The Pack House

Coffee Confessiona

A/N: Comment & Vote!

Marc rolled over to face in me in bed.

We had been laying the silence feeling a strain between us. It was actually a relief to address it. "You know I would never try to hurt you Mason. You know that right?"

I looked away. "You say that but you do anyway."

"I don't mean to be rough. I just...finding new ways to do things is hard for me. I need to be less...physical. Use my words more or whatever. But I don't feel like I need to be punished for every little mistake."

"Punished?" I echoed. "What do you mean?"

"That little man-witch did something to me. That can't sit right with you--my mate. You have to tell him to stop it." Marc smiled and stroked my cheek. "I mean, of course you wouldn't want me in pain."

I didn't like his tone and I didn't like his aim. The one thing I actually liked was how sweet his tone was. It was like we were back in the basement at Crimson Canyon. That horrible time had been when we were happiest. Now... I exhaled carefully. "I can try tomorrow."

A look glimmered in his eyes. "I don't need you to try Mason. I need you to just fucking do as I say."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Honestly? He was yelling at me right after asking me to do him a huge favor? Was I an asshole for not wanting to? "Im going downstairs."

"You wouldn't do anything stupid, would you Mason?" Marc asked in a scorning tone.

I closed the door and muttered 'asshole' under my breath. "What was that Mason?"

I dunked down the stairs hoping he didn't come after me. I didn't remember how things got so tense but I wished it would go back. Where was the timid man I had fallen for? Where has this self entitled prick came from?

I liked Marc better when he was scared of his own shadow!

Red was looking through his little expense notebook with a scowl. "I'm not used to no money coming in." He commented as he heard me enter. "Maintaining our livestyles on what I've saved is going to be impossible. I may need to put and Will back to work."

"Will can't work--he's too young!"

"Shut up with all your yelling, everyone's asleep. And Will's birthday passed a week ago. He's of age."

"And you think Marc would allow it?"

"Probably not. I guess it will just be Will." Red sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe it'll help him get over it."

"Maybe it will make it worse!"

"Maybe." Agreed Red. "Make me a cup of coffee will you?"

I thought about refusing but did it anyway. Red took the mug and looked at me. "So you and my brother. I can't say I ever pictured you with a mate."

"Me neither. Especially one--"

Red shook his head. "I don't want to hear you bitch about him. He's still my little brother. No matter how much of an ass he can be. Besides, he can't be worse than me."

"You weren't that bad..." I commented after a moment. "And you always cared. Just in the worst way possible."

"Everyone whore I let go hated me."

"I don't think that's true. You could have treated us a lot worse." I decided after a moment. "That being said you could have worked on being a lot less callous."

"If I had coddled them they would have been shit workers." Red replied evenly. "It made them stronger. Some may have survived. Hell, I almost confident Charlie can make it home."

"Really?" With his attitude I had half expected him to want Charlie to fail and consequently end up dead.

"I'm not a monster Mason. I'm worried about him. And that kid. When I got him he was wreck. You weren't here yet--I didn't buy you until March 3rd."

"You remember the day?"

Red hummed. "Yup. 1:30, as per our arrangement. I remember when I get all my whores. I knew you were different immediately. You were pure for one. And secondly, you hid your fear of me. It was almost...endearing."

"So endearing you sold my virginity to some creep?"

"That creep was a good friend. He was the gentlest I knew of. I knew he wouldn't be like the others. He wasn't a complete dog."

I opened my mouth to retort but quieted myself. Compared to all the others, he had been slow. Huh.

"Thank you."

"Don't get sappy with me Mason. I like the stupid you who thinks he can talk down to someone above him." Red winked a bit. "I'm surprised you haven't asked about your friends."

"You let them go. I know." They're probably dead. Lord knows Sammy wouldn't have gotten far. He was too clumsy and trusting.

"Not Alex or Fatso."

"You know--" I began angrily but he held up his hand.

"I traded Alex for free postage and delivery for two years to some stupid pup who was obsessed with him."

My jaw fell slack. "How did you know about--"

"I'm not stupid Mason. I may get...rowdy at our stops but I notice when a john takes an interest in one of my whores--it leads to trouble more often than not." He took a drink of coffee. "And Chunky is with that pub owner. He gets off on the big ones. Paid almost as much as I did."

Sammy was just in town? He'd been so close and I hadn't even seen him! "I can't wait to see him." I breathed. "Red you're amazing for doing that."

"If I didn't get anything out of it, I would have done it." Red uttered gruffly.

"You're a big softie aren't you?" I teased.

"Wanna see how soft the back of my hand is Mason?" He countered with a poorly hidden smile. "Now get to bed. It's late."

Bed...with Marc. Was I awful that I wished he wasn't there any more? "Red...if things don't..."

"Cam and I weren't perfect and I treated him a hell of a lot worse than Marc does you. But I'll have a chat with him, alright? Just don't make up your mind just yet."

QOTC: thoughts?!