Life Through a Lense

Chapter Twenty

I felt like I had just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Except ten times stronger than that. My whole body turned to stone as a reflex while I tried to figure out what I was supposed to say. 

"What are you doing here, Dana?" Tristan repeated. 

The mention of my name kicked me back into motion. 

"You're not supposed to be here," I responded, thinking of nothing else to say. 

"That's weird coming from the girl who showed up at my family cabin," he pointed out. "And of course I'm supposed to be here." 

Pulling my arm out of his grip, I took a step back and narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean you're supposed to be here?" 

"My family is doing a late Christmas," he explained. "All of my brothers and both my parents are here this weekend." 

No. Fucking. Way. Was Jack here too? Fuck. I almost felt physically sick at the thought of being in the same building as him. I wanted him nowhere near my little sister. Maybe I should just leave now, there was probably a hotel here (I didn't want to spend the money, but I could afford to since I won the photo contest). 

"Your brother is such a liar," I muttered. 

"Don't have to tell me that twice," He agreed, but he shook his head. "Wait you're here with Jack?" 

There was a vein in his forehead that I'd never seen before that looked like it was about to pop. His eyes had turned from green to a stormy gray. If I didn't tell him the truth soon, he might kick the crap out of his younger brother. On second thought...that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. 

My repulsion at the thought took over anyway. "No!" I snapped. "Why the fuck would I be here with Jack? Mason brought me here." 

His face relaxed a little, the vein disappearing, only to twist up with confusion. "How did that happen?" 

I sighed. "Your father is apparently interested in my photography for an ad campaign after his bank evicted an old lady from her house." 

Forget about Jack, I wanted to kill Mason now. 

"And he told you that I wouldn't be here," he concluded. 

"Yup," I confirmed for him. 

"You wouldn't have come up if you knew I was going to be here?" He asked, looking intently at me for the answer. 

I shook my head. "Probably not."

"Why?" He pressed. 

Refusing to answer his question, I told him. "I'm going to go find your brother and yell him." 

He smiled mischievously like a school boy, forgetting his question to my relief. "Oh, I want to watch this. I know exactly where he is." 

*** 

We found him in an extremely impressive game room on the top floor. Several gaming consoles were set up by the  96-inch screen T.V. There were foosball, air hockey, pool, and ping-pong tables. Every board game known to man was displayed on shelves that reached the ceiling. Oh man, if I had this as a kid I don't think I would have ever left the room. 

"Well looks like you two found each other," he observed with a maniacal smile on his face. 

"You're such a goddamn liar!" I shouted. 

"Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures," he shrugged. 

Mason's glibness was even getting to Tristan.