“Hey, hey,” he soothed. “It’s okay.”

The vomit was still coming. I shook my head. I couldn’t say anything to alert him.

He stuck a bag in front of me, and I let loose.

I saw enough to know there were more girls on the camera, but it was the video of Becky that sent me over the edge.

As I threw up more, Mason ran a comforting hand down my back. He’d picked up the camera and was clicking through the ones I’d looked at when I heard him say, “Oh, man.”

“What?” Nate asked.

I looked up, feeling all sorts of disgusting.

Mason looked at me first, his eyes clouded. “I didn’t know. I didn’t see that one.”

I closed my eyes and leaned back against him. His hand curved around me as he spoke over my shoulder. “I didn’t look through all of the videos. There was one . . .” I felt him turn to me, though I still didn’t look. “It was Becky.”

“Oh.” Nate quieted. “Shit.”

“I’m sorry, Sam,” Mason added.

I shook my head, but my stomach was better. It was empty now, and I tied the ends of the bag together. “We should drop this off somewhere.”

Nate nodded, and he pulled into a gas station not long after that. I went inside to clean up a little, buying some toothpaste and a toothbrush. Taylor came in as I was finishing in the bathroom.

She ran a hand through her hair, looking harried. “Are you okay?”

I didn’t want to tell her about Becky.

I didn’t even want to tell her about the videos.

She knew Becky and Adam from the summer, though not like I did. Maybe it was ridiculous, but I wanted to protect her a little bit.

I just nodded, rasping out, “I got carsick.”

“You get carsick a lot?”

“No. Hopefully it was just a one-time deal.” I tried to smile, but I knew it didn’t meet my eyes, and Taylor didn’t look convinced.

She bit her lip and followed me back outside. Logan was jumping around Nate, while Mason lounged against Nate’s vehicle. All turned toward us as we crossed the gas station to them.

Logan stopped jumping, a shadow coming to his face. “You okay, Sam?” He glanced to Mason, the unspoken question there of what happened.

Mason nodded.

Logan’s whole demeanor shifted to pity. “Ah. I’m sorry, Sam.”

I pressed a hand to my stomach. “Me too. Getting carsick sucks.” I held his gaze, wondering if he’d get my unspoken message.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Carsickness sucks ass.”

Mason smiled. “Let’s get back. I think I went right from being sober to being hung over. I need to sleep a little.”

It was nearing six in the morning when we staggered inside. No one spoke as we ventured to our own rooms, but the sleep would be short-lived. Tomorrow/this morning was our first day of classes. Worst timing ever.

Once we were in our bedroom, I gazed up, my hands resting against Mason’s chest. “I’m tired.”

“I know.” His hand cupped the side of my face, and he leaned down. “Are you mad at me?”

I knew what he was asking. My hand covered his. “I was mad that you left. I was mad when I realized where you were going, but I’m not mad at you in a way too. I’m furious with Adam. I’m livid at what he did to Becky, and I didn’t ask what you guys did to him, because I don’t know if I’m going to be mad about that or not. And I know none of that makes sense.” My hand slid around his shoulders and my other arm wrapped around his neck. I pulled his mouth down to mine. “But I also don’t want to talk about Adam right now because I really, really just want you.”

He groaned softly before his lips descended to mine, and all the same flutters started. I sighed into him, letting my body dissolve. It was a gentle nip at first, then another, then he stopped and opened his mouth, commanding the same from me. I just held on and did as he wanted. My body heated up, and pleasure swept through me.

“Sam.” He breathed my name, bending down to pick me up.

I moved with him, lifting my legs to wrap around his waist.

I felt him hold me, all of me, and his shoulder muscles contracted. He didn’t lay me on the bed right away. He kept holding me, kissing me, and I knew this wasn’t going to be anything quick. Even his kisses—he slowly dragged his lips over mine, like he was stealing a touch from me and relishing it.

Then he moved one step toward the bed and lowered me down. My back rested on top of the covers, but he still didn’t do anything else. He bent over me, my legs and arms wrapped tight around him, and he just kept commanding my mouth.

I felt like he was trying to feel inside of me, all the way to my soul.

“Samantha,” he whispered again, lifting me and scooting me farther up on the bed. Then he sank down, letting me feel all of his body weight. He pushed himself against me, our jeans rubbing over each other, and held himself still, poised right there. I felt his back muscles trembling from the strength it took.

It just made the ache rise.

A small whimper left me. I couldn’t stop it, and I moved my hips. He was there, and if there hadn’t been clothes, he would’ve pushed inside already. I was wet. I was ready, but I heard a soft chuckle, and he lifted his head to peer down at me.

“No, no. I’m taking my time tonight.” He bent and pressed a kiss to my jawline, then my neck, next my shoulder. “I remembered tonight when he tried to take you from me.” A kiss. “And I felt it all over again. How you’re mine.” A second kiss. “How you’ll never be someone else’s.” A third kiss. “How I’m yours.”

He lifted heated eyes to mine. I saw the lust swimming in his depths. Shifting so he was resting on an elbow on the bed, he laced his free hand with mine and pressed it next to my head, pinning one of my arms in place.

“I wanted to claim you all over again,” he said. “I wanted him to remember.”

My throat was swollen. Loving, wanting, needing—that was all I was feeling.

“I think Adam got the memo a long time ago.”

Mason shook his head. “Maybe. But I can’t help but feel everything else was an excuse to come after you again.”

I lifted my head, trying to concentrate. His thumb rubbed over my finger, and that caress alone was driving me crazy.

“If it was, I’m sure you reminded him again tonight.”

Mason’s eyes were so dark. The green was almost gone, and he pressed into me.

I sucked in my breath, my free hand falling to his hip. I licked my lips. His eyes fell there, and he groaned, dipping his head back down, and I felt him take another kiss. I’d give him any kisses he wanted, but there was something else I wanted. I undid his jeans and slipped my hand inside.

I felt his warmth first, then moved farther and caught him. I held him in my hand, but he was already hard.

He closed his eyes, resting his head on my shoulder as I began to stroke him.

“You felt the need to claim me, didn’t you?” I whispered.

“Mmmm-hmmm.” He could hardly answer. “It’s not the first time, you know.”

I paused, looking up. “What?”

He opened his eyes, watching me as I held him in my hand. “The first time I needed to claim you. There was another time.” His grin grew lustful, and his eyes were almost simmering. “The shower.”

My hand tightened, just a slight bit. My heart skipped a beat. “The shower?”

“Before we turned evil on your mom.” He gave me a knowing look. “You remember.”

I did.

The memory came back to me.

I was in the doorway and Mason was just turning on his shower. He was naked, and he didn’t care who saw.

All the same confidence he had now was just so much more pronounced back then. He knew I was there, and he didn’t care.

I grinned up at him now. “You asked me to join you.”

He laughed, his voice ending on a moan as my hand moved down his length. “Uh yeah. I did.”

But there’d been more.

I wanted to go to him. I had. I took a step inside, then the cockiness left him and his eyes had been smoldering, like he was waiting for me, like he’d been waiting the whole time for me.