Page 97 of Freaks Of Nature

I shake my head when his gaze swings back to me.

“Look, maybe you should stay away from him.” His eyes narrow. “He can be dangerous. I’ve caught his fist more times than I can count.”

I give him a weak nod. I can’t say with certainty that I’m not afraid of Mason or what he would do in a fit of jealousy.

Ash

What’s wrong with Mason?

Now there’s a loaded question. Whatisn’twrong with the guy?

Training my eyes on the window to the street, I stab my food and shove some more leftover chicken into my mouth. After everything we’ve been through, I never thought we’d find ourselves on opposite sides. Not over a girl. He never came home after the woods and even called Isaac to take a personal day off from work just to avoid me.

I’m surprised he’s here now.

I put my fork down and go off on him as he strolls in through the garage. “Where the fuck have you been?”

He’s still wearing the same clothes from last night.I would’ve figured he’d stop by to change while I was at work, covering for his ass.

Shooting me a hostile glare, he ignores the question and marches past the kitchen where I sit at the counter.

I push off the stool and charge after him into the hallway. “Would it kill you to answer a fucking text?” I barrel on. “Forall I knew you could’ve been lying dead in a ditch somewhere.” I know how he rides when he’s enraged.

Mason sneers over his shoulder. “And wouldn’t that have beenconvenientfor you?” Then his door slams shut.

We’ve seen accidents happen during races, and he’s had several close calls against Vince’s Ninja that I lectured him about.Does he really think I’d want him to crash?

I hesitate for a moment, grinding my teeth at his remark before going after him.

I rip the door open. “You know, she asked me what your deal is.”

“Oh, and I bet you couldn’t wait to tell herallabout me.” Mason tears his sweatshirt over his head and fires it toward the dresser across the room. It knocks down his cologne.

His shoulders rise and fall with his heaving breaths, bringing the black skulls tattooed across his chest to life. His fists are clenched. “You’ve been trying to turn her against me from the start.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t have to. You did that all on your own.” I knew Mason would blow it with Emily sooner or later. “I mean, what kind of psycho chases a girl with a FUCKING KNIFE?”

Mason’s eyes flare. He lunges at me before I can counter, and we both fall into the hallway together. We go to the ground, limbs tangled, kicking and throwing punches.

“You don’t know her like I do. You don’t know anything ABOUT her!” he roars, his right hook coming at my face as he straddles me.

I block the hit, then my own fist shoots out, catching his temple.

I punch him again while scrambling out from underneath him. I manage to get my arm around his neck and lock him in a rear chokehold with both of us still on the ground.

“You’ve lost your fucking mind, man. Let it go. She’s done with you.”

Another angry roar ruptures in his throat as he thrashes to get free. He claws at my forearm.

I relent and back off.

Before I can push fully to my feet, Mason spins. His leg kicks out, his steel-toed boot landing a hit to my side.

I collapse against the wall in the narrow hallway.

He straightens, blood trickling out of his nose through labored breaths. “Even if she’s done with me, I’m not done with her,” he says, chest heaving. “But Iamdone withyou.” He spits more blood onto the floor, then wipes his face with the back of his hand. “You’re fucking dead to me.”

Mason turns around and slams his door shut a second time. This time I hear the lock engage.