Mason (Carter Brothers #2) - Lisa Helen Gray Page 0,116
gasps, a sob tearing from her mouth. She reaches up to cover it with her hand, but it’s too late, Malik rushes in and is by her side. Kayla sees him and flies out of the chair, landing on the floor with a thud, her hands cowering over her to protect her head. We all stop and stare, and my mind goes into overdrive watching her fear for her life when there is no danger.
“Hey,’’ Malik says gently, moving slowly away from Harlow. “Kayla, do you remember me?’’
She slowly moves her hands away from her face and looks around wide eyed and horrified. Her face is bright red, before it drains of colour and more tears fall down her cheeks.
She nods her head ‘yes’ before looking at me with shame in her eyes. She gets back up, making sure to stay clear from Malik and sits back down in her seat, her fingers clinging to the sofa.
“Then you know I’d never, ever, hurt you, or my brothers. I promise you that with everything I am. Harlow is my girlfriend.’’
“You are?’’ She asks, looking to Harlow and seeing her in a new light. “Does he know?’’
“He saved me,’’ Harlow tells her sadly.
Kayla nods her head slowly, her expression seeming to look like she’s thinking that information over.
“Will those other girls go to trial too?’’ he asks, obviously listening on the conversation. I turn and notice the other brothers standing with concern in the doorway, Myles further into the room than the others looking at Kayla with such longing. She doesn’t seem to have noticed them yet, which I think is a good thing.
“Yes. They were too scared to ever speak up, or to tell anyone in case he hurt them too. So when they found out he was found guilty they went straight to the police,’’ she whispers, still on edge.
“That is really good Kayla, really good. I’m glad you finally got justice, and I know it doesn’t change anything, but at least he can’t hurt anyone anymore.’’ Malik moves slowly as he speaks, back over to the other side of Harlow, not wanting to scare Kayla again.
“He did though, and that’s because of me,’’ she tells him, but doesn’t look at him, instead keeps her eyes in her lap.
“No that isn’t your fault, Kayla. Do you blame the little girl he raped first?’’ he asks.
Her head whips up at him. “What? No! Never,’’ she asks completely taken back.
“So why would anyone blame you? The only one to blame is that sick son of a bitch. He doesn’t deserve prison, he deserves to be hung.’’
Kayla winces and cowers back in her seat before turning to look at me. “I’m going to have to go, my dad is waiting outside, but I needed to come and see you. Charlie told me you lived here and that I’d find Harlow here too,’’ she tells me, answering my silent question about how she knew where I lived now.
“You’re always welcome here Kayla.’’
“Thank you,’’ she tells me standing up at the same time Hope starts to cry for her bottle. She jumps at the sound before looking around the room for the cause.
“A baby? I thought you lived here,’’ she says confused.
“I do. Hope is mine,’’ I smile widely.
“Really?’’ she smiles genuinely and she looks so beautiful it knocks me back a step.
“Yes, want to see her?’’ I ask and she nods her head, walking slowly over to the moses basket, careful to walk wide around Malik.
“I’ll get her,’’ Max hollers from another room, rushing in with a bottle making everyone laugh. Kayla freezes at his sound and looks at me fearfully.
“You’re safe,’’ I assure her and she begins to relax a little. She turns a little and I notice a bruise forming at the top her neck and a few on her wrist. I frown looking at them and I know they are recent. My mind is whirling, do I say something? Or should I leave it alone? I don’t want to embarrass her, or scare her by mentioning them.
She stares at Myles for a few more seconds before she shakes herself out of it and turns back to me and Hope. She walks closer and touches Hope’s tiny fingers.
“She’s beautiful,’’ she murmurs, her voice low, and full of envy.
“She is,’’ I agree, then scowl at Max who is standing next to us with a bottle, bib and a nappy tucked under his one arm, holding his arms out for Hope.
“Come on,’’ he whines, looking lovingly at Hope.
“I need to go. Thank you for letting me in and letting me talk to you,’’ she smiles. She turns to Harlow to say something similar and I take the chance to hand Hope over to Max, giving him a glare before grabbing Kayla’s attention again.
I wrap her into a hug, mindful when she completely tenses in my embrace, but after a few seconds she relaxes and lifts her arms to hug me back.
“Please don’t be a stranger. Call me sometime, or next time you’re in town, pop in,’’ I talk into her ear.
She pulls away smiling. “I’m back. I live with my dad now. After what my mom did-‘’ she starts to explain, but then thinks better of it. “Anyway, he’s opening another firm, so we’re staying in the area. Plus, I need to re-do my exams so I’ll be repeating the rest of year twelve at Grayson High,’’ she tells us and I smile big.
“I’m so happy,’’ I gush, squeezing her hands.
“Grayson high? This year?’’ Myles asks, speaking up for the first time since she walked through the door.
“Yes,’’ Kayla blushes at Myles before looking away.
“So you’re moving back...here?’’
“That’s what she said,’’ I tell him, glaring at him from behind Kayla’s back.
He looks to Kayla, back to me, then turns and walks out the door. All of us watch the door he walked out of wondering what the hell just happened.
“So you’re back for good?’’ I grin, wondering how Myles is going to cope with her being in the same school as him again. Something tells me he isn’t prepared to stay away from her.
“I am,’’ she smiles.
The end
Myles and Kayla’s story coming soon
Author’s other work
Standalone novels
If I could I’d wish it all away
Forgotten series
Better left forgotten Book One
Obsession Book Two
Forgiven Book Three
Carter brother series
Malik (Book One) ~ Available
Mason (Book Two)
Myles (Book three) coming soon
Max (Book Four) ~ coming 2015-2016
Maverick (Book Five) coming 2016
Evan ~ (2.5 Novella) ~ coming soon. This book will be about Evan, Denny’s brother.
Find me @
Amazon
Goodreads
Acknowledgements
Due to the time I have left to get Mason published, my acknowledgements will be short and sweet.
I’m hoping that everyone who has helped me during the Carter Brother series process know how truly thankful I am for all their help.
I found parts of this book really hard to write, but with my good friends, Rachel Osbourne, Colette Goodchild and Charlotte Perry, I managed to get Mason typed out. It was a long process, but I got there in the end.
The reviews from Malik have been outstanding. I honestly never expected the responses I had when people read Malik. I had email after email asking for the next book, when it will be out and so on. I had people sending me pictures of their own Malik, writing reviews that had me in tears, and all sorts. I’m just praying that Mason does the series justice, and you’ll keep reading the series. I’m excited for you all to meet Myles.
I will never be able to thank you readers enough for the courage you give me to keep on writing. You guys ROCK!!!
As usual, my beta’s have been amazing and couldn’t ask for a better team. My editor, Lori, thank you so much for helping me. You rock! And hope you feel better soon.
To Cassy Roop at Pink Ink designs, thank you again for the amazing covers. You really are a star.
Please, if you enjoyed Mason, think about leaving a review on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, or Goodreads, I love hearing from you guys.
All in all, thank you to everyone who has been one step behind me on this journey, whether you are mentioned or not, know that I will always be thankful to you.
Bloggers, readers, editors, friends, beta’s, and family, I love you.