The sun has been awake for about a hour now when I pull into the dinner right outside of town. Normally we would of went to The Hideout, but none of us were ready to face Grandma Rose or Pops. Also can't forget don't want us meeting for breakfast to find its way back to Mr. Gear. The guys already have enough shit without him finding out and adding more.
I pull my ballcap low on my head and slip on my sunglasses. I may not be as famous as the guys, but people sometimes recognize me. Better to be safe than sorry. Checking my disguise one more time I leave the car and head inside.
The dinner isn't overly crowded and the few who are here are your older blue collar population. Even the staff were on the older side. Perfect. In my experience not many will recognize him and the few who do won't approach out of respect nor take a shit ton of pictures.
I spot Mason sitting in the back facing the entrance. He's wearing a black tight fitted t-shirt and leather jacket along with a black ballcap. The second he spots me his face brightens with excitement and he slides out of the booth with open arms. I sprint in his direction not realizing how much I missed him. This is the longest I've gone without seeing any of them since I became their manager.
Once I reach him he embraces me in a tight hug holding me close. His hugs were almost as good as Ryders. When I try to separate from him he holds me closer. "Not yet," he mumbles into my hair. With how difficult his mother is and the passing of his sister Mason has a hard time letting any female close to him. I was the first he did let in after Kelly's death and the last till Skylar.
Tray and Skylar share a special bound, but so do Mason and I. As of late I've been neglecting him for Ryder. Other than Lucan I'm the only one he really leans on and confides in. Out of all the rockers I believe Mason is the most broken and lost. Yes they all have their own demons they are facing, but Mason seems to have it worse. And because of his past he has always had a special place in my heart.
"Hey Mason," I say patting him on the back.
"I've missed you Aubree," Mason tells me releasing me and kissing my forehead.
"Me too. I'm sorry I should of reached out sooner." I state sliding into the booth with him across from me.
Mason shrugs his shoulders and plays off my comment as though it was not big deal. So is the Mason way. He tends to put on a front all is well, but inside he's anything but. "No big deal. You've had your own shit to deal with."
The real Mason is very different from the one he pretends to be in the public and around the guys. He's more quite and reserved when he's not around the others. Mason acts the act when he has to. Throwing himself upon women after women or acting like Tray with the comments. Whenever someone mentions going out he is one of the first out the doors, but he'd rather stay home and play video games. All part of the act.
From what I can gather the newer Mason happened after his sister died and all the crap with Ryder's dad. He used to be the carefree person he now pretends to be. Mason and Kelly were extremely close. Hell all the guys were close to her. They all thought out of her as their younger sister. She was basically the only female in the group and all of them feel as though they failed her, but none feel as guilty as Mason.
I fear he is going to carry this burden around the rest of his life. Many years have passed and you can still see the sorrow in his eyes if you look deep enough. He forgets when all of this happened he was young and living up life. From what I can gather about Kelly she would never blame any of them for not realizing what was happening to her. She had a heart of gold and cared deeply for the guys.
I fidget with the menu needing something to do with my hands. "Maybe so, but I still could have texted you. You all were hurting too. And I never got to say goodbye to any of you."
Mason glances out the window lost in thought. Probably replaying those days over in his head. "What happened no one will tell me or Tray anything, but we know everyone else knows," Mason asks turning his gaze back on me.
I sigh and launch into the story of how Adam drugged me at the bar and Ryder found us together in the morning. Ending with the bloodwork and our plan to get Adam to confessed. The waitress only interrupts us a couple of time for our order and to drop off drinks.
Mason's jaw clenches harder and harder with each word I speak. "I'm going to beat the shit out of both of them," he rages. "How the fuck good Ryder think for a second you would ever sleep with Adam after everything?"
The questions has been rolling around in my head since that day as well. "The only logical explanation I can come up with is he's been sorry worried about his dad he wasn't seeing the truth." At the mention of Ryder's dad Mason visually flinched. I place my hand on top of his in comfort and he offers me a tight smile. "How are you really," I ask him.
He sits back in the booth and glances around the dinner before settling his troubled eyes on me. "Miserable," he sighs. "We are left with no time for anything else. Hell I had to lie and say I was sick to get out of the radio interview this morning to come see you. I've been left with no time to recharge..." he trails off. Mason isn't like the others he needs his alone time or he gets too overwhelmed. Another reason I never ran them ragged. "We need you back," he admits.
"Mason I promise you I'm working on fix all of this mess," I reassure him. The waitress set our food down putting a pause to our conversation. We both thank her and she heads on her way promising to return to check on us. I approach the next topic understanding Mason is going to struggle talking about it. "I heard you've been having panic attack against."
Mason slowly chews his food, takes a drink of coffee and only than answers me with one word. "Yeah." He takes another bite of his food.
"Have the nightmares come back with all the changes?" He nods his head in answer. "I'm so sorry Mason. And I'm not there to help. Next time I don't give a fuck call me. No matter how late."
He swallows his food and studies me. "Okay. I will."
"Promise," I push him pointing my fork at him.
He smiles. "Promise."
We finish our breakfast and stick to lighter topics. Neither one of us speaking of all the shirt happening around us. Of course when we got ready to leave Mason swiped the bill and paid much to my argument since I was the one to invite him out.
We parted was at our cars after a long hug goodbye and promises to be in touch soon. He waited till I was back in my car and the engine started before he walked to his own car. All of a sudden my car starts to ring a Robby's name flashes on my radio.
"Hey stranger. Thank you for calling me," I tell him exiting out of my parking spot.
"Of course. Out of all the years I've known you you aren't one to reach out for help unless you are desperate. So when you text asking for help I call," he says. I can hear some yelling in the background he must be home with the twins.
"How's the twins doing," I ask him
"Great growing like weeds. Sammy said I need to invite you to dinner so we can all catch up she also said in he exact words you are welcomed to bring that hot rocker of yours." I hear something bang and Robby yelling. "Sorry. Sammy had to run to the store and so here I am alone with the little devils."
"Don't even start you love being a dad. I remember when they were first born no one could get near them including Sammy," I laugh.
"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah." He says then changes the conversation. "How can I help? I'm not working any cases currently so I'm all yours."
For the second time today I launch into the story about what occurred with Adam, but starting from the point he joined the tour to today. Robby quietly listens only asking a questions here and there. Once I'm done he speaks.
"Sounds to me there is more going on here than meets the eyes. You've known I've never cared for Mr. Gear there was always something about him that set my heckles to rise. Even back when we were younger and he would come around." Robby's parents were close friends of my parents. At one point our parents had it set in their minds the two of us would get married, but we never saw each other as more than friends. Robby's parents disowned him when he didn't want to go into the family business and wanted to be with Sammy. He may no longer talk to his parents, but we remained friends.
"What do you mean," I ask him cruising down the highway.
"The way he would look at all the girls and I do mean girls always set me off. I was thankful the day he stopped looking at you that way." My skin crawls with the memories. He never tried anything probably only because of who my parents are. "Here's what I think. Adam has to have some kind of blackmail on Mr. Gear. After everything you've told me my intuition is telling me Adam is the puppet master in all of this and Mr. Gear is the puppet. I would love to be able to find out what Adam has on him and get him to confess to drugging you. This way I can put both of them away."
"I was thinking I could have Adam meet me somewhere and while wearing a wire get him to confess."
Robby pauses for a moment. "Not a bad idea. Are you sure you're okay with confronting him?"
Am I? No. "Don't have much of a choice wither I want to or not I'm stuck. Plus if I approach him making him think I want to get back with him he may talk freely."
"Worth a shot. Let me set up the place and time. I would like to get this done sooner rather than later as I'm sure you do to."
"Agreed."
I go on to explain to him about Ryder's dad and he promises me he's going to use some of his contacts to get more information on why he thinks he can get out. At the time unknown to me Robby was one of the police officers to work on the case. Talk about a small world. So he too wants to keep the asshole right were he is. In a cage.
We finish up our conversation with him promising to call me tomorrow with the next steps in our plan. I thank him and promise to come visit soon. At this time I've pulled into the parking garage and my body is shaking with the anxiety over not only seeing Adam, but getting him to talk. I can do this I repeat over and over in my head.
After all of this is done and behind us I can work on fixing mine and Ryder's relationship and reclaiming my position as Steel Wolf's manager. That is if there is a band for me to reclaim.