Page 103 of Beautifully Broken Redemption

I walked Kennedy out to her SUV, watching as the taillights disappeared into the darkness. A chill skittered down my spine. Mason still wasn’t back. I hoped he had his phone to use as a flashlight, at least.

I heard rustling on the side of the house. “Mase?” I started towards the sound. “Is that you?”

Nothing. My footsteps slowed. Crap. There were coyotes and cougars around here. This was dumb. I turned and headed back towards the light of the house. Every sound was amplified, from the crickets to the wind.

The crunch of gravel echoed in the night, and I whirled around, only to meet a blow. Pain and light bloomed bright. Then faded to nothingness. As I crumpled to the ground, it was Mason’s name on my lips.

41

Mason

I’d losttrack of time as I walked. I’d made it down the lane to my property and another few dirt roads until I found myself at the gate to Cain and Kennedy’s. I stared at the call box.

I’d been lost in my head as I walked, running everything through, forward, backwards, and sideways. I still felt as if I had zero perspective. But I did know that I’d hurt Anna, and that was the last thing I ever wanted to do. Even when I was pissed as hell.

I hit the button on the call box. A few seconds later, Cain’s voice came across the line. “Mason?”

“Hey.”

“Did you walk here?”

“Uh, yeah.” It now felt beyond ridiculous.

The gate buzzed and began to open. “Come on down.”

I started down the road lined with trees. And by the time the lake house came into view, I no longer had any idea why I was even there. Cain stood on the front steps and handed me a glass of water. “Figured you might want that.”

“Thanks.” I took a healthy gulp.

“Come on in.” He led me inside to the house that had massive windows overlooking the small lake beyond.

“Kenz around?”

“She was working late. Should be home soon, though.” We eased onto the massive couch in the living space. “You want to tell me what has you walking miles to my house?”

“I didn’t have a destination in mind. I just kind of ended up here.”

“You know you’re welcome anytime.”

And I was grateful for that. The friendship Cain had given me was more like a brotherhood, and I’d never really had that before. “I got into it with Anna.”

He raised a brow. “About?”

“She had a run-in with my sister and hid it from me.”

“Hid it from you? Or delayed in telling you?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. She hadn’t lied outright. Hadn’t deceived, exactly. But it sure as hell felt like it. “Probably the latter.”

“Probably?”

“She promised me that she’d tell me if Juliette caused any more trouble. She didn’t.”

Cain was quiet for a moment. “I told you this open and honest thing wouldn’t come as easily for Anna. But it doesn’t sound like it was malicious.”

I set my glass on a coaster on the coffee table. “I don’t think it was outright malicious. I just…”

“You feel like she’s hiding things from you.”

---