Chapter 84
Wendy and Mason
"So," Sophia, one of the interns at Verve, leaned against the bar, wiggling her brows at Wendy. "You and Mason are like... a thing?"
Wendy nearly choked on her drink, coughing as she set the glass down. "Me and Mason?" She let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Not even close."
Sophia smirked. "Oh, come on. That dramatic declaration of loveâ"
"Meant nothing," Wendy sighed, waving a hand dismissively before chuckling. "Mason is a fool. He jokes around too much."
"So you two are definitely not a thing?"
"Most definitely not," Wendy snorted.
Sophia hesitated before asking, "Do you know if he's seeing anyone else?"
Wendy arched a brow, watching her closely now. The question wasn't as casual as Sophia wanted it to sound. Before Wendy could respond, Mason appeared beside her.
He didn't greet them. Didn't flash his usual smirk or throw out a teasing remark. His jaw was tight, his gaze dark and distant. He barely even glanced at Sophia, who immediately went stiff beside Wendy, her flushed expression going unnoticed.
Instead, Mason leaned in, his voice low and urgent. "We have to go. Now."
Wendy blinked, her amusement vanishing. "What? Why?"
He shook his head, his hand already wrapping around her wrist. "I'll explain later. Justâcome on."
Sophia's eyes darted between them, looking confused, but Mason didn't so much as acknowledge her.
Something was definitely wrong.
Without another word, Wendy set her drink down and let Mason pull her toward the exit, his grip firm.
"What's going on?" she demanded, rushing to keep up with him. "Mason!"
He didn't stop until they were outside, the night air cool against her skin. Finally, he exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair.
"Gabriel called," he said, his voice unusually tight. "Jake slashed Lily's tires."
Wendy froze mid-step. "What the fuck?" Her heart hammered in her chest. "When? Where? Is she okay?"
"She's fine," Mason muttered, yanking open the car door. "Shaken up, but physically okay. They're at the apartment. Gabriel called some detective he knows."
That didn't make Wendy feel better. If anything, it made her more anxious. Mason never sounded like thisâflat, distracted, almost... shaken.
She climbed into the passenger seat as he started the engine, gripping the wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Wendy studied him as he pulled onto the road, his jaw locked, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. He barely blinked, staring straight ahead, driving faster than usual but with complete control. Mason always played things off, laughed things awayâbut not now. Now, he was silent.
Too silent.
"You okay?" she asked hesitantly.
His grip on the wheel tightened. "I will be when I see Lily."
Wendy swallowed, pressing her lips together. She could see it nowâthe worry bleeding through the cracks of his usual nonchalance.
Wendy's fingers curled into fists in her lap. If Mason, the guy who never took anything seriously, was this tense, then things were worse than she thought.
Mason pulled into the parking lot with a sharp turn, cutting the engine before Wendy had even unbuckled her seatbelt. He was out of the car in an instant, striding toward the apartment building without a word. Wendy rushed after him, her own nerves coiling tighter with every step.
When they reached the door, Mason pushed it open, stepping inside with tense urgency. The atmosphere inside was heavy. The soft hum of voices filled the room, but everything felt muted.
Lily sat curled up on the sofa, her body pressed against Gabriel's as he held her close. His arms were wrapped around her, his chin resting lightly on her head as he murmured something too quiet for Wendy to hear. Lily's fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt like she needed something solid to hold onto.
Detective Reines sat across from them, notebook in hand, his expression impassive but focused as he took down Lily's statement. His presence alone made the situation feel more serious, more real.
Wendy's eyes flickered to the coffee table, where Lily's laptop sat open, the screen casting a dim glow. Mason's parents and Theo on video call, their faces sharp with concern.
Mason noticed at the same time. His shoulders stiffened as his gaze locked onto the screen. His father's sharp eyes bore into him, his mother's expression was unreadable, and Theo... Theo just watched, silent and calculating.
The air felt thick, electric with tension.
Mason exhaled through his nose, then finally spoke. "What the hell happened?"
"So nice of you to join us," Theo drawled from the laptop screen, his tone razor-sharp. "Took your time, didn't you?"
Mason ignored him and walked over to Lily, his focus solely on her. He sat down beside her, and without a word, she shifted from Gabriel to him, curling against his side.
"You okay?" he asked, draping an arm around her shoulders, his touch gentle but protective. "Are you hurt?"
Lily shook her head, but the tension in her body said otherwise. She wasn't physically injured, but Mason could tellâshe was shaken.
Theo scoffed. "This is exactly what I was talking about. You're too busy wasting time to realize that maybe, just maybe, keeping an eye on your sister should be a priority."
Mason's jaw clenched, but he didn't take the bait. He kept his attention on Lily, rubbing slow circles on her arm, waiting for her to talk when she was ready.
Wendy, on the other hand, had no such patience. She crossed her arms and turned toward the laptop, her expression sharp.
"With all due respect, Theo, Mason being Lily's shadow wouldn't have stopped Jake from slashing her tires," she said.
Theo arched a brow, unimpressed. "No, but maybe if he took things seriously for once, we wouldn't be dealing with this now."
Wendy let out a dry laugh. "Right. Because Mason being glued to her side twenty-four-seven would've magically kept Jake from being a psycho." She shot him a glare. "If you're going to sit there and throw blame, at least make it make sense."
A brief silence followed, thick and simmering. Even through the screen, Theo's stare was piercing, but Wendy didn't flinch.
Mason finally glanced at the laptop, his expression unreadable.
"Are you done?" His voice was even, but there was an edge to it.
Theo exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly, but he didn't say anything else.
Lily let out a shaky breath beside Mason. "Can we justâcan we not do this right now?"
Before anyone could respond, Daphne leaned into view, her eyes flickering between the faces on the call before settling on Theo.
"Lily's right," she said, her voice firm yet calm. "This isn't the time."
Theo's gaze shifted to her, his expression unreadable, but Daphne didn't waver. She reached for something out of view, probably steadying herself, before continuing.
"Focus on the situation," Daphne reached out and gently touched Theo's arm. "Not on Mason."
Mason didn't say anything, but Wendy caught the way his grip on Lily tightened slightly, like he was silently thankful for the intervention. Lily exhaled softly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little.
Daphne's expression remained steady. "What's important right now is making sure Lily is okay."
Wendy let out a quiet breath, glancing back at the laptop screen. Lily's parents were silent, their faces drawn tight with worry. But it wasn't just concern that lingered in their expressions. It was something deeper, something unspoken.
Daisy sat stiffly, her lips pressed into a thin line, her hands clasped together like she was holding onto something only she could see. Luca, usually composed, had a distant look in his eyes, his jaw tense. It was almost like they weren't fully present, like their minds were caught in the grip of some memory neither of them wanted to relive.
Wendy frowned. It was strange. This wasn't just the worry of parents whose daughter had been threatenedâit was something else. Something heavier. They were seeing something she wasn't.
Detective Reines, who had been quietly taking notes, finally looked up from his notepad. He exhaled through his nose, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room before settling on Lily.
"I'll check the gym's security cameras," he said, his voice steady and professional. "I need to see if there's footage of Jakeâ"
"It wasn't Jake," Lily shook her head with exhaustion as if she had been making the same statement over and over.
"Let's see what the footage shows, yeah?" Reines tapped his pen on his notepad.
Lily gave a small nod, her fingers gripping the edge of Mason's sleeve.
Theo, however, wasn't nearly as composed. His jaw tightened as he leaned forward slightly, his presence on the screen somehow just as commanding as if he were in the room.
"I don't want him just caught on camera," he said coldly. "I want him arrested and charged."
"If the evidence is there, that's exactly what will happen," Reines said.
Theo's expression didn't soften. "Make sure it does, Detective."
"Thanks, Jacob," Gabriel slowly rose to his feet and forwarded his hand toward the detective.
"Sure thing, kid," Reines said, shaking his hand. "Tell your mother I said hi and tell your sister to stay out of trouble."
"Will do," Gabriel nodded. "I'll walk you out."
Wendy stepped aside as Gabriel lead the detective to the door. She waiting until they passed before taking a seat beside her friend and wrapping her arm tightly around Lily.
"Do you need anything?" Wendy asked.
Lily hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No," she whispered, but the way she leaned into Wendy told a different story.
Wendy tightened her hold, resting her chin lightly on Lily's shoulder. "You scared me, you know," she murmured. "When Mason told me what happened, I swear my heart stopped for a second."
Lily let out a shaky breath, her fingers gripping Wendy's arm like an anchor. "I was scared too," she admitted softly. "But I didn't want to say it out loud."
"You don't have to," Wendy said, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "I already know."
For a moment, they just sat there, the weight of the night pressing down on them. Wendy felt Lily's breath even out, her body relaxing little by little.
"I'm really glad you're here," Lily whispered after a while.
Wendy smiled, pressing a light kiss to the side of her head. "Always."
"Wendy," Luca's voice was calm but filled with gratitude. "Thank you for being there. I'm going to assume you're staying over tonight."
Wendy glanced at the screen, finding Lily's father watching them with an expression that was both weary and sincere. He looked like he had aged in the past hour, the weight of the situation evident in the slight crease of his brow and the exhaustion in his eyes.
"Of course," Wendy said softly.
Luca gave a small nod. "I'll call Gabriel to thank him too," he said before exhaling quietly. "We'll talk later."
Lily's mother remained silent beside him, still lost in her own thoughts, but she reached out and touched Luca's arm before he ended the call. The screen went dark.
The room was quiet.
Mason sat there, unmoving, staring at nothing in particular. He hadn't said a word, hadn't reacted to the exchange. His grip on his knee was tight, his knuckles faintly white.
Wendy didn't say anything either. She just let the silence settle, knowing that sometimes, words weren't what someone needed most.
After some time, Lily let out a slow breath and pulled away from Wendy's embrace. She glanced at Mason, then at the dark laptop screen, before pushing herself to her feet.
"I'm going to my room," she murmured, her voice quiet, almost fragile.
No one stopped her.
Wendy watched as Lily walked away, her steps uncharacteristically slow, like the weight of the night had settled into her bones. She disappeared down the hall without another word.
Gabriel, who had been standing near the door after seeing the detective out, lingered for a moment. His gaze followed Lily, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he followed, his footsteps nearly soundless against the floor as he trailed behind Lily like a shadow. Wendy watched them go.
After some time, Wendy turned back to Mason, her gaze settling on him as he remained eerily still. His head was tilted down slightly, his hands clasped together, his jaw tight. The tension in his body was palpable, radiating off him like a storm about to break.
Without a word, she reached out and took his hand, her fingers curling around his. His palm was warm, but his grip was rigid, like he was holding himself together by sheer force of will.
Mason didn't look at her. He just exhaled slowly, then leaned his head back against the couch, eyes slipping shut. The harsh lines of frustration and worry remained on his face, but he didn't pull away from her touch.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Wendy simply held his hand in silence, grounding him in the only way she knew how.
"Are you hungry?" She asked. "I'm sure Lily needs something to eat too. I'll order deliveryâ"
"No," Mason slowly raised his head and shook it. "I don't like outside food."
"What?" Wendy chuckled softly.
"I prefer home food," Mason said, slowly rising to his feet. "I'll make something....just go ask Gabriel and Lily if they have any request."
"Are you sure?" Wendy asked. "There's so much going on. Maybe we should just get take outâ"
"No," Mason interrupted, his tone firm but not unkind. He rolled his shoulders back as if shaking off the weight of the night, then ran a hand through his hair. "I justâI need to do something with my hands."
Wendy watched him for a moment, her lips pressing together before she sighed in resignation. "Alright," she murmured. "I'll go check with them."
Mason didn't respond, already making his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge with a little more force than necessary, rummaging through it with the kind of focus that told Wendy this wasn't just about foodâhe needed the distraction.
She lingered for a second before shaking her head and turning away. With another sigh, Wendy padded down the hall toward Lily's room, knocking softly before pushing the door open.
Lily was curled up on Gabriel's lap, her hands on her own lap as she leaned into him. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, her expression soft yet vulnerable. Gabriel held her close, one hand rubbing slow, comforting circles along her back while the other rested on her thigh, anchoring her to him. He murmured something low against her temple, and though Wendy couldn't hear the words, she could feel their weight in the way Lily's body relaxed just slightly against him.
For a moment, Wendy debated whether she should even say anything. She hated interrupting them, especially when Lily looked so emotional. But before she could decide, Lily lifted her head, catching Wendy's gaze.
"Hey," Lily said, her voice soft. "Come in."
Wendy gave a small smile and leaned against the doorframe. "Mason's cooking," she said lightly. "Any requests?"
Gabriel glanced down at Lily, silently asking the question for her. She shook her head, then looked back at Wendy. "Anything is fine."
Gabriel nodded in agreement. "Same here."
Wendy lingered a moment longer, watching the way Gabriel's hold on Lily didn't loosen, the way his fingers traced absentminded patterns against her back, like he needed to reassure himself she was still there.
With a quiet nod, Wendy stepped away, closing the door softly behind her. As she walked back to the kitchen, her thoughts remained on Lily and Gabrielâthe way she melted into him, the way he held her like she was something precious.
By the time she reached Mason, the sight of Lily's tear-filled eyes was still imprinted in her mind.
"What's that look on your face?" Mason asked, looking up from the array of ingredients in front of him.
"Nothing," Wendy muttered, leaning against the counter.
"Did Lily want something?" Mason asked.
"No," Wendy shook her head.
"Gabriel?"
"He's going to do what Lily does," Wendy rolled her eyes. "She has him on a leash."
"I don't think he minds," Mason chuckled.
"What about you?" Wendy asked.
"What about me?" Mason arched his brow.
"You don't find it weird that your sister was with Jake not even a week ago and now Gabriel and her are attached to the hips?"
Mason shrugged, "No."
"Really?" Wendy arched her brow.
"Lily is an adult," Mason said. "I don't need to butt into her business. I'm not like my brothers."
"It's not butting in," Wendy said, slowly stepping forward and picking up the peeler and a potato. "If you're making sure she doesn't get hurt."
"Do you not like Gabriel?" Mason asked.
Wendy hesitated for a moment, peeling the potato with slow, deliberate strokes. "It's not about liking Gabriel," she said carefully. "I just wonder if you know the full story."
Mason frowned, pausing as he chopped an onion. "What do you mean?"
Wendy studied him, trying to gauge whether Lily had told him the truth about Jake. From the way he looked at her, expectant but unconcerned, she had her answerâhe had no idea.
"You think it's normal?" she asked, keeping her voice casual. "That she went from one guy to another that fast?"
Mason shrugged. "She broke up with Jake because she realized she liked Gabriel. That happens."
Wendy sucked in a breath. So she really didn't tell him.
She set the peeler down and turned to face him fully. "Mason... is that what she told you?"
His brows pulled together slightly, his movements slowing. "Yeah," he said. "Why?"
Wendy debated for a second. It wasn't her secret to tell, but damn it, Mason should know. His little sister had been cheated on, lied to, humiliatedâand he was here, completely in the dark.
She opened her mouth, then shut it just as quickly.
Lily hadn't told him for a reason.
So instead, she exhaled and said, "I just think you should talk to her. Really talk to her."
Mason's frown deepened. He studied her for a beat, as if trying to read between the lines, but eventually, he just sighed. "She knows I'm here if she wants to."
Wendy let out a soft huff, picking up the peeler again. "Sometimes you have to push, Mason."
"Like I said," Mason muttered, turning back to the cutting board. "I'm not like my brothers."
Wendy rolled her eyes, setting the peeler down with a clink. "Speaking of brothers," she began, drawing out the words, "does Theo always act like such an ass?"
Mason let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he reached for a bell pepper. "You get used to it."
"That's not an answer," Wendy shot back, narrowing her eyes.
Mason exhaled through his nose, his knife pausing mid-slice. "He's always been like that..."
"Uptight?" Wendy scrunched up her nose.
"Yeah," Mason chuckled, but the humor didn't quite reach his eyes. He set the knife down and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "I've earned the role of the irresponsible one in my family. The one who jokes around, never takes anything seriously. The goofball who needs to be managed."
Wendy studied him carefully, noticing the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers curled slightly against his bicep.
"Most days, I don't care," Mason continued, his voice deceptively light. "But some days..."
The words trailed off, but Wendy heard what he wasn't saying.
"Some days it gets under my skin," Mason admitted, exhaling slowly. "Especially when they expect me to be like Theo. He's the golden boy. He can do no wrong. I've spent my whole life hearing itâ'Mason, why can't you be more like your brothers? So studious, so brilliant, so dedicated, so goal-oriented.'" His lips curled into a humorless smile.
"And you're not any of those things?" Wendy asked, tilting her head.
Mason scoffed, shaking his head. "No. I don't function like they do. So meticulous. Type A. I don't have my whole life mapped out. Levi and Theo? They had it figured out when they were five. Meanwhile, I'm just... here."
Silence settled between them, thick but not uncomfortable.
Wendy reached out, nudging his arm lightly. "For what it's worth, I think you're doing just fine."
Mason glanced at her, something flickering in his gazeâsomething softer, unguardedâbefore he scoffed playfully. "Wow. High praise coming from you."
Wendy smirked. "Don't get used to it."
_____________________________
Lily and Gabriel
Gabriel's fingers skimmed the spines of the books lining Lily's shelf, his gaze drifting over the neatly arranged titles.
"You have way too many books," he muttered, pulling one out and flipping through the pages. "Do you even read all of these?"
Lily, curled up on the bed, let out a soft, tired laugh. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, and her smile was small but real.
"I like knowing they're there," she murmured, hugging a pillow to her chest. "It's comforting."
Gabriel glanced over at her, his expression unreadable as he set the book back in its place. Slowly, he crossed the room, sinking onto the edge of the bed. His hand reached out, hesitating for only a moment before brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
Lily blinked up at him, her breath catching slightly.
"Do I count as comforting?" Gabriel asked, his voice quieter now.
Lily swallowed, her fingers curling around the hem of her sleeve.
"Sometimes," she admitted.
Gabriel huffed a soft laugh, but there was something deeper in his eyesâsomething unspoken. His hand lingered for a moment longer before trailing down to her wrist, his fingers brushing lightly over her skin.
Gabriel rarely hesitated. He was all sharp edges and confidence, always knowing exactly what to say to fluster her, to make her heart race. But nowânow there was something different in the way he looked at her. Something hesitant, almost shy.
The flutters Lily felt whenever he was around were becoming addicting, an unshakable pull that made her crave his presence like a favorite melody she couldn't get out of her head. She told herself it was silly, that she should be able to breathe just fine without him so closeâbut then he'd look at her like that, with quiet hesitation softening the sharp edges of his usual confidence, and suddenly, space felt unbearable.
Lily wasn't used to seeing him like thisâunguarded, almost uncertain. It made her chest tighten, made her want to close the gap between them, to press into the warmth of him, to chase away whatever held him back.
Her fingers twitched at her sides, aching to reach for him, to touch.
She swallowed, forcing herself to stay still, to pretend she wasn't on the verge of leaning in, of making an excuse to brush against him, to feel the heat of his skin.
God, when had it gotten like this? When had simply being near him stopped being enough?
"Will you stay tonight?" she asked softly.
Gabriel glanced up at her, his lips parting slightly as if the question had caught him off guard. Then, slowly, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"What?" Lily asked, tilting her head.
His gaze held hers, warm and unguarded in a way that made her chest tighten. "You realize we haven't spent a night apart since we've been together?" he murmured.
Lily felt a slow heat creep up her neck, but she didn't look away. "Is that a bad thing?"
Gabriel shook his head. His thumb skimmed lightly over the back of her hand, his touch lingering like he was memorizing the shape of her.
"No," he said, his voice quieter now. "Just... different."
Lily's brows knitted together. "Different how?"
He let out a slow breath as if he was weighing his words, and for a moment, she thought he might change the subject. But then he leaned back slightly, fingers still tangled with hers, tracing slow, thoughtful patterns against her skin.
"I've never taken things slow before," he admitted. His voice was softer than usual, almost unsure. "With anyone."
Lily's heart gave a strange, quick flutter. Gabriel smirked slightly, like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
"I like this," he admitted, his fingers tightening briefly around hers. "I like you."
Lily swallowed, her pulse thudding in her ears. A small, breathless laugh escaped her, and she squeezed his hand, grounding herself in the warmth of his touch.
"I like this too," she admitted. "I like you."
Gabriel exhaled softly, his lips parting as if she had just knocked the breath out of him.
And maybe, just maybe, she had.
_________________________
Mason and Wendy
The apartment had settled into a quiet hum, the lingering tension of the evening still present in the soft glow of the kitchen lights. No matter how hard they all tried to shake it off, it coated their skin like tar.
It was long after dinner. Lily and Gabriel had stayed up with Mason and Wendy, the four of them curled on the couches, half-lost in a movie none of them had really been watching. Eventually, Lily had yawned, Gabriel had stretched, and together, they had disappeared down the hall, leaving just Wendy and Mason.
Wendy picked up her empty glass and stepped into the kitchen, her fingers brushing against the cool metal of her keys as she picked them up from the counter and placed the glass int he dishwasher. Feeling the weight of Mason's presence, she hesitated before slowly turning to face him.
Mason casually leaned against the doorway, watching her with that easy, unreadable expression of his. His arms were crossed, his tousled hair still slightly messy from where he'd been lounging on the couch earlier.
"You're heading out?" His voice was low.
Wendy twirled her keys between her fingers, offering a small shrug. "Thinking about it."
Mason pushed off the doorway, stepping further into the kitchen. "It's late."
She arched a brow. "And?"
Mason smirked, shaking his head as he closed the distance between them. "And you're not going anywhere."
Wendy scoffed, tilting her head. "Oh? And who exactly is going to stop me?"
Before she could react, Mason reached for her, his hands finding her waist as he lifted her effortlessly onto the kitchen counter. A soft gasp escaped her lips, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulders as he stepped between her legs.
The air shifted.
The playful teasing in his eyes darkened into something elseâsomething deeper, something electric. Wendy swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of the way his fingers pressed into her hips, of the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest as he looked at her like she was the only thing in the world.
"Masonâ"
"You're staying," he murmured, his voice lower now, more certain. His fingers trailed up her sides, brushing over the thin fabric of her shirt, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
Her breath hitched. "You're awfully sure of yourself."
His lips quirked. There was nothing hesitant in the way he lifted his hand, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Only when it comes to you."
Wendy felt her heart stutter, her body betraying her as she leaned in just slightly, drawn to him in a way she couldn't explain.
Mason closed the space between them, his lips capturing hers in a slow, deliberate kiss. It wasn't rushed, wasn't desperateâbut it was firm. It sent a rush of warmth straight through her.
By the time he pulled away, his forehead resting lightly against hers, Wendy could barely think straight.
"Stay," Mason murmured again, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "With me."
And with the way he was looking at her, like he wanted to drag her to his bed and tie her up, Wendy wasn't sure she could say no.
Y'all I am so burnt out from work :( I never thought my dream job would have me stressing this much....I feel like this update was crap.... My brain feels like mush and I just want to lay in my bed and not talk to anyone.