Garden of Sins

32. Mason in war mode, Caden

Alayna

I’m still a bit tense when I come down from brushing my teeth because I don’t know what you’re like today. You didn’t let go of me all night, but still, I now know how fast you can change.

When I return, you’re standing in the kitchen, relaxed and drinking coffee. The sun illuminates your perfect body. You are wearing a white shirt with yesterday’s jeans. Wait, do you have a bruise on your face? I frown when I notice it and timidly take a few more steps into the kitchen. I want to snuggle up to you, but I’ll leave it up to you to make the first move. My eyes are always glued to your handsome face and I don’t like the way it looks right now.

The question that immediately comes to mind is if you were doing mysterious mafia things again. I don’t like that. It’s not the first time I have wondered how involved you are because once inside, you’re inside, and that is not what you were born to do, Caden. However, I’m not going to ask you about it because I know you’re not going to talk about it. Still, it pains me that someone hurt you.

Upstairs, I hear the toilet flushing, Mason cursing, the shower, Mason cursing, Ava’s moaning, and again, Mason cursing. I smile since it has become so familiar.

You smile too and raise an eyebrow. Immediately, my chest heats up. I love it when you smile. This is so much nicer than when you are angry.

“What are you doing here, Alayna?” you inquire gently as you take my hand and pull me towards you. The weight falls from my shoulders as soon as I am with you and your scent caresses my nose. Thank God, finally.

“What?” I reply, irritated and a little distracted by your nearness. I put one hand on your chest and stroke it. Finally, I can do it again without hesitation.

“I mean, after yesterday, why didn’t you stay away?” There is a tortured look in your turquoise eyes and I brush between your brows and gently across the discoloration on your face.

“I couldn’t. I don’t want to. I love you,” I state emphatically. I sink into your eyes, which are now so clear and no longer distant or cold.

“MASON!” comes from above just as you want to say something and it rips me out of my romance.

You roll your eyes before you put your big warm hand against my cheek. Immediately, I nestle into the touch.

“Alayna, I’m sorry for what happened these past few days. I know I pushed your limits and treated you like a piece of shit... Look at me.” As I lower my gaze, you put a finger under my chin and lift it up so I will look into your ocean eyes again. “I said things I know would hurt you. That is my way, but none of it was true. I can’t promise that I won’t do it again. I most likely will do it again because that is what I have done for years. It is my nature to punish when I can’t handle something. And baby girl, I can’t handle the thought of losing you. I’m probably the least able to handle that. In fact, I should drive you home and never bring you back. But, Alayna, I can’t do that any more than you can. We are both already too deep in this tsunami and now we simply must be carried away. Can you do that?”

I have never heard so much honesty, so much sincerity, such soul-baring from you and for that, I would go through the last few days again. If that’s what you give me afterward, you can slip into that mode as often as you like. I now know that I still have to hold on to you and that this is the best way to get you back.

“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out. Together. I love you,” I whisper and the warmth rushes through my veins because of your words.

“I love you too.” Your voice is unusually emotional and creeps under my skin. My neck hairs are standing on end. I just want you with me forever. I don’t care how many faces you have.

Abruptly, you grab me by the waist and set me gently on the counter, making me giggle, and you smile salaciously at me. With a jerk, you pull me forward by my knees and I wrap my legs around your hips. Just as our lips near and I stretch out on my toes, Ava barges in.

“God,” she groans. “Honestly, we cook there. Get down, Alayna.” Ava has that same bossy tone as you do. You don’t care what she says because you grin at me, which I return. Now it’s me leaning forward because I must taste you, Ava or not. As our lips touch, I know I will take a lot to keep feeling that mouth on me and I sigh with relief. God, I have missed this.

Ava grumbles and lets us hear it so that we don’t experience happiness or serenity.

Finally, pissed off, you break away from me because she’s too obtrusive for you and you glare at her over your shoulder while I am busy feeling your upper arms.

“So, how was yesterday?” And there it is again, that subliminal threat in your voice that silences Ava immediately.

“Remember our agreement,” you continue and your little sister pales. Then you grab me under my butt with both arms and carry me upstairs.

To rob me of the rest of my mind as only you can, Caden Rush.

***

Breakfast at the Rush house is always exciting. Today there are seven of us, Caden, because Carter has his girlfriend with him if you can call her his girlfriend. Melissa is sitting across from me. She seems so familiar with the process here that she helped Emilia make breakfast and brought Mason the newspaper. She almost poured you more coffee, but that’s going too far, she really doesn’t need to do that. She knows exactly what school Ava goes to and has asked her about her grades. I’m still skeptical about Melissa because I don’t know what exactly happened between you. I remember what you told me about you, Carter, and her, the threesome, and the M folder. I’m glad I didn’t get a peek inside. Anyway, it makes me a bit jealous to watch her because she is your ex.

She’s wearing a white outfit. Her ta

Again and again, she smiles shyly at Carter.

Your parents are not happy about Carter seeing her again, but they treat Melissa fine. However, I can tell your mother exudes a certain antipathy towards Melissa and wonder why.

I’m sitting next to you, baby, and that’s the most important thing. You casually put your arm over the back of my chair and play with my hair. Finally, it feels perfect between us again and I will work on repressing and forgetting what a shitty day it was yesterday. I can do that, Caden.

Melissa avoids every look from you. She damn well better. Tell her to stick with Carter, please. She must have been through an ordeal to be so afraid of you.

I need to find out what happened. Strangely, she’s a lot tougher today than she was last time. Today this way, tomorrow that way. Something’s definitely wrong with her.

“So?” Mason says. “Did you both get hit in the face and fall down again?” He peers playfully from one to the other as he spreads the butter with his knife. You both mumble something to yourselves that I can’t understand and Emilia rolls her turquoise eyes.

Oh, Mason is in a war mode. Now he’s looking at Ava. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

“And you? Where were you all day yesterday? Without your phone.” Ava has your father’s eyes, but she doesn’t have his looks. Right now, they are bluish and the sun is shining on her pretty face.

“I was out and about,” she replies monotonously and bites into her toast. The next words are muffled by chewing. Most likely intentional.