Aftermath Book Two Crash Series

Chapter Eighteen

Mason

            “We are not doing this,” I shout over the flurry of activity that just bombarded through my front doors. There are at least eight people running around with their arms full of books, fabrics, shoe boxes and I can’t even imagine what else. And right in the center giving out the orders and pointing people towards my living room stands Cynthia Maverick in all her golden glory.

I should have seen this coming. I’m actually kicking myself that I didn’t. My mind been scrambling to keep up with so many different people I forgot to keep point on my mother. And although she’s been mostly silent up till now I should never have forgotten where her true loyalties lie. Forever with herself. That means whatever makes her glow in the best of light and circumstance she’ll take the buck by the horns and take full advantage.

            So, this chaos right here? I should have seen this coming, and I should have been prepared with a counterattack. Now I need to go on defense and try and talk our way out of this s**t show before it gets worse. After hearing those words out of Aria’s mouth, watching the same desperation and heartbreak I felt play out on her face. Knowing I was the cause of that pain after an amazing carefree morning that both of us needed.

            Not one of my mother’s minions nor my mother herself pays me any attention. She barks orders ignoring my commands like she isn’t standing in my house, planning my wedding. To a woman, I think I just broke up with.

            Did we? Did we just break up? Like a small crack on a phone screen that’s nothing more than a minor nuisance until it hits the ground just right. Now that minor crack is a massive spider web of deep gouges that render the phone useless. The impact of the past five minutes finally collides with my heart. The little crack that was just a small ache at the thought of what was to come is now a massive spider web of deep raw aches. An ache so powerful and gut-wrenching I have to grind my teeth and latch onto the wall beside me to keep my knees from buckling and hitting the ground.

            I knew it was going to be hard. I knew I was avoiding it at all costs to protect myself. To live in the version of reality I want to stay in forever. But I also know we were right. That conversation was right and needed. But just like I wasn’t prepared for my mother’s antics I was completely underprepared for how earth-shattering and monumental this moment would be in reality.

            I’ve never loved before or been loved. I’ve never put my whole self into anyone the way I do with Crash. I’m never vulnerable, I never show weakness or open any doors that allows any other person to know the me behind the suits and ambition. Which means I have never known heart break nor disappointment on this scale.

           I keep solid control of everything in my life. From my suits to my office I have everything exactly so. The management of every one of my properties is done as I see fit. Each one subject to random appearances for inspections and obligatory check in’s and updates. Funnily enough, that’s precisely what I was up to the day Crash landed at my feet.

          Eddie is a great property manager that’s why I assigned him to the low-income housing properties. I knew I could trust him to not play anything off or put it off because he saw them as less than like the rest of society does. Some of the other property managers are great for the high-rise and million-dollar properties I have. They can look down their noses all they want they speak the same language as the people interested in the property.

            I trusted Eddie so I didn’t have to check on him much but it had been a while and I had a break in my schedule, the meeting before happened to be on the other side of town from the meeting after, and right in the middle was Maverick apartments. And because I had fate on my side I met my other half that day.

            And now today might be the day we ended things and I can’t find out until my mother leaves. What do we do about the here and now? The frenzy that’s taken over my house. All the women and men here including my mother are part of the biggest gossip circles in our world. And although the reasons I wanted Aria to sign that contract months ago leading to this show were more than what the paper said the words on the paper still hold true.

            I need the board on my side and a failed engagement will look bad enough to lose a few of the members. But the people here being the first to hear of this failed engagement, announcing it in the mists of wedding gowns and color choices… while that could just end me. The societal s**t show that will create will be endless.

            Breathing through the pain in my heart and my churning gut, I try to wade my way through the dark murky reality I find myself in with my spinning thoughts. It’s like I’m underwater, everything feels heavier but weightless. Like I can float for the first time but it means nothing with the constant undercurrent knocking me to the dark depths of the troubled sea.

            By the time I fight my way through the tough waters and break the surface back to reality where I can orient myself to the present and once again take control of my thoughts and emotions, I find her where I need her the most. Next to me holding my sweaty hand ignoring the room and my mother’s orders and our earlier conversation is the beautiful, kind, loving woman I love and need.

            “Mase?” I don’t know what I look like only what I feel. The last vestiges of my emotional outbreak are fading but their all still there and I can only imagine what she must-see. But when I look at her she looks as strong as ever, resilient and powerful. Like she’ll take my mother on right now to protect me. The fierce warrior she’s become through circumstance and trauma now standing ready to lend me her strength.

            “I don’t know what to do here.” It’s hard to admit that I’m at a loss. That I feel unsteady on my feet still and unsure. To admit that my whole world been rocked and I don’t know where up is or right from left. But I know she’s my anchor, my answers, and that no matter where our conversation ends she’ll still be here for me. That our love will never fade or be erased. No matter what happens I have her, just maybe in a different way than I crave.

            Tugging her closer I wrap a shaking arm around her and lean into her ear to keep anyone else from overhearing. Taking in a shaky breath I’m relieved to take in her familiar and comforting scent. She spends so much time in the kitchen that she has a permanent sweet scent, like cinnamon and peaches. Maybe that’s why I like them so much, they taste the way she smells.

            “Okay, well the way I see it we have two choices. We can try sending her away but from the looks of that it’s going to take the whole police department coming in to forcibly remove her to get her gone.” She’s whispering in my ear while she rubs along my back it’s comforting, and I can’t help but agree with her assessment. “Or we can go along with this circus and get her out of here as quick as we can.”

            Like an infant needing his mother, I burrow into the crook in her neck. Anyone looking now will undoubtedly share with everyone how in love we really are. We’re holding on to one another intimately in a sweet embrace to onlookers while we discuss what move we’re about to make next. When or if we announce our break up it’ll have everyone questioning why when we seemed so genuine.

            “You don’t mind going along with this?” If we do where does that leave us? Where do we go from here? Are we sticking to the original terms of the long-forgotten contract? She can move back into her old room. My place is huge and I’ve been busy at work. She’s only going to get busier opening Shirley’s. We could avoid each other besides when necessary, for appearance's sake. And it would save me a huge headache I can’t afford right now.

            “Aria get off my son and come get fitted. We have no time to waste if we're going to make the timeline.” Damn my mother and her need to be the talk of the town when she gets to brag about her excellent skills in planning the wedding of the year.

            Ignoring my mother she rests her forehead on my shoulder as she hugs me tighter. “I-I think we still have a lot left unsaid and the sooner we’re able to get your mom out of here the sooner we can figure us out.”

            Stretching my neck back I pull away so I can look at her but still keep my voice low enough. Her golden honey waves are in front of one of her eyes so I sweep it away with my fingers. “We need to do whatever is best for you Crash. The farther we get sucked in the hard it will be to pull away.”

            She nods her head gently while looking up at me. “Pulling away was never going to be easy. Let’s suffer through this next hour and we can…” She pauses briefly while my mother shouts at us somewhere besides us. “We need to finish our conversation. But no matter what I agreed to help you. Were not going to f**k it all up now.”

            With lips drawn tight she smiles up to me with what I’m sure is meant to be encouragment but I know she’s as unsettled and upset as I am and that’s really hard to mask. “But only an hour max!” She stresses.

 With a deep breath and a gentle squeeze of her hips, I place a kiss on her forehead and turn to take on my mother.

            “Mother.” I grind out. “We’ve made ourselves quite clear, we do not want your help nor your      input on our wedding.” With Aria’s handheld tightly in my own, I march us over to where she stands looking on with irritation.

            Rolling her eyes she turns on her silver Jimmy Choo high heels marching herself towards the hustle and bustle that’s taking place in my living room. They’ve wasted no time at all setting up an entire dressing room right in the middle of my living room. Racks of dresses and fabrics are placed expertly around the room with the windows as their background the sunlight lighting them up like Christmas lights.

            A make-shift pink silk curtain stands in the corner of the room for privacy for anyone that needs to change and my mother’s minions are currently working on setting up a round-foot tall stage in the middle of a half wall of perfectly polished mirrors. Ring lights are popping up in the perfect places a second before my mother continues and I hear my front doors opening and closing and more footsteps approaching.

            “We’ve wasted so much time already. March really isn’t that far away Mason. I don’t need to remind you what poorly planned events turn into. Darling, I don’t blame you of course.” Looking over her shoulder she c***s her head at Aria with a condescending smirk that has my blood boiling.

            “You have no idea what’s expected of you in this world. No matter you have me. Now I had peach dresses, ties and vest made up but we simply must finalize the styles today so I can get the rest of the girls fitted in time. Oh, and just wait till you see the shoes.” My mother has always been fantastic at blocking out anything she finds displeasing and right now the only thing pleasing to her is her own voice.

            Wyatt catches my eye from across the room with a raised eyebrow. Looking to the other side of the room I notice Leo too and I’m happy about it. If my mother gets even more out of hand I have no problem carting Aria up to our room so Wyatt and Leo can oversee their removal. Just having extra eyes on Aria in all this chaos helps soothe me.

            “We must get you fitted in your gown. Mason, your suit is here.” A woman with way too much makes up and downcast eyes hurry to my side with a designer garment bag slung across her arms. Go try it on. The photographers will be here any moment and we need to get some comparison photos of you standing next to Miss Crawford in her different gowns.” Photographers? Jaxson needs to get engaged ASAP.

            Aria tugs her hand out of my grip as she lurches forward. Her motions are stiff, and I can feel her disbelief and irritation boiling on the surface. Another minute of mother’s talking, and Aria will be escorting everyone out here while we all sit back and watch.

            “Cynthia.” Crash’s low growl chills me. I’ve known her long enough to know that whatever’s coming I’m glad it’s not directed at me.

            “I’ve already been in touch with all the biggest magazines. We’re going to have our pictures trending on social media for weeks. Valorie, you remember Beverly’s daughter’s wedding?” Her laugh is sophisticated and polished as the rest of her and it’s always annoyed the s**t out of me. I never understood why she couldn’t ever be real. Ever her laugh has to be practiced and perfect all of it seems exhausting.

            All of it is exhausting if I’m honest with myself I have more of her traits in me than I’d like. I may have a better heart and a higher moral code but I still run myself ragged with impossible standards I set for myself.

            Aria doesn’t hold back nor does she wait for my mother to finish whatever obscene thing she was about to say. She bulldozes her way right through and I’m proud of f**k of her for it. I love seeing these glimpses of her. They’re the real Crash that was hidden away and never given a voice finally getting the chance to speak up. Loudly and with no regrets.

            “Cynthia.” She says louder, the words echoing off the walls and making the onlooking minions slow. Aria doesn’t stop until she gets right next to the rack of gowns my mother is standing next to. She stands toe to toe forcing my mother to take her in, to listen.

            “I tried telling you before and you refused to listen then but you’re going to listen now. This is our wedding and we will be the ones planning it. And that means we get to pick out the wedding dress and the colors and photographers on our own. So all of this needs to get taken down and…”

            “Oh! Lauren thank goodness you’re here!” Like the pro, she is she steps right around Aria zeroing in on Lauren who for some unknown to me the reason is standing in my house.

            f*****g A. How can a day start so beautifully but spiral into this much chaos? I can feel my control slipping. My blood's boiling so hot and heavy I’m frothing over with anger and an insane need to get something in my life back into f*****g control. Everywhere I look there’s an out-of-place f*****g problem that’s just pilling onto the already overflowing problem pile.

            “Get her the f**k out. NOW!” This time everyone does stop in their tracks they don’t just slow. The room comes to a screeching halt with Aria’s crackling words. We can all read the room. My mother did this on purpose and everyone here knows there no good blood between the three of us.

            Wyatt and Leo start moving towards Lauren and my mother as the room gross tenser.

            “Aria! Lauren is an important family friend. She’s going to put on the bridesmaid dress for the pictures. Here..” Of course, she tries to brush it off but she doesn’t know my girl and she sure as s**t doesn’t know all the s**t Laurens already pulled. But Lauren sure as f**k does and she asking for the whole f*****g world to know too.

            I won’t even blame Aria for a second if she spills it all right here and now. And as Lauren looks up to me I hope she sees it in my eyes. I hope she knows how much enjoyment I’ll get each time Aria rips her off her pedestal and reminds everyone who’s really worthy.

            “The f**k she is!” Once again she cuts her off and stands her ground as the guys get closer. I really enjoy the look of understanding and defiance crossing my mother's face as she notices them too. Crash doesn’t need my help she can do this all on her own but I want no one to doubt that I’m standing beside her in full support of whatever comes next. My mother went too far and we all know it.

            Taking my place next to her I place my hand on her hip with a soft squeeze for support. She leans into me as Lauren glares at the two of us. She can be pissed all she wants she needs to grow up and get over it. She has money of her own and there’s plenty of rich douchebags we encounter on the daily that will gladly give her the life she wants.

            “To be absolutely f*****g clear Lauren you won’t be within a hundred feet of our wedding. Wyatt and Leo are going to escort you off the property again and next time we see you anywhere near here well be sure to call the police and press actual trespassing charges, publicly and loudly. And once the press starts digging who knows what other little scandals they’ll undercover.” Oh at least three of us in this room know exactly what other scandals they’ll find and I’m more than happy to be their source.

            “I don’t know what you’re trying to imply,” with her head held high and her eyes narrowed she steps closer to us as Wyatt and Leo make it to either side of her. They don’t touch her yet but they use their bodies to force her back towards the exit. In Lauren fashion she doesn’t let it stop her from craning her neck around the guys so she can get a good look at us.

            Taking a good hard look at her now I’m appalled at myself for ever finding her attractive or even interesting enough to satisfy any of my needs.  

“All I know is there’s only one of us here that’s killed, someone.” Aria tenses up so tight I think she might actually pull a muscle and I know I can’t just stay quiet anymore. How dare she brings that up, completely out of context with words charged and ready for impact. An impact she knows nothing of, but Aria suffers through daily. She lives with that reality every day afearing this exact moment, this judgment as if what happens should have any reflection on Aria as a person.

Her circumstances left her no other choice, I don’t blame her for a second. And I sure as f**k wish I was the one to take Brian’s life not Aria. I’d be more than willing to go back and take that from her, for her. I’m not even sorry to admit how much pleasure I would have gotten from watching my fist hit that scum bags face just once, let alone watching the blade I held in my hand pierce his side in what would have been a fatal wound.

Not one person would have chose differently than Aria but she has the decentcy to actually care about the life she took where as Lauren only has the capacity to weaponize the trauma and use it against her.

With a tense focus and I’m stepping forward out of instinct and rage. “Wyatt call the police. I want a report filled today for trespassing.” Getting closer to Lauren I growl in her face. “I know just as many judges as your father and I’ll be sure that these sticks. And if you step foot anywhere near here again or anywhere close to Aria, we’ll be filing stalking and assault charges too.”

            “Mason! Cut it out and call off these obnoxious dogs!” My mother shouts with ignitation, like we’re nothing more than a nuisance in her day. Sending her laser focused glare at Wyatt and Levi like she can make them disappear with thought alone but since she can’t I better do as I’m told and call them off. My mother doesn’t know when to give up or when to accept that a situation isn’t going her way. She’s rubbing salt in wounds and she’s about to get a reflex reaction she won’t recover from. “Lauren is your guest and a long-standing friend. This should be her wedding,” She scoffs looking to Aria with spite and wonder. “the very least we can do is give her a spot in it.”

            “See that’s not how anyone on planet f*****g Earth thinks. Mason never ever had any intention of marrying a stuck-up, cheating, manipulative, rotten barbie doll that only ever thinks about herself. He’s not like the two of you, dense and heartless. You never stood a chance because of who you are because he doesn’t even like you. So no she deserves no spot in our wedding. But you can go jump back on Edward's d**k he’ll have a spot for you I’m sure. Maybe you guys can make a few more videos?” Crash walks past me standing tall and taking no s**t. Like I said she’s a warrior I just wish she could see it all the time.

            Her voice never wavers her words are clear as a cloudless sky. The room heard them like and everyone is aware of the implications. I bet most are wondering what video exists and how they can get heir hands on it. And through it all Aria takes Lauren and my mother on with no fear or hesitation. She doesn’t care about the drama of the rich or the sophistication of an upper class argument. She doesn’t hold back or change tactic she goes play for play not worrying but anything but succeeding in her goal. No matter if that’s even the goal of the game, she wins for herself alone and I love watching her. I love seeing her in full bloom.

            I’ve never seen my mother swoon, nor have I seen her change her tune so fast. She knows Edward has affairs; I’ve heard plenty of their fights, but she isn’t okay with anyone else knowing about them. And Crash just announced that s**t to the whole room, including the photographers that just walked in and the minions that will have the word spread to every woman in my mother’s circle in an hour tops.

            This might end up being an unexpected play and I can’t help the laughter that comes pouring out. My emotions have been so wild today the shock on my mother’s face, the nauseous frightened look on Laurens, and the smug as f**k look on Aria’s face is too good. And the implications are better. Word of this will get to everyone, including the board.

            Turns out I won’t be the one losing board members today but Edward should be worried. And f**k if it doesn’t feel really f*****g good to have something finally going my way.