by D. C. Stone
Crossing the street, he stepped into the shop. He squinted, his gaze tracking the darkened interior of the room before adjusting and landing on two of the sexiest females his eyes ever laid on.
"Christ…"
Bari stood back and watched Bethany and Mackenzie interact, two women he wouldn't mind being scrunched between. He heard Tyler chuckle behind before bumping his shoulder and walking by. Dry washing his face, Bari scrubbed his hands down and glanced at Mike, who seemed to be standing there just as shell shocked as he was. He stepped across the shop, his long strides eating up the length of it, and sat down on a stool at a table next to the bar, turning the seat to straddle it.
"You two done playing kissy face? Not that I can’t say it isn’t nice to see you, Ladies. But I’ve got things to do. What exactly did you need me here for?"
“Oh please, Bari. Don’t try to act all tough in front of your boys. I seem to remember someone being the instigator for a kiss between Mac and I back in the day and even then, someone begged for more. Shall I go on?” Bethany’s brows rose as she finished, but before he could respond, Tyler chirped in.
“Hell yeah, I’d like to know.”
“No, he doesn’t. Cut the shit. Why was it so urgent that you threatened castration to get me down here?” Bari glanced at Mac and frowned, watching as she met his gaze with a frown of her own. Hell, he wasn’t frowning at her; he frowned at the dark circles under her eyes, the exhaustion marring her features. He opened his mouth to explain when Bethany’s smart-ass mouth opened yet again.
“If you could stop staring at Mac’s tits for one second then maybe I would tell you.”
Bari scowled and wrenched his eyes from Mackenzie’s, but not before he saw the flare of pink on her cheeks. She had always been a blusher, and it was something he found endearing as hell. Picking up a bottle of water, he twirled it around and ignored Beth’s statement, because well, yeah, he did stare. They were perfect, a size that looked good and would fit in his hands like they had been made for him. He wondered if her nipples were still the same color as her lips.
Mind out of the gutter, Bari!
"Out with it, Beth. What is going on?"
Beth deliberated with a frown for a few moments.
“Someone has been following Mac.”
Mackenzie started to argue, but Bethany lifted a hand, cutting her off.
“She had a stalker in Los Angeles, Bari. One who turned out to be a huge threat, one who attacked her in her own home. Last month she was notified he escaped from the mental institution he had been sentenced to and no one knows where he is. You’re home now, and I figured you might want to help her out.”
Bari scowled at each word. Anger and a protective urge filled his veins as he listened, his gaze snapping over to Mackenzie. Why had she never told him? Why didn’t he know? What happened in Los Angeles? Bari crossed his arms and looked between the two of them.
"So I get why you would ask me, seeing as I have protected people, but I don't think I'm the only one here who doesn't think you two could handle things yourself or even that your brother Alex wouldn’t want to be involved in this. Have you told him?"
“You can be such an asshole, Bari,” Beth quipped.
“So you have reminded me on more than one occasion, Beth.”
“You don’t have to be such a dick while you’re at it.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You know…” Beth leaned across the table, anger hot in her eyes. The wicked gleam said she wanted nothing more than to beat him senseless. The entire table seemed to be holding its breath. “Some would think you would take more of a responsibility in protecting your child.”
His head reared back as he looked at Bethany as if she had lost her mind.
“Child?”
He snapped his eyes to Mackenzie, and she closed hers, horror raking across her features. Bari’s breathing picked up, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. He silently urged Mackenzie to deny it, to start laughing and tell him it was a joke, for someone to take away his worst nightmare, his biggest fear tossed in his lap.
“Mac, look at me.” A command, a statement, offering no yield to it being a question. Mackenzie opened her eyes, and her mouth parted on a sigh, the sound of pain mixed with worry. The truth of it sent the breath out of his lungs. A muscle ticked in his jaw as anger rose. He had never been told. Confused, amazed that he—when his world was so dark—created life. Fearful for the child and this woman as his past came back to haunt him.
“I’m not asking you to do anything for him, Bari. Hell, I didn’t even want to tell you about this person who has been following me, sending me flowers, letters … but…” Mackenzie glared at Bethany.
Bari processed, or tried to process, the excess of information tossed at him. In all of his twenty-nine-years of being alive, he never felt like he belonged anywhere. For some reason this was the first time in his life that this was where he was meant to be. His eyes flicked over to Mackenzie’s, and he snapped his jaw shut, his teeth grinding together under the annoyance boiling in his veins.
"You know damn well that neither secret is yours to keep anymore, Angel."
In his eyes it wasn’t. She had his child, for Christ’s sake! He was shocked, pissed, and determined all at once to find out all of her secrets or better yet … why his childhood best friend decided he wasn’t worthy enough to be told. He was determined to change things, to fix things, and to protect them both. It was a new feeling, one very unfamiliar. Just when he thought his mind finally started to process all the information.
You are a real fucking winner, Bari. Who are you going to blame in this? Her? Who was the one who packed his bags and didn’t look back for nine years? What an asshole.
From the hard look in Mackenzie’s eyes, she didn’t think he was entitled to any information. The slight flush to her cheeks had him curious. His eyes bore down on Mac’s, his mind seeking contact. Her eyes widened, and then narrowed. A mental equivalent of a slap pushed him out of her mind, her secrets. She was strong but not quick enough as he caught an image of what she thought about. His own eyes flared, his body wanting nothing more than to act out exactly what she had been thinking. His eyes stayed on Mackenzie as he spoke. "What exactly has been going on, Beth? Who is this guy, and why do we think he may be here?"
He formed the images in his mind, kept the link open to Mackenzie. In his head, his hands worked to reveal sweet inches of her smooth skin, and as he, in his mind, dipped his head to capture that perfect nipple in his mouth, she gasped.
“Stop it, Bari,” Tyler whispered in his ear. He turned toward him and glanced at Mike, who looked amused as shit. Mackenzie stood, her breath panting as her chest rose and fell rapidly.
“I said stop!” The words came out as a harsh whisper, followed by the cerebral equivalent of a punch from Tyler. Bari jerked his mind from Mackenzie’s, the blow making the room spin. As the connection released, Bari watched, frozen, as Mackenzie turned and walked away, her clenched fists giving away her mood. As she reached the door behind her bar, she looked over her shoulder. “You have no right. I had no choice. You are the one, the only one here who left me with no choice, Bari.”
He sat there, glued to the spot. He had been brought here, not under his own will, and changed permanently, was forced to deal with changes of things he didn't understand. Mackenzie’s teasing, her scent, images, and remarks drove him insane. If Bari could move, he would go after her and explain just what was a choice and wasn't. Instead, he was forced to sit, completely useless as his body recovered from Tyler’s blow.
"You know where to find me, how to reach me. If anything and I mean anything seems out of place, you call immediately. Understand?" The muscle ticking in his jaw stood out, as anger pulsed. At Bethany’s nod, Bari forced himself to move, pushed out of the chair and turned.
“Where are you going?” Tyler asked.
"I’m taking a breather." He started for the door, yanked it open and stepped outside. The town�
�s noises assaulted him, the sun blinding him. Bari angled his head back at the sky and took a deep breath, urged his body to relax. He felt on edge, his skin itchy, something inside of him wanting to claw out. His mood seethed with pressures thrust upon him along with the mind games played. He stepped off the sidewalk, going in the opposite direction of his car, and headed down the street. His footsteps were heavy, and his mood dark. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. People gave him a wide berth as if they had an instinct to stay away, perceiving him as a predator in search of prey.
Chapter Fifteen
“Well that went well.” Mackenzie watched Bari walk out with a sense of déjà vu. It wasn’t the first time he had done it, and she figured it wouldn’t be the last.
“I know it’s not worth much, but give him some time.” Mackenzie glanced over at the deep, rumbling voice. Watching her with intense eyes, Tony seemed to see right through her. His eyes captured too much, and she saw it in the way his gaze steadied on her. With skin the color of coffee and eyes the shade of a storm brewing, Tony was any female’s fantasy. Easy on the eyes, tall, muscular. A hint of secrecy encircled him, his mood quiet, almost shy. His voice made a woman think of a long night—hot, dirty sex.
Right now those gray eyes trained on her, watching, studying. She saw expectancy in his gaze.
“I’ve given him nine years, Tony. I’ve given him too much. Perhaps it’s time for him to give me something in exchange.”
Tony nodded.
Huh, a man of few words. “You know what, Tony? Matter of fact, why don’t you tell Bari to forget it all. Maybe coming home wasn’t such a good idea.” She turned to go back to her office when a hand closed around her arm, then whirled her around.
In a flash, Mackenzie was face to chest with an extremely tall male. Bare inches separated them and the pounding in her heart increased. Being handled, even by people she knew—and Tony, she did not—wasn’t something she handled well. Too many memories, too much fear prevented her from staying quiet. A small, sharp cry of alarm came out of her mouth.
“Hush, Mackenzie…”
Her hands shook as she lifted them to the sides of her head. “What do you all want from me? Don’t tell me it’s nothing either, ‘cause Tony, I’ve seen the way every single one of you watch me.”
A finger tipped her head up to meet his storming gaze. Tony’s eyes searched hers, penetrated, before he released her arm and stepped back. “I mean you no harm, Mackenzie. None of us do, but you can’t run from what is expected, from what has already been written. Bari can’t either, but he needs a moment for it all to sink in. He’s not like you, Mackenzie. None of us are, and he’s just finding out.” Tony tilted his head in thought. “I would expect it could be a bit to take in at once, on top of finding out you’re a father. But have no doubt, Little Mouse, he won’t walk away this time.”
Tony turned from her and walked away, joining Mike and Tyler at the front door. Both men had looks of concern on their faces. Tony said something to Tyler, and three sets of beautiful eyes looked at her before Tyler nodded and pushed open the front door. A gust of wind pushed through and within seconds it wrapped itself around Mackenzie. She shivered and glanced up at the sky: it looked very much the same swirling color as she had seen in Tony’s eyes.
****
Bari eyed Tyler across the top of his knuckles. The man’s smirk grated on his nerves. They had been at this for the past hour, and he had been knocked on his ass more times than he could count. His mind was so scattered it refused to focus.
Cutting out his right hand, Bari took the small opening Tyler allowed him—he comprehended it had been allowed—to toss a right cross. His body moved astutely, but Tyler lurched and grabbed his outstretched hand, turning his body, and tossed Bari over his shoulder as if he didn't weigh anything. Bari grunted as he slammed to the mat, his eyes closing as pain fed through every … damn … muscle in his body.
"Fuck..."
Tyler’s ugly mug came into his view, grinning.
“Hey, Cowboy, you wanna go get your big girl panties and try this again, or have you decided today be deemed Kick Bari’s Ass Day? Matter of fact,” Tyler said as he stood and mocked the buffing of his nails on his t-shirt, “maybe I’ll go find Bethany, seeing as you’ve decided to keep your head in the clouds.”
Bari’s jaw clenched, the verbal jab adding to his irritation. He rolled over, coming to his knees, and set his knuckles to the mat, pushing off.
"I'm right here, asshole."
Bari brought his fists up to his face and eyed Tyler bouncing around the ring. An ache settled between his shoulders, and his head started to spin. He didn't know what was worse, watching Tyler bounce around like a fucking rabbit or being unable to keep his head in the fight. Stalking across the mat, he hunched his body, putting forth a burst of speed before his shoulder connected with Tyler’s midsection. Tyler grunted, and Bari pushed backwards, the other man coming along for the ride. All too soon, Bari found himself pushing nothing but air before falling on his face.
"Damn it!" His face smacked the mat, stars clouding his vision.
Bari rolled to his back, heard the familiar rasp of that damn lighter. He pushed off, again, sat up and draped his heavy arms around his drawn up legs. Getting his feet underneath him, he stood, his entire body screaming in protest. Tyler's words drove home that he couldn't keep up with the way he had been going. The trip this past weekend didn't get anything out of his system; it seemed to have made things worse when it came to thinking about Mackenzie.
“I thought you were told to get her out of your system?”
Bari glanced over. The words, compared to the knowing look in Tyler’s eyes, didn’t seem to add up. “I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, Tyler. Get out of my head." Bari padded over to the edge of the ring, reached through, and grabbed his water, chugging the contents of the bottle. He hoped Tyler would take his silence as a hint.
“It’s something more, isn’t it?” A pause. “No shit … that Mackenzie? She is that Mackenzie? Well hell, now that makes things different.”
Bari swung around and leveled Tyler with a glare. They both knew damn well who Mackenzie was and wasn’t to him, and Tyler’s satisfied expression gave it away. Bari’s hand tightened on the bottle, the plastic crumpling. Damn the fucking male and his cryptic, all-knowing ways. "It’s nothing, bro. How about you stop trying to force something that can’t be?"
Even the words coming from his mouth sounded like a lie, failed to convince, and had Bari shaking his head. Tossing the bottle in the trash, he started removing the tape from his hands. A hand landed on his shoulder and stopped him. Bari clenched his teeth before Tyler opened his mouth.
“Liar. Stop fighting what it needs.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, what it needs?”
Tyler sighed and scrubbed a hand through his dark hair. “You remember me telling you about what happens when a Eurydice turns?”
Bari’s heart slammed against his chest like a sledgehammer. “Yeah?”
Tyler studied him for a few moments, watching his eyes, and then took a deep breath. When he spoke, it was slowly, and the words seemed to have been chosen carefully. “A JD needs his mate in order to keep himself level. These females are one of a kind, ones who are the better half of our true souls. You see, if one of us dies, our bodies go, but our souls are reborn into the next warrior life. It’s not until our change that we truly know who we are.” Tyler held up his hands as Bari opened his mouth. “I know it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but trust me here. You need her.”
Bari shrugged Tyler’s touch off. “What in the fuck is it with you all and butting into my relationship with Mackenzie? You know what, don’t answer that. I'm going to hop in the shower. Convo is done. Same time, same place tomorrow."
Bari didn't wait for an answer, couldn't bring himself to meet Tyler's eyes, and didn’t want to admit something he already understood. Mackenzie was getting under his skin and by God's grace
, somehow, someway she had stayed out of his path for the last few days. An odd feeling manifested inside of him tonight, one he couldn’t explain. An urgency. He didn’t know how much longer he would last.
Chapter Sixteen
Mackenzie sat with Byron all night, his fever finally breaking, his body dehydrated. After hours of trying to bring down his fever, Bethany had her bring Byron to the hospital where she hooked him up to an IV. By the time Byron passed out, the sun was rising. Exhausted, she let out a profound sigh at the sight of Byron looking so peaceful, so small in the big hospital bed. She didn’t understand what was going on with him, neither did Bethany, and worry settled in deep. She felt helpless. She always provided for him, gave him time, love, and affection, hoping it made up for the void in their lives.
Leaving Byron in the room, Mackenzie stepped past the nurse’s station and down the hall. She needed coffee in the worst way. She’d already called in to Mary Jo, asking her to open the shop this morning, but really craved a cup of her own, rather than the hospital sludge she was about to get. Caffeine was caffeine, and right now she’d take it any way she could get it.
Not paying any attention, she stepped off the elevator, rounded a corner and slammed into a hard wall.
“Oh my God, I am so—” The words died in her throat, her breath catching as she glanced up and caught a familiar blue gaze. “Bari, I … I’m getting coffee,” Mackenzie blurted out in a rush. She needed to get away from this male and her reaction to him, needed her space, and with Byron upstairs this ran too close for comfort.
****
Bari gnawed his teeth together, closed his eyes, and bowed his head back as Mackenzie’s sweet curves pressed into his. The jolt, the awareness he had to her, ran like lightning through his system. He took a moment, breathed in and out slowly, and tried to maintain his control. Something deep inside of him, the beast, wanted more of her touch. He took her hips in his hands and set her back from him deliberately.