Page 40 of Beautifully Broken Redemption

Mason reached out as if he were going to rest his hands on my shoulders and then stopped himself. Disappointment flickered, but I shoved that down, too. “We’re as prepared as we can be,” he assured. “What you need to do now is sleep. It’s after midnight.”

I’d been running around like a crazy person since we’d finished dinner. I’d gone over every detail of Justin’s and Lyla’s bedrooms, checked the garage for toxic chemicals, battery tested every smoke detector. As soon as Mason suggested sleep, I realized that I was bone-tired. I hadn’t had a good night’s rest since the horrible phone call that’d changed my world. “Sleep.”

The corner of his mouth pulled up. “Yeah, you know, that thing we all need to survive?”

“Oh, that.”

“Come on. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.”

“All right.” I suddenly felt a little awkward. I was already in sweats and a t-shirt that I could sleep in. “I’m just going to brush my teeth.”

“Take your time.” He headed back to the bed, but I couldn’t seem to stop watching him go. The way he moved and the way his broad shoulders pulled his shirt taut.

I gave myself a mental shake and moved to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I leaned against it. “Get it together.” My brain was short-circuiting or something. My hormones going haywire, and my mind playing tricks on me. Instead of thinking of the man in the bed feet away, I focused on my teeth. I flossed meticulously, brushed for the full three minutes. I washed my face and moisturized so thoroughly, I might as well have given myself a facial. And then there was nothing else for me to do.

Mason looked up as I pulled open the door. “Get every tooth?”

My face flamed. “Don’t want any cavities.”

“Good dental health is important,” he said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, shut up.”

He laughed, and something about the sound eased the worst of my nerves. He pulled back the comforter on my side of the bed. “Think of it like a sleepover. We can whisper our secrets over the pillow wall.”

I crossed to the bed and slid under the covers, pulling them up to my chin as he turned out the light. “I never went to one of those sleepovers.” The words were out before I could consider how wise they were to share.

“You didn’t?”

I pulled the covers tighter under my chin. “Chelsea and I were never allowed. Our parents didn’t like us going over to other kids’ houses.” The more we were out of their sight, the more there was a chance for something to slip, for someone to see a bruise and start asking questions.

The sheets rustled next to me. “Well, you’re going to make up for it now.”

“Will you braid my hair and paint my nails?”

“Only if you ask nicely.”

I grinned into the dark. “I’ll make sure to save the glitter polish for you.”

“You’re such a good friend.”

Friend. Deep down, I knew that wasn’t what I wanted from Mason. It was a hell of a lot safer, though. And maybe that would be enough. We’d get through this next year and then part ways with a deep friendship. But something about that left a sort of hollow feeling in my chest. I’d been here less than twenty-four hours, and I already knew I’d miss the sound of that deep breathing as I slipped off to sleep.

14

Anna

“Maybe I should change,”I mumbled into the mirror. I’d gone with a simple sundress, trying to look put together while not trying too hard. But the social worker might see right through that and think I was being manipulative.

“Don’t. You look beautiful.”

I jumped at Mason’s voice. “Maybe jeans would be better.”

He moved into the bedroom, slipping his hands into his pockets. “I think it’s perfect. And honestly, I don’t think she cares what you’re wearing as long as there aren’t a bunch of curse words written all over it.”

“That was the other outfit I was considering…”

“Me, too. It was hard to go for this instead.”

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