Page 37 of Mace

Bella’s jaw gets tight, as if she doesn’t want to speak to me, but my attention is immediately diverted as Maylie appears through the staff door. She doesn’t look any different, but she seems distracted as her gaze slides over to the main floor, to the spot where she was attacked. It takes her a moment to drag her attention away, and when she does, my stomach hollows. That spark that drew me to her isdulled as she gives me a whisper of a smile that doesn’t resonate through the rest of her body.

“Hey, Mace.”

The sweet way she says my name is a balm to the anger swirling inside me, but it can’t completely douse it, not when she looks so fucking dejected, and not after she left me wondering all fucking night if she was okay.

“You ran off on me,” I accuse.

Her expression is a little bashful but not apologetic. “I just wanted to get home.”

“And I said I’d take you. Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Her gaze bounces towards Bella, who is watching us like an annoying chaperone. I wish she’d just fuck off. “I was fine, Mace.”

I don’t believe her. I can see in her eyes how affected she is by what happened last night.Fuck.I should have murdered that cunt for daring to touch her.

Coming off the stool, I lean across the bar and signal for her to turn so I can see her neck. Her skin pebbles when my fingers scrape over her nape as I move her hair aside to look at the damage.

Instantly, my teeth grind together. It looks worse than it had last night. Mottled bruising spans where he’d gripped her. He must have held her tight to leave that kind of marking.

I should’ve killed him.

She pulls away from me, letting her dark brown hair fall over her neck to hide the injury. “Before you start, I’m fine to work,” she says, her eyes resolute and her tone like steel.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Good, because I need to be here tonight.” The tightway she says it sets off my internal alarms.What’s going on that she’d rather be here than at home? Or is this to do with her needing money?

Maylie seems like an open book, but she is the hardest person I’ve ever tried to read. She puts on this persona of little miss sunshine, but I’m starting to realise that’s a fucking act.

“I ain’t stoppin’ you.” I hold my hands up defensively, showing her I’m not a threat to whatever she needs.

Besides, I want her here just as much. I wouldn’t sit at this bar night after night to watch Bella or one of the dancers.

She glares at me, reminding me of a kitten trying to be a lioness, before she wanders over to the fridge and grabs me a Coke. As she slides it onto the bar top, I grab her wrist, ignoring the little squeak of surprise she makes. My grip is firm but not enough to hurt her. I would never do that.

“I’ll be watchin’ you tonight, Maylie. I promise no one will fucking touch you again on that floor.”

Her cheeks flush a pretty pink that makes my head spin. Fuck, she’s beautiful… both inside and out.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

My thumb strokes over her pulse point as her lips part slightly. I should let her go, but I can’t stop touching her.

“You don’t have to thank me. Things shouldn’t have got as far as they did last night. It’ll never happen again. Are you worried about being back out there?”

“I’m okay,” she promises. “I know you’ll keep me safe.” Her bottom lip slips between her teeth, and I follow the movement hungrily. “I don’t mean it like that. Imean… you’ll… uh… do your job. Not that it’s your job to take down handsy, half-drunk men, but?—”

“If you need anything, just let me know,” I interrupt before she can ramble more, and her eyes soften.

“Thanks.”

I’m reluctant to let her go, but I release my hold on her as she flashes a smile that seems a little more real. That ember in my stomach burns all the more brighter than it has since my mother extinguished it all those years ago.

My gaze is magnetized to where Maylie walks over to Bella. I should look away, but my eyes linger on her, drinking her in once more like a thirsty fuck.

“Hey, man.” I force my attention from her as Steve steps up to me. His eyes are wary as he approaches, and he should be. If it hadn’t been for Maylie, I would have throttled the life out of him. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing the ring of bruises around his neck. Fucker.

If he’d done his job properly, Maylie wouldn’t have got hurt.

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