Bruised Angel (River of Lies #2) by Sammy King Read Free Book Online Page B

them. He stopped short when he recognised Chelsea. She wanted to slink back into the crowd and escape. Lincoln had always been one of the biggest instigators with the name calling and the nasty notes she found stuck to her locker. A few years early he had got hold of Chelsea’s school photo and hung it in a noose from the roof. She hated him with a passion and he was the last person that she wanted to run into.
    “Oh Chelsea, um hi, how are you?” Lincoln.
    She gave him a tight smile and a quick nod before turning her back and looking over the rail to the lower level, trying to ignore his existence. It had been so nice to forget that Mason was in a different place to her, that she could never be a part of.
    “What’s the go with that Mason? And where is her bag lady look?” Lincoln asked with a scrunched up face “She almost looks like normal”
    Chelsea shook her head to bite back the tears as she tried to pretend she wasn’t listening.
    “Linc, let it go man. She’s a cool chick. You just need to get to know her” Mason said.
    Lincoln snorted and out the corner of Chelsea’s eye she could see him shake his head. She couldn’t help but wonder if Mason really felt like that about her or whether he was only saying that for her sake.
    “I’m going to head off now, it was good to see you Mason. I’ll talk to you at school” Chelsea said with a nervous smile.
    Mason frowned and looked between her and Lincoln, he looked confused but she gave him another reassuring smile. Mason nodded as if he was kind of understanding that she was trying to save face for him. The last thing she wanted for him was to be embarrassed by her or lose his friends because he was seen hanging out with the emo freak.
    “You don’t have to go Chels” he said frowning again.
    Chelsea forced a smile and nodded.
    “It’s alright, I’ve got things I’ve got to do anyway. Thanks for helping me choose some jeans. I’m going to enjoy the makeover” she said flicking her eyes between Mason and Lincoln.
    Lincoln stood with an amused smile on his face as he hung onto the rail watching the love show play out in front of him. She didn’t know if Lincoln could see through her story or not. Mason took her hand and took her away from Lincoln a bit.
    “Chelsea you don’t have to go because of Lincoln. I’ll tell him to fuck off if he gets rude” Mason said.
    Chelsea smiled again this time it came more genuinely.
    “Thank you Mason, that actually means a lot to me that you would stick up for me. But I’m going to go and see Dylan, I think he deserves to be let in on everything. Is it alright if I come back to your house tonight? I still haven’t heard from my Mum” she said.
    Mason nodded and gave a tight lipped smile. She didn’t know if it was because she was going to go back to his home or that she was going to see Dylan. But his eyes flashed darker and she could feel a tension rise through his arms. Chelsea frowned.
    “I don’t have to come back to your home, if you’re not comfortable I can ask Dylan if I can stay there” she said.
    Again his eyes flashed and his arm stiffened as he clenched his jaw. Chelsea couldn’t read what it was he was thinking and she started to panic.
    “Chelsea come back to my house tonight. Don’t stay with Dylan” he said through what seemed like clenched teeth.
    Chelsea couldn’t believe the reaction as it suddenly dawned on her that Mason was jealous that she was seeing Dylan.
    “Mason, there is nothing more than friends between Dylan and I. We both had lost our Mum’s the most important people in our lives. We needed each other for that support. But that is it” she said.
    Mason’s jaw clenched again as he nodded sharply and took her hand in his, he leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers again and she felt that same flutter in her stomach. She caught the look of shock on Lincoln’s face, it probably resembled the same look on hers.
    “I’m here to protect you now Chels, you know