His focus is now on Ainsley. “I have to be there, so you and Gracie will stay behind. The rest are going to help pack.”
What? It’s my place. Who gave him the right to organize my move?
“Hey, wait a second,” I call out while he’s still ogling his wife. “I don’t know who you are, but that’s my place.”
He turns around, and today he isn’t as intimidating as last night. That almost half a foot he has over me isn’t as bad. He even reminds me a little of Evan. Not sure how though, they’re complete opposites. My brother was almost as tall as I am today, and his hair was light brown.
“Right, you’re the coordinator of this entire operation. After all, they are your belongings.” He then stretches his hand. “Mason Bradley. Sorry about yesterday. I wish we could’ve done better.”
I shrug, then puff out some air. “Where am I going to live?”
“Here,” Matt offers.
“I wish my old house was empty,” Ainsley mentions at the same time. “The renters are there until the end of January.”
“February,” Mason corrects her. “Dad’s old apartment?”
“Here is fine,” Matt insists.
“I’m not staying here. Sorry. How much is the rent of that apartment, Mr. Bradley?” I ask Mason.
“I’ll have to ask him, but I doubt he’ll charge you much,” Mason says, smiling at me. “And it’s Mason, not sir or mister. I’ll send him a message and let you know. We have to check the place and ensure everything inside works properly.
“Maybe over the weekend, you can stay here. Let’s go, people. We don’t have much time to evacuate that building as the insurance processor doesn’t want us to interrupt their work.”
The Decker patriarchs stay behind with Ainsley and the baby. In two cars, we all head to my apartment. During the ride, I learn that Mason has been part of the family for longer than I assumed. He’s the son of Dreadful Soul’s old bodyguard.
A man, who at some point, decided to only be Chris’s security detail but coordinated the security for the entire band. Irony repeatedly slaps me in the face as I learn more and more details about this family. It gives me insight into my father’s past.
Maybe that bodyguard can tell me who my father once was.
Perhaps he met my mother too.
Were they ever good, loving people?
Do I want to have any of those answers?
ChapterSeven
Thea
We movemy things out of the apartment in record time.
Silver Moon is tragically falling apart. I’m thankful no one was able to get into my apartment, or I would’ve lost all my belongings. Mason has a storage unit ready for my furniture and some of the boxes with the non-essentials. I keep my clothes, shoes, and material to create my jewelry.
Afterward we go on a long hike. When we get back into the penthouse, Tristan cooks for us, and I fall asleep almost right after dinner while watching a movie.
The next day I don’t wake up until noon. I’m an early riser, I don’t know what’s been happening to me the last couple of days, but I’m feeling energized by the time I’m eating brunch.
In fact, I’m feeling so well that when Matt says, “Let’s have dinner with my family” I almost say yes.
Almost.
“It’ll be fine,” Matt assures me.
“Uh-huh. I’m working on the whole, let’s have a relationship, and you want me to have dinner with your family?”
He nods. “We have this tradition where the Deckers gather every Sunday. Ainsley brings her family. Jacob brings Pria, and I want to bring the two of you.”