Page 10 of Bear
His jaw twitches. He’s looking at me, but almost right through me. If I’m not mistaken, he’s lost in the memory. “My parents were fighting on the balcony outside their bedroom. I had to help her. I ran at them.” He scrubs his hands over his face. “I swear, I thought I was helping her, but I pushed her right over the railing.”
The furious pounding in my chest stops for a split second, and my eyes bug out, but I quickly school my features, because Mason’s hands are visibly shaking. He’s gone deathly pale. I can’t bring myself to ask any more questions, even though I have plenty. The most glaring and worrisome one is why he told meI’m next.
But the scared little boy he once was looks through his eyes at me, and all I can do is give in, climb onto his lap, and hold him as he trembles in my arms. “It’s okay, Mase. That’s enough. You don’t have to tear open any more wounds for me today. I know this stuff is hard.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” comes his gasped admission.
I shake my head, holding him tight. “You won’t.”
His body quakes violently. “But I might.”
SIX
MASON
Out on thepatio late in the afternoon, I drop onto a lounge chair beside Bear. Duke sits across from him, sunglasses on, blond hair looking even more sun-kissed than usual in the direct light. I tear my eyes away and focus on Bear instead. “Is Lennon around here somewhere?”
I feel like I need to put eyes on her. Make sure she’s okay after our talk. It’d shaken me in more ways than one. The bruises I’d put on her, the things we’d discussed… but I should have said more. I should have fucking apologized. And here this girl was, holding me together while I cracked in half.
And worst—it almost felt as if I’d threatened her all over again. I don’t know if that’s how she took it. But when I thought about it later, saying Imighthurt her? Yeah. I should have clamped my damn mouth shut. There’s something about Lennon, though, that makes me want to tell her shit. To be the most honest version of myself that I can be. For her.
I’d seen her at the dining room table, working on some English lit assignment with Warren after we spoke, but haven’t seen her since. She should really approach Bear about helping with that class. The man has an entire library in his fucking room.
“I kinda doubt she has anything to say to you.” Duke gives me an odd look.
Bear blows out a breath. “If she fucking says no, you listen, Mason.”
I work my jaw to the side, not letting on that she and I have already spoken. Who knows what they’d think if they knew. Duke would probably freak out that she was alone with me. And Bear would go all dad mode on me. “Got it.”
Speaking of the big guy, he exhales heavily, then jerks his head in the direction of the house. “She found herself a spot in that plush chair in the sunroom and has been curled up reading for one of her classes ever since I came home, lollipop in mouth, crease right down the middle of her forehead. Seemed like she was deep in concentration, so I didn’t bother her—I felt like she deserved a normal, quiet day.”
That’s a nice subtle jab, but I’ll take it because I deserve that and more. It’s probably for the best he doesn’t know her day was, in fact, not quiet at all because of me. And now, Lennon is one of the few keepers of my most heinous secret.
Propping his sunglasses on top of his head, Duke eyes me, but doesn’t say anything directly to me. Looks like I fucked things up with multiple people last night, and his silence is all it takes for my head to divert from the current conversation. Instead, I replay all the things I’d said to Duke last night in his room. I’d pissed him off with my taunting, but to his credit, all he’d done was point to the door.Get the fuck out.Probably for the best, or we’d have gotten into it again, and who knows what would’ve happened. I’ve still got a bruise on my cheekbone from the last round of punches we exchanged.
I give myself a shake. I need to tune in to what Bear and Duke are discussing. Duke’s head bobs in response to whatever Bear said. “I heard they’re bringing in some brawler from Gamma Chi tonight.”
“Yeah. He’s young, a sophomore I think, but supposedly a beast in the ring.” Bear shrugs, rubbing his hands over his face before staring off toward the light flickering off the surface of the pool. “I’m not worried.”
He’s not lying, but he always needs some time to talk through upcoming fights. He likes to be able to think through strengths and weaknesses of his opponent, kind of size them up in his head. Whatever works for him. I’ve been in fights before, but I don’t know if I’d be able to do what he does, willingly step in there, especially knowing that everyone is gunning for Derek Pierce’s son. And Bear? He just doesn’t lose. With every win under his belt, he becomes more of a temptation to every fighter out there. To win against Bear Pierce wouId be huge. No one expects to do anything but lose when they step into the ring with him—winning is an impossible dream. And no one bets against him because it’s fruitless. It’d be quite the upset if Bear were to lose… and Derek would lose his shit.
My lips twitch with a private smile. I might like to see that, actually. Bear’s asshole dad thinks he can do no fucking wrong. He’d do well to remember that all this shit is illegal. If he’s the least bit careless, he’ll end up in the prison cell next to my father.
Sometimes, I see a look in Bear’s eye… like he wishes he could be anywhere else but that ring. But I can’t fucking figure why he doesn’t stand up to his old man. Then again, I’m sure that’s easy for me to say with mine locked away.
Duke crosses his legs, resting his feet on the glass-topped coffee table. “Okay, so let’s talk through this. What are his strengths?”
Bear grimaces. “Heavy hands, so I want to stay away from those. He’s quick. But if we end up on the mat, it’s pretty much over for him. I’m aiming to trade no more than a few punches before going for a lightning-fast takedown, grapple, and submission.”
I sure hope Bear makes this fight a fast one because he looks fucking exhausted—and that’s mostly my fault. I hope the interrupted sleep doesn’t affect him too bad tonight. It was my crazy ass that’d woke him up by hollering at Lennon. I shake my head. What a clusterfuck.
My head is so mixed up, fight night will probably do me good, if only as a spectator. It’s usually a pretty good adrenaline rush to watch Bear go to work on someone. I can only imagine what that surge of chaotic energy is like for him. Must be insane. “Good. Sounds like a cakewalk again.” I steeple my fingers together, leaning forward on the lounger.
“I’ll do what I have to do to win.” His gaze meets mine and then Duke’s, in turn. “I told Lennon she doesn’t have to go. I don’t want to subject her to my father again. I’d rather leave her home.”
Duke nods, eyeing Bear. “I think you get the deciding vote, since it’s your thing. Can’t say I liked the way Tristan treated her yesterday, either.”
I raise my hand. “Agreed, if you want my opinion. And yeah, definitely one of the two of us doesn’t attend the fight to stay with her.” It should probably be me going with Bear. That leaves her here with Duke. I hope he can fucking handle it.
