Page 18 of Please Hate Me

“How’d you feel when Lucian told you about the twins?” I asked.

She shrugged, breaking eye contact with me for a moment. “I was upset. I thought I couldn’t deal with it, that our relationship was over, but I got used to it.”

Sophia’s eyes locked on mine once more.

“I know you just met Mason—or, re-met, I guess—but how do you feel about her?”

“She’s pretty. Seems nice.” My mouth ran dry as I tried to think of something, anything besides how stunning Mason was. I should have been able to tell she was a celebrity just based on how attractive she was.

“Why does it matter how I feel about her?”

“Because I think adding Mason to our relationship would be good for all of us.” Sophia looked away again. She seemed almost... ashamed. Her suggestion shocked me, given the conversation we’d just had with Lucian, but I couldn’t dismiss her feelings.

“Can you explain that one?”

“Obviously, Lucian hasn’t been the same without her and, well...” Sophia hesitated.

“I kind of... never got over Mason.”

I held my breath as I studied Sophia. She was a hopeless romantic at heart. Lucian and I were constants in her life, but she had countless other relationships. I couldn’t keep track ofthem all. Sophia ran through partners like most people did socks. She didn’t even bat an eye when it came to breakups.

If Mason had the power to put Lucian into a tizzy and hold Sophia’s heart captive, then I had to get to know her. Clearly, I was attracted to her. But there was one issue.

“What about Sebastian?”

He didn’t seem like the type to share.

“What about him?”

“… He’s dating Mason? And he’s also Lucian’s brother.”

Her nose scrunched before she waved me off. “Obviously, Sebby and Luci won’t touch. And we won’t know if we don’t try… the worst he can say isno.”

I wanted to press her a little more, but the buzzing of her phone stole her away. She focused on the screen before looking back up.

“Go get dinner for everyone, anywhere you want. My treat. In that time, Mason and Sebastian will have the chance to settle in a little; when you get back, call everybody down to eat. We’ll talk about it then.”

There was no way for this to go smoothly. It wasn’t possible. And I wasn’t sure Mason and Sebastian could get much settling done in the half an hour it’d take for me to run and get supper.

Chapter 8

Mason

The shower Sebastian started for me had long grown cold, but it wasn’t the temperature that left me frozen in place. Moving to America was supposed to be my happily ever after. But here I was, surrounded by my exes and the one-night stand that never seemed to end.

I should have never left Lyon. I was better off hiding in my dad’s mansion. Sure, I was alone and so hungry that it physically hurt, but at least I knew what to expect. I’d wake up, go to the gym in the basement, and work out for an hour. I’d have half a grapefruit coated in zero-calorie sweetener to hide the bitter flavor. After breakfast, I’d work until two. Sometimes, it was on music; other times, it was just meetings.

My dad didn’t allow me to have lunch after I started showing. He told me it was just a precaution because he didn’t want my career to be destroyed by a pregnancy like my mom’s. But our maid usually snuck me a piece of fruit, some cheese, and a little bread. If I were really lucky, she’d sneak me a bit of jam for the bread. After work was done, I’d go back to the gym for an hourbefore undergoing whatever body maintenance was scheduled for me. Haircuts, facials, manicures, anything to help me look presentable for the public. Every other night, I was allowed to have dinner alone. This usually consisted of steamed vegetables and a bit of fruit. My night would end by doing whatever I wanted; usually, that was reading or star gazing. By that point, I was always too nauseous to do anything else, even if I had wanted to.

But the pain of acid gnawing away at my stomach lining was nowhere near as bad as this. I could deal with the physical pain. These emotions were too much.

The door to the bathroom squeaked open, and I finally had the sense to turn off the water.

“I’m just coming to check on you.” Sebastian assured me as he approached the shower.

In our time apart, he had put in the multitude of facial piercings he never wore in public. He always told me he had an appearance to maintain, one that didn’t allow him to look the way he wanted. I was more than a little shocked when he put them all in the first time we hung out. Both nostrils, his septum, his tongue, and so many ear piercings I didn’t bother to count. And those were just the ones that were visible with his clothes on.

“I’m okay.” I whispered as I pushed back the floral shower curtain to reveal the powder blue walls of the bathroom. Somehow, knowing Sophia had decorated this space made it feel less garish.

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