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Chapter Eighteen
Hazel
I had kept my head down and avoided glancing at Franco during the hostage takeover. I could still feel his putrid breath when he had kissed me before throwing me into the back of his car recently.
I had no idea where Mason and I were heading. We’d already been driving for hours, and I’d fallen asleep for a while. The comfort of the vehicle and the fact I could relax had been enough to make me succumb to sleep.
I rubbed my eyelids and stirred, shifting in the truck. It was still dark outside. I glanced at the clock in the vehicle. It was just past midnight.
“How are you holding up?” Mason asked.
“Just tired otherwise I’m all right,” I said. My fingers played with the white gold necklace, tugging on the chain, twirling it on my index finger.
“We’re almost there. As soon as we head inside, I’ll make us something light to eat before bed.”
“I’m not very hungry.” Although my stomach grumbled otherwise, I didn’t think I could eat much. The last two days events had been exhausting, and without much sleep, the thought of food wasn’t appealing.
He drove down a gravel road, kicking up dirt and dust in our wake. Where the hell had he taken me? Did they have a safe house?
Mason didn’t say a word, kept his attention on the road the last couple of miles until we pulled up out front of a rustic home, two stories, on a farm.
“We’re not in Montana anymore, are we?” I hadn’t seen any mountains, but it was dark.
“North Dakota. My uncle owns the farm and acres of land out here. He has plenty of room, but he’s not very kind to strangers. It’d be best if we pretended we were a couple.”
I snorted. He couldn’t be serious.
He shut off the engine and unlocked the truck’s door.
“You’re joking. Right?” I asked and climbed out of the vehicle, following him around to the front door. I didn’t have any clothes or possessions with me, except the clothes on my back. Everything Ariella had been kind enough to buy for me was back at the resort.
His hand fell to my lower back as he escorted me up the porch steps. “I’m serious. If we want to stay here, then we need to convince him we’re serious about each other.”
“Great,” I muttered under my breath. It wasn’t that I didn’t still harbor feelings for Mason, quite the opposite. I’d practically thrown myself at him earlier, and he’d turned me down because he was concerned with what, his reputation?
I shuffled my feet as I felt the weight of his hand against my lower back. His touch was firm and possessive, and in any other circumstance, I would have gladly pretended to be his girlfriend. I didn’t have the heart to do it today or the stamina to be someone else.
Exhaustion swept over me, and I stumbled as I stood on unsteady footing.
Mason’s arm wrapped around my waist. “Whoa. Are you okay?” He held me close.
I nodded and rubbed my eyes. “I guess I haven’t fully woken back up.” It was a lie. I suffered when I didn’t sleep, and I hadn’t gotten enough rest to classify as a decent night’s sleep in two days.
“We’ll get you into bed soon,” Mason said.
His breath against my neck sent a shiver coursing through my body. I hoped he couldn’t feel my response. He held me close against him as a dog on the opposite side of the door barked profusely, and heavy footsteps stammered to unlock the door. It had taken a while, and finally, he pulled open the wooden door, the storm door still shut and locked.
“Mason?” The man had thirty years on Mason, but he looked so much alike in the eyes, the jawline, even the build. They could have almost been brothers. “What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”
He unlocked the storm door. The stranger glared at me but let us inside.
A brown and white mixed breed dog greeted me enthusiastically, jumping, tail wagging.
“Down, Bear!” he commanded.
Bear had to be eighty pounds of pure muscle with beautiful coloring and brown freckles on her white face. Her nose was a golden brown that matched her fur. “She’s beautiful,” I said as I petted her head, and she leaned against me for more pets and cuddles.
Mason embraced his uncle in a hug. I whimpered, already missing Mason’s touch and hold on me. He was quick with a hug before wrapping his arm back around my hip, pulling me tight. Was he trying to convince his uncle that we were a couple?
