Audrey’s breath hitched. She watched Zoey Mitchell slam the door of that red sports car, the bright color looking like a neon sign in the middle of the dark, dusty woods. Zoey didn’t look like she was here to apologize. She looked like she was here to claim something.
"You have got to be kidding me," Audrey whispered to the glass.
She turned around, her heart starting to do that annoying, frantic thumping again. She needed to find Mason. Or run. Running seemed like a much better plan.
She headed toward the stairs, but the front door creaked open before she could even reach the first step.
Zoey stepped inside, dragging a designer overnight bag that probably cost more than Audrey’s tuition. She scanned the room, her sunglasses still firmly on her face. Her eyes landed on Audrey.
"Oh," Zoey said. Her voice was flat, bored. "You’re still here."
Audrey stood her ground, even though she felt like a deer caught in headlights. "This is a team trip, Zoey. Did you get lost on the way to a fashion show?"
Zoey pulled her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose, eyeing Audrey’s oversized green sweater and messy bun. "Logan is a mess. I assume he already came here and acted like a complete idiot?"
"He did," Audrey said.
"Good." Zoey sighed, walking toward the fireplace like she owned the place. "I broke up with him, remember? But he left some of my stuff in his car. And honestly? I need a drink. This cabin is the only place in twenty miles that isn’t a literal swamp."
Audrey didn’t believe a word of it. People didn’t drive red sports cars to the middle of nowhere for stuff.
"Mason is busy," Audrey said, stepping into Zoey’s path. "And the team is busy. You should probably just turn around."
Zoey laughed, a sharp, cold sound. "Are you scared, Audrey? I thought you were the captain’s serious girlfriend now. Or was that just the show you put on for Logan on the dock? Word travels fast, even in the woods."
Audrey’s face burned. "It wasn’t a show."
"Sure." Zoey walked around her, heading straight for the stairs. "I’m going to find a room. I’m sure the captain won’t mind an extra guest."
"There are no rooms!" Audrey snapped. "Every bed is taken."
Zoey stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking back over her shoulder with a mocking smile. "I’m sure I can find space. Mason is very... accommodating."
Audrey watched her go, feeling completely helpless. She felt like she was trapped in a bad soap opera. She turned around to run back to the bedroom, but she stopped dead.
Mason was standing in the doorway leading from the kitchen, fully dressed in his team uniform, his cleats slung over his shoulder. He’d clearly heard the last part of the conversation.
He looked from the staircase where Zoey had vanished to Audrey. His face was unreadable.
"Did she just invite herself to stay?" Mason asked.
"She did," Audrey said, her voice tight. "She’s here, Mason. What are you going to do?"
Mason sighed, dropping his cleats to the floor with a loud thud. He walked over to Audrey, invading her space again, but he didn’t tease her this time. He looked genuinely annoyed.
"I’ll tell her to leave," Mason said. "I don’t have time for this."
"She’s not going to listen to you," Audrey muttered. "She wants to be here. She wants to be around you, or she wants to mess with me. Either way, it’s a disaster."
"Then we’ll make it a very short disaster," Mason said.
Before they could move, the bedroom door upstairs opened. Zoey walked back out, looking smug.
"The master suite is huge," Zoey called down, her voice echoing in the cabin. "It’s a shame to waste all that space. I’m going to drop my bag in there."
Audrey’s jaw dropped. "She’s going into our room!"
Mason was up the stairs in three seconds flat. Audrey scrambled after him, her heart in her throat.
When they burst into the master bedroom, Zoey was standing by the bed, running her hand over the pillows Audrey had spent ten minutes stacking into a barricade. She looked at the giant king-sized bed and then at Mason.
"It’s a bit big for two people, isn’t it?" Zoey asked, her voice dropping into a syrupy, fake tone.
Mason stood in the doorway, his broad frame blocking the light. "Zoey. You’re leaving. Now."
Zoey didn’t even flinch. She turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face. "Why? Because of her? Mason... I wondered how long it’d take before you found another lost puppy."
Audrey felt a sharp pang in her chest. She hated how true it sounded when Zoey said it out loud.
Mason didn’t blink. "You have five minutes to get your bag out of this room. If you aren’t out by then, I’m throwing it into the lake."
Zoey’s smug smile finally faltered. "You’re serious?"
"Dead serious," Mason said.
Zoey glared at Audrey, then at Mason, and finally snatched her bag off the bed. "Fine. Whatever. This cabin is depressing anyway."
She stomped past them, but as she reached the door, she leaned into Mason’s ear. "You’re making a mistake, Mason. She’s not like the others. She’s going to bore you to death."
She shoved past them and headed down the stairs.
Audrey leaned against the doorframe, her legs feeling like jelly. "That went... well."
Mason rubbed the back of his neck, looking frustrated. "She’s a pain."
"Yeah," Audrey said. She walked over to the bed and sat down. She felt exhausted.
Mason followed her into the room and shut the door again. He looked at her, his expression softening.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I’m fine," Audrey said. She reached into her duffel bag to grab her flashcards, but her hand hit something soft and lacy.
She froze.
She pulled her hand out.
The bright pink swimsuit.
Chloe had tucked it into the side pocket, and now it was tangled up with her chemistry notes.
Audrey tried to shove it back in, but it was too late. The bright pink fabric was clearly visible.
Mason stared at it. His eyes went wide. Then, a slow, dangerous grin spread across his face.
"Is that..." Mason started, his voice dripping with amusement. "Is that a swimsuit?"
"No," Audrey said, shoving it deeper into the bag. "It’s a... hat. It’s a very weird hat."
Mason laughed. He took a step toward her, his eyes twinkling. "A pink, lacy hat? Audrey, I didn’t know you had such a wild side."
"I told you I wasn’t wearing it!" Audrey yelled, her face flaming. "Chloe packed it without asking me!"
Mason sat down on the edge of the bed, right next to her. He didn’t move away. He leaned in, his voice dropping to that low, teasing rumble.
"You should wear it," he whispered.
"I am absolutely not wearing it."
"If you don’t," Mason said, "I might have to find a way to make you."
Audrey turned to glare at him, but she stopped.
Mason was looking at her, and for a second, the teasing wasn’t there. He looked curious. He looked... interested.
"You’re a weird girl, Audrey Ellis," he said. He reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered on her skin for a second too long.
Audrey couldn’t breathe. She wanted to pull away, but she couldn’t move.
"And you’re a weird guy," she whispered.
"Maybe," Mason said. He leaned in, his face inches from hers.
Audrey felt like the room was shrinking. She knew what he was doing. He was teasing her. He was waiting for her to react. He wanted to see if she’d blush, or stutter, or push him away.
She decided to play his game.
She didn’t pull away. She didn’t blush.
She leaned in, until their noses were almost touching.
"If you’re trying to flirt, Calloway," she said, her voice steady, "you’re doing a really bad job."
Mason’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected that. He blinked, clearly surprised.
"Oh, really?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.
"Really," Audrey said. "It’s actually kind of sad."
Mason laughed, a genuine, startled sound. He leaned back, his grin wider than ever. "Okay. You win this round."
He stood up and walked toward the door. "I have film review. Don’t go anywhere."
Audrey watched him go, her heart pounding a thousand miles an hour. She was shaking again, but this time, it wasn’t fear.
She was starting to realize that maybe, just maybe, she could handle Mason Calloway.
But as soon as he closed the door, her phone buzzed.
She picked it up.
It was a text from an unknown number.
I know where you are. And I know the game you’re playing. It won’t last much longer. - L
Audrey’s blood turned to ice.
Logan wasn’t gone.
He was watching.