Page 118 of Mason

Mia.

She skids to a stop in front of me, her chest rising and falling fast, eyes wide as they search mine.

“Are you okay?”

I swallow hard and nod, but my voice still comes out wrecked.

“Shelby is not.”

Her throat bobs, and then she does something I don’t expect.

She reaches for me.

Pulls me into her arms, squeezing tight.

I don’t pull away.

We’ve spent the past week fighting, dancing around one another and the choices we’ve made, but right now—I need this.

I need someone to fucking ground me.

She nods, her expression steeling, that same fire in her eyes that’s always been there. “She’s going to make it.”

I want to believe her.

I need to believe her.

A commotion behind her makes us both turn, and suddenly, another blur is pushing past the nurses, hair wild, eyes blazing.

Maxine.

She barely slows before she barrels into Mia, gripping her arms, looking from her to me.

“What the fuck happened?”

Mia nods toward the doors, her voice softer now. “Mason’s friend is in surgery.”

Maxine sucks in a shaky breath, pressing her hands against her face before dragging them down, rage vibrating off her in waves.

“This life took my fucking sister from me. My twin!” she screeches. “How many more do we have to lose before this war ends?”

Her eyes find mine.

There’s only pain there, because she already knows what this feels like. There’s nothing worse than losing a loved one—especially to such violence.

I’m going to kill them.

All of them.

And if Shelby doesn’t make it?—

I’m going to burn the whole fucking city down.

33

MASON

I’ve always thought of hospitals as graveyards that haven't made up their minds yet.

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