All Chapters of My Best friend's Brother : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

22 Chapters

Chapter 11

I stayed in the pool house for three days.Three days of Mason's security team circling the property like vultures. Three days of jumping at every sound. Three days of telling myself I wasn't waiting for him to knock on my door.He didn't.I saw him from the window sometimes. Walking from his Mercedes to the main house. Phone pressed to his ear. Jaw tight. He never looked toward the pool house. Never acknowledged I existed.I told myself I didn't care. I was lying.On the fourth morning, I couldn't take it anymore.I needed air. Real air. Not the recycled stuff from the pool house AC. I needed to feel like a person again, not a prisoner.I slipped out the side door before the security team could stop me. Walked past the pool. Past the main house. Past the gates.The neighborhood was quiet. Expensive. The kind of place where people paid for privacy.I walked until my legs ached. Until my lungs burned. Until I couldn't remember why I'd come back here in the first place.Then I turned ar

Chapter 12

I woke up to an empty guest room and the smell of coffee drifting from somewhere downstairs.For a moment, I forgot where I was. Then I remembered. Mason's house. The kiss. The note. Vanessa. Vincent's text.I pressed my palms against my eyes and tried to breathe. I found the note on the nightstand when I finally got up.Same bold black ink. Same cruel handwriting."Don't read into it. I was drunk."I read it three times. Four times. My hands started shaking.He wasn't drunk. He'd been sober. Clear-eyed. Desperate. And then cold. I crumpled the paper and threw it across the room.I stayed in the guest room all morning.Couldn't face him. Couldn't face Vanessa. Couldn't face the reality that I'd let myself believe, even for a second, that he meant what he said.I love you.I'd heard it. Right? He'd said it. And then he'd walked away like it meant nothing.My phone buzzed. Sloane."You okay?"I stared at the screen. No. I wasn't okay. I hadn't been okay since I was fourteen years old an

Chapter 13

Mason pulled away first. His forehead pressed against mine. Both of us breathing hard. His hands still cupped my face like I was something precious.Then he stepped back."Go," he said."What?""Go back to your room. Lock the door. I'll have security drive you to work tomorrow."I stared at him. "That's it?""That's it." His voice was flat. "This doesn't change anything.""Mason—""Go, Lucy."He walked away before I could respond.I stood in the dark foyer, lips still burning, and watched him disappear up the stairs.The next morning, I woke up to a knock on the door.Not Mason. One of his security guys. A man named Derek who looked like he'd never smiled in his life."Mr. Chen said I'm to drive you to work," he said."Mr. Chen?""Mason Chen."Right. Because of course he'd send someone else. Of course he wouldn't come himself. I grabbed my bag and followed Derek to the car.The bookstore felt like a lifeline. Mrs. Patel greeted me with a warm smile and a cup of tea. "You look tired, L

Chapter 14

I didn't sleep that night.Vincent's texts played on a loop in my head. You're mine. I'd read them so many times my eyes burned. Every shadow in the guest room looked like him. Every creak of the house sounded like footsteps.I didn't tell Mason about the texts. I didn't tell him about Ethan.I just lay in bed and stared at the ceiling and wondered if I'd ever feel safe again.The next morning, Derek drove me to work. Ethan was already there when I arrived. He had a coffee waiting for me. "You look like you didn't sleep.""Is it that obvious?""Only to someone who's paying attention." He smiled. "Rough night?""Rough life."He didn't push. Just handed me the coffee and went back to shelving books.I spent the morning in a daze. Running the register. Helping customers. Pretending everything was normal.It wasn't.At lunch, Ethan found me in the back room. "You want to talk about it?" he asked."About what?""The sad eyes." He sat down across from me. "They're worse today."I opened my

Chapter 15

The next morning, I woke up feeling lighter than I had in weeks. Mason had ended things with Vanessa. He'd said he wanted me. He'd promised to try.I smiled at the ceiling like an idiot.Derek drove me to work.The bookstore felt different today. Brighter. The sun was actually shining through the windows. Mrs. Patel was humming behind the register.Ethan was already there, shelving books in the romance section. "Someone's in a good mood," he said when I walked in."What makes you say that?""You're smiling." He tilted his head. "You never smile.""I smile.""Not like that." He grinned. "That's a 'I got laid last night' smile."My face went hot. "Ethan!""Okay, okay." He held up his hands. "I'm just saying. It's nice to see you happy."I grabbed a stack of books and started shelving. He didn't push. Just worked beside me in comfortable silence.At lunch, my phone buzzed.Mason: How's your day?I smiled. He never texted me during the day.Lucy: Good. How's yours?Mason: Boring. I miss y

Chapter 16

The bookstore had a new shipment of romance novels.I spent the morning unpacking boxes with Ethan, laughing at the ridiculous cover art. Shirtless men. Women in flowing dresses. Dramatic titles like The Rake's Redemption and Tempted by the Billionaire."This is basically porn," Ethan said, holding up a particularly scandalous cover."Glorious, wonderful, life-affirming porn," I corrected.He laughed. "You're something else, Lucy.""You're just figuring that out?"We worked side by side, shelving books, making jokes, pretending the world outside didn't exist.It was nice. Easy. Normal.At lunch, Ethan pulled me aside."I wanted to ask you something," he said."Okay?""There's this art exhibit downtown. Opening night. Tomorrow." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was wondering if you'd want to go. With me."I blinked. "Like a date?""Like two people who work together. Looking at art." He smiled. "No pressure. Just... hanging out."I hesitated.Vincent was out there. Mason would lose hi

Chapter 17

We set the trap that night.Mason's security team surrounded the warehouse on 5th. Four men. Two cars. Cameras on every corner.I wasn't supposed to be there.But I'd insisted."I'm the bait," I told Mason. "If I'm not there, he won't show.""I don't care. You're staying here.""No.""Lucy—""I'm not going to let you do this alone." I met his eyes. "We're in this together. Remember?"He stared at me for a long moment. Then he swore under his breath."Fine. But you stay behind me. You don't move. You don't speak. You don't even breathe.""Deal."The warehouse was cold. Dark. Empty. I stood in the center of the room, heart pounding, waiting.Mason was hidden behind a stack of crates. His security team was scattered throughout the building.I tried to breathe. Tried to stay calm.Then I heard footsteps. "Lucy."Vincent's voice. Smooth. Confident.I turned. He was standing in the doorway. Dark jacket. Hood down. His face was exactly like the photo Mason had shown me. Hard eyes. Cruel smil

Chapter 18

Sloane dragged me out of the house the next morning before I could even finish my coffee."Up. Now. We're going.""Going where?""To get your mind off everything." She grabbed my arm. "You've been cooped up in this house for weeks. You need air. You need fun. You need to remember you're a person.""I am a person.""Then act like one."I let her pull me out the door.She drove us to a farmer's market downtown. Rows of colorful stalls. Fresh produce. Homemade bread. The smell of flowers and coffee and something sweet."This is nice," I admitted."I know. I'm brilliant."I laughed. For the first time in weeks, I actually laughed.We walked through the market, Sloane buying anything that caught her eye. A jar of honey. A bundle of lavender. A loaf of sourdough that she insisted was "life-changing.""You're going to eat all of this yourself?" I asked."No. I'm going to share with you." She shoved the bread into my hands. "Consider it a gift. An apology for being a terrible friend.""You're

Chapter 19: A stalker's obsession

The invitation came on a Thursday. A real invitation. Cream-colored paper. Gold embossed lettering. Hand-delivered to the bookstore while I was at lunch.I found it on the counter when I got back. My name written across the front in elegant script.Inside was a single line.You're invited to the Russo Gallery Opening. Friday, 8 PM. I'll be waiting.I felt sick.I called Mason immediately."He sent me an invitation," I said. "To a gallery opening. He's not hiding anymore.""Don't go.""I'm not going to.""Good.""But—""Lucy. Don't."I took a breath. "I'm not going. But this changes things. He's not just lurking anymore. He's putting himself out there. He wants to be seen.""I know." His voice was tight. "I'll have someone there. Watching.""Okay."We hung up. I stared at the invitation.Vincent was escalating. And this time, he wasn't hiding.Sloane called later. "Liam showed me the invitation," she said. "Did you tell Mason?""Yes. And he said I shouldn't go""Good." She paused. "But

Chapter 20: I want you

It was my day off.No work. No Mason hovering. No security detail following my every move. Just me, alone, finally breathing.I needed toothpaste. A new toothbrush. Maybe some real food that wasn't delivered by Mason's chef.I walked to the corner store three blocks from the house. It was a nice day. Sunny. Warm. The kind of day that made you forget everything terrible in the world.I was halfway back when a black car pulled up beside me."Need a ride?"I froze. The window rolled down. Vincent's face smiled back at me."Vincent.""Lucy." He opened the door. "Get in.""No.""I wasn't asking." His voice was calm. Pleasant. "Get in. Or I'll make you."I looked around. The street was empty. No cars. No pedestrians. No one to help me.I got in.The car was clean. Expensive. Leather seats. The smell of cologne. Vincent drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on his thigh."You know," he said, "I've been watching you for a long time. Longer than you know.""I figured tha

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