If You Could Only See

Chapter 10

Mason~

Despite our current situation, I almost laughed at Shane's outburst, but I was fairly certain that she'd get violent if I did. It wasn't like I could blame the girl, either. I mean, who wouldn't be confused if they were her right now?

So, instead, I grabbed her by her hand, then dragged her behind me in search of an empty room upstairs. Having partied here before, I knew that there were quite a few spare bedrooms on the second floor, so that's where I headed. She also didn't object as I dragged her behind me until I came upon an empty room.

Once we were inside the room, I locked the door behind me, shrouding us in darkness, except for some light coming in through the window from outside. Still, I could see Shane's entire body freeze at the sound of the lock engaging. However, I didn't care. This might not have been how I'd planned it, but I finally had Shane alone, and I was not going to let her leave until we settled a few things between us. Especially, being dressed the way that she was. I was also never going to let her go once we figured shit out.

Shane stood in the middle of the room as she wrapped her arms around her waist, saying, "You have some blood on the corner of your lip."

I lifted my hand, then used my thumb to wipe the blood off. It wasn't much, but it still stung a bit. We were silent for a few seconds before I finally asked, "What are you doing here?"

Shane cocked her head to the side as she scowled a bit. "It's a party. I came to have a good time," she answered like it was so obvious.

"Since when do you party?"

Her arms fell away from her waist, and I could see her tiny hands ball up into fists at her sides. "Since none of your business, Mason," she snapped, and I'd never wanted to kiss someone so badly in my life.

"That's where you're wrong, Slaughter. You are my business," I replied, finally letting the cat out of the bag. In fact, everything about her was my business now.

I stepped towards her until I was looming over her, and her beautiful hazel eyes grew as wide as dinner plates. "Since...since when am I...I your business?" she stammered.

I reached up, then cupped her jaw, brushing my thumb back and forth over her chin. "Since the first day I ever laid eyes on you, Shane," I confessed, causing her to gasp. "You've always been my business. You've just never been stupid enough to push me before."

Outrage replaced shock.

"Stupid enough to push you?" she screeched. "Going to a party is pushing you? Are you insane? Do you take medication or something? Is that it?"

I smirked. I couldn't help it; she was just so entertaining. "No, Shane. I'm not medicated," I reassured her.

"Then you should be, Mason. You really should be," she replied, a might bit hysterically.

"Shane-"

She stepped away from me, and then started pacing the room. "I don't understand," she mumbled, and not necessarily to me. "I don't understand," she repeated. "I don't get it." She whirled around to face me again. "You've got to give me something, Mason. You have got to tell me what is going on. Everyone and their mother will be asking me what's going on, and I'm not going to be able to tell them anything because I don't fucking know!" Her voice was a high-pitched squeal by the time that she was finished with her breakdown.

"What exactly are you confused about, Shane?"

She shot me a look so lethal that, if looks could kill, my brothers would be sweeping up my ashes right now. "Why don't we start with why you've hated me all these years?" She cocked her hip out as she placed her hands on her curves. "Or maybe we can start with the visit to the bookstore? Or maybe why you would start a fight with Branson Morgan just because he was talking to me?"