Page 101 of Please Save Me

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” His harsh tone hit me like a punch to the gut. “Drop it.”

But I couldn’t just drop it. So, I pushed myself back just enough to sit up. “This isn’t like you. Lucian, what’s going–”

“Drop. It.”

“But–”

“God–Your dad was right. You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” His snap echoed through the space, and the brave face I’d been forcing fell.

My breathing stilled as I looked Luican over, not sure if I heard him right. Lucianknewthe hell my dad put me through, how hard I was still fighting to unlearn everything he’d taught me.

“W-what’d you say?” My voice shook as I tried to make sense of what just happened.

Lucian constantly told me that my dad was wrong, that I wasn’t loud, and that it was okay for me to talk and have feelings. Why would he say that?

“Seriously, you’re going to cry over that?” Lucian scoffed. “God, you’re such a fucking baby. Just go back to bed.”

Well, Iwasn’tgoing to cry. But then he said that, so now it felt like I pretty much had to, but I’d learned from my dad to never let the person that made you sad see you cry, so I waited for Lucian to roll away before the first of my tears fell.

I kept my hand clamped over my mouth, trying to be quiet so I didn’t disrupt Lucian, but it didn’t work. My vision blurred as painful sobs wracked my chest.

Through the haze of my sadness, I watched as Lucian rolled over, and I sat a little straighter, doing my best to brace myself for him to be mean again. I couldn’t see his expression, but I could feel him reach for me.

“Shit, Mason, I’m sorry,” he soothed.

But it was a little too late. My heart ached in ways that justsorrycouldn’t fix. He hurt me, and I didn’t want him to be near me, so I pushed him away.

Quick, heavy steps echoed through the hall, and after a moment, Lucian’s door flew open. I blinked away the tears to see Cameron standing in the doorway, looking angrier than I’deverseen him. He was probably mad at me for waking him up.

“What the hell is going on in here?” he grumbled, stomping toward the bed.

Lucian parted his lips to speak, but Cameron held up a finger.

“Not you.” His voice was rough with sleep. “Mae, what’s going on?”

I took a couple of sniveling breaths as I rubbed my eyes, trying to buy myself a good excuse for making so much noise.

“Lucian yelled at me.” I whimpered, unable to force myself to lie.

Cameron’s nostrils flared as he pointed toward the door. “Get out.”

I swallowed hard and nodded before trying to get up.

“Not you, Sweetpea,” he said gently before looking at Lucian.

“Uh, no?” Lucian snorted. “I’m not leaving. It’s my room.”

“I ain’taskin’you.” Cameron clenched his jaw as he pointed to the door. “Get out. Or else.”

The men locked eyes, and I thought for a minute that Lucian would argue, and this would get ugly. But he seemed to think better of it because he got up with a huff.

“This is ridiculous,” Lucian muttered before shooting me one last look.

He still seemed angry, but in his eyes, I saw something else.Regret.

The second the door slammed, Cameron climbed into bed and pulled me to his broad chest. He was safe and warm, and mine. But even his presence couldn’t destroy the last few minutes.

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