Page 171 of Please Hate Me

I was stupid to think I could ever deserve a happily ever after.

Chapter 47

Lucian

Mason didn’t fight me when I forced her into my Jeep. She didn’t even swat me away when I put a hand on her thigh, squeezing it softly to let her know I was there. But she didn’t respond either. The only hint I had at how she felt was the glaze of tears in her eyes.

This wasbad. I wasn’t sure if I should apologize for not telling her, or comfort her by letting her know what was going on. All I knew was I didn’t want her to leave.

“Do you want to talk about—”

“Youliedto me.” The shake in her voice betrayed the edge she tried to inject into her words.

My heart beat a little faster as I tried to think of a way to justify my actions. If I were to do that, I’d need to bear my soul to Mason.

I’d have to tell her the things I’d rather keep hidden from the light of day. I was terrified to live without her. I was selfish, and not willing to risk losing her. I was so unfathomably in love with her that it felt like my world didn’t spin without her.

But I didn’t have the courage to say any of that.

“I didn’t lie… I just didn’t tell you when I found out.” I scratched my neck as I spoke.

“How long did you know?”

“Only for about a day. That douchebag I was tattooing told me.”

“Does anyone else in the house know?”

My stomach bottomed out as a nervous feeling crept into my veins, causing my hands to shake and sweat to collect on my palms.

“Everyone except the kids.”

I could feel Mason’s eyes on me, but she didn’t talk anymore. Honestly, I was glad. I had no idea what else I could say to her.

Three other adults lived in our house. Sophia was the most comforting of all of us; she had this magic power to mend hearts. Cameron knew what to say no matter what the situation, as only a pastor could. And Sebastian, well, he had this unique ability to pull words out of his ass and tell people what they wanted to hear. In a house full of expert communicators, she was stuck with me.

Why the fuck did she have to be stuck withme?

Mason had just started to be mine again. I didn’t know how to be whole without her. And there I sat, helpless, afraid I was about to relive the worst day of my life.

Tonight would be the night that Mason Albright walked out of my life again. She was going to go to France to be by her dad’s side, and she would never speak to any of us again. Over time, her month with us in Maine would become a distant memory, overtaken by her exciting celebrity lifestyle...

But I wouldn’t be granted that luxury. I’d be cursed to remember everything, to spend the rest of my life replaying our last moments like a fucked-up highlight reel. My eyes burned as the road blurred into a mess of lights and colors.

As I yanked the steering wheel to keep the car from slamming into the guardrail, determination set in. God had brought Mason back into my life—there was no other explanation. The chain of events that brought us back together was a series of small miracles, and I would be an absolute cock if I didn’t take this impossible chance to redo my mistakes.

Tonight wouldn’t be the night Mason ran away, because I was about to prove I could be exactly the partner she needed me to be.

For some fucking reason, I decided Sophia’s master bathroom would be the best place to have this conversation. The room consisted of various shades of white and blue, and the air always smelled like whatever floral scent Sophia liked that month. It was a calming space, but more importantly, Mason would have to walk through three separate doors if she wanted to leave the house. I was hoping one of us could catch her before she flew out the front door.

But as we snuck through Sophia’s darkened bedroom, I almost felt silly.

Once we reached the bathroom, I turned the light on and sealed the door behind us. We had managed not to wake Sophia so far, and I wanted to keep it that way.

God, if you’re listening, please don’t let her leave.

Mason planted her hands on the counter around the sink, her hair spilling over her like an onyx waterfall as she heaved in a breath. Tears pattered against the sink as she quietly choked on her emotions, and I stayed frozen.

After a moment, her shoulders straightened. One sharp inhale, and her crying suddenly stopped. A lump formed in my throat as she turned around. Her eyes were puffy, but determined.

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