Page 30 of Mac (Demented Souls #7)

M ac wanted to growl at Elyse, he didn't like the way she was pushing herself back to work, but she was a grown woman and got to make her own decisions, no matter what he thought about them.

He wanted to tell her she was being stupid, but he was only her neighbor, her friend and maybe as far as her lover, but he didn't think he had the right to tell her to do, or not do, anything.

All he could do was tell her what he thought and sit, or stand, by and watch her do what she thought was right.

He finished the dishes then turned to where she sat at the table watching him.

"What now?" he asked as he tugged her to her feet and pulled her against him. He liked having here there, snug against his belly or side. The warmth of her body reassured him she was there and okay.

He could still picture the way she'd looked yesterday when he'd been unable to wake her.

Pale and fragile. If he could, he'd find a way to fix everything and make it so she never looked like that again.

But he didn't have the magic that would take.

He'd have to settle for taking care of her as best as she would allow.

Not that it was all that much, or nearly enough to suit him.

"I don't know. Is there anything on TV tonight?"

"I don't know. I don't watch it enough to know what's on when. I just look for something interesting when I turn it on."

"Then let's do that." She tried to pull away, but he held on to her, instead walking with his arms around her into the living room. He would have carried her but knew she'd protest if he tried.

They settled onto the sofa, Mac sitting back while Elyse curled up against him, snuggled in and watched the screen as he flipped through the channels.

She didn't seem to care what they watched, only that they were together, and she got to half lay on him.

Mac didn't want her going anywhere, so he was content with the arrangement as well.

After he found something to watch, or at least listen to, Mac spent as much of the evening watching Elyse as he did the TV.

She looked so much better than the day before, or even than she had just this morning, but he couldn't help but worry.

Even after Kinard told him she'd likely be just fine after a little more rest.

Elyse's breathing told him she'd fallen asleep again about fifteen minutes into the second program. He debated for a moment about turning the TV off and carrying her to bed, but she seemed comfortable and he didn't want to disturb her, not yet.

When the program ended, he turned off the TV and watched her for a few minutes before realizing if she woke up and caught him watching her like this, she would probably think he was some kind of creep. Well, maybe not since she'd fallen asleep right there, but still.

He scooped her up, she stirred a little but didn't wake, instead she rubbed her face against his chest, taking a deep breath and letting it as he carried her into the bedroom.

Once more, he laid her on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her before slipping from the room.

He'd considered leaving. Going back to his place and letting her sleep by herself.

But he couldn't get the way she'd stopped him from leaving early out of his head.

Instead he uses the restroom, then checked the doors and windows before going back into the bedroom, getting undressed and sliding into the bed beside her.

As soon as he lay down, she seemed to sense he was there, probably from the movement, but she moved toward him, as if he were some kind of magnet.

As soon as she curled into him, she let out a long sigh and relaxed even more.

Mac found himself smiling into the darkness as he wondered how she would react if she knew how she clung to him in her sleep.

He didn't think it would upset her but still, it would be interesting.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close while turning his mind to the next day.

He didn't want to go back to their normal lives, but he couldn't see any way around it.

There was no way he'd be able to keep her from going back to work, and with her gone, there was no reason for him not to.

Besides, there were a couple jobs in the shop that needed his attention.

His guys were good, but none of them had as much experience or knew some of the older cars as well as he did.

Then there was the issue with the Souls and that trafficking ring. He'd need to check in with Tuck to see how things were going with that.

I t was two before Mac found the time to break away from the shop to grab a bite to eat.

He let Jake know where he was going, then he headed next door to the clubhouse.

He figured he'd have whoever was working the bar fix him something to eat and see what was going on with Tuck and that operation, killing two birds with one stone.

He stepped in the door and glanced around to see who was there.

Jailbait washed dishes behind the bar while a couple of the older, no longer active Souls sat at the far end of bar.

Crash sat on the couch in front of the tv watching what looked like a basketball game, but it was too far away to tell who was playing and Mac didn't care enough to go look.

He spotted Tuck sitting at his usual table near one corner of the large room and started in his direction, catching Jailbait's eye and waving her over on his way.

"Hey, how's your day?" Mac pulled up a chair to the table where Tuck sat and joined him.

"It's going," the president didn't seem fazed by Mac's two-day absence, but Jailbait stepped up just a few seconds later.

"What can I get the two of you?"

"Can I bother you for something to eat?" Mac asked. "I couldn't get away from the shop until just now and I'm starving."

"Sure, no problem. Want anything to drink?"

"Coffee would be good. Thanks."

"And you?" She turned to Tuck.

"Just coffee."

"Coming right up." She spun on her heel and disappeared.

"Busy day?"

"Catching up." Mac shrugged. He'd known it would be a busy day but had forgotten his stash of food in the office had run out last week and he hadn't replenished it.

Normally he had things like granola bars and a big bag of almonds in the office he could get into when he didn't have time for lunch, but things had been busy and he hadn't replaced them, more than that, he'd forgotten he needed to.

"Anything new on the other situation?" Mac didn't want to say too much, not while there were people who might not know as much as he did, namely the retirees at the bar and Jailbait, but he still wanted to know if there was anything new.

"I've got Gizmo looking into things, but nothing solid yet."

"You'll let me know if you find anything? Anything more than what we already know?"

"You know I will." Tuck sat back and watched Mac for a moment. "I understand you had a rough couple of days."

Mac lifted one shoulder and looked away. He had an unexplainable interest in the basketball game on the big screen across the room. "It's not been the easiest but there's not been any danger, so I guess I've had worse days."

Tuck was quiet so long, Mac turned back to look at him, half expecting there to be some problem, instead he found the president watching him, wearing a look of interest.

"Why? Did you hear something else?"

"Not really, only that there was something wrong with your girl, then you called, and you were worriedand had Jake cover at the shop for two days.I take it things worked out all right?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." Mac fell quiet until after Jailbait returned with his food, two cups and a pot of coffee. Neither Jake nor Mac took anything in their coffee, so she didn't need to worry about carrying that too.

"Anything else?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"No, this is great." Mac looked down at the plate, his mouth watered.

"We're good, thanks."

She walked away and Mac looked back to the president. "What do you know about migraines?"

"Not a lot, I've known a couple of people who get them occasionally but not many. Why? Is that what was wrong?" Tuck frowned. "I didn't know they were something that showed up this late in life. Are you sure there's not something else wrong?"

"Not me," Mac shook his head, wondering why the other man thought he was the one with the headaches.

He shook his head. "No, it was Elyse. She had a headache bad enough she took more of her special medication than she normally does.

She ended up sleeping more than twenty-four hours, she did get up a few times but only to use the bathroom and when she was up, she didn'tact like normal.

She was almost a zombie. Not hearing or reacting to me at all.

" Mac shook his head. "It was too weird.

I was worried about her, not sure what was wrong.

Turns out she'd taken more of the medication than she normally did, because her headache was worse than usual, and apparently that's a side effect. "

"I've never seen that."

"I hadn't either, hadn't even heard about it but Kinard couldn't find anything wrong and told me it could be the medication the first time he came, then after she'd woken up, when he checked her again, he said all was fine and that's most likely the cause.

" Mac looked away again. "I'd rather deal with a chase or a shoot-out than spend another day like that one.

At least then I have the illusion of a little control. "

Tuck chuckled. "It's not control, it's that you have something to keep you busy and you're not thinking about the possibilities."