All the guys grunt in agreement. That’s that, they’ll be in the garage all day long then.
Piper stands from the table and Slater pushes off from the bench at the same time. He takes the plate and glass from her hands and places them on the bench beside Kelso.
Mack grabs a hand towel and begins drying the dishes as I take the last bite of my food. I stand and right before Slater steps out of the room, he pulls on Piper’s hand to stop and turns to me. “Lana. You’re staying here today?”
If I had a life that might offend me, but since I don’t and my life now revolves around the sexy man hand drying dishes I don’t care to look insulted.
“Yeah, she’ll be hanging around here,” Mack answers for me and I cringe on the inside because I can only imagine the fight we’re about to have.
Della walks through the back door just as I’m about to speak. “Quint’s gone to grab Connor and Bridge. He’s super pumped to see Jimmy.”
Slater nods firmly and Piper smiles brightly.
Della’s picking up her plate from the table as I clear my throat. “Actually, I’m going home today.”
The clinking of dishes in the sink cease and Della freezes on the spot on her way to the counter. Nobody moves or says anything. I look up from the table to Mack, who's staring at me dumbfounded with wide eyes and a gaping open mouth.
“I want to see Rex,” I state nervously. “Talk to him.”
“Like fuck,” Mack growls.
“Look at the time, better get a start on that car,” Pacer states, standing from the table, leaving his plate behind and walking to the back door.
Kelso shakes off his wet hands and dries them along his jeans. “Right behind you, Pace.”
“Piper, don’t you need to be going?” Slater mutters and Piper nods quickly. However, in their rush to leave the room they both smack into each other. Slater hastily turns Piper in the right direction and then they’re gone out of sight quick smart.
Poor Della is still standing between the table and the counter, fidgeting left and right with her plate, unsure what to do and what will be the fastest exit. She decides to drop her plate haphazardly on the counter and murmurs, “Off to the library I go.”
I sigh and cross my arms over my chest. “Way to clear a room, Mack.”
Mack collects himself and goes back to drying the cutlery. “No way you’re going to see Rex. No way you’re stepping foot in Parkland, Lana. Conversation over. Am I understood?”
My eyebrows rise and I freeze momentarily from Mack’s domineering stance. I inhale deeply and release as calmly as I can. “Quickest way to end us, Mackson King, is if you ever talk to me that way again. Am I understood?”
He shakes his head and leans on the counter, appearing exasperated with me, which only fuels my anger.
“I’m confused, Mack. You know me, you didn’t think at some point I’d want to reach out to my brother?”
Mack rubs the back of his neck roughly and raises his head to look at me with dark and serious eyes. “He hit you. Lied to you. Walked away from you.”
Breathing becomes difficult. His words are as good as a punch to my chest.
“I know what my brother did to me, Mack. He’s fucked-up on drugs and needs help. I’ve sat back and waited for him to come to me and it’s not happening. I refuse to continue to do the same. One of us has to make the first move. We’re family, I should be there for him, helping him get clean. Especially now that I know what I’m fighting.”
Mack walks around the counter and steps toward me. He stops with his body well within touching distance, but he doesn’t reach out for me.
I straighten my back, steel my emotions and return the same unyielding stare Mack’s bestowing upon me.
He will not change my mind.
“I don’t ever want to be the reason you’re sad, but I will take your safety over your mood, every damn time.”
A nervous laugh bubbles up. “So you’re happy for me to hate you?”
Mack doesn’t speak or move. He shows no emotion at my last words.
“If you try to keep me away from my brother, I’ll leave you, Mackson.”
That does it. A flicker of fear flashes quickly over his features before he schools them back to possessive and serious. “You could try. Even if you