Chapter 7

Sloane cornered me the next morning.

She showed up at my apartment before I'd even finished my first cup of coffee. No warning. No text. Just a sharp knock on my door and that determined expression I knew too well.

"Good morning to you too," I said, letting her in.

"Don't good morning me." She dropped her bag on my lumpy bed and crossed her arms. "You met him yesterday."

It wasn't a question.

"How did you know?"

"Because you always come back looking like someone ran you over." She sat down, her eyes scanning my face. "What did he want?"

I sat beside her. Told her everything. The coffee shop. The photo. Vincent Russo. The robbery being connected to Mason's family.

Sloane listened without interrupting. When I finished, she was quiet for a long time.

"I knew about Vincent," she said finally.

"What?"

"There's been someone circling the family for months. Mason told me." She met my eyes. "I didn't know he was the one who robbed you. But I knew someone was after him."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I was trying to protect you." She said it bitterly. "Like Mason."

"Everyone's protecting me. No one's asking what I want."

Sloane was quiet. Then: "What do you want?"

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

The truth was terrifying. I wanted Mason. Even though he was a disaster. Even though he was a playboy. Even though he'd never be the man I deserved.

"I don't know," I lied.

Sloane studied my face. Then she sighed.

"Lucy. I'm going to say this once. And I need you to really hear me." She grabbed my hands. "I love my brother. He's family. But I love you too. And I will not watch him destroy you."

"He's not—"

"He is." Her voice was firm. "I've watched him do this for years. He uses women. He charms them, sleeps with them, and moves on without looking back. That's who he is."

"I know what he is."

"No, you don't." She squeezed my hands. "You see the version he shows to me. The one who's charming and protective and makes you feel special. But that's not real. The real Mason is cold. Selfish. Broken. And broken people break other people."

I pulled my hands away. "You don't know that he'll break me."

"He will." Her voice cracked. "Because he's broken me too. Not the same way. But he's been doing it my whole life."

I stared at her.

Sloane looked away. "You think I don't know what it's like to love Mason? To want him to be better? To watch him choose the wrong thing every single time?" She laughed bitterly. "I grew up with him. I've been watching him fail for years. And every time I think he's changed, he proves me wrong."

"Sloane—"

"I'm not telling you this to hurt you." Her eyes met mine. "I'm telling you because I don't want you to end up like me. Hoping for something that's never going to happen."

I didn't know what to say.

So I just nodded.

Sloane stayed for an hour. She helped me organize my tiny apartment. She made me eat something. She pretended everything was normal.

But I could see the worry in her eyes.

And I knew she was right.

After she left, I sat on my bed and stared at the wall.

Sloane's words echoed in my head. Broken people break other people. She'd been warning me from the beginning. I just hadn't wanted to listen.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown number: You left before I could tell you the rest.

I stared at the screen. My heart pounded.

Lucy: What rest?

Mason: Vincent isn't just connected to my family. He's connected to yours too.

I felt sick.

Lucy: What are you talking about?

Mason: Meet me. Same place. Tomorrow. 3 pm.

Lucy: I can't.

Mason: You can. You just don't want to.

Lucy: You're right. I don't.

Mason: Then don't come. But you'll never know the truth about your father.

I stared at the screen. My father had been gone for ten years. Left when I was fourteen. Never looked back.

What could Vincent possibly have to do with him?

Lucy: Fine. Tomorrow. 3 pm.

Mason: I knew you would.

Lucy: Stop saying that.

Mason: Stop proving me right.

I threw my phone across the room and buried my face in my hands.

He was doing it again. Pulling me in. Making me need him.

And I hated that it was working.

I showed up at the coffee shop at 2:55.

He was already there. Same corner table. Same infuriating smirk. But his eyes were different. Darker. More serious.

"Lucy." He gestured to the chair. "Sit."

I sat.

"Talk," I said. "What does Vincent have to do with my father?"

Mason leaned back. Studied me for a moment.

"Your father worked for my family," he said. "Fifteen years ago. Before you were born."

I shook my head. "That's not possible. My father was a salesman. He traveled for work."

"He was a salesman. He also did side work for my father's company. Deals that weren't exactly legal."

My blood ran cold. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying your father knew things about my family. Things Vincent wants to use." Mason's jaw tightened. "Vincent's father was fired because of your father's testimony."

I stood up. "You're lying."

"I'm not." He pulled another envelope from his jacket. "This is a copy of the file. Signed statements. Your father's name is on every page."

I didn't take it.

"You've known this the whole time," I said. "You knew who my father was. You knew what he did."

"I knew he worked for my family. I didn't know he was the one who testified against Vincent's father. Not until the robbery."

"You're lying."

"I'm not." His voice was steady. "I've been trying to protect you, Lucy. But I can't do that if you won't let me in."

"Protect me?" I laughed bitterly. "You kissed me. You made me feel like I mattered. Then you threw me away like garbage."

Mason's expression flickered. Something raw underneath.

"You think I enjoyed that?"

"I think you enjoyed every second."

"I didn't." He stood up. "I kissed you because I couldn't help it. And I walked away because I had to."

"To protect me?"

"Yes."

"Bullshit."

He grabbed my wrist. Pulled me closer.

"Vincent is dangerous," he said. "He's been watching you. Following you. He knows about your father. He knows about the testimony. And he's going to use you to get to my family."

I tried to pull away. He held on.

"Let me go."

"No." His eyes burned into mine. "Not until you understand. I don't care about my family. I don't care about Vincent. I care about you. And I'm not letting him touch you."

I stopped struggling.

"You don't get to care about me," I said quietly. "You made that clear."

"I'm an idiot." His voice was rough. "I push people away because I'm scared. Scared of how much I want you. Scared of what you make me feel. But I'm done running."

I didn't believe him.

But I didn't pull away either.

Sloane was waiting when I got home.

She took one look at my face and sighed.

"Let me guess. He told you something that made you feel sorry for him."

"He told me about my father."

Sloane went still. "What?"

"He worked for your family. Fifteen years ago. He testified against someone named Vincent Russo's father."

Sloane sat down heavily. "I didn't know that."

"Neither did I."

She was quiet for a long time. Then: "Do you believe him?"

"I don't know." I sat beside her. "Part of me wants to. Part of me thinks he's using it as an excuse."

"An excuse for what?"

I met her eyes. "An excuse to get close to me."

Sloane was quiet. Then she nodded slowly.

"That sounds like Mason," she said. "He always has an angle."

"What's yours?"

She looked at me. "My angle is keeping you safe. From him. From Vincent. From all of it."

"Even if I don't want to be safe?"

"Especially then."

I didn't have an answer for that.

""" """

That night, my phone buzzed.

Unknown number: I know you don't trust me. You shouldn't. But I need you to know something.

Unknown number: I meant what I said. I'm not doing this for my family. I'm doing this for you.

Lucy: Why?

Mason: Because I've been watching you for ten years. Because you're the only thing that's ever made sense. Because I'm a selfish bastard who can't let you go.

Lucy: That's not a reason.

Mason: It's the only one I have.

I stared at the screen. My heart was pounding.

Lucy: I don't know what to believe anymore.

Mason: Believe this. I'm not going to stop until Vincent is caught. And I'm not going to stop coming after you.

Lucy: That's not fair.

Mason: I never said I was fair.

I threw my phone across the room and buried my face in my pillow.

He was impossible. Infuriating. Toxic.

And I still couldn't stay away.