Part 6 (2/2)

”She's f.u.c.king with your head living here. Don't deny it.” I don't reply right away. Trying to get a handle on how I'm coping with her being here.

”I have a handle on it.” I clear my throat, watching her laugh at something Kelly says. She's only just started laughing and interacting with the rest of the club. At first, it was just small moments with me, our quiet mornings in the kitchen encouraging her to open up. But as the last two weeks have pa.s.sed, she's finally opening up to everyone.

”f.u.c.k, dude. You're so f.u.c.king messed up. Everyone's too scared to f.u.c.king talk to her.” He knocks my shoulder at my growl. ”You've been walkin' around like someone p.i.s.sed in your breakfast ever since she came here. You haven't slept at your own place, and you've been cookin' for her. Should I alert the boys, tell them your b.a.l.l.s have been compromised?”

”f.u.c.k you. I'm not talking about this with you, Nix. Go talk your girly s.h.i.+t with Sy and Brooks.”

”Quit sulkin'. You don't have to talk to me about it. Just know everyone else is noticin'.

”Noticing what?” I bark, p.i.s.sed these f.u.c.kers are even talking about this s.h.i.+t. The last thing Mackenzie needs is to have the clubhouse discussing us.

”That you're p.u.s.s.y whipped.” His grin grows at my horror-filled face.

”I am not f.u.c.king whipped.” I grit my teeth, not at all agreeing with his a.s.sessment. f.u.c.k no.

”When was the last time you had a woman warming your bed?”

”And on that note, I'm out.” I stand, not at all interested in the conversation anymore. Nix might be my best friend, but I don't talk p.u.s.s.y with him. Ever. That s.h.i.+t is between me and the woman welcoming me between her thighs.

”I'll keep you posted on what we find out.” I take my beer and walk back inside. Nix doesn't call after me. He knows when I'm done. And after hearing the club is just waiting for something to happen with Kenzie and me, I am done.

Seven.

Mackenzie ”Can you do a load of my sheets please, Mackenzie?” A voice startles me from behind as I bend down and fill the washer with my sheets.

”Sure, just leave them here and I'll put them in the next load, Hunter.” I don't bother turning around. I know all the guys well enough now to recognize their voices.

It's been a month since I came to Rushford and moved in with the Rebels. It's taken that time for me to settle in, and get to know everyone. In the beginning, I only opened up to Beau. His constant presence wouldn't allow me to retreat into myself. Kelly was the second person I let in. Her sharing her past gave me something I could relate to and a closeness I haven't had since Heidi. Kelly has been patient and understanding and before I knew it, the closeness we shared moved on to the rest of the ladies in the club. All of them have taken me into their circle.

”Don't you dare, Mackenzie.” Kadence's voice echoes through the laundry room, and this time, I turn.

”It's no problem, Kadence. It's the least I can do. Besides, I like keeping busy.” I watch as her brow drops into a scowl at the news I'm going to be was.h.i.+ng Hunter's sheets.

”Please tell me you don't always do this?”

”Err.” I turn to Hunter not sure how I'm going to get him out of this one.

”Jesus, Hunter. You're a grown-a.s.s man.” Kadence shakes her head putting two and two together.

”It's not a big deal.” I try to save Hunter from the lecture he's about to receive. ”It makes the days go by.” I stop and take note of how depressing I sound.

Jesus, I've come to enjoy was.h.i.+ng sheets. Call me your modern-day Cinderella.

”Go find something to do, Hunter.” Kadence turns to face the youngest member of the Knights Rebels. He doesn't need to be told twice before hightailing it out of there. I know what's about to come next, so I turn back and finish my load.

”You need a job.” Kadence's next words are not what I was expecting. I was expecting my own kind of lecture, not for her to say what I've been thinking the last few weeks. I'm going crazy holed up in here.

”I know, but Beau doesn't think it's a good idea,” I tell her exactly what Beau said when I suggested it. One night after I had changed all the sheets, cleaned the kitchen, tidied behind the bar and still found myself walking around bored, I mentioned looking for a job to Beau and he quickly shut me down.

”Well, I'm sure we can think of something other than cleaning Hunter's sheets. I mean, who knows what's on them.”

”I honestly don't mind.” I cringe, knowing she's probably right. I don't pay too much attention to who Hunter takes to his bed, but I have noticed since his main girl left him a couple weeks ago, he has a new woman on his arm practically every night.

”I know you don't, which is what makes this even worse. You want to clean Hunter's sheets. Girl, this is bad.” I laugh at her disgusted tone, but don't argue anymore. She's right. This is bad.

Seriously, who likes doing laundry anyway?

”Well, what do you have in mind?” I ask, moving from the laundry and back out to the kitchen. Besides cleaning everyone's sheets, I've kept myself busy with baking. Something all the members are grateful for, even Beau when I make his favorite brownies.

”What did you do for work before you came here?”

”Before Chad I was a receptionist, and after I was a waitress.” My mind flicks to Fred and Carly. My boss and his wife from the diner I worked at in Ohio. It wasn't the most glorified job in the world, but I miss it. My boss was a good man, and even though he didn't know the extent of my past, he still helped me out more than anyone else has done in my life.

I need to call him, and let him know I'm safe.

”So yeah, I'm an all-round go-getter.” I force Fred and Carly out of my head and laugh at my own joke.

”What are you two talking about?” Holly looks up from the table, joining in on our conversation.

”Mackenzie needs a job.” Kadence takes the seat next to her and I move to fill my coffee cup.

”Oh, I was going to suggest something this week. I don't think I've ever seen the clubhouse so clean.” She points around the kitchen. She's right. I've spent virtually every day cleaning over and over.

”Not that we don't appreciate it, but I think it's time to step outside the clubhouse,” she adds and I nod in agreement. I've been here hiding out for over a month and no one has come for me. I think it's safe to say I'm not in any immediate danger.

”Okay, so do you know anyone who's hiring?” I move to the oven to check on the cake I'm baking. Chocolate mud cake, with orange glaze today.

”I know Jesse is,” Holly offers and I take a minute to think about it. Working with Jesse? It might work.

”It could work.”

”No,” both Kadence and Nix say at the same time. I look back watching Nix enter the kitchen and move to his wife.

”Not at the club, I mean help with his books.” Holly ignores Nix and Kadence making-out like teenagers, and explains her suggestion.

I hold in my smile as she rolls her eyes waiting for them to come up for air. After what feels like a minute, she gives up.

”h.e.l.lo, important discussion happening here. Get a room.” A giggle escapes my lips when Nix pulls back from Kadence and a slight blush coats her neck.

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