Page 153 of Endgame

Mason shook his head and smirked. “Nah, girl. I ditched ten minutes in when I got an offer from Casey Garza I couldn’t refuse.”

“Gross.”

“Surely whatever happened can’t be worth this amount of tears?” he surprised me by asking.

“He’s still in love with her.” Sniffling, I clasped the lapels of his jacket and pulled them across my chest. My voice was hoarse and raw. I didn’t sound like myself when I spoke. “Rourke. He’s still in love with Britt.”

“Bullshit,” Mason surprised me by saying. “Rourke ain’t no cheat.”

I turned and looked at him. “You didn’t even hear me out.”

“Don’t need to,” Mase replied confidently.

“He got in a fight with Daniel Westbrook over Britt tonight,” I protested, adding evidence to my claim. “I know you think he doesn’t, Mase, but you’re wrong. He’s still in love with her.”

“You’rewrong,” he simply replied.

“I am not wrong!”

“Listen, sweetheart. I know Rourke Owens. And he wouldn’t do that to you.” Frowning, Mason added, “He wouldn’t do that to any girl, but especially not you.”

“What do you meanespecially not me?”

“Have you lost your mind inside that pretty head of yours?” he asked, turning to face me. “Rourke’s in love withyou.” Smiling, he added, “Hell, the whole world knows it except Rourke – and maybe you.”

“You’re wrong,” I whispered.

“Am I?” Mason countered, raising a brow. “Come on, Mercy James. Do you honestly think I’d sit here and defend Rourke to you if I wasn’t absolutely certain the guy was obsessed with you?”

“Yeah, probably,” I mumbled petulantly. “You guys are friends.”

“Hell fucking no,” Mason shot back with a laugh. “Friend or not, if there weren’t feelings involved, I would be on your fine ass in a heartbeat.”

“Ew, Mase. That’s disgusting.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “What I’m trying to say is, I know Rourke loves you. It’s the only reason I bowed out.”

“Bowed out?” I cocked a brow. “When had you bowedin?”

Mason laughed again. “At the party that night for about five seconds before Rourke walked in and staked his claim on you.”

“I don’t know what to do, Mase,” I admitted quietly. “What should I do?”

“Go back to the hotel and talk to Rourke,” he replied without a hint of hesitation. “Talk the shit out of this with him. Tell him how you’re feeling. I can promise you, sweetheart, you won’t be disappointed.”

“No way. I can’t,” I said, shaking my head in protest before releasing a choked sob. “What if you’re wrong?”

“Damn, you’re as stubborn as he is,” Mase muttered under his breath before climbing to his feet. “Come on. Stand your sexy ass up and I’ll walk you back to your boyfriend.” Turning back to me, he held out a hand and said, “And for future reference, sweetheart? I’m never wrong.”

Rourke

“DON’T FUCKING MOVE, ROURKE!” My father’s voice bellowed down the line so loudly that I had to hold my phone away from my ear. “Brawling at the homecoming dance? Jesus Christ, I thought you were over that stage?”

“You weren’tthere. You don’t know my reasons,” I shot back heatedly as I paced the floor of my hotel room. I’d been escorted up to my room ten minutes ago and told I couldn’t leave until my father came and got me in the morning –with a nice juicy payoff.

“I don’t care,” Dad snapped. “Just stay in that room until I get home. I’m leaving now. I’ll be there by morning.”

“I don’t care about me,” I growled, pinching the bridge of my nose. I didn’t care about being in trouble. I cared about Six and the fact that I hadn’t seen her since I was dragged out of the dance by security. The same security that was currently standing guard outside my room, making sure I was a good little minor and stayed in my room. Fucking bullshit. I was losing my goddamn mind worrying about my girlfriend and these pricks wouldn’t let me go downstairs to find her. “I’m worried about Six. I can’t find her.”

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