Page 98 of Mace

I force a smile as I turn back to Archie.

“Thanks, Arch. Is everything in place for tonight?”

“Of course.”

Mace briefs the staff, and I listen, taking mental notes for when I have to do this without him. When everyone disperses, I head after Bella when she makes a beeline for the stock cupboard.

I need to talk to her, but I don’t want Mace to hear if she’s going to be negative or vile about him. He hasn’t done anything to warrant the mistrust they have for him.

She’s leaning down to grab a crate of beer when I step into the doorway of the stockroom. “Everything okay?” I ask.

“Fine,” she says, the word tight. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Bella—”

Her eyes blaze. “Are you out of your mind?”

My eyebrows draw together. I knew she was annoyed, but the venom in her words takes me by surprise. “I don’t think so.”

“Are you dating him?”

I blink, the question catching me off guard. What we’re doing is so much more than dating, but I don’t know how to explain that to her. “Yeah. We’re together.”

Bella lets out a muted screech. “You are out of your mind! Do you have any idea the reputation his club has? Theykillpeople, Maylie. They have a string of murders attached to their name. What the hell do you thinkhappened to our old owners? They didn’t just give the bar to them. The Sons massacred every single member of the Pioneers.”

Cold spreads through my veins. I don’t want to think about that. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Am I? He’s got you under some kind of spell, Maylie. Don’t you see that? You’ve been here five minutes, and the second you get involved with him, you suddenly get promoted to manager. Do you honestly think you would’ve got that job if you weren’t screwing him?”

The ugliness in her words opens fresh wounds all along my body. I know I’m not qualified for the position—I told Mace as much myself—but hearing it from my friend hurts.

“Are you annoyed that you didn’t get the job?”

She folds her arms over her chest, the tank top she’s wearing pushing her boobs higher. “Of course, I am. I’ve been here for years. I’ve done my time in the trenches. That job should’ve been mine. I know far more about this business than you ever will, and I haven’t had to fuck anyone to get where I am.”

Wow.My stomach hollows out at her words, and nausea coats my throat. I don’t even recognise her beneath the anger she shoots at me.

I got Mace, but in return, I lost Bella, and it makes my heart heavy as I step back from her, the chasm growing between us. “Thank you for so eloquently pointing out my many failures. If you don’t like the changes happening, then you probably should take that job Steve suggested.”

I turn, walking away from her, but before I reach the door that leads back to the main floor, she grabs my arm, forcing me to turn back to her. “I’m not trying to hurt you,Maylie, I’m really not. But don’t you see how fucked-up all of this is?”

I pull out of her grasp, glaring at her. “Do you know what I see? I see someone who liked me when I was just a little miss fucking sunshine. You liked the version of Maylie I was, the girl who never made waves and never bothered anyone, but that’s not who I am anymore. And yes, you probably are more qualified to do this job, but you’re also kind of a bitch, Bella. You’d run half the girls out of here within a month. Mace sees my potential. He knows I can do this. It hurts that the person I’ve been friends with the longest doesn’t have that same faith in me. I don’t know why you think I’ve stolen this from you, as if it was your right to have this job when you were never a consideration for it.”

I don’t give her a chance to respond before I tear the door open and storm out onto the main floor, my heart thundering in my chest. Anger has my teeth grinding together as I head over to Mace.

“You okay?” He wraps his hands around my hips, pulling me between his legs. I know I should be professional, to prove to people that I didn’t get this job because I’m sleeping with Mace, but I don’t care who knows it. My entire life, I have never had a single handout from anyone, and I’m not going to apologise for taking advantage of someone else’s kindness when it’s offered.

“I’m perfect.” I take his face in my hands and kiss him with everything I have.

Sitting down, he’s just at the right height for me to devour his mouth completely, and I slide my tongue against his, relishing his taste and his warmth. I hope to hell this thing between us is real because as much as hesays he won’t give me up, there’s no way in hell I’m letting him go either.

“Not that I mind, but what was that for?”

“Everything. Thank you for believing in me and for helping me.”

“Always, darlin’.”

The rest of the shift passes without any incidents, though Bella refuses to talk to me. Not that I want to talk to her.

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