Page 75 of Surviving Love

Gritting my teeth, I didn’t respond. I focused on the pans, hoping he’d go away. He glanced over at me, and I could feel his frustration. Still, I continued to pretend he didn’t exist.

“What do you think about Harold going off alone with Lydia?” he asked.

I shrugged.

“Don’t you think that was odd?”

I shrugged again.

He sighed. “Mason, answer my question.”

I gave him a surly look. “Who cares what I think?”

His gaze flickered. “I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want your opinion.”

I gave a hard laugh. “I think Harold is smart to have other options besides you.”

His handsome face tensed. “Are you still mad about the fish-cleaning thing?”

I scowled. “No.”

“I only did that to make sure no one suspects we’re good with each other now.”

“Whatever, Jack.”

“You have a bug up your ass for some reason.”

I glanced at him. “I’m just busy, Jack. I have other things to think about besides howyou’refeeling about the game.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I thought we were playing the game together.”

“Did you?” I shook my head. “Not sure why you’d think that.”

Looking around, he said, “Mason, what is going on with you?”

If I didn’t get control of my anger, I’d lose my advantage. I couldn’t blindside Jack if he knew I loathed him. I needed to try and play nice. It was going to kill me, but I had to pretend I still liked him.

Swallowing hard, I said softly, “You’re spending so much time with Sherry, it’s annoying me.”

“What? That’s what’s bothering you?” He sighed. “Mason, you’re the only one I’m interested in.”

I couldn’t even look at him, but his voice told me all I needed to know. He was only too willing to believe I was jealous of him. What a monstrous ego the guy had.

“She sure seems to think you two have a thing,” I lied.

“I promise you, that isn’t true.”

“I don’t see Sherry as a liar.”

“Mason.” His voice was coaxing. “Do I need to remind you of how I feel about you?”

I know exactly how you feel about me, Jack. I’m a pawn in your game.

When I didn’t respond, he said, “You know what you do to me.”

Did he say this same shit to his wife? Did she eat it up like I had? I scrubbed the pot even harder, channeling my resentment into that poor pan. There was a fine line between Jack thinking I was still under his thumb and giving him what he wanted. I needed to figure out how to navigate that.

Now that I knew what he was really like, I wasn’t going to spend any alone time with him. Frankly, I didn’t trust myself. Even now, as furious as I was, his husky voice made my pulse race. I hated myself for that, but it was hard to flip a switch from wanting him to not noticing him. My growing feelings had been genuine.