Page 95 of Wickedly Betrayed

Mac reaches forward and pulls me between his legs and into his arms. I lay my head against his chest and cry out the pain I feel building inside me. I hate that so much was taken from us. I hate that we never got the chance to have our happily ever after. I hate that I became so bitter and engrossed with my own hurt that I neglected the man who meant the world to me. But, what I hate most of all is that Mac hurt just as much as me. Mac, one of the sweetest men I’ve ever known. The man who worshipped me and treated me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world to him.

I lift my head from Mac’s chest and wipe my eyes. He grabs my chin to bring my face up to his. Leaning forward, he places a soft kiss against my lips and then murmurs, “I love you, Mia.”

“I love you, too, Mac,” I say against his lips.

He pulls my left hand toward his and unclenches my fingers that I hadn’t realized were balled into fists. He takes the ring from my hand and slides it onto my ring finger. I look down at it and fresh tears make their way to the surface. I push them back and look up at Mac. He has a look of pure love in his eyes. The green in them is so bright and vibrant as he looks down at the ring on my finger. A ring that was supposed to be there years ago. A ring I will now always wear with pride.

“It fits perfectly. Thank you so much, Mac. I love it.” I smile at him tenderly.

I lean forward, wrap my arms around him, and kiss him passionately. The kiss is heated, but sweet. Our tongues slowly sweep against each other’s. We lick and nip and suck at the other’s mouth. If it weren’t for the fact that Mac’s parents are in the living room and Trent is still up, I would push him to the floor and demand he make love to me right here in the closet.

Unfortunately, Mac’s parents are here and Trent is still up. Wereluctantly break apart, our breathing heavy. The desire I see in Mac’s eyes is the same desire I know he sees in mine.

“Come on. We better get back in there.”

I nod, not really wanting to leave our safe haven on the floor of his closet. Mac helps me to stand and together, hand in hand, we walk back to the living room.

28

Mia

Her mouth…

LATER THAT EVENING, Mac and I are lying in his bed. Our breathing is still labored from our recent lovemaking. Mac is on his back, and I’m lying next to him with my head on his shoulder. He’s lazily trailing his fingers lightly up and down my back, lulling my body into relaxation mode. It always feels so damn good when he does that. My hand is on his chest, playing with the light dusting of hairs there. Every time I see my ring twinkle in the dim lamp light, it brings a smile to my face. I can’t stop looking at it. The meaning behind this ring has my heart soaring.

Mac’s parents went to the small local bed-and-breakfast here in Jaded Hollow. Mac and I both tried to insist they stay here, but they refused. They said they wanted to give us our privacy. Trent went with them. They are going to take him to town tomorrow and buy a new game he’s been keeping his eye on.

After a few minutes of silence, Mac breaks it by asking the one question I really don’t want to answer. It’s a question I know Macis not going to like the answer to. A question I’m ashamed to answer, but a question that I know needs answering, especially because of recent events.

“A while back you said you gave your virginity away to someone the night of your birthday. You wouldn’t answer me then. I need to know, Pix.”

My hand stops playing with his chest and immediately starts sweating. How in the fuck do I tell Mac the man who I gave my virginity to is now the man who’s in cahoots with his ex-wife to hurt me? Not only that, but he’s the man who pretty much took my virginity when I wasn’t willing.

Yeah, I’m thinking that’s not going to go over too well with Mac. The outcome of this conversation is not going to be pretty, and I’m not looking forward to it. If I wasn’t worried that Mac would somehow find out on his own, I would still avoid it. But there’s no telling what will happen once Shady is found. Shady is the type of person who will use whatever to get his way or to beat someone.

“Mac…” I begin, but then stop. I have no clue how to tell him. “I don’t know if telling you is a good idea.”

Mac pushes me back and gets up on his elbow. Looming over me, he looks at me with a hard jaw. From the little light that’s in the room, I can tell that his eyes are blazing.

“I already know I’m not going to like the answer, Mia. It doesn’t matter who it is, but I need to know. I don’t know why, so don’t ask. It’s just something I can’t let go of.”

“What are you going to do if I tell you?”

“Nothing. I would do nothing,” he says, and looks so earnest.

I laugh bitterly, knowing damn good and well that once he finds out he’s going to flip.

“Swear to me, Sheriff, that you won’t do something stupid,” I say forcefully, needing him to give me this before I tell him.

He looks at me with his brows puckered, as if he’s confused by my reaction. He’ll understand all too soon my worry and concern.

“Mia, I know that you didn’t stay a virgin, even before you toldme you slept with someone that night. I know you’ve been with other guys. I never expected you to—”

“It was Shady,” I blurt, getting it over with.

Mac’s body jerks above mine. His eyes narrow, and I feel the sheets at my sides shift, as if he’s gathering the sheets as he balls his hands into fists.

“What the fuck did you just say?” he growls.

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