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“Mason…” I hear Serena call my name in the distant, her heels clicking on the pavement behind me. “We should go.” Then she’s tugging on my arm.
“You’re welcome, by the way.” His snarky tone makes my blood boil. “You’d spent the weekend in jail and would be going through weeks of court shit without my evidence today.”
“Go to hell,” I spit, seething as I give him an earful of what he deserves. “That wasn’t for me, and we both know it. You moved on and got yourself a new cookie-cutter family. You can’t stand that I didn’t follow in your footsteps, and trust me when I say, it’ll be a cold day in hell when I do. Just once can’t you be proud of me for me?”
“Mason…” Serena warns, squeezing my arm.
“It’s okay,” my dad says way too calmly, holding up a hand toward her. “Mason’s always had a temper, so I’m used to his wrath.”
I have the opposite of a temper until someone pushes me too goddamn far, and he’s been pushing me for the past five years.
“Why don’t you and this girl you spoke about come over for family dinner on Sunday?”
The only thing I can do is laugh in his face. He’s lost his damn mind if he thinks I’d ever do that. “No, thanks. Gonna be busy.”
I take a step around him, walking toward Serena’s car with her next to me.
“Mason, wait.” I pause but don’t look at him. “You need to lay low while the media covers the story. Just because you’re walking away doesn’t mean you’re off the hook entirely. You’re on leave until further notice.”
If Serena wasn’t next to me, piercing me with her eyes to stand down, I’d be clawing at his throat for bringing my job into this. He knows I’m at his mercy, considering I work in one of the departments his position oversees.
Finally, I turn and face him. “For how long?”
He shrugs, grinning. “I’ll let you know. Stay out of trouble and it won’t be too long.”
I anxiously shake my leg as Serena drives me back home. My father knows just what buttons to press, and if he didn’t hold my future in his hands, I would’ve told him to fuck off or worse. Hell, I don’t know, but I can’t stand his shit anymore. Though there’s not a damn thing I can do about it as long as he’s the DA.
“You alright?” Serena asks when she parks in my driveway and kills the engine.
“Well, I’ve been better,” I say sarcastically. “On one hand, I’m happy I didn’t get charged, but on the other—” I don’t finish my colorful thoughts about my father, but I don’t need to because she understands.
“I know, Mase. He’s not an easy man to love, but whether you like it or not, he is your father. He came today, got your ass off a potential homicide charge, and you walked out a free man. I mean, I’m good, but I’m not that good.”
“You would’ve eventually gotten the charges dropped in discovery,” I tell her with a small grin.
“Well, obviously. I kick ass in the courtroom,” she gloats, and we both laugh. “So, do I get to meet her?”
I furrow my brows, confused. “Who?”
“The infamous Sophie,” she teases. “I think I should meet the woman you killed a man for.”
“Really?” I deadpan.
“Oh c’mon, you know I’m giving you a hard time. It’s been five years, Mason. I know you haven’t exactly been dating.”
I glare at her accusation. “And how would you know, hotshot? You basically live in that new fancy office of yours.”
“Liam gives me a weekly update.”
I snort. “He does not.”
“Okay, maybe not, but I see your social media pages, and I do talk to Liam at least once a month. He says you’ve been after this chick for a while.”
Rolling my eyes, I groan and make a mental note to punch Liam later for gossiping about my nonexistent love life. “And I suppose he tells you all about his traveling adventures and dozens of one-night stands?”
“Oh totally. We talk all about them over brunch. I’m starting to get concerned his dick is going to fall off soon, though.”
“Starting to?” I chuckle. “I’m surprised there isn’t a line down the block to get to him.”
“According to him, there’s a girl named Maddie who’s been quite relentless.”
I smirk, nodding. “Yeah, that’s Sophie’s little sister actually. She’s a handful.”
“How young are we talking? Legal, I hope?”
“Like Liam would ever touch someone underage? She’s twenty, but she’s innocent, though she doesn’t always act like it. She enjoys tormenting him as much as she can.”
She nods, smirking. “Good. He needs to be kept on his toes.”
“No shit.” I grab the door handle and step out of her car. “Well, come on.”
Serena follows me into the house, cackling. “Wow, love what you guys have done with the place,” she teases. It’s been a year since she’s been inside, but it hasn’t changed a damn bit.
