Mac (Riders of Apollo #8)

Chapter Thirty-Four: Mackenzie Grant

That's Dierdre. 

Dierdre is out to dinner with my woman and two Russian leaders. Thank God Bear got Romeo to pull up this meeting after Eva told me about it because I wouldn't believe her if she told me Dierdre was there. "That's Dierdre!" Gears shouts, staring at the same screen as I am. I give him a look that clearly reads 'duh' as I watch Eva stare at Dierdre unflinchingly. 

"Turn it up." Bear demands and Romeo does so. 

"You're not an upgrade. You're a whore." Dierdre is hissing like she used to when we were younger. She has aged physically a lot faster than I thought she would but she still seems immature and insecure. Her insecurity is understandable as she sits opposite a formidable and gorgeous woman. 

"Reformed." Eva points out with a bright smile. "It's alright, Iosif, you may leave. Send me the contract when it's completed and I shall add some clauses myself. I'm sure Gigo will stay to monitor this communication. I will see you tomorrow." We watch as Iosif takes the order, helping his wife out of her chair and leading her to the car. Dierdre is trying to glare a hole in Eva's head, Gigo looks bored and Eva looks unruffled.

God, I love her.

"You're fucking my Rider." Eva stifles a laugh at Dierdre's words and I hold in my growl, I can feel people staring at me as Dierdre stakes a claim that fell years ago. Her cut is burned, she's gone and can never come back. 

"Well... he is mine now. Though I understand your confusion." Eva shrugs, accepting another glass of scotch from the waiter. I can't help but enjoy her staking a claim on me in return for the one I stamped on her last night. 

"Who do you think you are?" Dierdre is getting even more frustrated at the lack of reaction on Eva's behalf, she seems more amused than scared. "Mackenzie has been mine since we were fifteen, we have a history, you have nothing." 

"Uh huh, keep going, love. Tell me about the history of you two." Eva actually seems interested in this conversation. "Oh, if you want to go, Gigo, you can."

"I want your word that you won't kill her." 

"You have my undying word, I won't kill her."

"You can't hurt her either." Eva rolls her head to look up at a now standing Gigo, who is very hesitant to leave Dierdre with Eva. She nods her head in agreement and Gigo takes his leave, his guards following behind him. 

"He didn't leave any guards." Dierdre watches in confusion, obviously forgetting Eva is there.

"It's alright, dear. I gave him my word that I wouldn't harm you besides the guards wouldn't have been able to stop me anyway. So, what were you saying? Carry on with your story of love at first sight and then betrayal." Eva embellishes. I want to go to her, to stand by her side and deal with this bitch together but it would take me over four hours to get there and it will all be over by then.

"He is mine. He staked his claim on me, I wore his jacket for years."

"Wore." Eva points out causing Dierdre's face to crinkle up as she debates her next step. 

"He loves me."

"Loved." 

"No, loves. You never give up on your first love, no matter what."

"I think you know why he gave up on you, Dierdre. North Plains Hospital remind you of anything?" I watch as all the heads in the room turn to look at me, obviously wondering why a hospital would have anything to do with the break up of our relationship. Reign gives me an understanding look so I turn back to the screen feeling completely on edge. 

"I couldn't have that baby, bitch. I was working for Gigo and he told me to get rid of the child or I couldn't spy for him anymore." 

"She was a fucking Russian spy!" Bear hisses, lobbing the remote at the wall and finally understanding why everything went to shit. They know now that she had an abortion, even if they don't know how late it was or that she used my money to bribe them for it, so they empathise with me over why I was so heart broken at the break up. 

"I didn't even get any good intel off of the stupid fuck, he was always so loyal to his President and always told me he didn't know a thing. He was always lying." It looks like our entire relationship was a ruse, I knew she was manipulating me from the beginning but I didn't realise it was to this extent. 

Strangely, I'm not even hurt by it. I don't feel anything towards the woman, I don't want to waste any energy on her now that I have Eva. 

"He is still mine though, bitch. You don't get to just move into town whenever you please and force him to get over me. I will always be a part of his life." Eva laughs then. Her beautiful laugh rings out as her head tilts back to allow for it. Dierdre obviously doesn't appreciate being laughed at and shuffles uncomfortably in her seat and sharpens her glare. 

"Okay, love. Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep better at night."

"I am better than you in every way." 

"Oh? Do tell."

"I have money, a lot of it, I'm a well trained spy and I know exactly how to treat him right." 

"Let me explain something to you, darling." Eva stands and leans over Dierdre, resting her hand on the table by her side. "My name is known worldwide. I have been hired by world leaders and I have been hired by heads of entire mafias that span the planet. You are a woman from his past, someone he does not care for anymore. I am the woman for his future. So, what you're going to do is take your eighties arse back to wherever you came from and if you come back my word is null and void. I will kill you and I will make it hurt, you understand?"

I love that woman with everything inside of me. 

"I could take you." Dierdre stands too, almost touching Eva in her efforts to keep her bravado intact. You can tell she's terrified though as she stakes her life on Eva's word. 

"I would think not though I acknowledge your confidence." Eva starts walking away, her hair and her hips swinging sensually, "get out of town, darling. My word lasted for this meeting alone so I suggest you never see me again."