Take Two

Chapter 56

-xx-

"Just landed. I should be at your place in about forty minutes."

Whitney kept re-reading the text message from Derek. She knew he was in a rush to make it to her apartment before Mason did, but Mason was expected in less than ten. If he had the slightest inkling that Derek would be running late, he was going to use that in his favor.

The television was just for background noise at the moment. Whitney had no idea what was playing on the screen anymore. Her mind was in a million different places at the moment and not a single one of them was in regards to what movie was on.

She rubbed her hands together as she forced deep breaths in and out of her lungs. She was ready for this day to be over, but it was going by at a snail's pace. The blonde had gotten a good night's sleep the night before at Derek's, but knew she had to head back to her apartment to prepare for their meeting.

Derek's words rang in the back of her head, "I don't get why you're having him over to your place. Meet with him in public, Whit. You never know what he's going to do."

It was too late now. She hoped the sooner this was over, the sooner she could focus on packing up her apartment. She had exchanged multiple texts with her landlord regarding getting out of her lease early. So far, he seemed to be okay with the idea, but needed time to post it for rent.

Whitney was shaken from her thoughts as she heard knocking at the front door. She sent off a quick message to Derek to hurry up if possible. He was down to twenty minutes left, but knew he would bend the laws of the road if need be.

She slowly stood from her seat and slipped her cell phone in to the back pocket of her jeans. Whitney ran her hands over the front of the flowing tank top she wore; she hoped since it was not tight fitting that it would not hug her stomach. She still did not think she was showing, but she was not going to take any chances.

After a peek through the peep hole, Whitney took a deep breath before unlocking and opening the front door to her apartment. "Mason," she welcomed as she forced a smile to her lips.

"Mrs. Rivers," he greeted. Whitney stepped back from the door just as he moved forward to attempt a kiss to her cheek. "Is that any way to greet me?" he asked as he closed the door behind him.

Whitney had already started in to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge for her guest. She let the cold air from the refrigerator wash over her face in an attempt to calm herself down. Every nerve ending in her body felt like it was on fire as the brunette made himself comfortable at the kitchen island.

"I've missed you," he offered gently as she turned from the appliance. Whitney pursed her lips in to a tight smile as she pushed the bottle across the counter. "What? You don't have anything to drink in this place?"

"No booze, sorry," she retorted. Not that she ever kept much on hand, but she had brought any bottles that she had over to Derek's to add to his mini bar. She had no need for them at the apartment, and Derek liked to enjoy a glass of whiskey after returning from a case.

Mason chuckled as he took in the blonde in front of him. "Where's prince charming," he asked dauntingly. He glanced around the small apartment in search of Derek. Her expression never faultered, but he could see that it was tough for her to hold herself together in his presence. "Let me guess – Mr. FBI is out on a case."

Her eyebrow rose as she watched Mason unscrew the bottle of water and take a sip. "We need to talk," she said abruptly. Her arms crossed over her chest as she rested back against the counter behind her.

"Raina's baby isn't mine," he said with a chuckle. "I know I got you all upset about that last time I saw you."

Whitney rolled her eyes at his admission. "I knew that," she quipped. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I know that you're just one person on her list."

Mason readjusted on the bar-stool at the island. He always preferred to have the upper hand in conversations, but she seemed to know more than he usually let her know. "Running away from home was pretty stupid," he retorted.

Whitney bit the inside of her lip as she watched her husband get comfortable in her apartment. "I told you, Mason, that's not my home anymore."

The brunette slammed his hand down on the counter and smirked when Whitney flinched at the action. "You are my wife," he said coldly. "You go where I say, when I say." Whitney tried her best to keep her composure.

She shook her head, causing her long bangs to slip out from behind her ear. "No," she said flatly. She licked her lips as she forced her courage to take over. "I'm not your property, Mason."

"You are my wife," he emphasized the word as his eyes flashed in her direction. "And it's about time you start acting like it."

She scoffed at the words coming out of his mouth. It was taking every ounce of patience that she had not to go off the handle. "I want a divorce."

Mason rolled his eyes in her direction. "Do you always have to be so goddamn stubborn?" he asked smugly. He could feel her blue orbs watch him closely as he reached in to the pocket of his jeans.

Her lips remained pursed in a tight line as he placed her wedding band and engagement ring on the counter between the two of them. She eyed the two pieces that rested on her counter and then back to the man sitting behind them.

"These belong to you," he gestured towards the pieces of jewelry, urging her to pick them up. She adjusted her arms over her chest, but refused to move from her spot. "Come home, and I'll make you happy, Whitney."

A laugh escaped Whitney's mouth before she could stop it. "You couldn't the first time," she challenged. "What makes you think it would be different now?"

Mason bowed his head and shrugged. "I've started going back to counseling," he admitted. He slowly lifted his head back up to lock his green eyes on to her blues. She remained unmoved by his words. "I am trying to make things right, Whitney."

Whitney licked her lips as she processed what he was telling her. Nothing Mason was going to say would change her mind, but she was happy to hear that he was seeking help. "I hope it works for you this time," she shot back. "Because you could have cared less last time."

He nodded. "I should have put more effort in," he agreed as his shoulders slumped. "I didn't realize what issues I had until you left."

The admission lingered in the air between them. "People don't change," Whitney said softly. "You've said you were going to get help before. You said that you were going to change. You said that you would never lay a hand on me ever again." Her eyes flashed as she kept listing off the broken promises Mason had made over the years. "You lied every single time, Mason."

"I know," he cut her off with a raised voice. "I am trying here Whitney. I'm only fucking human!"

"Human," she shot back with a laugh. "I have several words to describe you, but human is not one of them!"

Mason shook his head and pushed his seat back from the island. "I gave you the world, Whitney. I gave you everything you ever asked for."

"Broken bones," she spat. "Did I ask for those?" Her arms slowly unfolded from being across her chest. She placed them both on the edge of the kitchen island. "Did I ask for you to beat the shit out of me?"

The man sitting across from her rolled his eyes. "Stop overreacting," he retorted. "I've apologized for those things."

"So that makes it all better?" She laughed as she asked the question. "I should just forget about you trying to strangle me to death, because you 'apologized' right?"

Mason stood from the bar stool and eyed up the woman across from him. "Look who grew a back bone," he said with a smirk crossing his lips. "Pregnancy made you feel strong, huh?"

She tried her best to keep her face neutral. Whitney knew that he had been watching her – or had someone watching her. It was only a matter of time until he figured it out. She slowly looked over Mason's shoulder to check the clock in the living room. "It's an amazing thing," she started. Her eyebrow rose as she turned her attention back to the man across from her. "Its amazing what can happen in life when you walk away from the trash."

"Trash," he laughed. "Want to talk about trash? Look at what you're living in." He waved an arm around her apartment and scoffed. "That is when you're not shacking up with Agent Morgan."

"I'm done, Mason," she said sternly. "Sign the damn papers, or I will meet you back in LA to finalize this divorce one way or the other."

Whitney could barely gather her thoughts as Mason lunged in her direction.

-xx-