Fallen Crest Book 4: Fallen Fourth Down
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Tijan
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30
CHAPTER ONE
SAMANTHA
Logan loves me.
Tateās words had been haunting me for three months. They could destroy everything. I already lost one family; I didnāt want to lose another. It would fuck everything up if my soul mateās brother loved me. I thought about those words even now, sitting in bed as Mason slept next to me. As I watched him sleep, tears threatened to spill.
The fear, terror, paralyzing horrorāyou name it, I felt itāsurged up in me again. Mason was leaving for college today. This was the day that would start my most challenging year ever.
Mason had become my rock, my soul, my way of living. Some say that I depended on him too much, but I didnāt give a damn. He and his brother, Logan, protected me when everyone had abandoned me. If Logan did love me, everything would be destroyed. The family unit we had would be gone. Jealousy and mistrust would take its place. I couldnāt shake the fear that Mason would follow through on a threat he said a year ago: No girl would come between him and his brother.
Well. Hello. Here I am.
He opened his eyes, and it was like heād been awake the whole time. His green eyes looked right into me, like he always did, immediately alert and focused, and he reached over. Trailing a hand up my arm, he tugged the blanket down, then curved his hand around my waist. He pulled me down, and asked, āWhatās wrong?ā
He positioned me so I was laying on top of him, and I just savored being with him. Mason Kade was beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to touch. He was all muscle, so solid and powerful, all right beneath me. He was over six feet tall. Sculpted broad shoulders. His back was contoured, and his muscles tapered down to a trim waist, making him look like a perfect specimen. With black hair cut in a crew cut, chiseled cheekbones, a strong jaw, and a perpetual smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth, he couldāve been a model. He wasnāt. Instead, he was the future star wide receiver for Cain Universityās football team.
Heād been a god in Fallen Crest. He and Logan both were. Iād endured hell over the last year just because I was his girlfriend, but he was going to a Division One school. That meant his games would be televised nationally. ESPN coverage. Future NFL talks.
āHey,ā he murmured, his nose nuzzling my neck. His arms tightened their hold on me, pulling me tighter on top of him. āTalk to me.ā
āYouāre leaving. Enough said right there.ā
āSam.ā
I shook my head. Weād been inseparable over the summer. I wasnāt sure if it was on either side, or more from me. I should tell him my fear, what Tate said to me, but I couldnāt. Couples are supposed to tell each other the bad stuff, even if it might hurt. I knew Mason would want me to tell him, but my vocal cords shut down. I couldnāt say a word.
I wanted it to go away. Logan didnāt actually love me. It was all a lie or a horrible joke.
āHey,ā he murmured again, catching my chin and turning me so I was looking right into his gaze. āTell me whatās going on? I know somethingās up. Youāve been off all summer, running more than usual.ā He paused. āWhat is it?ā
Tell him. Just tell him, let the chips fall how theyāre supposed to. Then his voice came back in my head, āIām not going to let anyone get in between my brother and me.ā
I couldnāt say anything. I was a coward.
āSam?ā He cupped the side of my face, and his thumb brushed a tear aside. āEverything will be fine. Weāre going to talk every night. Eleven at night, every night. Itās set in stone for me, no matter what. And youāre in a good place. David was a fuck up before, but heās coming around. Heās trying to be a good father to you, and you have Malinda; sheās awesome. Analise is still in that treatment center. My dad said sheās going to be there for a long time. Loganās across the road. Thereās no Kate. No one will mess with you this year, and if they do, just tell Logan. Heāll deal with them. You and I are good. Thereās nothing to worry about. I love you.ā He sat up. As he did, he held me in the air, holding me in place, and he rested against the headboard. I was placed back down, straddling him. Feeling the strength of his muscles underneath me, a rush of adrenalin went through me.
My hand fell to his waist, lingered there, and he trembled under my touch. That was me. That power over him, was all me. He was mine. So many wanted him, but he was all mine. I let that filter in. That gave me reassurance. That made me feel like I was on top of the world, having him love me so much. When I thought about that and felt Masonās love, Tateās words were shoved to the back of my mind.
What she said didnāt matter. It couldnāt.
āAssholes, get up!ā Loganās voice came from the hallway, and he pounded a fist on Masonās door. āHeās not just yours today, Sam. You have to share. Heās my brother, and heās leaving me too.ā He pounded again on the door. āThis is your thirty minute notice. You have a half hour to do your deed, ride him hard, and then get dressed. I want my time with him.ā
Masonās chest moved as a laugh came from him. His hands went to my legs, and he pressed them down, moving me so I was grinding on him, and he said back, āYou want to ride me?ā
There was a brief pause before Loganās response. āOnly if Sam isnāt getting the job done. Iāll pull on my brother shorts and make you feel all girly and pleasured.ā
I rolled my eyes.
Mason called back, āGo suit up.ā
Logan groaned, and his voice muffled through the door. āHow did this conversation take this turn? This is very weird.ā
I shook my head and yelled back, āThey always do with you. Youāre the common denominator.ā
Logan laughed. āDenominator. Donāt you mean dominator? Come to think of it, take your time. Whereās Kris? I feel like finding my own dominator. I like being submissive. It makes me feel special and precious all at the same time.ā As he kept talking, his voice faded when he walked down the hallway. Then he called back, from further down, āBe done in two hours, Sam! I call dibs with my brother after that.ā
Mason chuckled, and the sound of it acted like a caress, rushing through me and making my insides curl. He cupped the back of my head, anchoring me as he looked into my eyes again. āEverything will be fine. I promise.ā
I wanted to believe him. āI know.ā But I didnāt. I should tell him, but I couldnāt. Not yet. It would come out, though, and that was the day my world would be threatened. I closed my eyes again and let my head fall forward so it was resting softly against his. Moving to kiss me gently, he whispered, āI love you, Samantha.ā
āI love you, Mason.ā I would relish this moment with him, go with him to help him move into his room, and Iād come back to start my senior year. Itād be me and Logan in Fallen Crest.
Iād have to figure everything out later, one day at a time. With that final decision made, I moved to meet his lips with mine and applied pressure. He groaned, meeting my command for more, and it wasnāt long before he slid into me. As he did, I held onto him. I didnāt want to let him go.
Sam
Weāll get through the year. I promise.
Mason
This year will suck. Donāt lie.
