Mac (Riders of Apollo #8)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Evangeline White

I leave feeling my blood simmering with the need to bash her head through the fucking table. Who does she think she is? She's been gone for years and now she thinks she can stake a claim on Mac. I've never felt such rage before and I'm a mother for God's sake so this woman will likely be put down if I see her again.

I've never had such an instinctive need to claim someone before, just Mac's name in her mouth had me foaming at the mouth. I'm pissed that I have Gigo my word now because now I have to wait for that idiot to make a mistake and meet me again, then I'll be allowed to have some real fun.

She wants to think she's the best, fine, she can feed her own ego but I'll be happy to prove her wrong. Alaric watches me with cautious eyes, knowing I'm gritting my teeth and fighting the urge to storm back inside and use all of torture training on her. Not only for coming back to try and claim him but for hurting him in the first place too.

"The clubhouse please, Alaric." He smiles at me as I slide into the back of the car. I am going to beat the life out of Bear for comparing me to that woman and I am doing it while my anger is still raging. I can't even see the slightest resemblance between the two of us and I want him dead for even insinuating such a disgusting thing. 

Unfortunately, my temper calms down over the four hour drive and my body relaxes now I'm back in familiar territory. I'm always on edge when I'm outside Rider territory, not only because I know every single back street here but I like being close to the people I live to protect.

They're probably watching out the windows for me, I can see their faces lingering behind the glass as I pass Alaric his tip and head inside. He grips my hand and gives me a look, the same one that he's been giving me for years, the 'you need to calm down' look. I smile falsely, hoping to relieve him but he doesn't believe me as he knows me well enough.

I head into the building, already feeling better as I drop my bag by Mac's chair and raise my hands to stop the incoming swathe of people. 

"One second, darlings, I have something to do first." I grab one of the cushions off the couch and advance on Bear and start smacking him with it, everyone watches both amused and surprised. "If you," Smack, "compare me to," smack, smack, "that daft," smack, smack, smack, "bimbo ever again, I will," Mac grabs me around the waist and hauls me away from Bear, the cushion yanked away by Bear himself. "Kill you." 

"Hey! It was only fair." Bear tries to defend himself and Mac tightens his grip on my waist to stop me from pouncing on the arsehole as I sharpen my glare. "Okay! Never again!" He raises his hands in surrender and I smile in success. 

"Okay, now I'm available for hugs." Mac lets me down so I can squeeze all of the girls, I have missed them more than anything. Lexie almost breaks my ribs in her excitement to hug me and I hold her face in my hands, trying to figure out why she would be so upset. "What's wrong, lovely?" 

I stroke her jaw, focusing on her as she gets teary eyed again. "I'm sorry..." I tilt my head, keeping her close to me as I try and calm her down. "My mom died today, a long time ago." I sigh softly and bring her back into my embrace, folding her into my chest as she cries softly. Bear stands and heads over, happy to take her off of me to comfort her himself but she refuses to let go of me. 

I wave him off, reassuring him that I can handle it. I've had people sob on me from the age of seven, at this point it is part of my job description. I figure I've managed to secure the position as her mother figure, as I am for the others, and she needs that familial comfort, something her husband can't offer at this point. 

After a few more minutes, Bear succeeds in coaxing her away and she sighs accepting his comfort, backing away from me to sit down on Bear's lap. I spin around and spot Mac, who has been watching me this entire time, sat in his chair with scotch in his hand. That better be the good scotch. 

I sit down on the arm of his chair and his hand lands on the small of my back as he passes me the glass. Good thing it is the good stuff because I'm thirsty. I drink the entire thing, I don't care if he wanted it I just had to deal with his bitchy ex so I need this more than he does. "You okay?" Peyton asks first as I yank the bottle out of Mac's hand that he tries to keep from me.

"Besides a touch of homicidal rage, I'm fine." I give her the same fake smile I gave Alaric and neck another mouthful of scotch. 

"You didn't kill her." Runner states the obvious and I roll my eyes.

"I'll kill her later. I made a stupid deal with Gigo, the disrespectful arsehole." I grumble as Mac squeezes my waist in an effort to calm me down. "I can't believe you were with her, Mac." I exclaim as he tugs the bottle away from me. He's lucky I won't hurt him because I would've just to get that bottle back.

"My mistake, darlin'. You're not having this back." 

"Your mistake is intent on getting killed by me so you'll give that bottle back just for causing such a disturbance in my serene life." He gives me a look that is basically calling me out on my bullshit. My life has never been serene and now that I'm involved in a biker club, it never will be. Not that I mind, I thrive in chaos. "Okay, fine. Not serene but it was a lot better before she walked in with that god awful hairstyle and an ego that could suffocate Matias." 

"I'm sorry, Eva, what do you want me to do?" 

"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure she'll be at the signing tomorrow so I'll be able to deal with it myself." 

"You're going to kill her?" He seems amused at my craving to tear her throat out, it's likely he wants to do it too but it's only fair that I get to since his claim is on me now not her. "What about Gigo? Won't that cause problems with the treaty?"

I think about it, "I doubt it, I'm the one thing they can't negotiate. Sure they can stop me from working with either party but they can't stop me from working for myself. If I see fit to murder her, they wouldn't stop me. It wouldn't stop the treaty either."

"What if Gigo asks you to give him your word that you won't harm her?" I glare at him, wishing for him to fork over the bottle of scotch that is resting on the table by his side of the chair. I would launch myself across it but I'm ladylike and that certainly wouldn't be. 

"My word would only hold for that meeting alone and would be null and void if she antagonised me. They know this." Mac raises his eyebrows in surprise. 

"She antagonises you just by breathing."

"Exactly! You're starting to understand. He asks me not to, I hold out for a few more minutes, then I get to do as I please. I'm an uncontrollable variable, everyone in that meeting knows that, they won't make decisions without considering me as well. So, if she makes the decision to attend, despite my warning, then I can do whatever I want." I decide to just do it and reach across him for the scotch, he lets me take it and I pour myself a heavy helping.

"This is not going to end well."