Chapter 4 4

MASON POV

Roman's a wreck. Drunk, furious, sprawled out on a VIP couch with an empty whiskey bottle clutched to his chest as if letting go would kill him.

"Six years." He says it to nobody. "Erased in half a minute." He points the bottle at the ceiling like he's cursing the universe. "May she never know a single happy day again."

Some of the guys laugh it off. I don't. Watching him is like watching someone bleed out slowly. Meanwhile, across the room, there's Kayla orbiting me for the better part of an hour now, immune to every hint I've dropped.

Not entirely her doing, if I'm being fair. Whatever campus rumor mill has decided about me, I'm neither boyfriend material nor the walking hookup legend people like to gossip about.

Sure, I flirt. Two beers in, easy. Three, and it gets worse. None of it means anything, though it's noise, not substance. Girls talk. Stories spread. I've stopped bothering to correct any of it, mostly because their assumptions about my personal life have zero effect on my actual life.

Every so often something lasts a few weeks. Casual. No strings, no drama, exactly the way I want it kept.

That was the pattern, at least, until last semester blew it up. Bad family news, too much liquor at a frat house, and suddenly I'm breaking my one hard rule no cheerleaders by making out with Kayla in front of a packed room. Rookie mistake, and an expensive one.

She's been dining out on that story ever since. Half this school still thinks we're a secret item. Correcting it wouldn't be hard. Getting her to stop treating me like a personal project? Different story. And honestly if the rumor's making her happy, who am I to burst that bubble?

"Been considering something," Alfred says, snapping me out of it. "Getting back with Natalie."

I look over at him. "You've never once listened to my opinion on this before. Doubt tonight's different."

Kayla materializes with a fresh beer, sliding it into my hand. I nod a thanks and crack the top.

"Fair," Alfred laughs.

He's clearly had a few extra rounds it's written all over him. His attention drifts across the room to Natalie, sitting with friends, one guy leaning toward her ear with something to say. Alfred's jaw goes tight instantly, jealousy plain as day on his face. These two on repeat is enough to convince anyone that love's a scam.

I drink instead of commenting, then shake my head.

"Your call, man."

"Always is."

"Me? Still not interested in anything serious."

"No?"

"Casual works fine."

Alfred snorts. "One rule, though."

"Go on."

"My sister's off-limits. Touch her and I'll bury you."

I laugh outright. "One she'd get to me first, no contest."

"True," he admits, grinning.

"Two she and I basically only speak to trade insults."

"Also true."

"Three." I make a face. "Zero offense, but your sister might be the most exhausting human being I know."

Even just her name puts a dent in my mood.

He laughs harder. "Baby of the family. We all spoiled her rotten."

"Believe me, I've noticed."

He claps a hand on my shoulder. "Wish me luck out there."

"For?"

"Getting Natalie back, obviously."

I raise my drink in mock salute.

"Idiot move."

"Never said otherwise."

He disappears into the crowd. Figures some lessons never stick. I go back to my beer, and that's exactly when a hand lands on my shoulder. I turn around already annoyed, because of course it's her. Chloe's standing way too close, whiskey heavy on her breath, clearly past the point of tipsy.

"Chloe?" Alfred's voice, somewhere off to the side, laced with confusion.

She doesn't even glance his way. Her eyes are locked on mine, something fierce and unreadable burning behind them. I open my mouth to ask if she's okay never get the chance. Her palms land on either side of my face.

Everything in my head just stops. "Wait"

That's as far as I get before her mouth crashes into mine. I don't move. Can't, for a second or two.

What in the actual hell.

She jerks back just as fast as she leaned in. The entire room goes dead silent. Every single face is now pointed at us. I'm still trying to figure out if this is actually happening when a fist connects with my jaw hard enough to whiteout my vision.

"What the"

Two more hits land before I can even get my footing back. Alfred's already swinging, fast and vicious.

"You had ONE job leave her alone!" he roars, another punch landing across my face. "You absolute waste of space!"

"Alfred, stop!" someone shouts.

"It wasn't like" Another punch swallows the sentence whole. Blood fills my mouth right as somebody finally hauls Alfred backward before he does permanent damage. I drag the back of my hand across my split lip.

"Seriously, man?" I spit out. "I didn't do anyth"

He's not hearing any of it. He's already got Chloe's wrist in his grip, pulling her toward the exit without a backward glance.

She doesn't fight it. Doesn't even look at me long enough to explain what the hell just happened. Perfect.

Absolutely perfect. I can already hear tomorrow's rumor mill cranking up. Nobody in this building is going to believe I wasn't involved. Three years of being "campus flirt" means the story practically writes itself: Mason Hayes finally crossed a line with his best friend's little sister.

Wonderful.

I'm still gingerly checking my lip when another shadow blocks my view. Austin. And he looks like he wants to end me. Before I can say a single word in my defense, his fist meets my face and sends me staggering again. Again seriously? He fists a hand into my shirt, drags me close enough that we're eye to eye, his stare pure venom.

"Don't come near my girlfriend again."

He says it like a threat carved in stone, shoves me one last time, and storms off after Alfred and Chloe.

I'm left standing there bleeding, completely blindsided, and watched by a room full of people already convinced I'm the villain of this story. And ten minutes ago I thought Roman getting publicly dumped was going to be tomorrow's biggest headline.

Guess I just took that spot for myself.