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For everyone who fell in love with Fallen Crest High and has continued to show their love and support for these guys This book is entirely for you

“Will you marry me?”

I didn’t knohat to say

I was Sa, until Mason and Logan caan Kade’s stepsister I was theirs It took a totally fucked-up summer forthe way, and nowhtmare

“Mason” No other words would come out of my throat “I”

I couldn’t breathe

I couldn’t move

I couldn’t look at him

I couldn’t look away from him

He wasn’t the nightmare He was the dream

The nighte It was all the cheating, lying, and bitterness I would die if that happened to Mason and me

What the fuck? What the effing fuck? Oh my God Those words were on repeat in my head I was in a horror movie

I watched in slow motion as Mason’s eyebrows dipped when he realized I wasn’t saying anything Then he realized I really wasn’t saying anything, and that said everything

I feltbackward, like someone pushedfallingI reached out, trying to get ahold of so to stop this fall All I could find was air, and I was going to land soon

I saw the wall first

It slammed down behind his eyes, and he donned an unreadable mask His jaw clenched, and he shifted backward on his knees until he could stand Once he was up, he began turning off the tea lights that surrounded us,twinkle I could feel the physical and emotional distance between us

Smack!

I hit rock bottom

“Mason”

“No” He shook his head He was so cold now “Let’s go” He gathered up the blanket and headed back for the Escalade He was almost there He reached for the door handle—

“Yes”

It came out as a whisper I shocked myself

Marriage: that word terrifiedwasn’t me It wasn’t Mason We wouldn’t be liars The bitterness would never come I looked at him, watched as he froze and turned back to id He was still tense, but his eyes locked on mine

I nodded, to him and for myself Yes, I would marry him Yes, I would love him forever Yes, I would never let us be them

“Sam?”

“Yes” My voice was coain “Yes! I’ll marry you”

He started for aze

I nodded I was I really was I lifted

“Yes,” I whispered again, burying my head in his shoulder

He wasn’t Ja to repeat e’d seen growing up

I lifted my head to find his lips “I love you” I kissed hi I had I knew my hesitation had hurt him, and I needed to erase that “Yes, I’ll be your wife”

He held hter for a moment, then set me back on my feet His hands fell to my waist, and he leaned back

“Why the pause?” he asked

He deserved the truth

“Because I’m scared shitless about what our parents did I’e A part ofwhatwhat James did to your mom”

His face walled off again My hands went to the tops of his arhtly I held him when he wanted to pull back “But that’s not you and e the cycle We won’t do what they did What ill have, and do have, is already so ht they had”

Understanding edged out souarded expression on his face He nodded, just once, just slightly “Are you sure, Sa on asking this early It’s justseeing yourdown that aisle, I wanted it to be you”

Everything melted inside me

My insecurities

My worries

My heart

I was so humbled at that moment and wound my arms around him What had I done to deserve this? Deserve him?

“I love you,” I whispered, oddamn much”

His hand caoddamn much,” he repeated

His phone rang, and Mason groaned against my skin

“Fucking hell,” he cursed as he slipped his hand into his pocket

When the phone appeared, we both glanced down It was Logan, and we shared a look He’d already called about the footage of the fight being leaked to Mason’s football coach If he was calling again so soon, it wasn’t good news

Mason hit the Accept button and put the phone to his ear “Yeah?”

I started to untangle htened arounda little ainst him My head rested on his chest

“Are you coh the phone He sounded tense

I frowned, but didn’t lift ht to move

“Uh”

I looked up

Mason lifted an eyebroanting to knohat I wanted to do

We just got engaged Ti over us I wanted to stay in Fallen Crest, but I said, “We should go back We won’t relax otherwise”

He nodded, saying into the phone, “We’re co back”

“Good” Logan sounded relieved “I know you’re in deep shit because of the fighting, but I hed up Taylor’s friend”

“The sauy that we had to deal with a crime lord about?” Mason rolled his eyes

“They beat the shit out of hi to thean clipped out “We can be inventive if you don’t want to do a beatdoith me”

Mason’s voice was strained “Start brainstor violent unless it’s on the football field They’re going to watch me like a damned hawk, and that’s if I’m still allowed to play”

“You’ll be fine, but yeah, Nate and I will put our thinking hats on See you when you get here”

“Yeah”

Logan suddenly called out, “Hi, Sam!”