Motherfucker is gonna burn for this.
“How’d you get away?” Nix steps forward, not as patient as me, and takes a seat across from us. Mackenzie holds his stare briefly before answering.
“Ahhh, I’ve been taking some classes.” Her eyes flick up to mine, unsure and maybe a little shy about her admission.
“Classes?” I push, wondering how far she really has come the last year and a half. Right now she’s scared and coming out of her skin, but she’s clearly been trying to better her life.
“Self-defense. I wanted to be prepared.” A sense of pride––I’m not sure where it comes from—fills me knowing she’s been looking after herself and staying ready.
“Good girl.” Her eyes soften a little at my encouragement, and the start of a smile pulls at the corner of my mouth, but I stop myself before giving her anything more. “You lay him out?” I already know the answer, but I want to hear her say it.
“Ah, yeah,” is all she says before diverting her eyes. I look to Nix and watch his brow dip in question, before giving me his something-isn’t-adding-up look.
“What happened then?” I push a little harder trying to connect the dots.
“We wrestled a little. He got a few hits in.” She points to her face “And then I just kind of grabbed my bag I had stashed for an emergency and got out of there.” Her voice drops low and her eyes fall to her lap.
“And Chad? Were you followed?” We really don’t need this fucker back on our doorstep. The last time we dealt with the cockhead didn’t end well.
“No, I made sure.” I don’t really know how she can be sure, but I don’t question her.
“Coming back probably wasn’t the smartest idea.” Nix’s tone isn’t impressed, and I can see why. After everything we did to move her out of town, the shit we endured, having her just walk back in the door is only going to fuck everything up.
“I know, and I’m sorry if this is not a good time for you, but I didn’t know what else to do, Beau.”
“No, you made the right decision.” I put her at ease. What else was she supposed to do? The last time I saw her I told her we would keep her safe.
Yeah, so fucking safe.
“We will help you any way you need. You can stay here, under our protection until this shit is sorted.” I lay it out for her without even discussing it with the club. Hell, even I’m not thinking it through. I don’t give a fuck. There are times in life when you just act and, right now, I’m calling the shots and acting. I know my brothers will have my back, even if they are worried.
“I can’t ask to stay here.” She shakes her head, but I don’t let her decline my offer.
“Mackenzie, you need protection.” She starts to argue but stops right away, as the realization I’m right dawns on her. The only way to really keep her safe is if she’s under our roof.
She turns her gaze toward Nix, seeking his agreement. His eyes find mine, one brow raised. I know he’s trying to figure out what’s happening right now, but he still wants to give me the lead on this situation.
“You’ll be safer here,” he agrees and I watch her shoulders drop in relief.
“I can pay. I’ll find a job.” She looks back to me.
“Let’s just get you sorted first, see what we’re looking at. Until we figure all this out, we’ll take it as it comes.” She nods, agreeing to the plan.
“You won’t even know I’m here. I promise.”
“Yeah, I doubt it.” She lifts her lips to attempt a smile at my joke, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She must be fucking wrecked. A bus trip from Ohio to Nevada not knowing if you’re being followed would be more than draining.
I’m going to kill the motherfucker for touching her again.
“I’ll ask Kadence and the girls to set the guest room up.” Nix stands. “Beau, we need to talk and we need to have Tiny in on this.” It’s not an invitation for chitchat; it’s an order. Nodding once, I come to my feet and hold out my hand for Mackenzie. She looks down at it, and for a second, I want to drop it. But I don’t. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s not how I usually act, but this thing with Mackenzie is affecting me more than I care to admit. Even when I first met her, I knew she was someone who could possibly change me into something else. What, I don’t know, but it’s messing with my head and I’m unsure how to process it.
“You can go with the girls. They’ll get you settled in, Mackenzie,” I encourage. Her gaze moves from my hand to my face.
“Are you sure this is okay?” Her reservations aren’t lost on me. Maybe later I’ll ask myself the same question: Is having her here going to be okay? But right now we have a mess to clean up and if I’m completely honest, I’ve never felt surer of anything before.
“Yes, Kenzie. Trust me.” Her body tightens at my words, but somehow she works through it. Taking a deep breath, she places her hand on mine and comes to her feet.
“Thank you, Beau. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“You don’t have to, darlin’. We’ve got your back.” This time I allow a smile, something I don’t give freely, to form and spread across my face. She returns it with one of her own and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so fucking beautiful before in my life.
Jesus Christ, in less than twenty minutes my life has just taken a drastic turn.
I know I’m fucked. More fucked than any of these assholes have ever been. So why doesn’t it scare me? Because you want what they have and she has the power to be the one to give it to you.
Fuck me.
I can already feel my balls going numb.
God help me.
Three
Mackenzie
“So here’s the bathroom. I’ll make sure you have some clean towels in a moment.” The woman who introduced herself as Kadence motions to the small bathroom to the left of the room. I follow her line of sight and peek inside. A little basin sits to the left with the toilet in the back corner. A bath and shower sit along the right-hand side of the room. A pale pink shower curtain hangs open, inviting me to get in. I let out a small sigh, eager to soak in a hot bath.
“Thank you so much again.” I look back at the four ladies Beau left me with, watching me carefully. “It’s perfect.”
“It’s our pleasure,” the other blonde replies as she steps forward. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.” Her eyes are warm, inviting and for a minute, I want to let her comfort me. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt relaxed. Safe.
“Do you all live here?” I look to each one of them, trying to remember their names. Holly is the younger looking blonde; she’s tall, lean and her body language radiates confidence. Standing across from her gives me a small case of anxiety. What I wouldn’t do to be confident like her.
Kadence has dark hair that flows down her back. She comes across as the most relaxed out of the four. With dark-wash jeans, and a tight Harley top, she is gorgeous in an understated way.
Bell is the one who gave Beau the first-aid kit. She looks the youngest and also has dark brown hair. She’s quieter than the others, sweet but more reserved. And Kelly is the other blonde. Closer to my age than the others, she’s definitely more reserved, almost experienced. I don’t know how to explain it, but her eyes hold an understanding I haven’t seen in a long time. Like I could open up to her about anything,
You can’t get close with these ladies, Mackenzie.
“All the guys have their own rooms here, but we generally stay at our houses,” Holly answers, pulling me out of my head.