Page 26 of Please Save Me

His image led to the deaths of twelve women, and without me, Mason Albright would have been lucky number thirteen.

“I have the evidence, I know the case, and I’m the professional.” I reminded her. “I don’t pick up a guitar and tell you how to do your job.”

“No, but if you had valuable input, you could.”

I scrubbed my face with my hands. Clearly, we were going to go in circles if I didn’t put a stop to it. Part of me wanted to remind Mason that it was incredibly rude to tell someone they were bad at their job, especially when it wasn’t true. But, I could also feel that turning into a bigger fight.

I loved that Mason’s hormones made her easier to manipulate. That being said, Ihatedhow irrational they were making her. So, instead of using facts that would inevitably piss her off, I settled for asking her something that would let her talk.

“Why are you so interested in Calvin Waters anyway?” It was hard to stay serious while asking a question like that.

For some reason, girls had an obsession with serial killers, especially if they were attractive. And, if Cameron would just take care of himself and also shut the fuck up, he’d fit that bill. So, I imagined that Mason’s fascination with him was something similar. Maybe she thought she could fix him.

“Because I just am!” Her words came out so clearly that it made my heart skip a beat.

Her face went blank as she stared up at me with a sort of steely conviction that was almost admirable. Mason drew in a breath so large that it caused her shoulders to rise before continuing.

“He was just a kid when he lost everything–”

“He burned down his family home with everyone inside it.”

My comment caused Mason’s teeth to click shut. At least she was smart enough to know when just to let me talk. Even if what I was about to say wasn’t exactlytrue,she had no way of knowing that.

“He killed his family with no remorse and went on to found a cult that sacrifices pregnant women, Mason.”

Her eyes went wide as I said that. “What do you mean?”

“All I wanted you to do was translate something for me. I wanted to keep you from just how fuckingscarymy case is.” I promised, taking one of her hands inboth of mine. “Calvin Waters is a bad man. And if he got close to you, he’d kill you.”

A sudden tremble infected her hand, and I had to fight a smile. I was right. Terror was an absolute delight on Mason’s soft features. But she was supposed to avoid stress right now. So, instead of telling her how they sacrificed the women, I pulled her in.

“But, with me around, he won’t get near you.”

Her breath warmed my chest as she nodded, and I felt a little guilty as she sniffled. I pulled her face back, cupping it in both my hands. It was that instant that I decided that I liked the fullness of Mason’s face. It made her look innocent, like she was a sacred gift to be treasured, and she was.

“Please don’t be scared,” I whispered.

Mason looked away as she nodded. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and held her as tight as I could. If I could bottle the high I got from having her like this, I would. Instead, I’d just have to live with slowly making her hate Cameron.

Chapter 8

Cameron

Minutes ticked by like hours as the house remained eerily silent. I knew telling Mason that I was from Kingsbury was a bad idea. I was just so damn tired of lying to her. I wasn’t sure if it was the stress of Dale being around or if it was the idea that Mason was mad at me yet again, but it felt like I was going to be smothered under the weight of my past.

I couldn’t breathe right, and my mind was spinning. I wasn’t a crier. It just wasn’t my place. But my eyes were burning, and my throat was thick. All I wanted was a shot of whisky or a cigarette, but I could settle for Lucian and Sophia coming home.

I loved’em both, but when I was worked up, the only person I wanted was Soph. I just wanted her to hold me and tell me everything was fine, that I’m overthinkin’ and worked up over nothing. But, just as I texted Sophia for an ETA on when she’d be home, the house creaked.

And not in the way it did when the foundation was settling. That’s how I knew someone was moving upstairs. I held my breath as it drew nearer and eventually found the steps. I didn’t give a fuck who it was. All I knew was I needed to talk to someone. It didn’t matter if it was about my problems or not. I just needednotto be alone.

With that in mind, I did my best not to run over to the steps. Instead, I acted like I was getting something from the kitchen. By the time I got there, the house had quieted again, and I was a little more than relieved to see Mason standing at the island.

In front of her was a cutting board, and to the side was a zucchini and a couple of other veggies that didn’t really matter. She was completely in her own world as she rough-chopped some spinach before putting it into a glass bowl.

“What are ya’ making?” I kept my voice low as I stepped closer.

Even with that, Mason jumped at the sound of my voice. Her shoulders went tight as she focused on me. Mason’s lips pressed into a thin line, and it looked like she had to remind herself to breathe.

---