Page 39 of Alec’s Dream

“No, Macy. I wasn’t with Jaime at all. She was…”

Fuck, how did he explain what Jaime was? Meaningless. A stranger. A bitch for keeping his child a secret.

“Jaime was what, Alec?”

“A one-night stand. I met her in a bar, we hit it off, went back to my place. I fucked her and the next morning she was gone.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Macy’s hand came up and she brushed some wayward strands of hair from Joss’s face.

“Mamamama,” Joss chanted and Macy’s eyelids drifted closed.

“There’s nothing to say. Twice now we’ve talked about Jaime, both times you’ve looked at me with sadness. I needed to be honest with you, needed you to know that while I hurt for my daughter because she lost someone special, I am not upset about Jaime being gone. I didn’t lose a damn thing—as a matter of fact, I gained everything.”

Macy looked like she had a million questions. But before she could ask, her cell rang.

“Sorry, I have to take that. Normally I wouldn’t, but with my kids not being with me…” Macy shrugged and Alec understood what she was saying without further explanation.

One-handed, Macy rummaged through her purse then pulled out her phone. Smiling, she answered, “Hey, I’m kinda busy. Everything okay?”

Macy’s smile faded and she gently lowered herself to her knees. She set Joss down in front of the coffee table, making sure the little girl was holding on and steady before she moved back and sat on the floor.

“Can you hear what they’re saying?” Macy asked.

It wasn’t Macy’s words that concerned Alec, it was the way her brows pulled together and her mouth curled in disgust.

“No! Are you crazy? Don’t you dare go out there. Where’s Rob and the boys?” There was a brief pause. “No, Becky, I’m being serious. Stay in your house. As long as Josh doesn’t get near my kids, I’ll deal with it later.” Macy’s eyes closed and she shook her head. “Call Jonny and say what? Doug and Josh are talking in the driveway? There’s nothing I can do.”

Alec’s blood heated hearing her ex’s name. That, and she’d said Rob and Becky’s name, who he could only assume were the Keenes. Being as Becky was McKenna’s friend, he’d met the woman in passing a few times. She was a nut.

Becky was sweet as she could be to those she liked but a snarly Rottweiler when someone threatened those she loved. Alec had seen it when McKenna had almost been killed by Richard Dillinger. She’d lost her shit on Dillinger’s son, and to this day anytime she saw Dick Dillinger she aimed her attitude and even her car in his direction. Alec wouldn’t be surprised if one of these days Becky came home with a dented hood in the shape of Dick.

What Alec hated the most was the way Macy had gone from angry to defeated.

“Thanks for the call. I’m at Alec’s, I have to go.” Macy jerked and pulled the phone away from her ear. Any other time, Becky’s squeal would’ve made Alec chuckle. But right then he was too concerned with what was happening at Dickless Doug’s house. “Jeez, Beck, break my eardrums. I’ll call you later.”

“What’s going on?” Alec asked as soon as Macy put her phone down.

“Nothing.”

Macy feigned nonchalance—however she was shit at hiding her emotions and wore them like a second skin.

She was worried.

“Babe, if you haven’t figured it out, I know when you’re lying.”

“Do you know how freaking annoying it is to be called a liar?”

Macy stood, irritation flaring, and Alec couldn’t hold back.

In two strides, he was in her space. Then a beat later, his mouth was on hers.

The spark was immediate and he knew she felt it too when she jolted. Macy’s mouth opened, Alec's tongue slipped in, hers glided against his, and that was it.

She was his.

To take and to protect.

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