Page 75 of Taint My Soul

We are home.

“Take Mason home first.” I tell him without looking away from the window.

“You really don’t have to. I can take a cab.” He counters.

“I insist.” I press in, and he doesn’t argue further.

“Alright.” Syn agrees. “Where’s your place?”

“Take the next left.”

“Got it, captain.” Syn looks at him, and Mason chuckles under his breath. Jealousy takes root, curling around my heart as I look at them both. He got him to laugh, and I never have. Not even once.

“You work at the company?” Syn asks.

“Yes. I’m Saint’s personal assistant,” Mason mutters. “The experience has been great.” He lies through his teeth.

“Well, if he’s a jerk. You can work with me. I pay my employees well.” Syn’s eyes snap to me, and my jaw clenches, regarding him with a lukewarm stare. Whatever he’s doing is working because I want to punch him in the face. “Do you have a boyfriend?” He continues.

“Aren’t you getting married in two weeks?” I cut in even before Mason can respond.

“Mind your business, Saint.”

“You mind your fucking business.” I mutter under my breath, nostrils flaring as I fume.

“We are here.” Mason says, and Syn slows the car to a halt opposite the dark red story building. He turns off the engine, and he pulls his phone from his pocket.

“Put your number in.”

“You can have my email.” He says and types his email into Syn’s phone. “I’ll respond with my new number as soon as I get a new phone.” My hand itches to snatch that phone and smash it with my boot, but I know Syn’s taunting me, trying to get me jealous.

“You’re welcome to my bar at the Sovereign then.” He smirks at Mason.

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to drop by.” He says and opens the door with his duffel bag in hand. “I stay on the second floor of the building. Second door on the left.” He says and glimpses at me. I barely look at him, and he sighs as he walks away. As he crosses to the other side of the street, Syn cocks his head at me. “You’re just going to let him walk away. Saint, really?”

“It’s more complicated than you think.”

“Is it? You know I’m always by your side, no matter what anyone else thinks. I’ve always been.” Syn wasn’t lying. I am closer to my cousin Sinclair Syn King than my brothers. Tobias never taught us how to be a family. He enforced individuality. I was to be the successor. Virgil, the soldier and enforcer. Cross… well, I don’t really know what Tobias molded Cross to be. We’d spent most of our childhood apart, and he’d only reunited with the family after he graduated from university. “He’s about to get into the building.”

My hand grips the interior door handle. The lock clicks as I open the car. The cool night breeze folds in, and I swallow hard. “Mason, wait!” I jog over to the other side of the street. Before I reach him, he drops his duffel bag by the staircase and moves toward me in slow steps.

“I have never kissed anyone else since my first kiss.” I say breathlessly.

His breath comes out short, eyes meeting mine.

“Please, little devil, kiss me.” I plead. I take a step close barely inches away from him. He lifts his hand and smacks me across my face. His hand hit me hard, knocking my face sideways. My jaw hardens, and I chuckle as I regard him.

“We were trapped together for two weeks. All of that meant nothing to you.” He declares. “I’m not kissing you.”

“It meant something to me.”

“No, it didn’t.” He shakes his head and takes off two buttons of his shirt. “Look at these scars. It was for you.” He seethes.

“I know.”

“Then why did you act as if it didn’t matter? I was waiting outside the hospital for you.” He stabs his finger into my chest. “Because I wanted to see you, and you acted like you saw a ghost.” He breathes hard. My lips move, but no words form. “Goodnight, Saint.” He turns on his heels and heads upstairs.

Head bowed, I look back. Syn leans against the car door watching me. “You just going to let him go.”