Page 65 of Alec’s Dream

“Macy was swamped today.”

Macy wasn’t swamped, she was avoiding Joss. That didn’t rankle—that pissed him right the fuck off. But he’d expected it. He knew she was going to try to pull away from his daughter when Rory pointed out that Joss called Macy mama. The point was hammered home when Rory proved Joss could say Macy.

Sure, it came out as May in baby babble, but Joss knew how to say Macy. His daughter didn’t call her mama because she couldn’t enunciate. He’d already known that when he, too, had asked Joss to say Macy. But Alec hadn’t planned on ever bringing it up.

He’d simply processed the information, found he liked his daughter calling Macy mama, and was leaving it at that.

Now he was super-pissed.

Alec had made himself clear last night he wasn’t going anywhere. Being as he planned on being in her life—therefore, she was going to be in his daughter’s and her kids in his—pulling away wasn’t going to work.

“Thanks, Veronica.”

Alec headed out to the SUV, buckled a crying Joss into her car seat, then drove directly to Macy’s.

When he pulled in front of her house, he was no less pissed but schooled his temper as he got Jocelyn free from her seat and headed up Macy’s walk. He clocked the cruiser sitting across the street and was glad for it.

Josh Malone was a slippery fucker and still hadn’t been found. Jonny was working every angle and Gemini Group was helping. Not only with Malone. McKenna was trying to get a lock on Dickweed Doug but he hadn’t turned on his cell, nor had he used any credit cards. So he was in the wind and there were no leads. Chasin was actually already on the road hitting up all of Doug’s known associates. If he couldn’t get anything local, he’d head to New Jersey tonight to look into a hangout that Doug apparently frequented.

Alec knocked on the front door and was pleased when Macy checked the window before she opened the door.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Alec was momentarily taken aback by the bruising on her face. Just the sight of the greenish coloring on her cheek made him murderous. Coupled with the cuts and deep red staining under her left eye, her injuries had Alec taking a deep breath to push all his anger toward Malone and Spencer aside. He had other, more important things to deal with at the moment.

“Mama!” Joss struggled to get to Macy and Alec willingly handed her over.

“This isn’t cool, Alec. It’s confusing Joss. We need to start putting some distance—”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Seriously. If you’d listen to me and stop this craziness, you’d know it was the right thing to do. It’s not fair to Jocelyn.”

“What’s not fair is today the woman my daughter loves rejected her.”

Alec knew he was being a dick. He didn’t need to see Macy flinch as he delivered the blow.

“That was low, Alec,” she whispered.

“Did you not? Veronica couldn’t get her down for a nap today. Did it even bother you that Joss wanted you? That if you would’ve taken Joss, she would’ve gone right down?”

“I’m doing the right thing.” Macy defended as she rubbed Jocelyn’s back. “Do you think this is easy for me? I love her. Of course it bothered me. I wanted to go into the nap room and sweep her up. Every single second tore at my heart, you big jerk. But it’s not healthy. I’m not her mom, she has to get used to—”

“No, she doesn’t. She’s used to you. She loves you. And you might not be her mom but you’re the closest thing she has and you know it. I’m not letting you do this.”

Pain sliced through Macy’s gaze and tears formed in the corners of her pretty eyes. He’d feel bad about being a dick later after he’d made his point, when she’d agree to stop this stupid shit.

“That’s not fair.”

“Never said I’d play fair, Macy. I told you I was playing to win. Part of that is getting as dirty as I have to.”

“Even if that dirty means you hurt me?”

“I’d never do anything to hurt you. And if I believed you weren’t into me I wouldn’t be pushing you. But I know you are and you’re just shit scared.”

Macy’s torso swung forward, careful to keep Jocelyn steady. “I told you I was scared. I asked you to leave me alone. I admitted I wouldn’t survive you when you finally woke up and came to your senses and decided you wanted nothing to do with me. Yet, here you are, using Jocelyn as a weapon. Newsflash, Alec, you are hurting me. And F you for doing it.”

Macy had no idea that when she listed the reasons she couldn’t be with him she only strengthened his resolve. If she didn’t feel something for him, she’d survive if he left. And her admitting she was scared only made him want to take the fear away. As for Jocelyn? If he wasn’t certain she was the woman he wanted for both himself and for his daughter, he would wholeheartedly agree they’d need to work together to get Joss to connect with the other women who worked at the daycare.