I could feel mybloodice over at her mentionof Morgan. “He wasn’t just talking to you, Shane. That sonofabitchwas trying to dance with you.” I leaned down into her. “Thatmotherfucker put his goddamn hands on you,” I seethed.
Shane wasn’tbacking down, and I wasmomentarily surprised. She was always so quiet and demure. Shedidn’t engage, and she went out of her way to keep her to herself.She didn’t speak unless spoken to. She basically did her best to beinvisible.
I neverimagined she’d have a temper or balls big enough tostand up to me.
Guess I waswrong.
Whoknew?Maybe Gabriel was right about thequiet ones and dead bodies.
“I have an idea,” shespewed, sarcastically, “why not start with how do you even know myname, Mason?”
Jesus Christ. Whereto start?
All herquestions were valid anddeserved answers, but I didn’t think she’d believe me and voicingit out loud would make me sound super unhinged.
But she deserved somekind of answer.
I shrugged ashoulder and went forthepartial truth. “I’ve never hated you and I’ve always known yourname,” I answered, lamely.
Thatlook? The lethal slaying one? Yeah,she was looking at me like that again. “Really? That’s it?That’swhat you’re giving me?” she spat, pissed all tohell. “Are you fucking kidding me, right now?”
Icrossedmy arms over my chest.It was hard to stare someone down who was in the right, but I didmy best. “Look, all you need to know is that I don’t hate you andyou belong to me now,” I informed her, wondering how much more shecould take before she bashed my head in with a lamp orsomething.
Hergasp nearly knocked me over. She tooka step back, andGod,I want to take apicture of her face. She looked absolutely bewildered.“Belong toyou,” she repeated.
“Yes, Shane.You. Belong. To. Me,” I repeated back to her, pronouncing each word like she was a person who hadtrouble grasping the English language.
I honestly wasexpecting her to reach for the nearest object handy and bash me inthe head with it, butinstead,the strangest look came over her face. And, I could swear on myleft nut that her eyes were glossing over, but maybe it was justthe light from outside dancing in the darkened room.
Then she reallyfucked me up when all the fight left her, and she dropped her ass down on the bed and hungher head in her hands. I could hear her mumbling, but I couldn’tmake out any of the words.
God, I hope shewasn’t losing her mind.
I could playthisone of two ways. I couldignore the mini, little melt down she was having and just proclaimmy words as law, or I could hear her out and make her think she hada choice.
Itwas a no brainer-even if I reallywanted to go with the proclaiming thing.
I walked overand droppedon my haunches infront of her. I placed my hands on each of her knees. “Talk to me,Shane,” I said, questioning if I really want to hear what she’smumbling about. This was not how I planned our first interaction tobe.
It wasn’t like I washer favorite person, right now.
Hell, I wasn’tsure if I’deverbe her favoriteperson.
Period.
Shane liftedher head from her hands, andthe look on her face was so sad; if I hadn’t already been kneltdown in front of her, her face might have brought me to my knees.“That’s all I wanted, Mason,” she whispered, like I knew what thehell she was talking about.
“What wasallyou wanted?”
She shook herhead and her eyes fell backdown towards her lap. “Viola convinced me to come to this party andI just…”
Okay. Thatanswered my question of what was she was doinghere. “You just what,Shane?”
Her sorrowful,hazel gaze returnedto mine,and what she said next almost did knock me on my ass. “Once Iaccepted the idea of coming here and…and trying to get out of mycomfort zone, I figured…I figured I’d have a few drinks, loosen up,dance, mingle, get rid of my virginity and just have an all-aroundgood time, you know?”
Ihad a low opinion of people,and because rarely did I feel any empathy or sympathy, it wasn’toften that their behaviors or words shocked me.
But I wasshocked.
