It was just my luck that Mason would show up with Rose—of all people—right after I made a deal with the boys.

Thanks a lot, Miles. I thought you were looking out for me.

Of course, now he's walking over. Great. What kind of excuse can I come up with to keep the heat off me?

Before I could rack my brain, I felt a hand gently cover mine, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced down to see Jace's hand resting on top of mine, his thumb slowly stroking back and forth. A jolt of electricity shot through my arm, the sensation spreading up my spine like wildfire, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.

I looked up to find Jace looking down at me with a small, reassuring smile. The tension in my chest started to melt away, just a little.

"What are you doing with these lowlifes, Hope?" Mason spat as he reached our table, his glassy blue eyes burning with a mixture of anger and arrogance.

I barely had time to process his words before Callum shot up from his seat, his voice sharp and defensive. "Who the hell are you calling lowlifes, Chambers?"

I swung my leg under the table, hoping to nudge him before things escalated further.

"What the hell was that for, Hope?" West muttered, shifting in his seat and glaring at me. I could already tell he was about to lose it.

"Oops, my bad," I said with forced amusement as if this were some casual accident. "I get leg spasms sometimes."

West growled in response, clearly not buying my excuse. Callum, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh.

Mason, still seething, grabbed my wrist and yanked me from my seat. I stumbled forward, my feet catching on the floor, but before I could hit the ground, Mason's arms were around me. I quickly shoved him away, managing to right myself.

"You know how much I hate being manhandled," I snapped, fists clenched at my sides, eyes blazing.

Mason smirked, leaning in closer. "Oh please," he whispered in my ear, his lips brushing against my skin, "You never complained in the bedroom."

I felt the disgust surge through me, my stomach twisting. The boy I once loved was now just a cruel shadow of who he used to be. Or maybe he was always this way, and I just refused to see it.

I looked away, my thoughts clouded with frustration. Back then, people didn't like Mason because they couldn't see the good I thought I saw. Now, all I could see was someone who only cared about power and sex—and didn't care who he hurt to get it.

I glanced at the boys across the table. They were trying not to react, but I could feel the tension in the air, thick with barely restrained anger. I had to get this under control before things went south.

Clearing my throat and fiddling with my fingers nervously, I scrambled for an excuse. "Well, to answer your question, I was having coffee with Lily. Then these three came in and asked me something. Nothing big, really."

Mason didn't buy it for a second. "Where is Lily, then?"

I quickly glanced around the coffee shop, desperately trying to think of something. "She's in the bathroom. God, I don't need to explain everything to you," I muttered, growing more frustrated by the second.

Mason raised an eyebrow. "She's been in there for a while... Girl problems?"

"Yeah, because that's what all you guys think when a woman takes a little longer in the bathroom," I snapped.

Mason was about to say something else, but I quickly added, "I'm just gonna go check on her. You know, to see what's taking so long." I flashed a nervous smile and glanced at the boys, silently pleading for them to help me out here.

They all just stared back, amusement dancing in their eyes. Thanks for the help, guys. Really.

I practically ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. My heart was racing, my thoughts spinning in every direction. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialed Lily's number.

Come on, pick up. I'm in a life-or-death situation here.

After a few rings, she finally picked up. "Yellow?" she said, her voice chipper as always.

"Right, Lil," I said urgently, "I need you to come to Starbucks right now. But climb through the bathroom window. I'll open it for you."

I could hear her frown through the phone. "Well, hello Lily, it's so nice to hear your voice. How've you been today since I haven't seen you all day?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Can you skip the small talk? I don't have time for this. Get here, now."

"But I've just made chicken nuggets," she whined, clearly disappointed.

"I'll buy you more," I promised quickly, rolling my eyes. "Just hurry up."

"Fine," she grumbled, but I could hear her starting to move around. "Why do you need me there, anyway?"

I gritted my teeth. "Lily, move it."

"Alright, alright! Chill. I'm coming." She hung up before I could say anything more, and I leaned my forehead against the cold bathroom wall, trying to steady my breathing.

How did I end up in this situation? I thought I was prepared for anything, but I wasn't cut out for a deal like this. Yet here I was, tangled in a web of lies, violence, and hidden motives, all because I promised I would find Miles' killer. But I couldn't let the boys down either.

Not when they had a plan to help me find out who did this.

A few minutes later, there was a tap at the bathroom window. I rushed over, sliding it open just in time to catch Lily before she fell.

She didn't exactly land gracefully. As she jumped down, she somehow managed to drag me with her, and we both hit the cold tiles with a loud thud.

"Bloody hell, Lil, I think you made me bleed," I muttered, wincing as I rubbed the back of my head.

Lily grinned up at me, giving me a playful wink. "Well, this is cozy."

I shoved her off, laughing despite myself. "Get off me, you klutz."

"Easy to wind up, aren't you?" she teased, standing up and brushing herself off.

We didn't waste time talking any further. I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bathroom, only to find Jace pinning Mason up against the wall. His grip was firm, and there was a fire in his eyes I hadn't seen before. Mason looked furious, but Jace? He looked ready to break something.

"Jace," I called out, my voice cutting through the tension.

At the sound of my voice, Jace's expression softened, and he released Mason with one last, forceful push. "Hasta la próxima vez, dick," he muttered in Spanish, and I swear, his words were so effortlessly sexy that it almost distracted me from the situation.

Without another word, Jace stormed out of the coffee shop, leaving Mason to stew in his anger.

I shook my head, trying to process what had just happened. What was going on between them?

"Thanks for letting me know, Hope," West's voice pulled me from my thoughts. He and Callum were standing by the door, ready to leave. "I'll make sure Caleb knows you'll be over later to start on your English project."

"What?" I stammered, my mind racing.

"You've got a project with Caleb, right? I'll tell him where to pick you up later." West winked at me as Mason turned to look, his gaze cold.

The boys walked out without another word, leaving me standing there, stunned.

Lily shot me a questioning look as she walked over to me. "Why did you tell me to climb through the window?"

I sighed. "Lily, shut up."

We exchanged a look, both of us silently agreeing not to say anything further, especially not in front of Mason.

Lily glanced between Mason and me, clearly confused. "Right, well, I'm just gonna go. Got a date with the TV and some chicken."

After giving me a quick hug, she headed for the door, leaving me alone with Mason. The coffee shop was nearly empty, save for a few scattered customers.

"So," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do you want, Mason?"

"I want you to go on a date with me," he said, his smirk laced with confidence.

I couldn't help but laugh—or at least, I tried not to. "Yeah, no. You can go screw yourself."

But then I remembered the deal, the whole plan. I had to help them. I needed Mason close so I could figure out how to take him and his gang down.

I needed this. And whether I liked it or not, that meant I had to agree.

"Fine," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I'll go on the date."

What I didn't know at that moment was how much that one decision would change everything. Maybe not for the better.