Chapter 22 Mackenzie
MACKENZIE
“Cash won’t stop calling,” Freya murmurs, putting her phone down and staring out at the water. “We should have just let him come with us.”
“We couldn’t just steal Chance’s son and take him with us to Queensland,” I reply in a dry tone, although I really wanted to.
When Freya came over and found me crying in Cash’s arms, she held me tight and promised me that I was going to be okay.
When she suggested we leave for a few days, I jumped on that idea. I told the school I was sick, and I suppose in some ways I am. Cash wanted to come with us. He didn’t want to leave me, but unfortunately, he’s Chance’s son, not mine, and I couldn’t just take him, even though I wished we could.
So here I am, on a beach in a bikini, a Long Island iced tea in my hand, pretending that everything is fine in my world.
And I know it will be.
I’ll get over Chance and be fine. It’s just going to take some time.
When a hot, shirtless man walks past, winking at us, I let my eyes trail after him. “What’s the saying? To get over someone, you should get under someone new. Maybe I should get under him.”
Freya almost chokes on her drink, laughing. “Maybe you should wait a while before deciding to do that.”
“Boring,” I mutter.
Her phone beeps with a text. Freya’s been getting them nonstop. “Who is messaging you? Gunner?”
She sighs and runs her hand through her long hair. “No, it’s Chance. He’s been asking how you are.”
I grit my teeth. “He cheated on me, and he’s asking how I am? Just delete his number, Freya. He’s dead to me. He’s in the coffin, and the lid is closed.”
“All the way?” she asks in a small voice.
“The lid is nailed down,” I reply, putting my drink down and crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’t even want to talk about him anymore.”
Reality will come around soon enough.
We both have to get back to work soon, and I can’t hide out here forever.
“What are you doing here?” I ask Jesse as I walk up to my front door, dragging my suitcase behind me.
My ex is the last person I expected to see.
I realize now that I did to Chance exactly what I did to Jesse when I caught him cheating on me with his receptionist—I turned around and left, ghosting him.
Maybe that quiz I took on the plane is right, and I do have an avoidant-attachment style.
Or maybe I’m just an Aquarius sun with a Scorpio rising.
He’s dressed casually in a white T-shirt and jeans. How very unlike him. He usually loves showing off his crisp, white shirts, fancy suits, and ties.
Freya steps around the car, her eyes widening when she spots him. “Wow, when it rains, it pours. What are you doing here, asshole?”
Jesse’s lips tighten in annoyance. He’s the opposite of Chance, with no tattoos, light hair and eyes, and about 6 feet tall, lean with some definition. He definitely doesn’t fight in a ring for some fun. No, he fucks his employees for that.
Well, fuck, Chance pretty much did the same thing, didn’t he?
I guess all men have something in common.
“I’m not in the mood, Jesse. You shouldn’t have come here. You cheated, and I moved away. That’s it,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on.
Freya stands next to me with her suitcase. “I knew we should have stayed away a few more days.”
“Or months,” I mutter.
Jesse is about to speak when Cash appears on his scooter. When he sees Jesse, he gets off and storms toward us. “Who the fuck is this?”
I roll my eyes. “My ex-boyfriend, who also cheated on me.”
I must have a sign on my head that says ‘assholes only.’
Cash moves in front of Jesse and picks up my suitcase in one hand and Freya’s in the other. “Get going, dickhead. Kenzie doesn’t want you.”
“And who the fuck are you?” Jesse asks, looking confused.
“I’m her family,” Cash replies, lifting the suitcases to the door.
Family.
How I adore that boy.
Freya follows him, while I turn to Jesse. “Say what you want to say, Jesse.”
His throat bobs as he swallows. “I’m sorry. I knew I messed up when I slept with her the first time. And then she was just there and…” he trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. “It won’t happen again, okay?”
“No, it won’t,” I say, smiling sadly. “Go home, Jesse. There’s nothing for you here.” I leave him standing there and go back inside.
Cash is leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, waiting for me. “How was your trip?”
“Good. How are you? I’m sorry I couldn’t take you. I wanted to, but…”
“I get it,” he says softly, eyes scanning my face. “It was best that I stayed here anyway. It’s been a very busy week. We found out that Everett’s dad is working with the Bloody Scorpions MC. He hates us that much.”
“What?” I ask, frowning.
“Yeah, he even got them the property they were staying at. But don’t worry, that’s all over now. We handled it,” he replies, studying me. “We’re all safe now. You’re safe now.”
“Okay,” I reply slowly, drawing the word out. “What aren’t you saying here, Cash?”
Gunner and Lust choose that moment to invite themselves inside my house. “Honey, we’re home!” Lust calls out, stepping into the kitchen.
Freya joins us, and Gunner wraps his arms around her. “We need to talk.”
“About what?” I ask, my hackles rising. “And why are you here? I’m no longer with Chance, that means you no longer have anything to do with me.” I turn to Cash. “Except you, I’m keeping you.”
He smiles, and it reaches his eyes.
“Well, Chance would be here himself, but he can’t,” Gunner says, his onyx eyes pinning me in place.
“And why is that? Balls deep in the redhead?”
Lust stares up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.
Cash flinches, but Gunner doesn’t move a muscle. “Because he’s in jail.”