Mason’s POV
The words hit me like a freight train, each one carving a deeper scar into my soul. I could barely keep my anger in check as Elle’s voice cracked, recounting the nightmare Josh had put her through. My best friend. My brother, in every way that mattered. The guy I grew up with shared memories and secrets with—the guy I trusted with my life—had been doing this to her. To Elle.
How the hell didn’t I see it?
I sat there, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached, trying to hold it all together. Every instinct screamed at me to lash out, to do something, to make Josh pay for every tear Elle had shed. But I couldn’t lose it now. Not in front of her. She needed me steady, calm, a solid rock to lean on. I forced myself to stay still, my hands gripping the sides of the chair, white-knuckle
