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Despite the flavor, I found myself taking the last bite before I’d realized I hit the bottom. My system was all messed up, and I hadn’t realized how hungry I'd been. I smiled to myself, looking at the two packets of cookies he’d set out. He’d left his for me, in addition to mine. It was small, but it was sweet, and it made the butterflies swell in my stomach.
After taking a quick shower, I opened my laptop at the small table across from the bed. Suddenly, I looked around the room, and that’s when it hit me.
There was only one bed in this room.
One freaking bed.
My eyes darted around. Was Mason going to sleep in the room next door, perhaps? Or were we stuck together in one bed? My heart raced at the thought. The thought of brushing against him. Of lying down next to each other. My panties were instantly soaked at the thought. I nervously chewed my lips, wondering how tonight was going to go.
I checked the time. Where was Mason, anyway? It was getting late. It was well after dark, and I found myself nervous, hoping that he was alright.
I focused my attention on my laptop. If I was alone, I might as well use the time wisely, before Mason got back and I risked him seeing what I was working on.
Just then, I got a security breach notification. I sat there staring at it for a moment. I couldn’t be sure without digging deeper, but this looked like the same footprint. It had to be the same person or group.
If I couldn’t hack into our own system without being caught, maybe I could just watch and see what the hacker was looking for. Maybe they’d lead me straight to the answer. It was risky, but maybe I would get a little closer to figuring out what was going on.
I watched as they wormed deeper and deeper in until I got uneasy and sealed off the breach. They’d gone after the military contracts. But what was in those contracts I didn’t know exactly.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard, and my heart raced as I went back and forth. If it was the same person, they could be here right now. Maybe what Mason was working on was connected to this. Maybe this information could help him.
Maybe if I couldn’t hack into the system internally, maybe I needed to get in from the outside. I knew I could do it. I just had to get to a library or anywhere that had a different computer I could use. I doubted I’d be able to find one close enough to me, at least not in this small town. I closed my laptop and went to stand near the balcony. I didn’t walk out in case someone was watching, but I peered out the glass door and up and down the street, just taking in my surroundings.
Suddenly, Mason burst through the door, and I whirled around and gasped, seeing he was covered in blood.
9
EMMA
Mason slammedthe door behind him and locked it. He didn’t look at me as he went into the bathroom, and slammed that door too.
“Mason?” I got up frantically. He didn’t respond, but I heard him banging around in the bathroom. “Mason, are you alright? What happened?” I cautiously pushed the door open.
I caught my breath for a million reasons when I saw him. He was washing so much blood off his hands, and the sink was tinted pink. His bloody shirt was on the floor, and he stood there with his rippling abs, bulging arms, and his neck flexed as he gritted his teeth and rinsed his wound.
I stood there wide eyed, taking it all in. “Mason?” I whispered as I reached out and touched his arm, and his gaze snapped up to me cold and terrifying and I sucked a sharp breath in and recoiled.
He peered at me like that for a moment before he finally relaxed and his eyes changed and softened as he looked at me. He said nothing, but he went back to rinsing out his wound. He had a few small wounds bleeding over his shoulders, but he had one deep, long gash on his forearm.
“What can I do?” I hated seeing him injured like this. He was tense and distant. “Are you ok?” I said with a little more force.
“I’m fine. Most of this isn’t even my blood.” Mason gritted out.
His response made me sick, and I gripped the counter.
“In my duffle there is a small green zippered pouch. Grab it for me.” He instructed.
Without asking questions, I quickly went back into the room and dug through his bag. I quickly returned with the zippered pouch.
“Open it for me.”
I unzipped the pouch to reveal gauze, a needle, suture thread, small medical scissors, and a bottle of clear liquid, among other medical items. He grabbed the clear liquid with his good hand and twisted the cap off with his teeth. I watched as he poured the thick clear liquid onto his wound and he spat a string of curse words as he smeared it over the gash.
I leaned with my back against the bathroom counter, watching him as he leaned forward on the counter for support, while the liquid slowly dried.
“Glue?” I asked softly, and he nodded.
“Fucking piece of shit.” He hissed, examining the wound. It didn’t look like the glue was working. One side of the gash appeared much deeper. He irritatedly grabbed the suture needle out of the kit, and I snatched the thread before he could.
