Steal You Away

Chapter Thirty

"Hey, darlin', I was just about to go looking for you," Chase said, pushing himself out of his chair just in the nick of time to snag Mackenzie as she hurled herself at him. "Whoa there!" he caught her and staggered back, laughing at her exuberance. The warm smile of greeting on his lips quickly vanished when he glanced down and took in the look of pure panic on her face. Every nerve in his body switched into high alert at the way she trembled, burrowing her flushed cheeks into the collar of his shirt. Instinctively, his arms tightened, cradling her close to him while his eyes scanned for anything that could be the cause of her fright. "What happened?" he asked, his voice becoming a guttural growl when he saw nothing out of the ordinary that would explain her behavior.

"I...uh..." Wide green eyes darted from him and his brother to over where his mother sat, Olivia's face a mask of shock and concern. Shaking her head, she swallowed hard. "N...nothing. Everything's fine."

She tried to push away from him, but when he refused to let her go, she looked up at him. Tears glistened in her eyes, making anger snake down his spine as she valiantly tried to blink them away and hold herself together. Chase felt his temper flare. Not over the fact she was lying because it was clear as glass that she was, but because she felt it was necessary to.

Looking over the top of her head, he saw Trent standing there staring at them, a perfect picture of tension and a whole lot of what the fuck painted on his face. Chase could sense him struggling to keep his outrage under rigid control, but it was on a hair trigger. Trent normally was always testy and on edge, but since meeting Mackenzie, it was if she had become a soothing balm to his soul. But something like this...he looked back down at the trembling woman in his arms...would be enough to push his brother into the realm of crazy unlike anyone had ever seen. Trent was like a bomb that needed defusing, and quick before he tore down half of Rapture.

"Bullshit. You're not fine," Chase muttered. Scooping her up in his arms, he plunked his ass down in his chair and settled her more securely in his lap. But instead of her melting her sweet self into him as she usually did, she remained stiff and unbending. Her spine as straight as an arrow while her trembling hands gathered in her lap started spinning the damn silver ring with quick fretful twists. "Dammit, Mackenzie, you're as white as a sheet. You know you can talk to us about anything, don't you, darlin'?" He spoke as calmly as possible, trying to coax her into telling him what was bothering her. "Did someone upset you?" Chase gently turned her chin to face him, but she only shook her head and pulled away from his hold.

"Don't lie to us, woman!" Trent barked, slamming his fist on the table making everyone jump, his face the very definition of rage. He shifted forward, and cupped Mackenzie's jaw, twisting her reluctant head to face them once again. "You tell us what happened or so help me..."

"Trent Stark, you stop bullying her right this minute!" Olivia rose from her seat, and quickly poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the table, setting it in front of Mackenzie. "Here, drink this, sweetie," she said gently. Kneeling down, she placed a motherly hand on Mackenzie's shoulder before whirling around to shove a waggling warning finger in front of Trent's nose. "You need to settle yourself down, young man or I'm going to give you a timeout!"

Trent grunted, curving a skeptical brow at his mother. "I'm a little too old for you to be threatening me with a timeout, mom."

"I'd listen to her, son, because if she doesn't give you one, then we will."

Chase jerked his head up to see his three dad's looming over the table, and none of them looked happy. A little shocked inhale turned his focus to Mackenzie. The color slowly drained from her face as she took in his family. Great. Just what he didn't need right now. His dads were daunting on a good day when they were pleasant and smiled, but like this, they were downright frightening.