Carter Brothers: Mason

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It's already past 8 when Katy awakens the next morning. Fear and panic bolt her straight upright as she realizes she's way overslept and now Richard will be furious. She jumps off the bed, reaching for her robe when...it all hits her. There is no Richard here. She lies back down on the bed, still pondering over her next move. Soon, she realises that it all comes down to relying on other people. There's nothing  she can do. No one she can call. All those ties have long been severed and now she's all alone. It's the very reason Richard kept her locked away-so she'd have no one but him. She doesn't even know where her documents are-he has them; her passport, her driving license, her birth certificate.

It's with that hopelessness, Katy bursts into tears. All that sorrow and heartache finally pouring through her as wracking sobs shake her entire body.

Only when the door crashes open does she realize just how loud she's being. She tries her hardest to soften them, gulping down the hiccups as she swipes at her eyes.

"I-I...I'm sorry. I'll-I'll be out of h-here in just a-"

He moves like liquid towards her as he takes a seat beside her and wraps an arm gently around her shoulders. The hiccups morph into gasps which as she tries to stop only grow in intensity. Soon, she's hyperventilating and knowing that only causes her to panic more.

Mason tightens his grip around her as he realises this. His body curving around hers as he shifts the ebony waves to whisper in her ear.

"Shhh...I got you. I've got you Little Doe. Just breathe. Deep breathes now," he soothingly whispers.

Katy felt shudders of calmness go through her as she vaguely hears a low, soft hum. The sound igniting something deep in her heart and causing her to want to obey.
"Very good, now just keep calm and concentrate on taking deep breaths. Slowly now, in...and out...that's it...in...and out," he carries on until she's stilled in his arms from awareness.

He half expects her to pull away screaming again but she just sits there rigidly.

Slowly he recoils his arms from her yet she remains still.
"Look at me Little Doe," commands Mason his voice urging her face to meet with his.
Beautiful almond, brown eyes meet with calm deep-ocean blue, yielding to them instantly.
"Now, what happened? What caused you to panic like this?" he demands.

A wave of silence passes between them as Katy assesses the whole of Mason's brooding face again. Her fear of him being a dominant abuser like Richard is derived from his rough sharp features; although Mason has more of a sleek, model-like edge to them. Though, in his behaviour he seems slightly different. Like just now, he actually took time to calm her down instead of beating her calm like Richard had. Heck! He didn't even just leave her like that- all hysterical and a mess.

"I-I...I don't know what I'm going to do," she admits shamefully.

Mason's confused for a second before recognising that she's talking about leaving.
"Well then, stay," he simple suggests.

Katy's eyes widen, her face horrified at that thought, "oh but I can't. I mean...you've been so generous thank you but I don't want to overstay my welcome. And I really must be going."
"Where to?"
"...I don't know-"
"Then you're running. You're running and it doesn't take a genius to realize you're running from someone. But this place is safe. Whoever it is, I can keep you safe," he insists firmly.

Katy shakes her head. No, no, no. Her conscious can't take it if anyone gets hurt because of her. If she brings her troubles to this man, then Richard is simply going to tear him apart too. Maybe not physically, but he'll ruin Mason's business. She can't do that to her rescuer.

"Stay," commands Mason, but Katy still shakes her head.
"I don't want to have to do this but if you don't stay, I will take you to the police station and have them question you about your bruises," he threatens.

Her delicate eyebrows rise and knit as those plump lips fall apart in shock and worry.
"Please don't," she begs.
As hard as it is, seeing her like this, Mason stays strong, "then stay. Let me help you."

Help her? He'll go crazy trying to 'help her' because she's beyond that now. Everything about her is damaged and there's no way to fix it. It's just better he doesn't become collateral damage trying to be a saint in helping a gone case like her.

"I need to go. I need to-"
"Stay," he states again, "that's not a suggestion."

Katy recoils in shock. She's frozen disbelief to the bed as he walks out of the room so casually after saying something like that. A key turns in its keyhole, locking Katy in the room with only the sinking feeling that perhaps this man is more like Richard than she'd thought. Perhaps he is just as vile and mean and possessive. And if that is the case then she may have just gone straight from the frying pan into the fire.