Page 54 of Mase
“Sum?” I jump up from the couch, wanting nothing more but to pull her into my arms and tell her I’m sorry and I didn’t mean it, but I can’t find the words. Besides, I promised never to lie to her.
“Dick move,” Trav grumbles and shoulder checks me on his way by.
Shaw slaps me on the back. “I always fuck up. Just got to learn how to grovel, man.”
“Use your tongue and tell her you want more babies,” Reed tacks on before rushing past Shaw to no doubt grab the first piece of pizza. The weird fucker insists on eating before anyone else touches the food, and he even uses a knife and fork to eat it.
THIRTY-ONE
SUMMER
Gia and Emi are amazing,their children are adorable, and Reed and Shaw are hilarious and welcoming. I can see why Mase sees them all as family.
“I can’t believe you’re having twins. That’s such a blessing.” Emi smiles in my direction as she takes another sip of her orange juice.
Gia scoffs. “That’s hard work, that’s what twins is.” Then she grimaces when her gaze meets mine. “I’m sorry. I’m a realist.”
I giggle. “It’s okay. I know it’s going to be hard.”
“At least Mase is amazing with kids. He’ll be really hands on,” Emi adds to soften the blow.
The woman is so sweet and gentle; it’s hard to believe she was a Mafia princess brought up around such cruelty.
Guilt stabs into me, piercing my soul, devouring me and spitting me out like trash. She’s been through hell and has somehow managed to make it work after becoming pregnant after a one-night stand with a stranger. Whereas my one-nightstand might have resulted in a pregnancy, but it won’t have the same happy ending, as much as I want it to.
My betrayal, coupled with overhearing Mase tell his friends he’ll never marry me, has my heart thumping in my chest and my stomach lurching.
“Are you okay, Summer? You’re awfully pale,” Gia asks, touching my forehead and placing me in the kitchen chair.
“Mom, can Bubbles sleep in my bed tonight?” Bryce asks.
When I discovered Reed adopted Gia’s son and labeled him as his own, a newfound respect toward him overcame me. The man has taken over Gia’s life and commandeered it. For a man who supposedly doesn’t like children, you wouldn’t have thought it.
Mase watches me closely from the living room, studying me as Gia places her hand on my forehead, then he springs up from his seat.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Are the babies okay?”
“Mom, how do you get two babies inside one small stomach like that?” Bryce points in the direction of my stomach, and my eyes widen before they dart toward Gia.
“Ask your dad,” Gia tells him, then winks back at me.
“Summer?” Mase’s desperate voice cuts through the fog clouding my mind.
“Hmm?”
“What’s wrong?”
“I just panicked about having twins. It’s a lot.” I lie far too easily and instantly hate myself for it. This house has slowly taken every part of me away from myself. I was fast becoming a person I didn’t want to be, hence theIndulgencenight, and only when Mase entered my life did I finally see myself as happy. It’s just a shame it’s all a façade.
Mase’s shoulders relax, and his touch sends a flurry of warmth through me as he palms my face and tilts my head up to face him. “I’ve got you, sweet girl. Every step of the way.”
Tears form in my eyes, but I blink them away, hiding the guilt and shame of my past actions. His eyes search mine, and he opens his mouth, but Eleanor’s squeal of excitement cuts through the air and indirectly through the budding tension emanating from me in waves.
Bubbles is making a weird hacking sound, and Eleanor is bouncing on the balls of her feet beside her. “Bubbles found my pink hair clip, Mamma!” she declares, pointing at what appears to be dog puke.
“At least Bubbles hasn’t died on us,” Gia whispers under her breath.
“Come on.” Mase lifts me into his arms, making me squeak, and I have no choice but to wrap my arms and legs around him like a koala. “We need to talk,” he declares, and my stomach falls to the floor.
