Page 64 of Taming the Demon

“Can we talk for a second first?” Mara asked Macy. “Please? A cup of coffee? Please…”

“There’s nothing for us to talk about, Mara,” Macy said.

That broke Mara’s heart. She hurried toward her best friend. She couldn’t believe how different Macy looked right now. She looked cleaned up, healthy. She looked stunning. She had taken aSOFRAWT-shirt and tore the neck open wide, allowing the shirt to come down her left arm, showing off her bra strap. Her jeans were cut into very short shorts, pockets showing through in a messy yet cute way. Her hair was pulled back and pulled up into a messy bun.

Mara had never seen anything like this before. The way Macy could just reinvent herself so quickly. She then remembered what Jess said last night. How Macy could wake up and just act like nothing happened.

“Macy,” Mara whispered to her. “We need to talk about everything.”

“Look, I have to get over to the club,” Macy said. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m alive. I’m good. I think you’re the one with the problem here, not me. He’s after you, Mara. He tried to use me to get to you. I’m fine. I appreciate that doctor helping out. I was a little shaken up. That’s all. I’m claustrophobic, so being in the trunk of that car and all… it just made me feel… rattled.”

“This isn’t feelingrattled,” I say. “He hurt you. He tattooed you. You know that, right? You saw…”

“What? This?”

Macy pulled the shirt down some more, along with the left side of her bra.

Her left breast dropped free.

Even in a room full of horny bikers, there wasn’t a sound.

“This is fixable,” Macy said, pointing to the horrific looking tattoo on her chest.

Macy tucked her breast away and fixed her shirt. Mara realized her best friend was in total shock and was going to try and act like nothing happened. All that did was make Mara hate Fitz more—if that were even possible.

“Mara, I have to go,” Macy said. “I just have to go. Please don’t do this to me. Please.”

Macy’s voice cracked a little.

Mara grabbed Macy’s left hand. “He’s going to die. They’re going to find him and they’re going to kill him. Please tell me we can be in touch. You and me. I miss you. And I am sorry for everything.”

Darrow stepped into the frame and slid an arm around Mara’s body. Without anyone in the clubhouse knowing or seeing, Darrow’s right hand moved carefully and stealth-like.His hand grazed Macy’s bag without her noticing. Which was the purpose.

“You have protection here,” Darrow said to Macy.

“I have to go,” Macy said.

She turned and all but threw herself into Virus and Dolph. The two enforcers moved out of the way and Macy hurried off. She didn’t have a vehicle or anything, but Mara figured Macy knew what to do. She always knew how to take care of herself. She always knew how to survive. That’s why being kidnapped and tortured by Fitz fucked with her head so badly.

“She’s not okay,” Mara said. “She’s not okay at all.”

“No way anyone would be,” Virus said. “I feel for her.”

Cyrus came walking into the clubhouse, from the back, his arm around Skylar. He gave her ass a hard smack and demanded coffee and food.

“Macy took off,” Slade said, getting right down to business.

“Figured that,” Cyrus said. “She’s too strong-willed. What a fucking mess. He did that right under our noses on purpose. To fuck with us. To fuck with Mara.”

“It worked,” Mara said. “I feel sick. I have no idea what she’s going to do next.”

“All is not lost,” Darrow said. “I slipped a tracker into her bag.”

“Good idea,” Cyrus said.

“You did what?” Mara asked.

Darrow reached into his back pocket and took out a small object that almost looked like a button from a shirt.