MASON
A PREQUEL NOVELLA
(Can be read any time
during the series)
Mason Kade is not known to be nice. He is ruthless,
manipulative, and unforgiving. Most will say that he is a jerk and he is to
those that cross him or cross his loved ones. However, he does not want to be
who he is. He does not enjoy hurting others, but there is no limit to the
lengths he will go to protect himself and his brother. This is the story of how
he came to be and this is why so many love Mason Kade.
This is a story of a destroyed family and the effects it had on
a son.
CHAPTER ONE
HE BROUGHT HER HERE
I got shit done. That was my job. That, and football, were
the two things I excelled at. Each person in my family had their own set of
skills. My dad was good at making money and sleeping with women. My mom was
good at pretending no one knew her husband was cheating. Her other skill was
drinking to help her keep pretending. My little brother, Logan’s, was doing
everything possible to get attention from me. Like now, as I looked for my
textbook, I already knew it was gone.
I needed my science book.
My brother was so hilarious, so hilarious that he’d be crying from laughing so hard when I would
pound him for taking it. I sighed. I didn’t have the hour it would take to get
the book back from him. We lived in a mausoleum. It wasn’t a home and it was
too big to be called a mansion. He could’ve hidden the book anywhere, but he
wouldn’t tell me and he would laugh when I pretended to look for it. Every
time.
“LOGAN!”
He laughed and bolted past my doorway. The little shit had
been waiting.
I yelled after him, “I don’t have time for this. I have to
go to Nate’s.” Then I waited. I had said the secret words. He knew I was
leaving for my friend’s house. He’d do anything to come with, but I couldn’t
blame him. Who the hell would want to stick around in this fucked-up home we
had?
My phone buzzed at that moment. It was from Nate: We up for night bball? Fischer said he
could get us beer if we went to his place. Parents gone.
I cursed, but typed back: Trying. I need to do my homework before I can come.
K. How long?
How long? I was tempted to make Logan do my homework. I
typed back instead: I will let you know
when I find out. Logan hid my book again.
Haha.
Haha, my ass.
We’ll get him back.
Don’t worry.
Damn straight we would. I typed back: Be over as soon as I can. Gotta kill the punk first. Then I tossed
my phone on the bed and shoved back from my desk. “LOGAN! You punk-ass bitch.
Where’s my book?”
He sprinted past my door, laughing, and headed downstairs. I
couldn’t stop a grin. I knew he had come back. I shook my head and tore after
him. I could hear him going down the east stairs. That’d take him through the
east wing and past Dad’s library. I went to the north stairs to cut him off. He
still didn’t know about the short-cut through the second pantry. The back wall
swung open to another room.
Hearing him hit the ground floor, I grabbed the handrail and
launched over it, skipping over an entire section of stairs. I hit the ground
in a smooth landing and pushed forward. The pantry was the second door. I went
through it, pushed the back wall open, and paused on the other side. Logan’s
feet were pressed against the door from the hallway. He was waiting for me.
He was hunched down. Then he moved. His feet disappeared
from the door and his little pinkie slipped under the door as he waited for me.
I grinned. The little fucker. I started to reach for the
doorknob. I was planning on shoving it open, hitting him with it, and then
pounding on him when he’d try to run away. I started to turn the handle when I
heard Logan gasp from the other side. I froze. My head lifted. I had left the
back wall open so I could hear what Logan was hearing.
Our mom was crying.
Letting go of the handle, I went back through the wall and
out through the second pantry. Trailing down the hallway, all the lights were
off in the north hallway. A lone light was on in the dining room, but the
kitchen was dark. The crying had turned to a soft weeping. It was coming from
the kitchen.
I caught movement coming around the corner. It was Logan.
His eyes were big as he came up to me and whispered, “Mom’s crying in there.”
I pushed him back slightly. “Go upstairs.”
“No.”
“Logan,” I hissed, frowning. He was just a kid, he didn’t
need to deal with this crap. “Go upstairs and find my fucking book. I still
have to do my homework.”
He rolled his eyes, wearing his own frown. His hair was
sticking up all over. “I already did your homework. Don’t worry about it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, it’s why I took your book.” Then the tiny frown
turned into a smirk. “And to use as collateral so you’d take me with you
tonight.”
I laughed. I had to. “You’re such a pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, but I’m a smart pain in the ass.”
“You are.” I pulled him close and thumped him on the back,
ruffling his hair at the same time. “But you’re not coming.”
“Why? I heard Nate and Ethan talking about beer at school.
Is it because you guys are drinking tonight?”
“Maybe.” My eyes narrowed down at him. How the hell did he
know everything? “You’re too young to drink beer.”
He rolled his eyes and pushed me back. Tried. He tried to push me back. When I didn’t
move, even an inch, he let out a disgusted sound and mumbled, “Whatever. I’m
only a year younger than you.”
“So?”
“I did your homework.”
“No one asked you to. I can do my own homework.”
“I get better grades than you.”
“I’m number one in my class.”
Logan opened his mouth, ready with a retort, but didn’t have
one. His mouth closed and he cursed at me. “Whatever.”
I was laughing on the inside. Logan was probably number one
in his class too, but I knew he didn’t know. Gotcha, punk-ass bitch. As he
continued to glare at me, I tried to hold back my smirk. I lost. It slipped out
and Logan started grinning too.
He hit me. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” He lifted his arm to hit me again, but I swooped
in. Grabbing his arm and waist, I lifted him in the air like he was a case of
beer. Then I hoisted him around my waist, holding onto his legs and under his
bottom arm. I started to turn in a circle, then went faster and faster.
“Oh my god. Mason.” He clutched my leg. “Stop.”
“This is for taking my book.” I went faster.
“I’m going to puke.”
I felt him laughing and went even faster. “This is for doing
my homework when I didn’t ask and trying to use it as blackmail so you could
come with us tonight.”
His hand dug deeper into my leg. “I mean it, Mase. I’m going
to puke.”
His body convulsed and I stopped, dropping him immediately.
He fell to the floor and rolled onto his back. His cheeks were flushed and he
had a sour look on his face. “Shit.” I bent down and nudged his shoulder. “Roll
over. If you puke, you won’t choke on it.”
His hand flew up to cover his mouth. He started arching up
from the floor, his eyes closed, and I knew it was coming. I started to back
away, but then he burst out laughing.
Wait.
Logan flipped his legs in the air and jumped to his feet in
one smooth motion. He pointed at me, still laughing. “The look on your face.”
He bent over and more laughter spilled out. As he slapped his knee, he shook
his head. “That was awesome. I know what to do next time, just puke on you.
Best prank ever.”
I hit him on the back of his head. “That’s the dumbest prank
ever.” I rolled my eyes, but he kept laughing and I couldn’t stop myself from
grinning with him. His laugh was so damn contagious. “Okay. Enough.”
He kept laughing.
“You can’t come tonight, but if you want to in the future,
get my book right now.”
He stopped. “Really?”
“Really.” As he started to go, I repeated, “But you can’t
come tonight. No way am I letting you drink; I don’t want to hear about it from
Mom later.”
He shrugged. “Fine, but she wouldn’t know. I’m a fucking
Kade, Mason. I know how to be discreet.” Then he was off. He disappeared down
the hallway and I heard him sprinting up the north stairs. That was when I saw
the flash of car lights and remembered our mom.
Peeking around the doorway, I saw her standing at the sink.
The window overlooked the driveway. The car’s lights were still on and trained
on the house, flooding the kitchen before they were cut. The room plunged back
into darkness.
As I moved closer to my mom, I noticed her shoulders were
shaking. She was so damn skinny. I was starting not to like skinny girls. They
needed meat on them. I liked the healthier-looking girls at school. Nate and
Ethan liked the other girls, the skinny ones, but they were nuts. Those girls
were weak.
My stomach twisted as my mom dropped her hand to the
counter. I watched as she bent down, her sobs coming from deep inside her now.
She sounded like a dying animal. The pain was too much to hear.
“What’d he do now?”
She froze. Her fingers had a death-like grasp on the
counter. Then she let out her breath and sucked in another before she shot back
up and ran a hand through her hair.
As she started to turn to me, I shook my head. “Don’t.” It
came out harsher than I intended. I cringed. I hadn’t meant to yell at my
mother. “Sorry, but don’t. I know you’re crying, Mom. Don’t turn around and
pretend that you weren’t.” Lies. The whole house was full of lies, except
Logan. He was the only one who had never lied to me.
“Mason.” Her voice trembled. “I thought you were going to
your friend’s house tonight.”
I frowned. “I have to do my homework before I go.”
“Oh.” Her head bent down and she tightened the silk robe
around her. “I suppose I should’ve known that. I didn’t.” Her voice dropped to
a whisper. “I’m so sorry, honey. I’ve not been a proper mother to you lately.”
I snorted. Lately? She’d been absent for years. “Whatever.
You’re crying about Dad?” Again? I
wanted to say, but I held back. She would’ve started lying to me again. She
always lied for him, but I caught her this time. She couldn’t lie.
Every nerve in my body was stretched thin. I was so sick of
being lied to.
“Yeah.”
The tension left me, but anger filled its spot. She cried
every night. She just didn’t know we knew about it. I glanced back and saw that
Logan was peeking around the corner. Yes, he knew too. Motioning him back, I
glared at him. He stuck his tongue out at me, but disappeared from the doorway.
I knew he was listening, but he wouldn’t be able to hear everything.
Moving closer to her, I ignored the mascara running down her
face and looked out the window. I saw them too. My dad had a woman pressed
against her car. Her arms were wound around his neck. One of her legs had
lifted to his waist. He caught it and lifted it higher, pressing her body
further against the car. He was almost on top of her.
“He doesn’t even take them somewhere else anymore.” My mom’s
voice sounded hollow. “He brought this one here. They came in through the
basement doors. I was swimming in the pool, but they didn’t notice me. They
were down there for two hours and she’s just now leaving.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” As I asked, I knew her
answer.
She laughed, the sound was mixed with pain, grief, and
defeat. “What’s the point? Your father’s been cheating on me for years, honey.
He’s not going to stop.” She began wheezing slightly. “I’ve tried to protect
you guys from it, but I can’t. I won’t. You deserve to know the truth. This is
what your father does. He won’t ever stop.”
She turned to me, more tears brimming in her eyes. As they
fell, she whispered, “I have to leave your father, Mason. I can’t stay here
anymore and be in this marriage. I just can’t.”
My eyes narrowed. I heard the pain in her voice, but I shook
my head. Anger jolted me and I growled, “Whatever. Fucking leave him if you
want.” I turned to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“Out. What do you care?”
“Mason,” she gasped.
I ignored her, left the kitchen, and threw open the back
patio doors. I could hear Logan trailing behind me. Ignoring him, knowing I
shouldn’t be doing this in front of him, I circled around to the parking area
where my dad was. He was still on top of that bitch, their mouths fused
together.
I hollered at him, “Hey! When you’re done macking on your newest
whore, you might want to book a vacation for Mom.”
He whipped around and looked at me. “Mason?” The blood
drained from his face. “What are you doing here?”
I snorted. “My homework. That’s what I’m doing, or what I
was trying to do before I heard Mom sobbing.” He stiffened. I laughed. “Yeah,
she saw the whole show, Dad. Not that it’s a big surprise. The new fucking
shocker is that you’re bringing them here.” I lifted a hand. “No offense to
you, lady, but he’s my dad and there’s a whole family factor here that you’re
helping to break up.” I turned my hand around and gave her a thumbs up. “But
good for you. I’m sure my dad will pay you with lots of dinners and diamonds.
If you don’t get the private jet ride while you’re sleeping with him, you’re
doing something wrong.”
“MASON!”
I ignored my dad. “Oh, and just so you know, I’m leaving for
Ethan’s now. I’ll be staying at his or Nate’s place all weekend.” I turned to
go, but twisted back around. “And I’m going to be drinking beer. I’m telling
you now, considering that you’ve got no leg to stand on with your parenting
skills.”
Logan was right behind me. He held two bags in his hands,
mine and his. As I bypassed him, he held mine out. “Can I come?” he asked.
“Yes,” I ground out. I’d never leave him alone again. No way
in fucking hell.
He trailed past me. Helen was gone, but I didn’t care where
she had disappeared to. This was normally the time she took a pill or started
drinking.
As we went out to the sidewalk, he asked, “Can I drink beer
too?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
Hearing his disappointment, I sighed and tugged him close.
My arm went around his shoulders and we walked to Ethan’s like that. They’d be
fighting tonight. I already knew it. Our mom witnessed it. We witnessed it and
I called him out. I tightened my arm around Logan. He had heard too much
already.
