Page 53 of Seizing Mack
Chapter Twenty-Five
~ Nick ~
Nick watched the cabdrive away with Mack inside. He’d called out to her as she’d stormed by but she hadn’t even looked his way. Something, or rather someone, had upset her enough to leave, and he had a good idea who that someone was.
He turned on his heel and went back into the venue. It had been hard enough watching Mack arrive on Emerson’s arm. God, she’d looked fantastic. Classy and feminine and so damn sexy that she’d had every set of male eyes on her the moment she’d walked in. Powerful, possessive caveman urges had risen up, making him want to march right over there, toss her over his shoulder, and take her into a utility closet until the only man on her mind washim.
Instead, he’d ordered a double and stepped outside until he could get his inner caveman under control. Now, however, a different urge gripped him. The need to protect and avenge.
Finding out what happened — the gist of it anyway — hadn’t taken long. Rumors were already running rampant, as was the cracking buzz of electricity in the crowd that came with them.
Nick mentally kicked himself for not doing something earlier. His gut had told him that something wasn’t quite right about Emerson’s sudden interest in Mack. Now, as he looked across the room and saw Delilah staring back at him with a smug smile, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it. Delilahwasa lot like Eve Sanderson — a spoiled, manipulative, vengeful creature who used others to get what she wanted and apparently, Emerson was her latest tool.
A familiar rage simmered below the surface. No one deserved to be on the receiving end of that kind of malice. Certainly not Mack, who, for as tough as she was on the outside, was a kind, generous, and caring woman on the inside.
He stalked across the room. Judging by the way Emerson was hunched over and pale, he’d taken a shot to the jewels. Good. The guy was on his feet, which meant Nick felt no qualms about hauling back and punching Emerson right in the face.
Emerson dropped like a stone. “What the fuck was that for?” he railed, his hands moving from his groin to his nose.
“Because I can’t hither,” Nick said, glaring at Delilah. Her eyes flashed. The bitch was actually enjoying the show.
Emerson scowled, then nodded. “Point taken.”
Nick reached out a hand and hauled Emerson to his feet. “What did Mack ever do to you, anyway?”
“Nothing,” Emerson admitted.
“I hope she—” Nick glanced sideways at Delilah, whose lips were now formed into a scowling pout “—was worth it. And thatyouare going to offer your heartfelt and sincere apologies to Mack the first chance you get.”
Nick left without waiting for a response, pulling out his cell phone and tapping as he went.
He put some of the blame upon himself. He should have asked Mack to the ball, or better yet, just donated the money and taken them out someplace they both would have enjoyed more than this dog and pony pageant. Maybe then she wouldn’t have agreed to go with that douchebag, and she sure as hell wouldn’t have left feeling like anything less than the amazing woman she was.
He’d seen the flyers around town, heard people talking about it, but the thought that Mack might want to attend a formal ball hadn’t occurred to him.
He should have listened to his instincts. He’d known from the moment he’d first seen her that she was special. That he wanted something more.
The image of her face just as she left the party haunted him as he made his way across town. Mack had been totally blindsided by Kent’s idiocy. The look on her face as she’d crossed that ballroom...Jesus.
Well, one thing was for certain. Emerson’s stunt had just changed his game plan dramatically, and Nick was no longer content to stand on the sidelines and watch.
He was putting himself into the game.
He’d no sooner slipped his phone back into his pocket than it started vibrating. Pulling it out, he held it up to his ear. “Mack, where are you?”
There was a long moment of silence, then a feminine voice came through the tiny speaker. “Is this Nick Benning?”
It had been years, but he would have recognized her voice anywhere. “Liz?”
“Yes! Is it true? You’re really in Covendale?”
“Yeah.”
“Listen, we’re on our way home. Don’t go anywhere until I get there, okay?”
Nick almost smiled at the big sister bossiness in her tone. “I’m not going anywhere, Liz.”
