Dusk & Dawn

Chapter 34

"Are you okay?" Mason's genuine concern echoed in his question. I nodded, appreciating his sincerity.
"What did you mean when you said he won't have to wait long?" His voice lowered, curiosity tinged with worry. I sighed, trying to ease his concern.
"It didn't mean anything significant. I just wanted to frighten him, make him think I had some drastic plan. He can interpret it however he wants. He probably thinks I'm going to commit suicide or something," I explained, shaking my head dismissively.
"He wouldn't even attend your funeral if that were the case?" Mason's shock was palpable.
"Him and my mother believe that suicide sends you straight to hell. So, that would only give them more reason to stay away from my funeral," I replied, rubbing my exposed arm, self-conscious of what Mason might think of my tattoos. I couldn't change them now.

"So, is he always like that?" Mason's eyes flickered from me to the road, trying to grasp the situation.
"Yup," I responded, keeping my gaze fixed outside the window, feeling a tinge of embarrassment about what he had witnessed. I wondered if he still wanted to be friends with the girl who knew little about the real world, burdened with overly possessive cultish parents. I had become a walking contradiction. Avoiding eye contact, I feared his perception of me might change.
"And you're their only child?" he inquired.
"Yup."
"They sheltered you from everything until..." Mason trailed off, allowing me to finish his thought. "Until I turned 18 and left," I concluded, my voice tinged with resignation.

"The gloves make a lot more sense now," he remarked, pointing towards my tattooed arm. Instinctively, I drew my arm closer to my stomach.
"No, don't hide it! Just so you know, you've gained major cool points in my book for that," he exclaimed, a genuine smile gracing his face.
"And that's a good thing?" I smirked, playfully challenging his judgment.
"Well, yeah! Do you even realize how attractive you are right now? I'll probably have to fend off guys with a stick," he nervously chuckled.
"Pssh, whatever!" I playfully slapped his arm.
"No, seriously. You don't even comprehend how beautiful you are, do you?" As the car came to a stop in the driveway, his intense gaze locked onto mine, penetrating my soul.

I coughed, trying to break the heavy tension that seemed to hang in the air like a fog."Um, the tattoos... they're not just to piss off my parents. They hide what he did to me..."I said, my voice trailing off as I struggled to find the right words. I wasn't quite ready to reveal the dark truth they concealed.

I exited the car, my body heavy. After enduring the verbal abuse from my father, the thought of kissing Mason seemed absurd amidst the whirlwind of emotions. With a mix of desire, anger, and newfound freedom coursing through my veins, I couldn't process it all. The only thing I knew to do was to walk towards the pool house. My body pulsed with unfamiliar sensations, and my thoughts became a chaotic dance of conflicting desires.

"Why don't you come in for some tea? I'll make you a cup," Mason suggested with a charming smile. His smile made my legs clench, warmth spreading to places I had never felt warmth before.
"Do you even know how to make tea?" I teased, standing in the doorway of the main house. He gently took my hand and guided me inside.
"For your information, Miss Quinn, I am an excellent tea maker," he retorted, leading me to the couch and motioning for me to sit while he took a few steps into the kitchen to start brewing the tea.

There was a definite shift in the air between us. It wasn't just the way he looked at me; it was something more. Maybe I was just grasping onto the closest person after the traumatic encounter with my father. Perhaps I was allowing myself to imagine something that wasn't really there. I couldn't be certain.

"My mother taught me how to make tea for her. She was the tea queen," he said with a soft laugh, though I detected a hint of sadness in his mesmerizing blue eyes.
"She sounds wonderful," I replied, trying to suppress my curiosity about his family while genuinely wanting to know more.