AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With each aching step, I curse the world a little more, determined to make it to the kitchen for a glass of water.
By the time I get one filled, my limbs are shaking, and it hurts to breathe. Pushing off the island, I head back for the living room. I nearly pass out from the throbbing in my temples, my hand shooting out to grip the wall, but of course, my dominant hand is what goes out to save me, sling be damned.
“Ah!” I scream in agony as my shoulder erupts in flames, and this time, my knees buckle.
The glass falls from my fingertips as my body goes down. It shatters across the tile floor, and I slam into the broken shards, screaming again when my ribs seem to crack a little more.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I shout, kicking at the wall, my head lolling to the side.
That’s when I do a double take, my entire body freezing in horror, gaze focused out the floor-to-ceiling window of the back deck.
One the other side, big blue eyes stare back at me in shock.
Payton
My mouth is hanging open,my limbs frozen as I stare through the clear glass.
Mason.
He’s…here.
Why is he here?
He squeezes his eyes closed, and mine fall. The blood on the floor is what snaps me out of it, and I jump up, my camera tumbling to the wooden deck beneath my feet as I dash for the slider. I tug, but it’s locked. My eyes snap up to him, but he’s facing away from me now, so I run around the wraparound porch. Thankfully, the front is open, and seconds later, I’mbarreling into the house, coming to a screeching halt when I reach the kitchen.
“Oh my god.” My hand drops to my belly, worry washing over me and completely unsure of what I’m really looking at. “Mase.”
“Leave.”
My head snaps up, our eyes locking, and he gives me a look I’ve never seen from him.
Anger. His lip is curled, teeth clenched, and there’s a dark fire in his brown gaze.
I move closer.
“I said leave,” he snaps, his head yanking in the opposite direction.
I bend down in front of him, one hand holding on to the island to keep me steady, my other trembling as I reach out and brush my fingers over his knee.
Slowly, he glances over, and the bravado falls instantly. “Please leave,” he whispers, his tone so desperate, something stirs in my chest. “I can’t stand you seeing me like this.”
“Well, we have to get even, don’t we?” I whisper, smiling softly when he frowns. “You’ve seen me a heck of a lot worse.”
A hint of a smile tugs at his lips before it’s gone. “So you’re saying this is only fair?”
I shrug and he drops his chin to his chest.
“Can I help you stand? You may or may not have glass sticking out of your ass.”
Mason huffs a laugh, and instantly his back bows, a harsh wince whooshing past his lips. He starts panting, and worry claws at my throat.
He’s hurt, that’s obvious. But how? When?
I stand, tugging gently on his left hand, seeing as his right is cradled to his chest, but he doesn’t budge, instead yanking back with a look of horror on his face.
“The baby.” He shakes his head.
“If I feel like I’m straining myself, I’ll stop. Trust me.” I reach out again, and Mason’s jaw twitches.
