Page 50 of Hidden Resolution

“I considered the possibility.” He grinned before sobering. “But what you see is what you get, love.”

Yeah, her main problem was wanting exactly what she saw. Badly.

The low hum of voices faded as Mason stepped onto the patio. Standing over the grill, Zack stared into the flames as if they held answers.

“I thought I smelled something burning.”

He jolted and glanced down at the meat before flipping him off. “Nice, asshat.”

“Oh, someone has it bad.” Mason chuckled, giving his brother a light shake by the back of the neck.

“Shit, man, have a care.”

Amused, he opened his mouth to fire back, only to freeze when movement caught his eye.

Shonda was preparing to leave.

Where the hell did she think she was going? If she believed he’d let her leave when someone was out there planting bombs in cars, she was?—

“You should apologize,” Zack said, cutting him off mid mind-rant.

“The fuck I will.” He already had, but there was no need for his brother to know.

Zack scoffed, visibly annoyed. “Don’t be an ass. You obviously have chemistry. Why not see where it leads?”

“Piss off. Did I ask you?” Mason’s anger wasn’t warranted, especially since Zack meant well. But he felt too wound up for reasons he couldn’t clearly define.

“The fuck I will. You’re being stubborn.” Zack reclaimed the plate of burgers he held. “Go ask her to stay for dinner. No one is saying you have to marry the woman. But you can get your feet wet again by dating a nice girl. And she is nice. I knew her in school, and Erica speaks highly of her.”

His brother disappeared inside, leaving Mason standing in the heavy quiet. Maybe he had a point. Starting slow didn’t sound terrible, did it? Slow was safe. Hell, if he were honest with himself, he’d admit his life was godawful lonely. Shonda chased the loneliness away. Her sass, her smile, those warm, dancing eyes…

He stepped inside, angling toward her, but froze mid stride.

Tension rippled throughout the room. Zack stood rigid, staring at his phone as if fearing it might detonate in his palm.

“Zack? What is it?” Erica’s voice barely rose above a whisper, uncertainty trailing every syllable.

He didn’t move.

“Hey, man? What’s going on?” Mason snatched the phone and read the message for himself.

“Enjoying your party? It will be your whore’s last.”

“Jesus Christ!”

The stillness fractured, and the room buzzed with movement, whispers, cries, or hands reaching. As one, their collective gaze landed on Erica, who was eerily silent until Zack reached for her.

“Daddy, is Erica going to be all right?” Jacob tentatively asked.

Mason’s gaze found Shonda. Pale and stunned, she looked moments from bolting. He had no idea how to calm her, but he wanted to mimic Zack’s hold on Erica and pull her close.

He understood the need. It echoed his own after yesterday’s explosion. Shonda hadn’t mocked how clingy he’d gotten. And her kindness set her apart.

Zack abruptly released Erica and rushed to the trash can, barely making it before he retched. Mason made a move to follow, but their mother waved him off.

“I’ve got this,” she said.

Silence followed. Mainly, no one knew what to say. All of them were locked in their own prison of turmoil.