Page 74 of Taint My Soul

“We need to talk about our deal.”

“I called it off.” I don’t look at him as I wear my jacket. “But it’s back on.” His expression relaxes, full of hope. He steps closer and extends his hand to me. I shake him firmly, and he grins. “We have a deal.”

“I have some questions for you.” I don’t release his hand.

“Go on.” He says.

“Bernard’s still alive. How did you find him?”

“We arrived shortly after they took you. My men brought him here while I took a few soldiers to search the perimeter, but we came up with nothing.”

“And?” I push for more answers. “What happened to Bernard?”

“He went back the following evening with one of my soldiers. He said he had to take care of business. But he didn’t spend the night at your house. He returned shortly after.”

“Hmm.” I nod and give him a full smile. “See you at the wedding.” I tell him before I leave him behind, meeting my brothers in the hallway. “Is the car ready?”

“Yes, we’ll make it to Kingston City in a few hours.”

“And Mason?”

“He’s already waiting outside.” Virgil supplies as we march toward the elevator. The machine takes us to the first floor of the hospital, and we leave through the double entrance doors, joining Bernard in the parking lot.

What I don’t expect to see is Mason leaning against the bonnet of the vehicle. Our eyes meet the moment he comes into focus, and my breath stutters, a warm, familiar feeling clutching my chest. Every nerve in me wants to close the gap between us and seal myself to him in an embrace. But I school myself. There are far too many important things to look into. Not this meaningless thing I feel for him. It can wait forever. Family is too important for me to prioritize over a man who’s worth nothing to me.

The excitement in his eyes slowly drains when he realizes what I’m trying to hide. But there’s still a glimmer of hope there. He stands and waits, watching as I step closer and closer.

I take that hope in my hand and crush it with my boots.

“Syn, you’re driving us home. Bernard, you’re still healing. Ride with Virgil.”

Virgil could have easily driven me, but I didn’t want him to catch up with whatever was happening between Mason and me. He doesn’t have to know.

“Yes, sir.” He salutes and marches toward the other car.

I get into the passenger’s seat, watching through the windshield as Mason leans off the bonnet and circles over to the car door. I expect him to sit with me, but he gets in the front seat with Syn. A feeling of discomfort twists in my stomach, and I look in the rearview mirror, where our eyes meet briefly.

Syn turns on the engine, and the car rumbles to life; we peel off the parking lot, tailing Virgil and Bernard. Syn turns on the car stereo, and a song I don’t know the name of comes on. I wasn’t exactly the music type. Well, I used to play the guitar. Cyrus’s son had taught me, but I stopped after his death. What pulls my attention is the way Mason relaxes back against the leather seat, humming silently to the song.

I shouldn’t think of him, but soon enough, I realize I can’t erase what happened in that cell.

The things I said.

The things I did.

The things I felt.

I have other things to focus on. Especially getting law enforcement off our backs. Facing my father and telling him I couldn’t make it home because I underestimated a longstanding friend who turned foe. That I left him to deal with everything all on his own. That I didn’t escape my captor, or put all the training I’ve had to good use.

I never wanted to leave there. I wanted to feel the consequences of what I had done. I wanted Cyrus to have his way, to take out all the anger he’s felt for the past twenty years on me.

But he disappeared. He left me behind.

He didn’t finish the job.

“We are here.” Syn says. I look out the window and watch the city come alive around me.

Home.