Page 52 of The Spare

He tries to speak to me. "Melody, I get you're upset, but you need to have security-"

"Hey, Henny," I quip, snapping my head over and giving him a nasty look."Fuck you."

Hendrix frowns, looking down at Isobel to whisper something indescribable to her. She mouths 'no' and shakes her head, holding her hand to her belly.

My mom steps closer, worry etched on her face."Baby, what is going on?Why are you acting like this?"

I raise my eyebrow and point at Hendrix. "Askhim.Since he knows everything." I turn to Mason's parents, whose eyes are pinging from mine to Mason's, and to Hendrix who's expression changes from confusion to a slightly sheepish and guilty look as it dawns on him that I know. "I'm leaving. Hope you all enjoymy birthday,"I grit out, jerking my wrist from Mason's hand with effort, and turn towards Karissa. "Let's go, please."

I walk around Mason who turns smoothly to fall into step behind me as I make my way back to the foyer. "Do not walk out that door, Melody," he says quietly.

"Fuck you," I whisper, breezing through the front door, into the night air, carefully making my way down the stairs and towards Karissa's car.

"Mel-"

"Mason!"I hear Hendrix's deep, stern voice ring out, and I glance over my shoulder to see Karissa, Leo and Brian appear through the door behind him and hurry down the steps.

Mason pauses, turning to look behind him, but I keep going until I'm at the passenger door, jumping in the seat when she unlocks it.

A second later, they all get in with a flurry of questions and slamming doors, but my attention is on the front of the house where Mason is yelling at Hendrix. Hendrix says something back, pointing a finger at Mason, and then Mason hauls off and punches Hendrix in the face.

Karissa starts the car, but she doesn't move to drive, riveted to the fight breaking out. Everyone's quiet for a moment, blatantly staring at the spectacle I so thoughtlessly created.

"Damnnn,"Brian says, "Melody, what the hell happened in there when you were talking to Mason?"

"You want to know what happened, Brian?" I say lightly, watching as Hendrix throws a punch at Mason, who ducks quickly, and then tackles him to the ground.

"Yes," Brian says incredulously. "You two look like youhateeach other. What the hell did he say to you?"

"Yeah," Karissa says, glancing over me quickly. "Everyone wants to know. It was obviously bad, whatever it was."

I turn my face from the sight of Mason's father and Brody tearing the two men apart, and look out the front windshield as we begin to creep alongside the other parked cars and pass the beautifully decorated fountain.

"I stopped giving a fuck. That's what happened," I say, closing my eyes.

There's silence for exactly twenty seconds before Leo leans forward between the two of us in the front seat. "So where are we off to now?" he asks. "Is the night over?" I pry an eye open to look at him. "I hope not," he says suggestively.

I close my eyes again, because I'm not planning on fucking Leo, no matter what I insinuated back there. I was just being difficult.

"Bar One," I answer. "I intend to make the most of my birthday."

"Alright, birthday girl. Your wish is my command." Karissa sings, picking up speed as we leave the pea gravel to the asphalt driveway.

Chapter seventeen

Well, Fuck.

Walking into the foyer, I turn wild eyes to my brother, who's holding a handkerchief to his cheek where I split it open.

"This is your fault!" I yell, pointing a finger at him."Goddamn you, Hendrix!"My eyes narrow to slits, and I roughly shrug off my father who's put a firm hand on my shoulder to hold me back."Get off."I snap, jerking to the side and putting distance between myself and the rest of my family."Fuuuck!"I shout, losing it.

"Mason, get a hold of yourself," my father sayssternly.

Turning away from them, I put my fingers to the bridge of my nose and squeeze as I take a deep breath, more furious than I've ever been in my life.

Turning back, I see mine and Melody's bodyguard hanging out by the powder room, talking. "Hey Stephen," I snap, waiting until he puts his eyes on me. "I don't give a fuckwhatshe said. You get your fucking ass on her tail, and do what I pay you to do,now!"

"Yes, sir," he says respectfully, nodding at my guard, Dante, who slides his eyes to the wall and keeps them there. Stephen walks past all of us, not meeting our eyes.