Page 20 of Hooked on Mack
The security guards were having a hard time separating the feuding pair, their efforts only adding fuel to the fire. It was obvious that they had no idea how to handle such a volatile situation—not that I could blame them. Mark Kennsington was a force to be reckoned with, but so was I.
“Enough!” I shouted, drawing myself up to my full height and channeling every ounce of authority I possessed. “Let the guards do their job!”
“Fine!” Mark huffed, finally allowing himself to be pulled away from his mistress. “But don't think this is over, Larissa. Not by a long shot.”
“Mack?” I blurted out, caught off guard by his unexpected presence. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to help,” he replied with a rueful grin. “But it seems I might have only made things worse.”
“Join the club,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“Look out!” Mack suddenly cried, lunging toward me with outstretched arms. But instead of protecting me from some unseen danger, his sudden movement only served to startle me further.
“Ah!” I shrieked, instinctively swinging my fist in self-defense. Unfortunately, my impromptu haymaker found its mark square on Mack's nose, eliciting a yelp of pain from the hapless attorney.
“Ow!” he groaned, clutching his face. “Larissa, what the hell?”
“Mack, I'm so sorry!” I stammered, horrified by my own actions. “I didn't mean to?—”
“Never mind that now,” he interrupted, wincing as blood began to trickle from his nostrils. “We need to stop this before someone else gets hurt.”
Blood blossomed from Mack's nose like a crimson rose, and for a moment, we both just stared at each other in shock.
“Mack, oh my God,” I whispered, horrified at the damage I'd done to his perfect face. “I'm so sorry.”
“Ah… it's fine,” he said, trying to grin through the pain. The effect was more of a grimace, and he looked like he might pass out. “Just… didn't see that coming, that's all.”
“Here, let me help you.” I reached out, steadying him as he swayed on his feet. “You're bleeding pretty badly. Sit down, and I'll find something to clean you up.”
“O-okay,” he stammered, bravely attempting another smile. “Thanks, Larissa. I appreciate it.”
As I guided him to a nearby bench, I couldn't help but feel a sudden rush of protectiveness toward him—a strange emotion, considering I'd just pummeled him in the face. But now that Mack was injured, it was like some primal part of me had kicked in, demanding that I do everything I could to make things right.
“Here,” I said, pressing a crumpled tissue against his nostrils. “Hold this while I find something better.”
“Y-you don't have to do this,” he protested weakly, but I silenced him with a stern look.
“Of course I do. I hit you, remember? The least I can do is help patch you up.”
“Right.” He sighed, wincing as he applied pressure to his nose. “Fair enough.”
“Okay, just sit tight,” I told him, scanning the lobby for something—anything—I could use to stem the flow of blood. My eyes fell on a first aid kit, and I hurried over, my heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and guilt.
“Here,” I said, returning to Mack's side with gauze and antiseptic wipes in hand. “Let me take a look.”
“Thanks,” he murmured, gingerly removing the tissue from his face. “I hope it's not as bad as it feels.”
“Only one way to find out.” I gently tilted his chin up, my fingers ghosting over his jawline as I examined the damage. The sight of his bruised and bloody nose made my stomach churn with remorse, but I forced myself to focus. I was responsible for this mess, and I'd be damned if I didn't do everything I could to fix it.
“Okay, it doesn't look broken,” I announced after a few tense moments. “But you're going to have one heck of a shiner tomorrow.”
“Great,” he groaned, wincing again as I dabbed at his wounds with an antiseptic wipe. “Just what I need.”
“Sorry,” I said, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “This is all my fault.”
“Hey,” he said, reaching up to squeeze my hand. “It's okay, Larissa. We're both caught up in this madness, remember? And besides… you were just trying to protect yourself.”
“Still,” I sniffled, blinking away the tears. “I never meant to hurt you.”
