Page 3 of The Spare

No, I don't think I will. Is this how you felt when you first met Isobel? -Mase

Looking up I give him a sly grin before turning to Melody, who's clueless.

"Damn, you got some legs, girl!" I tease in a lighthearted voice that's in direct contrast to how I currently feel on the inside. The longer she looks at me, the more the room falls away. Leaving just me and her. "You a runner?" I ask, striving for nonchalance.

Her head tilts a little and a bright smile almost splits her face in half.

She's got a wide, endearing mouth that's warm and welcoming. And the fact I just made her smile like this chases some of that resentment away that's always there regarding my relationship with my family, and it causes this sudden yearning for her to deepen.

Nothing, so far, has worked to pull me out of this pit of hate that's been my home for so long that I can't even remember when I first fell into it. My eyes roam her face, enamored with the fact that an innocent girl with doe eyes, a wide smile, and twenty three freckles managed to do with one smile and twenty seconds what countless experienced whores across four continents haven't been able to accomplish in seven years.

"Yeah, I'm in cross country," Melody says, her soft voice reeling me in the rest of the way. With that tone she's got me hook, line, and sinker. I'm gone. "I can run ten miles without stopping."

"Jesus," I drawl lazily, running my gaze across her face. "That's impressive. Sounds like you have some stamina. My name's Mason; I'm Hendrix's brother." I hold out my hand but don't move to actually shake hers, merely wrapping my fingers around her slender fingers and squeeze gently, content to have her skin against mine.

"I'm Melody. Pleased to meet you too, Mason." Melody deftly plucks her hand out of my grasp, and my eyes flicker to her lips for a hot second.

When she looks away back towards the baby, they go even lower to pause on her breasts before flickering back up to her eyes. I give her my most devilish smile in an attempt to catch her attention once more, and pleasure fills me as her face goes bright red.

"No, I'm pretty sure the pleasure's all mine, Mel," I say.

"Baby, are youpregnant?"

Donna's voice breaks our spell, and we turn our head in unison to where she sits across from us staring rather hard at Isobel, who's tucked under Hendrix's arm looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"Yes, we just found out yesterday," Isobel says with a sheepish look on her face. "I wasn't going to say anything because it's Vi's day and we didn't want to dim her shine."

Curious, I glance at Melody who's oddly silent, making me wonder if she knew. Something tells me she didn't, though. When she clutches the pillow to her chest even harder, I lean into her, sliding my palm to her back as I whisper in her ear.

"Seems we're going to have so many kids to spoil, huh, Auntie?" I whisper conspiratorially. "Congratulations."

"Get your hand off her,"Hendrix says quietly, giving me a narrow eyed look. I roll my eyes, turning my attention back to Melody, who's frowning at Hendrix.

She's so intriguing.

"It was nice meeting you, butterfly," I whisper, pressing my hand slightly harder into her lower back before pulling away and standing up to walk over to my father, who's sat back down in his chair after fawning all over Isobel.

Blatantly ignoring Hendrix, I straighten my spine, aware of Melody's eyes on my back and make my decision. I'll claw my way to the top if it means I get to have her, I don't care who's in my way. Family ornofamily. Bending down into Father's ear, I put my hand on his shoulder. He turns his head slightly, his eyes finding mine.

"I'll do it without you," I say coldly, turning and striding out the door, only giving Melody one last look as I head out.

Playtime is officially over. By the end of the week I've secured a two million dollar loan from Uncle William, and I'm firmly on my way.

Chapter one

You're The Problem

Five Weeks Later

Ihate we're sitting around dissecting my love like this,I think.

However, I keep quiet, letting my family take the lead on the current situation: discussing whether or not to put Melody in a rehab facility due to extreme weight loss. I press my lips together, hands in my pockets, floundering. Digging the paperclip under myfingernail in a bid to remain in control and helplessly watch them decide amongst themselves what to do with Melody.

"She won't eat. She won'tmove,"Donna, Melody and Isobel's mother, says tearfully from her spot at my father's desk. "I don't know what to do anymore. She needs help."

The office lights up with a flash of lightning, the thunder shakes the house as if to lend her words precedence and strength. My lips tighten, as do my arms folded across my chest. The desperation in Donna's voice is almost enough to send me over the edge.

An edge I'd just sharpened to an unbearable point with my recent admission to my family.