I glanced at Channing, who’d spoken beside me. I heard the awe before he broke out in a grin, heading toward Mason.

“Fuck, Kade. If football doesn’t do it for you, and if you’re not going to become a millionaire businessman like your daddy, you’ve always got fighting as a backup.” He laughed again, shaking his head. “You and your girl took on ten of Caldron’s crew.” He swung around. “Heather, you should be taking lessons from Sam here.”

I looked and sure enough, Heather was right next to me, her hands holding her elbows. She gave me a shaky smile. I saw the fear in her eyes then, and another moment of reality hit me like a slap across the face. The adrenaline had been a nice blanket surrounding me, but it was gone now, and I gasped, feeling aches and pains all over my body.

I doubled over. “Fuck.”

“Sam!”

Mason was there, his hands gentle on me as he helped me stand back up. “You okay?” He inspected me all over, brushing back my hair, feeling over my arms, legs, and stomach. When he was certain nothing major was wrong, he pulled me to his chest.

“Are you okay?” He buried his head in my hair, at the crook of my neck.

His hug was gentle, but I crushed him to me. He wasn’t the only one who needed reassurance.

Holy. Fuck.

Eleven to two.

I felt him peppering soft kisses to my neck. “Who knew you were such a badass with a bat, huh?”

A slight laugh slipped out, causing a new burst of pain through my chest. But it felt good. Damned good. I leaned back so I could see him. “You okay?”

His eyes roamed over me, his love and concern evident there. “I’m fine. Worried about you.”

“I’m good.”

Those two words didn’t feel right, but I wasn’t capable of speaking further at that moment.

“I don’t think Caldron will seek you out for a rematch.”

We had all regrouped at Heather’s house, which was now overrun with Channing’s crew. Some of the guys had migrated to the front porch, where their girlfriends were now hanging all over them. Channing leaned against one of the kitchen counters, his arms crossed over his chest as he spoke to Mason.

He turned to watch as Heather wet a washcloth before bringing it to me where I sat on Mason’s lap at the table. Since the fight, we’d barely separated. I needed to keep reminding myself he was okay.

She handed it over, and I pressed it to a cut on my face. I winced, but Heather’s painkiller was already working. The pain was considerably less than it’d been at the event.

Mason watched me as he replied to Channing. “I know, but he got his ass kicked. Budd was going to go after Sam no matter what. I can’t put it past Caldron now.”

Heather sat next to me, eyeing my bruised hand. “You sure you don’t want to get that checked out?”

I nodded. “It looks worse than it is. It’s not broken. I can tell.”

“Okay.” But she didn’t seem convinced. “I can’t believe you took down three of those guys.”

Mason smiled. “Apparently, she’s deadly with a bat.”

I grinned, my chest feeling lighter with his teasing. “You said to aim for the knees. That worked with the first one. The rest I had to improvise.”

“I’m pretty sure I saw you head-butt a guy’s junk.” Heather got up for another washcloth.

Channing laughed, tugging Heather into his arms as she passed him. He took the washcloth from her hand and tossed it into the sink. “She’s fine. You’ve given her ten different washcloths. Your friend is okay.”

She bit her lip, eyeing me from the shelter of his arms.

“I’m fine. Really.”

Her eyebrows furrowed together. “I saw one of those guys kick you in the ribs. I think you should get that checked.”

“Ribs?” Mason turned to me.

I didn’t remember that, but I touched my side and found she was right. I hissed as I touched a swollen spot. I could move around okay, though.

“I’m sure I’m fine. I didn’t even notice till now.”

“Maybe we should go in,” Mason countered.

I looked at him and was about to protest, but then I saw some of his bruising. If I looked as bad as he did, I understood why Heather was so worried.

I sighed. “Maybe we should both go get checked?”

He nodded.

As we stood to go, Channing gestured to one of his friends. “Congo can drive you guys there.”

Congo?

A short, bald guy came over. He clipped his head at us, flashing blinding white teeth. He was so tanned, even the whites of his eyes seemed too bright.

“Wouldn’t want either of you to lose consciousness on the drive over,” he said.

Heather moved forward. “I can go with you guys.”

“No.” I touched her arm. “I’m fine. Really.”

She was so tense, but she melted at my touch. Then she was hugging me, her head resting where Mason’s had been earlier. I could feel her trembling.

“I was so scared,” she whispered. “You didn’t see yourself, Sam. You were…” Her body twitched again. She couldn’t finish her statement. “I never should’ve invited you to come with me.”

“Stop. I mean it.” I pulled back, keeping my hands on her arms. “I chose to go, remember? If anything, this is my fault.”

She began to shake her head, and I opened my mouth, ready to take more of the blame, when Mason pulled me away.

“Both of you shut up. Caldron’s my enemy. Stop with the blame game. You’re giving me a headache.” He touched the small of my back. “Come on, Sam. The sooner you’re checked out, the sooner we can go home.”

He was right. Home. Bed. His arms. That was the list of where I wanted to be.

I said one more time to Heather, “I’m fine!” and hugged her a last time before turning away and following Mason outside.

Matteo was waiting next to Congo at the car. I didn’t know the specifics of the fight, and I hadn’t realized Matteo had fought with us, but his cut lip told me he had. Before I slipped into the backseat with Mason, I reached through the opened window and touched Matteo’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

He shook his head. “Don’t thank me. I was deep in pussy and booze. I got in a few good hits at the end, but not enough. I never should’ve left your side.” He spoke to Mason as Congo started the Escalade. “I’m sorry, man. I let you down.”

Mason waved him off. “This was my fight, not yours.”

Anything else Matteo was ready to say, Mason must’ve changed his mind because he closed his mouth. As we pulled away, Mason lifted his arm for me, and I leaned into him, my head resting on his chest and my eyes closed.

I could’ve stayed there forever, but soon enough I was pulled away to go into the hospital. A couple hours later, we checked out. The x-rays showed we were both fine, and I was back in his embrace.

Everything was just as it should be.

MASON

The girl at the front desk gasped when she saw my face the next morning. I couldn’t blame her. I’d woken to a pounding head, black eye, busted lip, and aching ribs as well. Fucking Caldron.

I didn’t want to shock this receptionist too much, so I kept my shades on. “James Kade said to be here at seven. I’m Mason Kade.”

“I know.” Hearing my dad’s name and mine seemed to settle her a bit. She glanced around. “My manager said you’d be coming in, along with another guy. I’m supposed to show you to the conference room you’ll be using.”

“And the other guy is here,” a voice announced.

I turned to see Adam Quinn standing next to me with his hand raised. He was about to slap me on the shoulder.

“Lay one hand on me and I’ll break it, Quinn.”

He looked the same as in high school. I knew girls thought he was pretty with his height and blond hair, but he still looked like a preppy douchebag who wore sweaters tied around his neck like some Ivy League pedophile to me.

He stepped back, looking at my face. “Your dad said you’ve been back a couple weeks. What shit have you already gotten into?”