Page 54 of Macon

She says okay and goes back to Izzy. I just stare at him blankly. He chuckles and seeing him so relaxed calms me. Mac reaches down and plucks me from my seat. Only long enough for him to sit down, placing me on his lap like a fucking doll.

“Did you save me any?” he asks, tapping my nose with his index finger.

I look around the room to see everyone is watching us. I tense up, and Mac must sense it because he squeezes me. I look down at him, and he grips my face, pulling me in for a kiss. Those goddamn full luscious lips that have become my obsession.

I hear Shy chuckle and say, “Another one bites the dust,” as he walks by.

Mac breaks the kiss and flips off Shy and then smiles at me.

All the girls are now eyeing us, which makes me uncomfortable. Since I need to know the answer, I whisper into his ear, “Were you ever like this with my sister in front of these people?”

Mac turns so he can see my eyes before he answers, “Fuck no. Never like this. No one has ever been up here with me before. Ever.”

I look around again, and this time, Snow smiles big and gives me a nod. My heart races. Never?

Mac swats my ass. “I need coffee and food.”

I get up so he can move to get coffee, and once he fills his plate, he leans down and says into my ear, “Would you care if I go sit with the boys?”

I laugh, shaking my head, and tell him to go.

Once all the men are sitting around watching the TV and eating, the girls return to chatting. Bella seems to take over the group chat by asking questions. I sit back, sipping my coffee, and observe the people with whom my sister has become close.

Alexandria moved next to me when everyone was up and moving around. She grabs my arm and leans over to ask, “How are you holding up?”

I shrug. “It’s a lot to take in. I’m not used to this. I have one friend, and that’s it.”

Snow leans onto the table. “Well, you have all of us now. Get used to it, and the way my cousin looks at you, it seems you will be sticking around a lot longer.”

Maze chuckles. “Once these men get hooked…watch out. Nothing will keep them from you.”

I can’t help but blurt out, “Well, I feel weird. I mean, wasn’t Mac like this with my sister? Wasn’t she into him? Why else would she send me to find him?”

The table goes quiet. I observe all the women and shrug. “I don’t know. I haven’t been able to speak to her, and I don’t know what they were.”

I push my food around and wish I had never said anything.

Snow takes a deep breath before talking. “My cousin watched over Raydene while we were in lockdown. They became close, but nothing like this. He may have cared for her, but she had a boyfriend. She chose Dexter that night and left us all to go with him. My cousin and Ray didn’t have anything going. Nothing serious. He chose you to bring up here. He’s claimed you, not her.”

Tears fill my eyes. “Yeah, but what if she was here?”

Mac yells over his shoulder from his chair, “I would still pick you. Like I said last night.”

The girls look over, and he’s staring straight at me. Obviously, he’s been listening to our conversation.

When I don’t say anything, he sets his silverware down like he’s going to get up. “Do I need to take you back into the room and remind you how I feel about you?”

I start to laugh. Wiping my eyes, I say no, and the girls start laughing.

Izzy grabs my hand. “Your sister told you to find us because we love her and will do anything for both of you.”

I wipe away a few more tears, and Bella says, “Don’t cry.”

Smiling, I say, “It’s only good tears.”

When I peek back over at Mac, he gives me his pearly whites with a wink.

I guess that’s settled.

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