Page 17 of Boundaries

“As Seth said, good luck with that?” he echoed.

I puffed out a breath, frustration starting to tangle inside me. “Well, when is he expected back?” If I knew that, I could prepare the family. Although saying that, he’d probably be back after my parents had left for holiday. Drat. It would be harder to prepare ourselves without adults there. And preparation was essential to avoid a potential attack.

All three McKenna’s remained mute and I wanted to shake the answer from Mason.

“Well?” I prompted.

“In a couple of days,” he replied in a flat, bored voice.

Shit! So soon? I sucked in a sharp breath.

“You suddenly look like you’re going to throw up Amy. As I keep saying, do yourself a favour, and stay the fuck out of it?”

God, he was annoying and had such a messed-up opinion about the whole matter.

“Don’t you dare blame me, I’m not the one who turned up at our house drunk and making threats. She didn’t want to see him, and he should have respected that.”

His next words could have floored me. “People behave out of character when they’re in pain.”

“In pain my arse. You can keep trying to see the good in him Mason, but it won’t change who he is. In pain? More, like not wanting to lose face.”

Boyd suddenly cut in again, supporting his brother.

“As Mase says, stay out of our business you interfering little bitch.” His voice was quite aggressive and a chill ran through me. Mason quirked a look at his brother with tapered eyes. Did I imagine it or was he angry with the way Boyd had spoken to me? I shook off the ridiculous notion. As if.

“Maybe we should go, she looks like she’s going to burst into tears,” Seth put in with a concerned expression. Wow, a caring gesture. Finally, a McKenna I could get on board with.

“Go and wait for me at the car, both of you? And send the message that there’s a fight at ours, Friday night,” Mason ordered, dismissing his flock.

Seth and Boyd exchanged a look and opened their mouths as if they were going to respond, but then thought better of it. I found it interesting that he had mentioned that a fight was going ahead at his place in front of me. He was usually cloak and dagger about that shit. I remained silent and filed that fact away. My shutter button finger used on my camera, was suddenly trigger-happy. I’d love to get photographic evidence of the fight. For possible future blackmail attempts as well as creativity.

“Fine,” Seth huffed, taking his brother’s empty bottle along with his own, and depositing them on the table I was still foolishly sitting at. Where the hell was Alex?

The thought of being alone in a secluded corner of the pub with Mason sent a zoo of butterflies to riot in my stomach.

Both the younger McKenna boys had pushed from their seats like they belonged in the military. I was surprised they didn’t salute. Fucking monkeys. Leaving their stools exactly where they were, they then made their way down the room toward the exit.

“So, back to the boyfriends. He on a promise tonight?” Mason, drawled, his gaze roaming up and down my body. Well, the bit he could see above the table. It made me want to cross my arms over my chest. Thinking of him looking at that area started a churning feeling in the pit of my stomach which scared off the butterflies.

I could feel my cheeks heat at his unacceptable question.

“That’s none of your business,” I grunted, smoothing my fingers down my hair. My hands were shaking and I suddenly needed to busy them. I so wasn’t having boy-talk with this guy. I was severely limited in my sexual experience so far. I still had my virginity. Mason was probably born without his.

I jumped back in my seat as Mason suddenly pushed to his feet and slid his large body into the booth on the opposite side of the table, taking Alex’s seat. My heart thumped in my chest and I turned to glance for Alex who was still nowhere to be seen. A horrible thought occurred to me, what if Seth and Boyd had cornered him outside?

I shoved off the thought as I had my own problems. What the heck was Mason doing? I suddenly felt cornered as he loomed over the table and bent slightly toward me. It felt way too intimate and I swallowed. A lump appeared in my throat. I felt genuine worry. He was so close. He dwarfed the seat, his massive shoulders taunt with muscle. The sleeves on his T-shirt were short and his biceps bulged. My arms were scrawny in comparison.

“What do you want Mason?” I put out breathlessly. I could smell his heady scent. It was a thoroughly masculine smell, totally natural.

His eyes assessed my reaction, drinking me in as I leaned my head against the headboard with a groan of frustration.

“I just wanted to give you a word of warning without an audience,” he replied with a twist to his lips. They were curled into a cruel line.

I shoved my bag off my lap and placed my fingers in front of me on the table, fiddling with my dress ring.

“If it has anything to do with Nixon and Jenna, I don’t want to talk about it.” Their situation was tricky and I suddenly didn’t have the energy to fight with Mason again. Seeing him twice in one day was already tiring.

I almost jumped out of my skin as Mason’s fist hit the top of the table, the knives and forks rattling against the dirty plates.

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