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An attendant knocked, bringing in the food. Ellie had a moment to feel frustrated at the entire situation and angry all over again.
How am I supposed to know what he’s going through if he doesn’t tell me?
Once the attendant left, Mason sat next to her again, clearly wanting an answer to his question. Ellie sighed.
“You seem very confident as if you have it all worked out,” she said, shrugging. “You also don't seem like the type to budge or compromise, especially after your reaction to your questions. As much as I want things to work between us, I can't be with someone so unyielding."
She sighed softly. "I just blocked you last night because I thought it was better if we both moved on.”
Mason looked shocked. “But all I want is you. You actually blocked me?”
“Yeah,” she said, chuckling. “But don’t take it too hard. The next thing I did was bail you out.”
“How did you even know?”
“Gerri.”
“Ah, of course. Gerri,” he said, rolling his eyes.
The silence fell between them again, and Ellie felt a stab of fear. She didn’t want them both to shut down. She wanted them to work it out.
Mason sighed, looking at the floor.
“You say, I seem like I have it all together. Like I’m so confident, I don’t need anyone. If that’s what you see, then my disguise is complete.”
“Disguise?” Ellie asked. He nodded, meeting her eyes. She could tell it was painful for him.
“I lost my parents in a fire,” Mason said. His voice was soft and whispery, as if his throat had closed to save him the pain of speaking those words. “I was very young. Only I survived. Since then, I … I don’t know. But I feel like if I stay still for too long, something horrible will happen.”
“Oh, Mason,” Ellie said. She scooted toward him on the couch, taking his hands. At this moment, he looked so lost and scared. She couldn’t believe she’d seen him any other way.
“I’m tired of running, Ellie,” he said, squeezing her hands gently. He looked straight into her eyes, not hiding his hurt or his fear. “I finally want to make a stand. I want to be held … and I want someone to hold on to.”
He leaned forward and touched her cheek so softly that Ellie could barely feel it.
“I want it to be you, Ellie. I just want to be with you.”
Ellie shook her head, tears springing to her eyes.
“You can’t do this just because it’s what I want,” she protested, her voice hoarse. She couldn’t stop the tears trickling down her cheeks. “You said you could never stay in a town like Scaramouche. If you try to do this for the wrong reasons, you’ll just end up resentful of me.”
“No,” Mason shook his head, cupping her jaw with his warm hand. “I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me. Because I love you, Ellie. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything, and you have given me the courage to stand and face my pain.”
Fresh tears poured down Ellie’s cheeks. She leaned forward, falling into Mason’s kiss. The thrill that ran through her as their mouths came together made her shiver and throb. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him.
“I need to tell you something else,” he said. She pulled back, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I don’t know if anyone’s explained this whole thing to you,” Mason said. “About me being a shifter. It means that I have one fated mate, one person I can truly bond with. There’s no going back. Once I claim her, she’s the only one I’ll ever touch for the rest of my life.”
Ellie stayed completely still, her breath caught behind her ribs.
“It’s you, Ellie,” Mason said. “You’re my fated mate.”
Ellie reached for him, pulling herself into his arms. This time, when their lips met, she felt such thrills of ecstasy pouring through her that she knew she could never let him go.
SEVENTEEN
MASON
