Page 27 of The Spare (The King Dynasty #2)

Chapter fifteen

An Understanding

" G et away from me," I snap, pushing hard at Mason's chest.

My eyes well up with angry tears, and I step to the side and walk deeper into the room, putting some much needed space between him and me, and get myself away from being trapped against the door. I wrap my arms around my torso, trying to take in what he's just told me.

"Mel," Mason says, hurt sounding as rejection drapes his features.

He'd never quite mastered covering up his emotions like his brother. No, Mason wears his heart on his sleeve. He stands there, sliding his hands in his pockets and regarding me with a serious, albeit sober look.

"No," I turn to face him, folding my arms and shaking my head when he goes to take a slow step towards me.

"You don't get to fucking sound hurt. I'm the one who gets to sound hurt!

" I half yell, taking a step back when he doesn't stop advancing towards me.

I hold up a hand, palm facing him. "You and your brother had no right-"

"I know," he grits out harshly. "Mel, I fucking know! But he-"

“-making fucking decisions for me," I yell, finishing my sentence.

I narrow my eyes and take another step back.

"That's why you've been waiting so long?

" My lips tighten as my eyes narrow at him.

"Because of them? All they've been doing for the both of us is fucking making decisions about everything! Everything!"

Mason shoves a hand through his hair and throws me an exasperated look.

"Melody, you know more than anyone that I understand what you're saying because for years I felt stifled by my brother and father.

" He takes a step towards me and narrows his eyes.

"But you have to see that he thought it was for your own good-"

"For my own good? " I interrupt, recoiling my head and narrowing my eyes.

"For my own good, Mason? I couldn't even fucking go to the college I wanted, and you're trying to tell me that it was for my own good?

I can't walk around like a free person, always being followed.

I couldn't date for the last three years, because everyone I talk to goes fucking missing-"

"Melody, calm down-"

"No!" I snap. "Fuck you, Mason! I've been feeling like I've been going crazy for years because of you!

My emotions all over the place, up and down.

Does he like me? Does he not like me?" I throw my hands to the side and give him a pointed look.

"I was so fucking confused that I actually convinced myself I was losing my mind.

And then every time I tried to move on, every boyfriend I tried to involve myself with went missing! " I shout, my eyes going wide.

A guilty look clouds his features as he flushes, and I know without him saying anything that it was him. He did this.

"Was it you?" I half whisper, taking a hesitant step forward my anger deepening at the trapped look on his face. "Answer me."

His eyes are equal parts angry and guilty, his hands come to rest on his hips, and a muscle ticks in his jaw. He searches the ground for a minute, but still he doesn't say anything.

"Tell me the truth. Was it you?" My eyes narrow. "Did you make all those men disappear?" When he takes a deep breath, I step forward and gesture an arm at him. "Dammit, Mason, tell me the fucking truth- for once!"

"Yes! Okay?" he yells, bring his hands up to grip his hair. "It was me. I paid them off to leave you alone." His hands drop, and he scoffs, turning away from me and beginning to pace.

"Why?"

"I didn't want them touching you. Obviously."

"Why?!" I shout, my hands trembling as my irritation sparks.

He throws me an irritated look before turning away, continuing to pace. "I was waiting for you because Hendrix made me promise. Because he wanted me to prove to him that I was serious about you." He turns imploring eyes on me. Eyes that are angry but also filled with sadness.

I clench my teeth, my breath shooting hard and fast through my nose. "Why, Mason?"

"Because I fucking love you!" he shouts, his voice cracking causing my heart to skip a beat. I take a fast step back, shocked at the raw fury in his eyes. "But he was worried that you were just a plaything to me, and that I was going to use you up and toss you aside."

Tears fill my eyes and my jaw drops because the Mason I know would never do that to me. And it causes my wrath at Hendrix to burn even hotter.

He and my sister deserve each other.

My heart flutters for more than just the anger I have at Hendrix and my sister.

Mason just confessed to loving me. Words I'd daydreamed about hearing more times than I care to admit.

I become quickly overwhelmed at the riot of sensations crashing over me, and I know I have to leave. I need to get some space.

I hold up a hand, just over it.

"Say what you want; I'm not interested in hearing any more. Thank you for the truth, but I'm done. I didn't even want this dinner party. I'm out."

I walk towards the door, gasping as I'm spun around hard to face him. His fingers tighten hard on my elbow, pulling at my skin.

"Melody, I just told you I loved you." His voice is hoarse as his eyes search mine, pleading.

Wanting something I'm too scared to give him. It's too fresh.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I struggle against him. "And I said I'm leaving."

"You're not going anywhere," he snarls. His brow is furrowed and a muscle clenches in his jaw betraying how on edge he is.

I rip my elbow from his grip and look him up and down.

"Says who? The man who let his brother dictate to him how to go about his business?

And then I'm supposed to just sit idly by and wait for someone to tell me what to do with my life?

" Ignoring the hurt that flashes across his face, I take a step into him.

"I'm a grown woman, and I'm done letting people make decisions for me.

So," I tilt my head as his eyes harden. "I'm going out there, I'm telling our parents thank you, and I'm leaving to go bar-hopping with my friends.

I'm done with this, and I'm done with you! "

I turn and run to the door, hearing him close on my heels.

"Mel," he bites out, but I walk even faster through the hallway, evading his hands as I cross the foyer and into the den where everyone is mingling.

They all turn their heads to look at me in shock as I bust through the threshold with Mason two feet behind me, slapping his hands away.

I don't acknowledge any of them.

I mean it. I'm done.

"Melody? Are you okay?" Isobel says, struggling to get off the couch with a concerned expression on her face.

King takes her hand and helps pull her up, but I ignore her, finding Karissa instead who's in conversation with Brian and Mason's mother and father. I see Isobel's face drop, turning confused, but I don't have it in me to reassure anyone.

I'm too angry, and they're all the source of it.

"Karissa, let's go," I snap.

Karissa turns to me, getting ready to speak, but she snaps her mouth shut quick and raises a brow when Mason appears right next to me.

"Melody, can you please relax and just talk to me?" Mason comes around to my front and tries to catch my eye, but I turn my face from him.

I'm just too caught up in my feelings right now.

"Hey, what's up, Mel… Are you good?" Leo says slowly, standing nearby with a shot of vodka. I eye him for a second before turning my face back to Mason.

"Can you pour me a shot too, Leo?" I address Leo, seeing Mason's jaw clench .

"Sure."

Mason's eyes narrow, and his features settle into something scary.

Dismissively, I turn from him and walk over to Leo, taking the shot he hands me before turning back to Mason, narrowing my eyes back in anger.

"I decided to give Leo my first drink."

The air suddenly becomes so chilly that my skin breaks out in goosebumps, but I don't care.

Mason's lips tighten, and he looks so angry that I'm sure he's going to snap at any moment. But he stays quiet, the fury emanating from him letting me know all I need to know about how he really feels, despite him exercising a massive amount of self-control.

Seeing Mason step forward quickly, I tilt my head to shoot it right as he reaches forward to snatch it from my hand. His fingers circle my wrist hard, and he makes a rough sound in his chest as he yanks at my arm to try and stop me.

We grapple against each other for a second.

Some of the liquor spills down my chin and drips onto my chest, but most of it got into my mouth, thankfully.

His hand tightens on my wrist as he jerks hard, ripping the shot glass away with his other hand, and it clatters to the floor a few feet away.

I lash out, slapping him across the face with my free hand.

Everyone gasps, but I turn my head quickly, coughing against the burn.

"Melody! What the hell is going on?" Isobel shouts, but I ignore her.

I swipe the back of my free hand across my mouth, wiping the vodka off before pinning Mason, who looks absolutely murderous at me, with an equally irate look.

My eyes flicker seeing a red mark on his cheek where I've slapped him, and I grit my teeth, feeling feral as his fingers tighten even more on my wrist .

"I also decided to not have your bodyguard follow me," I hiss at him. "Because that's not going to be the last first I give away tonight."

The room plunges into absolute silence at my admission.

In my peripheral vision I see Karissa's jaw drop; however, my eyes are firmly on Mason who currently looks like he's made of stone. A look I've never seen before turns his face from one of anger to downright evil. He gets in my face, his minty breath fanning over my lips he's so close.

"Over. My. Fucking. Dead. Body," he snarls, making my blood run hot.

"What's happening?" Leo asks, sounding confused.

Mason and I both ignore him. I refuse to answer either one of them.

"You can't stop me," I breathe, my face defiant as I stare at him unblinkingly.

"Are you willing to bet on that, butterfly?" he says just as quietly, his eyes hard as he looks down into mine, letting me know how serious he is. "I'll break your goddamn legs if you spread them for that son of a bitch."

We commence to staring each other down while we wait one another out. His eyes bore into mine intimidatingly, but I hold my ground because a point needs to be proven. Hendrix takes a couple steps towards me, both his brows raised.

"Mason-"

"Fuck off, Hendrix"

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.

"Ask him. 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 enjoy my 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 you hate each 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.