Page 33 of Relapse
Not because she would protect me – though I was sure she’d try – it was because I knew Logan would play nice while she was around. Riley, Star, and all the girls thought of me as an innocent victim, but they were wrong. An innocent person didn’t think of the girl who’d always been nice to them as a shield for their boyfriend.
“Harper?” Shelby’s sweet voice caused me to jar a little.
Was it wrong that I hoped she wouldn’t see me here?
I slowly lifted my head and forced myself to give her a smile. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” She propped her hands on her hips while narrowing her cinnamon eyes on Mason. “Mason?”
“Shelby,” he sang back at her.
“What is Harper doing here?”
“Eating breakfast.” He shot me a look that caused me to squeak and reach out to snatch a banana. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here, remember.”
Mason took a drink of what I assumed was coffee and grumbled, “How could I forget.”
Shelby returned his comment with an exaggerated eye roll, then turned her attention to her boyfriend.
“Do you care to explain this?”
Logan shrugged. “I just got here an hour ago.”
“Mm hum. So you’re innocent in all of this?”
Logan’s jaw dropped as his palm flattened over his heart. “Would I lie to you?”
He should get an award for that acting job. If I didn’t know him, I’d have fallen for it. Apparently Shelby was smarter than I thought she was.
“Don’t play that game with me. Look at her.” Her hand flung through the air, pointing at me. “She’s clearly terrified.”
“She’s always terrified.”
I mean… he wasn’t wrong.
Shelby waved a scolding finger in Logan’s face and I could feel the clock of dread ticking down.
“If I find out that either of you…”
“Oh calm down,” Mason cut her off. “Her old man’s out of town so she’s staying with us.”
That was a good excuse. I was kind of disappointed that I hadn’t thought of it.
“That’s right,” I nodded in confirmation when Shelby’s suspicious stare landed on me.
When that didn’t work, I added a smile. That seemed to do the trick.
Shelby sang “Okay,” shrugged her shoulders, and flopped down in the chair beside me – that was formerly her boyfriend’s seat. Logan followed suit and took the seat closest to her. Though he did mutter something about that being his food.
I couldn’t help but smile a touch at Logan’s obvious annoyance when she snatched a piece of bacon off the plate and popped it in her mouth. She really did have him wrapped around her finger.
The only warning I got for the oncoming verbal onslaught was the deep breath Shelby sucked in.
“Oh my God, this is going to be so much fun, you have no idea how frustrating it is to be in a house surrounded by boys. I mean, I have my sister, but Mags is only like ten and I can’t really do much with her. Besides, the last time I put make-up on her this one lost his mind, going all big brother, saying crap like wash that off, she’s too young for that shit, what are you going to do when she gets boobs and starts dating. You can’t lock her up forever, oh but I’m sure you’ll try. All you men gotta act all macho and puff your chest out. Am I right, Harper?”
My mouth opened but I wasn’t sure how to respond. I only caught about a tenth of what she said. Something about someone named Mags, boobs, and macho guys with their chests puffed out.
