CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Mason stopped for food so when we got back to the mansion, the lights were on, cars filled the street, and we could hear bass as we bypassed everyone. A line of people had formed from the street, down the gate of their yard, and around to the back pool area. That was the door that they allowed everyone inside. When Mason opened the gate and pulled through, I was relieved to see that no one followed suit. It seemed like everyone knew the rules. No one was allowed upstairs, only the basement and pool area.

I sent Becky a text and a few others to the Elite members, so when I got one back from Mark, I wasn’t surprised. I chuckled.

“What?”

“He said everyone’s coming and they’re all up for a slumber party at his house.”

Mason frowned but hopped out and rounded the car. He threw my door open and waited as I got out before he threw an arm around my shoulder. Everyone could see from the gate, but I didn’t care. As we headed inside, Mason hit the button and the garage’s door slid down. When we went into the kitchen with the food, the bass from downstairs was loud enough to rattle the dishes. Glasses vibrated in their placeholders, and dishes rattled in the cupboards.

I glanced at the door to the basement. “Are you sure no one will come up here?”

Mason tossed a fry in his mouth and filled a glass of water. “The door locks from this side. We’re good. We’ve had these bashes before.”

“And your dad? My mom?”

He shrugged. “I told dad we were having people over. He usually leaves for the city. I’m sure your mom was all for that.”

I looked down at my hands. Yeah, I’m sure she was. I tried to calm the rush of nerves in my stomach at that moment.

“You okay?”

When I looked back up, Mason’s eyes were on me and they weren’t blinking. I held my breath and nodded. I was fine. I wanted him to know that, but he waited another moment. I nodded again and cleared all emotion from my face. His eyes narrowed, but he turned back to the refrigerator. I heard ice clinking in glasses and knew he was making drinks for us. When he pushed one in front, I looked up. I let my emotion show and watched as he halted in mid-sip.

His glass was suspended in the air. “What’s wrong?”

“What are we going to do about my birthday dinner?”

Mason’s grin turned into something else. His eyes darkened, and there was a predatory look to him as he advanced towards me. A rush swept through when I felt his arms on either side of me, and he turned me around from the counter. He pressed down and I closed my eyes as his body came in contact with me. I enjoyed every inch that he aligned with me as I held my breath. I wanted more.

He kissed under my ear, lips nibbling as he stroked the earlobe and murmured, “Don’t worry about your birthday dinner. Everything will work out. I promise.”

I caught the back of his head and held him against me. His lips suckled their way around my jaw and up to my lips. As he paused above them, his hand caught the side of my face and held me in place. He moved back and peered down into my eyes. “You okay?”

My eyes clung to his. It was such a simple statement and I held my breath. Then I nodded and gave everything to him in that moment. His lips touched mine and it felt like we cemented something more than a reassurance between us. I felt more. I needed more. It wasn’t long before he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me in the air. He set me on the counter. I opened my legs and he went between them.

“Good gracious,” Logan groaned. He shut the door behind him. “Do you two do anything besides that shit?”

Mason grinned against my cheek before moving back and turning towards his brother. His back rested against my chest, and I wrapped my arms over his shoulders. He caught them in his hand and pressed a kiss to them. “Like you don’t already have a girl in mind for the night.”

Logan smirked as he went to the pantry. He came back out with his arms full of plastic cups. “Whatever. I’ll do my own thing. I don’t mind. I’m the single guy in this household. I’ll represent.”

I felt Mason’s tension. “Shut up.”

Then Logan dropped his façade. The smirk vanished, and he gave us a somber look. “Seriously, is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Why?”

He shrugged and tossed all the cups down the stairs. Then he shut the door once again and moved into the kitchen. He used the same vodka that Mason left on the counter and made himself a drink. “Because a bunch of Sam’s friends are downstairs and they look pissed as hell.”

“What?”

He shrugged, but I hurried out of Mason’s arms and down the stairs. Their basement was crowded, overly crowded, and I had to shove my way through until I found Becky. She was dressed in her hockey cheerleading outfit, and she stood in a corner. Her arms were crossed over her chest and a glower on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

Relief flickered over her face, but then the glower returned. “I thought you were coming to Adam’s game.”

My heart sank. Oh crap.

“Oh, come on, Becky.” Adam pushed through the crowd and threw an arm around her shoulder. He had a red plastic cup in one hand, and I saw the glaze in his eyes. He was already tipsy. “She’s got bigger and better friends than us now. Yeah, her boyfriend’s not playing, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t support him over her friends. I mean, he’s her boyfriend and the rest of us are just her loser friends. Right, Sam?”

Becky’s glower doubled. Adam’s cocky smirk turned into a sneer. He pointed his cup at me. “You might want to remember who your friends were before the Kades came into your life.”

My mouth fell open. Where had this come from? “Are you kidding me? You’re mad because I didn’t come to your hockey game?”

He rolled his eyes and turned to scan the crowd. Then he rolled his shoulders back, and he looked ready to continue partying. Becky seemed to shrink beside him as she watched him also. She bit her lip and her hands were twisted around each other. I sighed on the inside. She still had feelings for him.

He jerked a shoulder up. “Whatever, Sam. You’re busy. I got it. You’ve got your life.” He flashed me a smile, and I took two steps back from it. The uneasiness inside of me doubled. He was pissed, but there was something more. Then he shook his head, and a disgusted sound came from his throat before he strolled away. Becky and I watched as he already had a girl in his snares. She’d been watching him the whole time, and as he sauntered over to her, her whole face lit up. Adam didn’t even have to try. He touched her waist, and the girl melted for him. It wasn’t long before he tugged her further into the crowd. The lust on his face couldn’t have been missed, but it was mixed with arrogance.