Page 21 of Relapse
“Why are you here?”
His eyes snapped up to mine. “Why the fuck do you think I’m here?”
To ruin everything I sacrificed so much for.
“I fell,” was the only thing I could think of to say.
When he released a disgruntled snort, I braced myself for the verbal lashing I was sure to get. But that wasn’t what I got. My mind went on full alert when Mason pressed his palms into my mattress and crawled closer.
I never wanted to be able to disappear more than I did at that moment. He was slithering over me like a snake ready to strike and all I wanted to do was meld into the wood at my back.
He stopped an inch away from my face. “I’m done with your shit.”
Each word he spoke lingered on my lips with the minty taste of his hot breath.
I whimpered and once again tried to push back into the headboard, but there was nowhere to go. Mason had me completely caged in. He loomed over me, blocking out everything behind his large frame.
Could I squeeze past?
I glanced to either side, feeling the heavy sense of doom close in on me as the hard muscles in his arm flexed.
“Thinking about running, Freckles?” He leaned in to growl in my ear. “Try it. I dare you.”
Something in the back of my head told me to go for it and sprint across the room for safety. I didn’t, because that would only spur him on, and I wasn’t brave enough for that.
Riley or Star might’ve fought back, but not me. I knew what happened when you antagonized the monster under your bed. So I did the only thing I could.
I tucked my head into my knees and hid behind my hair. Sometimes it was easier when I didn’t see it coming. Like I could trick my brain into thinking everything was okay, when it really wasn’t.
Mason moved in a little closer and smoothed his palm down my head. Stroking me like I was a pet. The sound of his chuckle rang through my ears, making me shiver and hug my legs tighter.
It wasn’t sweet and lighthearted like a laugh should be. It was an alarm that I knew well. There was only one thing that quick, huffed out chuckle promised.
Misery and darkness.
“I’m only going to ask you this once, and you better tell me the fucking truth.”
My scalp burned when he speared his hand in my hair and yanked my head back. I cried out and twisted my neck to escape the rage tugging at his features. That was a mistake. Mason’s fingers tightened their grip, turning that burn into a searing ache that crawled across my skull.
I couldn’t stop my hands from reaching out to clutch onto his arm. “Please stop.”
“You want me to stop? Sure Freckles, I’ll stop,” he growled, and pulled my head back more. “As soon as you tell me who the fuck hit you.”
Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes as I cried out, “I fell.”
“The fuck you did!” He moved in, pressing his hard body against my curled up legs. “Last chance. Who. The fuck. Hit you?”
Desperation seeped into my bones. Every time I lied to Mason my soul died a little more. But I couldn’t tell him the truth. He could never find out. If he did…
Licking my lips, I pushed back the pain in my neck and forced out the words, “I fell.”
That’s when my need to retreat intensified. Mason’s eyes darkened as a smirk curled the corner of his mouth.
“Wrong answer.”
That was the only warning I got before my legs were yanked out from my arms and pinned under Mason’s heavy weight. I flailed about, kicking my legs and slapping his arm. Maybe it was reckless, but I needed to get away from the judgement on his face.
I needed to retreat back into the safety of my huddled form. My fight was useless. Less than useless, because, like Mason had told me so many times, I was pathetic.
