That hint of feral need broke the last tether I had to control. I gave in and let myself go for the first time in over a decade. I lost myself in Mason, his touch and the thing that would only ever be ours.

I arched against him as my nails dug into his back. Mason thrust impossibly deeper, and I fractured. Lights flickered across my vision, but I never lost sight of him as I came apart. And I vowed I never would.

33

ANNA

Mason linked his fingers with mine, stopping my fidgeting. “You’re going to do great.”

I was glad he was confident, but I wasn’t quite there. Between facing my parents and opening myself up to a cross-examination from their lawyer, my insides were tied into knots. “We’re the final two people to testify. I want our case to finish strong.” And I didn’t want to be the reason it failed.

Keisha had done a good job of giving us an update each day, but she’d also said that she didn’t have a read on the judge. As our social worker testified, he had been stoic. And, unfortunately, my father and mother had apparently been convincing on the stand. Keisha hadn’t been able to trick my father into exploding. I just had to hope the judge would put the most weight on where Justin and Lyla wanted to be.

Mason swept his thumb back and forth across my hand. “You practiced with Keisha. You know what to expect from Paisley. You’re ready.”

I nodded, but as he pulled into a parking spot outside the courthouse, my stomach pitched. The building had an antique charm to it, but I couldn’t appreciate it. Instead, it seemed to loom in the distance.

Mason leaned across the seat and brushed his lips against mine. “I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“I know.” It should’ve scared me how much comfort I took in that. But, instead, I let myself sink into his reassurance.

Mason’s phone dinged, and he grabbed it from the cupholder.

“Juliette?” I asked. I felt awful that I was the reason for the strife between the siblings. As much as Juliette was acting like a brat, I knew it came from a place of worry for her brother.

“No, it’s Cain. Jules still isn’t texting me back.”

“Maybe after the judge rules, you should go see her in California.”

Mason looked up from his phone. “I’m not sure it’s time yet. She needs to calm down first. Have a chance to see that she’s the one who screwed up.”

I linked my fingers with his. “Or you could meet her in the middle because you love her.”

He pulled me in close, kissing me again. “You’ve got a good heart in there.”