him or because I don’t like the way my body reacts when I’m near him. When I know he’ll never be mine because over the years he’s had hundreds of chances to make me his. But he’s never made a move, only continued to treat me as a friend.
“What do you want, Mackson? If you’re here to say you’re sorry for telling Rex exactly what I asked you not to, get it over and done with and then I don’t want to talk to you ever again.” My tone is accusing and cold.
“I knew you’d be angry and I’m good with that,” Mack replies in a calm, husky tone. I swear his voice gets deeper every year, a sound I grow more addicted to every time I hear it. Today will not be one of those days.
My eyes narrow and I straighten my arms out, clenching my fists in irritation, ready to give Mackson a serving, but before I can spit out my first word he beats me to it.
“You won’t stick up for yourself, Lana, then I’ll do it for you. And I’ll tell whoever the fuck I have to in order to make it happen.”
My mouth falls open, making me look like a fool, but I have no idea what to say at this point. My throat closes up as my frustration builds, but I push the emotion back because Mackson’s right.
I wanted to scream at Brad. I wanted to hit him and tell him we’re over. However, the pressure on my chest was too great, as I sensed myself building to fight, I held back and it makes me feel ill.
Years of lowering my eyes to the ground and listening to my father’s venomous words have really fucked me up. Now all the damn men in my life keep walking all over me. It makes me want to run, race as fast as I can in the other direction, because staying and fighting isn’t my style.
How does a woman who’s still very much a child at heart, find the courage to take a power that I never had to begin with?
My eyes lower automatically and I frown.
Warm fingers lift my chin and my glassy eyes meet Mackson’s sad ones. “I never thought I’d be someone who made you sad, Dove.” My heart stutters at the nickname Mack only uses when we’re alone. “Still, I’m not sorry it’s over between you and Brad, assholes aren’t your future, Lana.”
“My father would say otherwise,” I whisper bitterly and pull my face from Mackson’s grasp.
“Your father is a fool,” Mack growls angrily, his eyes piercing daggers toward my house.
“Mack,” I call his name and my voice cracks at the end. His furious gaze swings to me and the fire in his eyes melts away.
“How is it out of everyone in my life, you’re the only one who chooses to look beyond the surface? Who thinks I’m better than what I am?”
Mack steps forward with his eyes piercing mine. He places his soft, warm hands against my cheeks. “I don’t choose. I’ve only ever seen what’s true.”
We stand in silence for a moment before unexpectedly, Mack’s large, calloused hands moves from my face to the back of my neck. His body presses up against mine. My forehead furrows as my eyes search his.
And then suddenly, I feel his warm lips on mine. I inhale sharply, taken completely by surprise. Our breaths mingle and my heart flutters to new heights. Mackson’s kiss is gentle, opposite to what I expected from a man like him. His reputation tells a grisly tale that if you were to cross him or his family, you’d be lucky to come out alive. Even so, his hands and mouth hold me as if I’m significant, someone worth handling with care.
2010
Mackson
“Can I tell you something?” I say to Lana, staring up at the ceiling while lying on her bed, not sure how to look at her when I say this. Feelings, moments like this, I don’t handle them very well, not when I know they're coming anyway.
“Of course,” she answers in a lazy voice, her head resting on my shoulder. My arm is wrapped around her waist holding her tight while her arm stretches across my bare chest and her naked body is pressed up against mine. Heaven.
“I saw something when I was a kid, in a magazine that I found in a dumpster where we were looking for food. The cover and back were ripped off, so I’m not