Page 25 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

“Hey,” he says, putting his arm around me. “Where were you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, but I have a headache. I’m going to go home.”

“Aww, babe.” His fingers start lightly massaging my temples. “We can go home. Let me tell the guys I’m leaving.”

“No, Mase. Dad’s coming to get me—”

I barely get it out when Dad comes charging through the door. He looks pissed. Mason looks from me to him and then back at me.

“Millie, what’s wrong? What happened?” Mason gets on my eye level. He’s figured out that if he stares directly into my eyes from only a few inches out that I will confess all of my secrets to him. I hate that he’s figured that out.

“I was about to ask the same question,” Dad says, pulling me back from Mason. “Did you say something to upset my daughter?”

“Dad, no, I told you it wasn’t him.”

“What do you mean it wasn’t me?” Mason looks around the room like he’s about to take a rifle out and start firing. “Who was it?”

“Nobody.” My voice cracks.

Mason grabs my shoulders firmly. I try unsuccessfully to wriggle away as he gets down in my face again. “You sound like you’re going to cry. Why are you frustrated? Who said something to you?”

“C’mon, Mason,” Dad says, spitting out the words. “If it wasn’t you, you know it was that asshole JJ.”

“Dad!” I whip around to look at him.

“What?” Mason releases me and turns around to find JJ. “Was it JJ? What did he say?”

“Nothing. Mase, it’s fine.” I turn to Dad. “Can we just go home, please?”

Dad pulls me to him as Mason charges toward JJ.

“What the fuck did you say to her?” Mason says, pushing JJ back a few steps.

JJ laughs as he calmly takes a drink of his beer. “Just the truth, brother.”

“Stay here, Millie,” Dad says as he takes three enormous steps, quickly covering the distance between him and JJ. “I think I warned you last night to stay away from my daughter. You got a learning problem?”

“Why don’t you take your daughter and go back to wherever you came from?” JJ takes a step toward Dad.

Mason catches him mid-stride and shoves him roughly against the wall and then spins around to block Dad’s advance.

“Mack, please go home,” he says, holding his hands in the air, making sure not to touch Dad. “Please get Millie out of here. I’ll take care of this.”

Dad nods a few times slowly and then takes a few steps backward—his eyes still locked on JJ. “Take care of him, Mason,” he says in a deep, angry voice. “Or I’m coming back here to do it for you.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Mason says, looking from Dad to me. “Babe, go home with your Dad. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Mase, don’t get in a fight over this,” I say, resting my hands lightly on his chest. His body temperature is so hot. It feels like it’s going to burn a hole in his T-shirt. “Please. You said yourself JJ’s just stressed out because he’s the new team lead. It’s no big deal. I’m fine. Don’t get in a fight.”

He hugs me and then turns me around toward the door. “I’m fine, babe. Just go home, okay?”

I look up at him. He’s trying to make his eyes look gentle as he smiles at me, but they’re hard and cold.

“Mase—”

“I’ll see you in a little bit.” He kisses me on the top of the head and pushes me gently toward the door.

Dad grabs my hand and pulls me the rest of the way out.

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