Page 75 of Mace
“How do you know they’re bikers?”
“I watch TV, Maylie. They’re all wearing kuttes.”
“Kuttes?”
“The leather vest things.”
“She’s dating a member,” Toby says, ratting me out.
I twist to glare at him. “I’m not dating him. I’m—” I don’t know what we’re doing, so I don’t know how to finish that statement.
“She’s dating him,” Toby says, closing his eyes. “She’s been all goofy and happy since he turned up at the flat.”
My face heats.
“Who is he?” Ivy asks, twisting so she can glance between me and our brother.
“His name is Mace,” I say. “To be honest, I’m not really sure what he sees in me, or if he sees anything, but I don’t expect things between us to go any further.” Especially not after I’ve brought this trouble to his door. “We work together, and he took me to breakfast, but that’s all.”
Other than him getting me off in the office.
“I know what he sees in you.” Ivy’s expression is so serious as she stares at me.
“Me too,” Toby adds. He is lying back on the bed with his hands interlaced behind his head, as if we’re on holiday.
“It’s not like I have anything to offer him. And it doesn’t matter anyway. We’re just,” I grope for a word, “friends.”
“Friends who go to breakfast.”
I roll my eyes. “Breakfast isn’t dating, Toby.”
“You should date him,” Ivy says. “You deserve to be happy, Maylie. You deserve to have someone good in your life, and if this man can give you that, then you should take it. And don’t give me all the bullshit about me and Toby being a priority. You’ve always made us a priority, but we’re not little kids anymore.”
“She’s right,” Toby agrees.
“I’m starting to feel picked on,” I mutter.
“The point is, you don’t know what you offer him because you don’t see what everyone else sees.” She takes my hands in hers, and I feel the tremble in her hands asshe does. “You don’t see what a truly amazing person you are, Maylie. I said some of the most horrible things to you, and your instinct wasn’t to push me away or hurt me back. Your instinct was to fight for me. I love you so much.”
I pull her against me as she dissolves into sobs once again. “It’s okay. I don’t care what you said or whether you meant it or not. You’re my sister, and there’s no force on earth that could stop me from loving you.”
“I should never have dragged you and Toby into my mess.”
I stroke her hair like I used to when we first lost Mum and she struggled to sleep. “You don’t have to drag me. I’d wade in anyway.”
“Link’s going to be so pissed.”
He will, because he’s about to learn he’s lost control of Ivy, and that is going to make him so dangerous. “You don’t need to worry about him.”
I don’t know whether Mace will help us, but even if he doesn’t, I will kill Link with my bare hands before I let him near my sister ever again.
NINETEEN
MACE
The ridefrom my flat to the clubhouse feels like it takes an eternity. I have no idea what has happened to cause Maylie to come to the clubhouse, but worst-case scenarios are racing through my mind. I knew something was going on with her, and now, I’m kicking myself for not asking more questions.
I barely take the time to properly park my bike, and I toss my helmet at the prospect on the door before heading into the building. I don’t give the brothers in the common room a second glance as I head to where Riley said he left her.