Page 115 of Enemies with Benefits
I scowled at him, unable to help the feeling of betrayal flaring up in me. “Seriously? You're gonna blame me?"
"Well, he's not here, and since he's not my best friend, I'll let someone else hold him accountable for his shit," Kayden said with a shrug and let out a low groan, almost reaching up to touch his chest and thinking better of it. "But the two of you were figuring shit out. Maybe it was the sex, maybe it was having to play nice for everyone else's sake, maybe it was both, and who knows what else, it wasn't my situation. But from the sounds of it, that night he was pushing and poking, sure, but that's Mason for you, but instead of doing it back or even just shoving him, you brought out the sledgehammer, and now you're sitting here feeling sorry for yourself, all mad because he didn't let you get away with it."
"I didn't?—"
"Not finished. The worst part is, Mason wasn't even as big an asshole to you as he could have been, and honestly? He would have had a right. Did he ever bring up your parents like that? Or last week, what got you suspended about, did he drag that up and make you talk about it?"
I hesitated, not because I didn't know the answer, but because I did, and I had a feeling I knew where he was going with that. "No."
"No, because you don't drag that kind of shit up just for the fun of it. This might be hard for you to believe, but you hurt his fucking feelings, Jace. You were a prick."
"No I fucking didn't," I protested because come on, Mason? His feelings getting hurt? By me?
"Look, that's what it sounds like to me. You hurt his feelings, and then you left, acting like he was the one who started shit when it sounds like you were spoiling for a fight. Actually, I know you were, and not just because it was him. I've seen you do that shit a lot, where you get so wrapped up in something in your head that the only way you know how to get rid of it is by lashing out. You've been stressed about work, about the whole thing with Micah and his whole family, and weirded right the fuck out about not only figuring out you like dick, but that the first dick you admitted you liked was attached to a guy you've hated forever. You couldn't really take it out on the job without getting arrested, it's not like you're a big enough bastard to take it out on a kid and his family who's taking you in without hesitation, so you took it out on the easy target. Except, he wasn't going to let you take it out on him, so since he wouldn't be your outlet anymore, youleft."
I leaned back in my seat, staring at him, not sure what expression was etched on my face, as I tried to absorb what he was telling me. Two sides warred within me, the one that said he was right, and the one that vehemently denied everything. To accept what he was saying would mean I was wrong, I was an asshole, and that everything I'd felt with Mason had been real, and...justified. To deny it meant I was safe from all that, and safe from having to make changes that I...wasn't ready for.
"So maybe stop being a miserable asshole for a bit and wonder if maybe you stuck with him for months not because you wanted to fight him, but because he's been the only person able to keep up with you, to put up with your shit, and let you be you," Kayden said, arching his brow. "Ah, I can still do that without hurting myself, so that's good."
I snorted. “You just described yourself by the way."
"True," he said slowly, smirking at me. "But I'm also spoken for, with your ex-girlfriend, I might add, and you're cute in your own way, man, but you don't do it for me."
"Please don't bring up that she's my ex."
"Should I point out that you've been dating her twin brother?"
"No!"
"Because that's what you've been doing. For someone who says the name 'Beckett' like a swear word, you definitely have a thing for them, that's for sure."
"I swear to?—"
A cry rose from the doorway, cutting me off and making me spring to my feet, adrenaline shooting through me and wiping my thoughts. Of course, I didn't have to worry as a blond woman descended on Kayden, trying to find a way to hug him without pulling anything or hurting him, and eventually settling on clutching his uninjured hand. Kayden's dad came hot on his wife's heels, sitting at the end of the bed and carefully laying his hand on his son's leg, smiling softly at him.
Kayden winked at me. “I think I'm going to be busy for a while. Maybe you should go see what's waiting for you out there."
Yeah, I would bet money it was Moira. She probably had more questions than I was ready to answer, but it was bound to happen sooner rather than later. It would be better to get it out of the way. Not that I wanted to talk about Mason and me, but it beat sitting and watching the parental affection smother my extremely pleased best friend. I wouldneverbegrudge Kayden for having two living parents who loved him, but it still caused a heavy weight to sit on my chest to bear witness to it.
Stepping away, I left the room and its endless sounds of joy and relief to stand in the hall and take a breath. I flashed a smile toward a nurse at the desk when she looked up, a happyexpression on her face. I imagined that working on that floor probably meant there wasn't always such happy noises to be heard. I knew the feeling, sometimes you had to suck up what good you could get out of a job to make sure you could endure the darkness that haunted you long after it was supposed to have passed.
I frowned when I didn't see Moira anywhere, or Micah for that matter. There was a lounge nearby, though, and I headed for it, imagining they had probably gone there to relax while I was speaking to Kayden. Moira had shot me a strange look before she'd left, saying she was going to get something to eat for her and Micah. I knew she wasn't going to leave the hospital while Kayden was awake, and I figured she'd want to talk to me at some point.
Wandering down to the lounge, I glanced inside and didn't see either of them. Sighing, I had to assume they were in the cafeteria, turning to try to find the signs that would point me that way. Except when I turned, something tugged at the back of my thoughts, and I turned back, looking into the lounge and not sure why, only that when my instincts spoke, I listened. It took me a few seconds before I realized the guy standing with his back to me, peering at the vending machines with the intensity usually held for bomb defusing, looked awfully familiar.
My breath caught. What the hell was Mason doing here? Crap, he’d come with Moira, hadn't he? Was it really necessary for him to follow her just to find me?
Or...had he been worried?
Damn it, there was only one way to find out, and I had another mental cursing fit before approaching.
Mason fucking Beckett.
MASON
Sugar, more sugar, sugar free, God, what was the point of that? Salt. Basically cardboard. Cheesy.
Ugh, what I wouldn’t give for something a little savory, and a little salty. With more substance behind it. There was always the cafeteria, but that seemed like a lot of effort, and exhaustion was making me lazy.
