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Mac had grown up in a loud, busy house filled with siblings who were always wary of an attack at the hands of their father. In some families, he was pretty sure that kind of environment would foster a tight-knit group. In the Draper house? Not so much. It was every man for himself, and other than Becca, he wasn’t real close to any of his brothers or sisters.
The Bad Boys had been his family—Cain, Jake, and Jesse.
“They were tight. Real tight,” Jake acknowledged. “After Jesse died, I headed back to base and went to see Blake, who’d been brought back and was in a hospital there. He’d been in a coma for weeks, and that’s where I met Lily. She was…” A ghost of a smile lit up Jake’s face. “She was fierce and broken and crazy.”
Jake glanced at Mac. “You think your family is fucked up? Hers would give yours a run for the money. I think Blake was her anchor, and she went a little bit crazy when he decided to enlist, and when he was hurt…” Shadows crept into his eyes and Jake shuddered. “We were both in a bad place and we got each other through.”
Mac watched his friend closely. “Were you guys…did you and Lily…” What the hell? He couldn’t even vocalize his thoughts because the idea of Jake and Lily together rubbed him the wrong way, and he had no right to even go there.
“Nah,” Jake answered quietly, with a shrug. “One night things got a little out of hand, but we shut it down before it went too far. It was nothing more than a combination of tequila, the fact that Blake had taken a turn for the worse, and well, I was convinced that I had screwed things up with Raine for good. I hadn’t been home in months, and I tried like hell to forget her but…”
“Glad you worked things out.”
“Yeah,” Jake said with a slow smile. “We fit. I don’t know how, but it’s all good.”
Mac took a sip of his beer, eyes narrowed as Hubber moved in closer to Lily. They stood around a bonfire near the water. She’d doffed her sundress hours ago, and even though dusk was settling, it was still hot as hell. God, the woman filled out a bikini like nobody’s business.
His eyes got hung up somewhere between the toned, flat expanse of skin above the waistband of her bottoms and the way her top cupped those amazing breasts. Her ponytail was long gone, and wild waves tumbled down her shoulders. Her skin was golden, and he had the urge to pull down that damn waistband, just to see if there was a tan line or not.
“Why is she here?” he asked abruptly. Hubber’s hands were still on her shoulders, and he didn’t like the fact that she seemed really comfortable with them there. Had he read everything wrong?
Jake shrugged. “She had no place else to be.”
Mac finally dragged his eyes from Lily and looked at his friend. “She’s obviously single, but why would she want to settle in Crystal Lake? I’d think New York or LA would be more her speed.”
“I guess you’d have to ask her that,” Jake said.
Hubber leaned closer to Lily, his mouth next to her ear—she didn’t move away, and Mac was damn sure anyone looking at them would think they were a couple.
Mac didn’t like it one bit because he knew he wasn’t wrong—there was a lot of heat between him and the lady. Heat and attraction and the scorching memory of what had to be one of the best nights of his life.
Mac nodded. “Yeah. I think I will.”
He’d been a good boy—he’d given her space for the day—but he was done being good. Hell, he’d passed good about two hours ago and wanted to be bad.
He wanted to be bad with Boston.
Mac got up and rolled his shoulders, smiling automatically at a squealing Shelli Gouthro as she stumbled toward him, though his eyes never wavered from his goal.
“Mackenzie Draper,” Shelli said, obviously drunk. “You never texted me back.”
With an inward groan, he kept the smile on his face. Christ, he didn’t want to deal with Shelli. She was sweet—easy but sweet—and he usually made time for her when he was home. Why wouldn’t he? The girl was up for anything, but tonight she was the last thing on his mind.
“Sorry, Shells, I was busy.”
She pouted, pushing her tits up as she stretched her arms above her head.
“But we always get together when you’re home.” Shelli tried to grab him, but Mackenzie was quick and sidestepped her, eyes locking on to Lily’s as she turned toward him.
For a moment, something passed between the two of them, something hot and electric, and his gut clenched in response.
“Not this time,” he said, pushing past Shelli, his eyes still on Lily. Blair glanced up and said something to her, his mouth close to her ear, and a shot of anger rifled through Mac. He glowered at the man as he strode toward them.
“Mac!” someone shouted, but he ignored it.
Raine was a few feet away, chatting with Tammy George, and she stepped in front of him just before he reached the bonfire.
“What’s got you so riled?” she asked lightly.
