saunters out of earshot from us and lower my gaze to Lula’s. She hasn’t moved from her spot, her arm wrapped tightly around my waist.

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