Page 97 of Mace
Oh, I am in so much trouble.My stomach dips and flutters. Is swooning still a thing? “Then, yeah, I want you to stay here.”
I lead him into the living room, and we sink onto the sofa. Instantly, he pulls me onto his lap, and I wrap my arms around his neck.
“I don’t feel so good about leaving my brother and sister here while we’re at work. What if Link comes back?”
“He won’t, but you don’t have to worry about that. My brother’s gonna sit with them until we get back.”
“How do you always think of everything?”
I brush my fingers through his hair. “I think of everything I need to ensure your safety.”
Mace and I cuddle up on the sofa for the rest of the day, watching crappy movies and talking shit. It’s so normal, and I love every second of it. Toby joins us at one point and then Ivy. I expect Mace to be irritated by the intrusion, but he banters with my siblings, and each time he does, my heart soars higher.
As it approaches time for us to head to work, Mace orders food, and for the first time in a long time, we sit around the kitchen table all together. My brother and sister joke and bicker while Mace interjects here and there, his hand interlaced in mine, even though it means he has to eat one-handed.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt happier than I do in this moment, but my problems still sit on the peripheral, trying to encroach on this moment. I should tell Mace about mymoney issues and pervy Bernie, but I don’t want to ruin this. Besides, I can fix that myself. I just need a little time.
Riot turns up half an hour before we have to be at work. He is surprisingly punctual, considering he gives the vibe of someone who runs to his own schedule.
“Hey, sunshine,” he says to me as he steps into the living room, which earns him a glare from Mace.
“Hey, Riot. Thank you for coming over tonight. I feel so much better knowing you’re here with them.”
“You don’t have to thank me. That’s what family does for each other.”
Family…
It’s such a foreign concept to me, having people around who can help. My throat is choked, and I lower my head to grab my boots from under the sofa, also hiding my torn expression from him.
When I slide onto the edge of the sofa, Mace and Riot are on the other side of the room, talking in low voices. I don’t know what he’s saying to his brother, but Riot is nodding along with a hint of a smirk on his lips.
As I lift my head, I see Ivy is watching Riot, and I mean intensely watching him. I recognise the doe-eyed look—she’s hot for him.
Oh, baby girl, he’ll eat you alive.
She must feel my attention on her because she quickly averts her gaze.
Mace drives us to Temptation, and I forget about Ivy’s crush, Bernie, and babies. Instead, I try to focus on the insane churning in my gut. What if I’m terrible at managing? What if I let Mace down? I don’t want to embarrass him.
“You’re thinking too hard,” he accuses, squeezing my thigh.
“Sorry. I’m just trying to prepare for tonight. I want to do a good job.”
“Baby, you don’t need to prepare. You’re so smart, and you know this job. All you have to do is handle complaints, do the staff rotas, pass the finance stuff over to Dash, and arrange any new hires. You can do this without even breaking a sweat. You don’t have anything to worry about. You’re going to be amazing.”
His belief in me gives me the confidence I need to walk inside the building with my head held high. We’re a little earlier than usual, so there’s no one on the door yet, but I find Archie and the other security staff sitting at the bar, talking with Bella and Felicity, one of the other bar staff. She usually works opposite shifts to us, but I’ve been scheduled with her a few times when Bella’s had time off.
Archie grins at me the moment he sees me. “Well, if it isn’t the new manager. Looking good, Maylie.”
I’m wearing considerably more clothes than I usually would, having pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans with ankle boots and a black blouse. I want to be professional but also avoid looking like a suit.
Mace grips my hip in what I can only describe as a possessive move, and it’s one every single person in the bar sees. I know I should be annoyed, considering I’m trying to make the jump from bar staff to manager, but I like his hand on me. Since he’s my boss and doesn’t seem concerned about PDA, I don’t sweat it either.
As I glance at Bella, I expect to see a smile or something positive in her expression, but what I get is open hostility.It almost has me suck in a breath as her jaw clenches before she averts her gaze.
Steve looks just as pissed, and my good mood sinks into the floor.
Has my happiness come at the cost of my only friend?