As soon as my shift ended, I tugged on my coat and mustered up the courage to go outside.
The area was still swamped with police and curious onlookers as I walked past. Several police cruisers were parked down the street, blocking it off to oncoming and outgoing traffic. I could see that a large chunk of the adjacent parking lot has been blocked off with yellow police tape.
Don’t look over there
, I thought, trying to keep focused on what was straight ahead of me.
Don’t look for his car
, I told myself as my eyes wandered toward the street, wanting to search for Mason’s BMW.
Suddenly I found myself looking into the lot, my body refusing to listen to my more logical mind. The center of the lot was blocked off and was surrounded by uniformed cops and people who looked like detectives. They were all gathered around something, and I could feel my feet slowing, wanting to creep closer to find out if Mason’s blood was what they were looking at.
I tasted bile in my throat as my eyes wandered to the road. Mason’s dark BMW sat parked at a meter, right in front of Lucky’s. I stumbled to the trashcan just in time, throwing up into it, gripping the greasy rim with my trembling fingers. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my nose and throat burning.
I felt for my phone, whipping it out and finding Natalie’s phone number.
Her voicemail picked up, again. I had tried calling several times from inside the bar, and she hadn’t answered then, either.
“Natalie, this is Harper. Again. I was wondering if you knew where Mason—uh, Asher, is. Please, please, give me a call back.”
I hung up the phone, scrolling to my texts, finding the one about Jake. The number had to have been Stacey’s. My fingers hovered over the keys, debating whether I should text her back, but I didn’t want to aggravate the situation more, so decided against it.
The paper Mason had given me was still in my pocket. I took it out, re-reading it.
I’m sorry. I love you.
Tears filled my eyes at the sight of it. He had come to the bar hoping to regain my trust, but I had pushed him away? Had I done the right thing? What about now, now that Mason could very well be out of my life forever? Was I happy now, any happier than I had been? Now it might be too late for anything to happen, anyway.
I glanced over at the cops keeping watch over the blocked off area. A news van had parked a little ways down the road. Obviously a slow news night. I cringed at the thought of hearing the details on the television. I needed to know for myself. I needed to reach Mason or Natalie.
This isn’t over
. That’s what Jake had said the day Mason had scared him away from my apartment. Is this what he had meant? Had he been trying to kill Mason, giving Stacey his alibi of wanting to see me? I glanced around, suddenly feeling watched. If Jake had really done this...I shivered as the breeze picked up a little.
I checked my phone again. Nothing. My fingers hovered over Mason’s name, but I decided against calling him.
I needed to see him, to make sure he was okay.
* * * *
When I arrived at the mansion, it was late. The building was lit up as usual, looking ready for a mixer, but only a few cars were in the driveway. I felt disgusting, still wearing my greasy, smelly clothes from the bar. My hands shook as I brought my fist up to the door, pounding on it, hoping someone would hear.
No one answered. I turned around, sagging against the door, defeated. Where was everyone? Hunter, Natalie? And most of all, where was Mason? I checked my phone again, nothing. The backs of my eyes had begun to hurt from the strain, and I closed them, wishing I could get away from this nightmare completely just by knowing that Mason was safe and well.
The door opened as I stumbled backward, losing my balance and then catching myself.
“Natalie.”
Natalie’s eyes looked puffy and tired. She stared down at me coldly. “Harper. Can I help you?”
“Haven’t you got any of my calls?”
“I haven’t been around my phone, much.”
“Mason—Asher,” I stumbled over my words, not knowing what to call him. “Where is he? Please, tell me he’s okay?”
“I—” Natalie hesitated. I froze, waiting for her answer.
“Please, Natalie,” I begged, feeling desperation creep into my voice.
“Asher is okay. He will be, at least.”
My vision spun as relief flooded through me. “What happened?”
“He got hit in the head. Really hard.”
“But... By who?”
She glared at me, the lights of the mansion reflecting off the intense stare. “I don’t know. He went to visit you. You tell me.”
I stiffened a little. “Are you trying to say this is my fault?”
“You take it how you want to take it.”
I slumped, thinking as I looked down at the ground. Maybe I was to blame for this entire thing. If Jake really had done this to Mason, it had been my fault in the first place for ever letting the two interact. And, if Mason hadn’t been trying to win me back at the bar, he wouldn’t have been there at all.
“Does... Does he know who did this to him?”
“He can’t remember. He’s got a concussion. We’ll talk to you later, Harper.” Natalie began to close the door. I pressed my palm up against it, holding it open.
“Can’t I at least see him?”
“Just leave him alone. He needs to rest and stay away from the drama for a while.”
I backed away, watching as she shut the huge door behind her. I felt relieved he was alive, but lost at the same time.
* * * *
“Welcome home! How was life at the bar?” Avery asked, giggling. She was curled up on the couch, watching some crappy TV show and drinking a glass of wine.
I dropped my things in the doorway, clenching my phone in my hand, just in case. My tears, even after all this time, had still not gone away. They came back in full force, burning their way down my cheeks. I heard Avery approach, her slippers slapping against the floor. People laughed on the TV and the mere thought of happiness stabbed at my heart.
“What’s wrong?” Avery stood in front of me, her eyes wide and head tilted, trying to read me.
I looked at her and burst into sobs, leaning up against the wall. “It’s Mason.”
Harper. Her caramel hair fell over her naked shoulders as she took it out of her ponytail, her eyes never leaving mine as she pushed me back, straddling me.
“I love you, too,” she said, leaning in and biting my neck gently.
Her thighs tightened around my hips, her hands working at my belt and pants. My own hands moved to feel her perfect figure, the familiar curves pressing wonderfully into my fingertips. I grabbed her ass suddenly, smiling as she giggled, swaying her hips playfully. I felt my way back to her hips; sliding my fingers down in between her thighs the way I knew she liked it. Her body was warm, and wet, waiting for me. I slid a finger inside of her, watching as she bit her lip. I withdrew, bringing that finger to my lips and tasting her on my skin.
She pouted, puckering her lips out in a frown. “No fair. I want to taste.”
I chuckled and my laugh faded to a moan as she lowered her mouth down onto me, hungrily sucking on me, soaking me with her wet, luscious lips. My entire body could feel the sensation, pushing me closer and closer to the edge. Her lips moved further and further up my shaft until it hit the back of her throat, making her gag a little. She smiled at me as she pulled back, trying to catch her breath.
Suddenly I was inside of her, her tight, wet places hugging me as we moved in tandem. “I love you,” I breathed, grabbing her hips tightly and feeling them grind up against my own.
“I love
you
,” she retorted, giving me a grin as she continued to ride me, increasing her movements.
Her hand crawled up my chest, grabbing a fistful of my hair and tugging on it painfully.
I woke with a start, my head throbbing. “
Fuck
,” I cursed, blindly reaching over for some pain medication the doctor had prescribed.
I grabbed a few pills, swallowing them down with a few gulps of water. My phone, sitting on the table next to the pills, remained ominously silent. I picked it up, flicking through my missed calls. None of them were from Harper. Maybe she had given up trying to reach me through Natalie’s phone and just decided she was better off without me, anyway.
I leaned back on my pillows with a sigh. The dream had been so real, so beautiful. I wanted her close to me, so badly. I needed her in my life, but she hadn’t wanted me in hers. Just another relationship I had managed to royally fuck up.
“You’re awake.” Natalie walked in, grinning at me.
“I’ve slept too much already.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “Your body needs it.”
She sat on the foot of the bed, staring at me. “I need to get up. To do something,” I complained. “Has Harper called again?”
“No.” Natalie looked down at her hands, smoothing out a wrinkle in her skirt.
I knew her better than that. “Liar.”
She looked back up. “Why would I lie about that?”
“I don’t know. You blame her? Nat, it isn’t her fault. You know that. If you’re looking at someone to be angry with, be angry with me. I should have seen this coming.”
“Don’t say that. How were you supposed to know that her crazy ex was going to come knock you over the head, if it even was him. You really need to call the police, Asher.”
“Natalie, just tell me the truth. Has she called?”
She sighed. “Yes. She stopped by, actually. You were asleep and I didn’t think it’d be healthy for you to see her right now.”
“She was here?” My heart fluttered. Harper had come here again, despite her anger toward me.
“Yeah.”
“Thanks, Nat.”
She frowned at me. “Just be careful.”
“I will, I promise.”
It had been my fault. That’s all I could think about as I sat in our tiny living room, curled up on the couch. I got up, trying to clear my thoughts, but my mind continued to pester me. Natalie had been right. If Mason hadn’t been at the bar, trying to say that he loved me but failing to do so as I pushed him away, he never would have gotten hurt.
The sirens. The police. Everything flashed through my mind like a living nightmare. The bitchy girls talking about a hot man behind me. Mason. Joe telling Miles that some bloody, tall man had been lying face down on the ground near a fancy car. Everything had happened in a flash; one second Mason had stood before me, living, breathing, trying to get me to love him back after all of his lies. The next, he had disappeared.
The cold, sinking feeling of shock and dread had stayed in my belly all night. My eyes felt puffy and sore from crying, crying over this man who had just broken my heart all over again without even trying to. How could he have gotten caught so unaware? Mason was a capable person, more than capable. But he had been hit over the back of the head and knocked out cold. Maybe his mind had been somewhere else, thanks to me.
I picked up my phone off the coffee table for the thousandth time, madly pacing the room as I scrolled to the text from the unknown number. I looked up with a sigh, my eyes catching on the half-dead orchid in a vase by the television.
“Delicate beauty.” That’s what Mason had said the flower meant when he had given it to me. I half smiled as I said the words, my mind automatically wishing he were here with me, saying those words to me again.
I looked back at my phone. I still had Jake’s number, and now I had Stacey’s. I could text them, ask what happened. Maybe Jake would give me a confession. But he could come after me, and even Mason again, if he found out Mason was alive.
I felt torn. I didn’t want to put Mason in any more danger, but on the other hand, if I could get a confession from Jake...
I turned off the phone display and tossed it on the couch. I didn’t know what to do. I was lost. I closed my eyes and wished for an answer as the phone began to ring. I leaped over to the couch, fumbling for the phone as I saw Mason’s name on the screen. My hands shook as I tapped the screen, answering the call. “Hello?”
His voice sounded like it always had, calm and genuine. “Harper. It’s me.”
“Mas—Asher. You’re ok?”
“I’m fine. I heard you came over.”
“I’m surprised Natalie told you. She’s pissed at me. Can’t say I blame her.” I paused for a few seconds, not knowing what else to say The silence was awkward. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I was hit by a truck. My head is ringing and a bit foggy, but otherwise, alright.”
“I was worried bout you. I couldn’t reach you. Natalie wouldn’t answer.” I could feel the sobs welling up inside of me again.
“Harper...” he hesitated. I bit the inside of my cheek, waiting. “Could we just... talk?”
I took a deep breathe and calmed myself as I anxiously answered. “I’ll be there in a few.”
* * * *
I looked at myself in the mirror, not entirely happy with my sundress. Every time I had gone to mansion I had made it a point to dress up, but now that Mason and I weren’t exactly on the best terms I didn’t know if I should dress up for him or not. I had settled on the blue sundress and makeup to cover the dark circles under my eyes. Casual, but formal enough so I wouldn’t be uncomfortable if he was too dressed up.
I still didn’t even know if I really wanted to see Mason, but after the turmoil of the night before, I really did want to make sure he was okay. When I hadn’t known the status of his condition, all I had thought about was his beautiful laugh, his giving nature, his powerful presence. But once I had heard him on the phone, playing down his whole situation as if it had been nothing more than a minor bump on the head, my anger had been rekindled. This was a man who had lied to my face, time and time again.
I saw the paper with his words scribbled on it on my bedside table, the words I had read over a dozen times already.
I didn’t know if I was eager to see Mason or just nervous. As usual, I felt undecided about him. I wanted closure, a way to break things off properly without Mason taking a hit to the head, but at the same time I couldn’t help but to miss him, not wanting to give up the piece of myself I had given to him so earnestly.
My phone buzzed. A text from Avery popped up on the screen. I exited it, reading Stacey’s text again instead. Whether or not I was going to break up with Mason, I had to at least make sure nothing like this ever happened to him because of me again.