Page 47 of The Spare

"We need to talk, Mase," he says.

I clench my jaw as I grab up our glasses and take a swallow of mine while I hand him his. He sits down on the leather chair our father usually sits in and crosses an ankle over his knee, assessing me.

My skin doesn't prick like it normally does when I'm being scrutinized. No, things like that don't hardly get under my skin anymore. Instead, I sit across from him, right on the table and lean forward with my elbows on my knees. "About what?"

"You know what."

"Sorry for being an asshole." I clear my throat, tipping my drink up and swallow, relishing the slight burn. "I know what. I just don't understand whatthere is to talk about."

"Mason, let her get her own apartment." Hendrix eyes me with nothing short of patience. Having a kid has really mellowed him.

I narrow my eyes, curling my lip as that familiar twinge of sibling rivalry fills me. "No, and fuck you for continuing to try to dictate how I live my life. No one tried to control how you got Isobel."

"Mason, she's-"

"Alegal adult."I finish for him. I sit back, placing my drink on a coaster next to my hip. I square him with a look and arch an eyebrow. "Look, I dideverythingthat was asked of me. I became legit. I got a real job, I solidified myself as a major contributing factor in the King Dynasty business and carved my own sector out for myself. I haven't touched her, haven't fucked her. I haven't so much as evenkissed her this entire time you've asked me to wait." I pause, seeing a flash of surprise mar his features. "Yeah, I bet you didn't see that coming, did you?"

That resentment I work so hard to keep under check swells within me, threatening to break through.

"I'm very proud of you, Mase," Hendrix says, looking at me with, in fact, brotherly pride. I stare back, almost afraid to acknowledge it. "You've done usallproud."

My lips tighten as I take another sip. "Yeah, well, I know it took long enough."

"Can you give her one more year?" he asks me, tilting his head.

My answer comes back fast and with a quickness, "No. No, I can't."

He sighs, clearing his throat and goes to say something else, but he's interrupted by the doorbell ringing. "Are we expecting someone else?" I ask, standing up and tossing back the rest of my drink.

"Yeah, Melody is having a friend over," he says, but I'm already on my way out the door to see what's going on.

I meet up with Melody, who's making her way to the foyer and grab her elbow. "Hang on, sweetheart, let me go first." I tell her, pulling to slow her down. I wave Johnson away, getting to the door and opening it to her too-blonde, big-boobed, plumped up roommate Karissa. Who has two younger men behind her.

I pause, tucking Melody further against my side. "Who're you?" I say, but Melody pulls out from my side and reaches out and grabs Karissa, pulling her inside.

"Thank you for coming!" she gushes, pulling her in for a hug.

I frown and step aside, making room for the two men to come in behind her. Irritation like I haven't felt in a minute rises inside me, and I visibly bristle. What's worse, I can't even help it.

"Hey, man." The dark-haired man steps forward with his hand outstretched. I ignore it, turning away from him to close the door dismissively. His hand lowers, and he trades a glance with the other man. A blonde who is looking a bit too hard at Melody for my liking.

Karissa's head snaps to me, and her eyebrows raise, her eyes go wide, and her face breaks out in a big smile.

"Hi,"Karissa says, stepping into me before I can react and throwing her arms around me. "It's so good to meet you!" I stiffen as she squeezes hard and rocks me, and I keep my hands to myself, not really knowing what to say. My nose scrunches up as the smell of her overly processed hair hits me.

Uncomfortable, I tilt my head back, pulling away from her.

I throw a look at Melody, who's currently shaking hands with the blond. "It's good to meet you too," I say tightly. I feel the old Mason coming back, and I bite the side of my cheek trying with everything in me to keep my attitude in check.

The brown-haired guy named Brian throws an arm around Karissa, and she tilts her head up at him, placing her hand on the side of his face.

The blonde man's name is Leo, and he looks like what the fuck you'd think a Leo would look like, too. He's got blue eyes, dark blue jeans with a polo shirt and converse. My lip curls, seeing how he's smiling at Melody. And when she leans forward to shake Brian's hand, he tilts his head, checking out her ass in her too-short dress.

The way he's looking at her has my irritation spiked to unreal heights.

My lip curls,"Get your-"

Right as I'm getting ready to lose my temper, another voice sounds out. "What's going on?"