I jumpedoutof bed and scrambled formy clothes. After getting dressed, I darted into the adjoinedbathroom and washed my face and brushed my teeth. The more Ithought about it, the more I realized it was quite possible theymight be arguing over me spending the night.
I quicklygathered all my books andpapers and stuffed them in my backpack, and gathering my laptop offthe dresser, I was prepared to leave. Even if they weren’t arguingover me, I didn’t want to intrude on a family matter. Besides, Iwasn’t sure if I wanted to witness four, three or even twoBuchanans in a heated argument.
Not afterseeing what Mason was capableof.
Granted, his brothersweren’t Branson Morgan, but still…
All fourBuchananscame across asintense.
I walked overto the door, and as ninja-likeas I could, I turned the doorknob and cracked open the door. And itamazed me that the words that hit my ears hadn’t dropped me to myknees.
“I’ve alreadytold you, she’s not important,” Mason’s voice thundered, clear and precise.
“And I alreadytoldyou, I’m not buying thatbullshit, Mason,” countered a voice I didn’t recognize. All I knewwas that is definitely didn’t belong to one of the guys. This voicesounded older and harder.
“Well,then I don’t know what elseyou want me to tell you, Dad, since you won’t believeme.”
Holy shit!
Mason’s fatherwas here.
Mason’s father was here,and they were in the middle of a heated argument. How in the hellwas I going to sneak the hell out of here? I’m not sure if I wasever meant to meet Mason’s parents, but I sure as hell knew Ididn’t want to meet his father while shit was goingdown.
“How about youtell me the goddamn truth?!There’s a video of you beating the shit out of Branson Morgan onthe fucking internet!” his father raged. “You’re going to standthere and tell me you got into a fight with a Morgan over a girlwho doesn’t mean anything to you? Bullshit, Mason!”
A girl who doesn’tmean anything to him?
“Well, it’strue,” Mason hollered back,and my entire chest felt like someone had kicked it in. “Morgan washarassing her, and I put a stop to it.”
“You’re on the video,clear as day, telling everyone she’s your girlfriend,Mason!”
“What wouldhave had me do, Dad? Announce to the entire partyshe’s just someone I’m fucking?”Mason asked and the door of his bedroom took all my weight as mybody gave out on me. “I wasn’t going to put her on blast like that,so I called her my girlfriend.”
Oh, God. Oh,Jesus.
What was he talkingabout?
Masonwasn’t making any sense. Wehadn’t even slept together when the fight happened. So, why was helying to his dad?
He told me heloved me.
He told meIbelongedto him.
Why? Wasitall one big ruse just getme to sleep with him? Was this one big joke? Oh, God…was it an uglybet or something?
What wouldMason get out of making a foolof me?
How could Masonsayall those things to me; doall those things to me and then turn around and tell his fatherthat I don’t mean anything? That I’m just some piece of ass he’sfucking?
It wasn’t likeI had been attached to my virginity. I wouldn’t have had any problem handing it over to him.He didn’t need to string me along with whispers of love andbelonging.
Mason’sfather’s voice pulled at my attention. “I don’t care whatyou call her, Mason, as longas she’s just a piece of ass and you’re not letting her distractyou.”
“She’s notdistracting me, Dad,” Mason replied.
“I’dbelieveyou if it weren’t forthat fucking video, Mason. She’s already a goddamn distraction ifshe’s causing you to get into fistfights,” Mr. Buchananreasoned.
“Shanedidn’t cause that. Branson Morgancaused that by being an asshole,” Mason threw back.
