“He was so angry with me,” I whispered.

“No, he was scared of losing you. He was terrified that he wasn’t enough for you. He wasn’t angry at you.”

He wasn’t enough for me? He knew better than that. The look in his eyes was definitely anger. But I didn’t argue with his mother. She would see soon enough. He wasn’t going to be happy to see me. I had to explain. Getting all tongue-tied and panicking wasn’t going to save us.

“I never should have gotten a job,” I said, thinking that none of this would have happened if I’d just stayed home.

Maryann made a tsking sound. “Don’t start that, girl. You deserve a life. Mase doesn’t have to be your world. He can be the most important part of your world, but you need to live, Reese. You need to feel accomplished and make your mark on this earth. I love my son, but I don’t want you giving up your dreams for him.”

I let her words sink in, but they didn’t matter. “But he’s in all of my dreams.”

She nodded. “As he should be. But they’re your dreams. You have control over them, not his jealousy. He knows that, too. He just needs to get his head straight.”

We drove past the gate of the ranch, and I wiped my damp face as I prepared to face him. I was so used to seeing him smiling at me and wanting me. I didn’t know how to deal with a Mase who didn’t want to even look at me.

“There he is,” Maryann said, slowing the truck. “Guess I should stop if the fool’s gonna come running straight at me.”

I glanced up to see Mase running toward the truck and panicked. Was he going to demand that I leave? Oh, God. What if he wouldn’t let me on his property? I had to explain myself.

Maryann opened the truck door and started around the front to meet her son. I death-gripped the seat as if he was going to open the truck and yank me out.

When Mase saw his mother, he shot her a look. She said something to him and then slapped him on the back of the head, before walking toward the house and leaving me alone in her truck, just sitting there. I didn’t want her to leave.

Mase took several long strides to my side of the truck and jerked the door open. I closed my eyes tightly and held on, thankful that I was wearing my seat belt. It wasn’t much, but it was a form of protection.

A warm hand touched the side of my face, and my eyes snapped open to see Mase looking at me intently. His eyes weren’t full of the anger I’d seen earlier. He looked . . . sorry. Worried.

“I am so sorry,” he whispered. “So goddamn sorry.”

Tears of relief filled my eyes, even though I didn’t think I had any more tears to cry.

“I didn’t . . . I don’t even like him. I try to get him to leave. I’m rude to him. He just doesn’t care.”

Mase leaned in and kissed my mouth gently as he unbuckled my seat belt. “I don’t doubt it,” he said softly. “I was an ass. I let him rile me up, and I took it out on you. I was jealous, Reese. You’re mine, and I can’t lose you, baby.”

I wrapped my arms around Mase tightly and buried my face in his neck. Inhaling deeply, I felt safe again. He was here. He wasn’t mad at me. “I’m sorry. I should have told you. I was afraid you’d be angry.”

His hand ran over my hair, wrapping the long strands around his fingers. “Guess I proved that theory correct,” he said, sounding amused.

I nodded. “But I should have told you. He says he’s not flirting, but I don’t know what he’s doing. I’ve told him to leave me alone.”

Mase took a deep breath. “I want to kill him.”

Right now, I wanted to kill him. He had done it on purpose. “I think it would be better if I quit my job. That way, I don’t ever have to see him.”

Mase didn’t reply at first. I stayed in his arms, thankful to have them around me. I didn’t care what I had to do to keep this. “No. You love your job. I won’t let my fear and that asshole take it away from you. But from now on, I’ll be bringing you lunch.”

Smiling, I looked up at him. “Really?”

He cupped my face with one hand. “Really. And I’ll bring you Momma’s food. It’ll be better than any restaurant shit he brought you.” A small laugh escaped me, and he grinned. “You’re just so damn beautiful inside and out, Reese. I’m going to have to get used to men wanting what I have. They can’t help themselves.”

My cheeks heated, and I put my head on his shoulder. “I don’t think that’s the case. Captain is just . . . annoying.”

“You call him Captain. Do you know who he is?”

“He’s Blaire Finlay’s brother. He was at Lila Kate’s birthday. I found out his nickname then.”

Mase frowned. “I never saw him.”

“That’s because we talked when you were inside with Harlow. Then he just disappeared. I figured he went inside.”

“But he found you and talked to you,” he said, sounding annoyed.

“I was with Blaire,” I reminded him.

“Still, the dude is a dickhead.”

Yesterday, I would have been ready to disagree. But after what he did today, I couldn’t deny it. He had told Mase about our lunches for a reason, and it wasn’t an innocent one.

River “Captain” Kipling had just become my enemy.

Mase

After dropping Reese off at the office and kissing her long and hard, I headed out to find River fucking Kipling. I’d given Arthur a call and asked him where I might find the guy. He’d told me he would be at the main offices for the Stout and Hawkins restaurant chain.

Stepping through the main door, I smiled at the young receptionist. I needed her help. “Morning,” I said with a nod, tilting the brim of my hat back.

“Good morning,” she said, a little too brightly.

“Arthur told me I could find River Kipling here this morning. You know where he might be?”

She didn’t even ask for an ID. She nodded and pointed to a door. “Go through there; he’s the third office on the right.”

I winked and gave her a nod, then went to find the bastard.

I didn’t bother knocking on his door. I just opened it and walked in, closing it behind me. River was working at his desk. When his eyes looked up to see me, I saw the gleam of challenge there. I was ending this shit.

“I actually expected you sooner,” he said, leaning back in his chair, looking pleased with himself.

“Reese came first. I’d been away from her for a few days, and I needed to be with my girl,” I said, putting the emphasis on my.

He smirked. “You here to stake your claim like a fucking caveman?”

God, I hated this douchebag. “I’m here to protect Reese. That’s what I do. She was ready to give up a job she loves because of you. I won’t let you ruin this for her. She’s been through more shit than you could ever imagine. She doesn’t need you upsetting her.”

His face almost looked remorseful. “She’s overcome her dyslexia. She’s faced her demons, and she’s thriving. She doesn’t need someone to stand over her and keep the rest of the world out. Is she not allowed to have friends?”

She’d told him about her dyslexia? I was proud of her. She’d admitted it to someone else other than Piper and me. “Her dyslexia did hold her back for a very long time. But she’s lived through a worse hell than that. Don’t assume you know her. Because you don’t. And if she wants me to protect her, I will. From anyone and anything. She didn’t have that for most of her life, but she’ll have it for the rest of it.”

River frowned, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the desk. “You’re doing her an injustice by assuming that because she had a rough home life growing up, she isn’t strong enough to take care of herself. I know for a fact that made her a stronger person. I lived a life just like hers.”

I really hated this son of a bitch. “What? Was life hard for you? Did you get slapped around a little? Leave home when you were finally old enough? Yeah, well, lucky fucking you. That’s not the hell I’m talking about. Just stay the fuck away from her. You have papers for her to file? Then take them to her. But I’ll be bringing her lunch every day.”