Shine Not Burn

Chapter Forty-Four

 

 

 

 

 

THE TWO MEN ROLLED AROUND in the dirt unencumbered, everyone making room for them to fight.

 

“What are you doing?!” I screamed as I scrambled out of the way, not sure which of them I was even talking to. Maybe it was the bloodthirsty crowd I was appealing to, but regardless, it didn’t matter. This fight was going to happen, and it was obvious no one was going to interfere.

 

“Stop! Okay, stop!” I got on my feet and held out my hands towards them, trying to see a way to get in between them.

 

Mack and Bradley completely ignored me, locked in an embrace that looked like a fighter’s waltz, each of them taking turns hitting each other in the gut.

 

Maeve was suddenly at my side, putting her arm around me. “Just let them work it out,” she said, pulling me back away from them.

 

“But it’s barbarian,” I exclaimed, watching as Mack landed a solid punch to Bradley’s cheek, snapping his head back and making him stumble.

 

“Sometimes it’s the fastest, easiest way for them to figure things out.”

 

“Maybe for Mack, but not Bradley.” His Brooks Brothers shirt was getting destroyed, already covered in ground-in dirt and grass stains. One of his loafers was off his foot and sitting on the outskirts of their fighting ring. I’d never seen him lose his temper, ever. It’s why he was still a part of my lifeplan, or had been before I’d come out here.

 

She snorted. “Sorry, sweetie, but even I can see that city boy’s a scrapper. He’s had plenty of fights of his own, I can promise you that.”

 

Once I paid closer attention, I realized she was right. Mack was winning, but Bradley wasn’t going down easy. Every time I thought it was going to be over, Bradley came back at Mack again and caught him unawares. They were almost evenly matched, but in the end, it was Mack who had the stamina and strength to win out.

 

Angus, Ian, and Boog moved in to separate them when they were doing more hugging than fighting. Both of them were bleeding in the face and across their knuckles, and neither one of them could stand up straight anymore.

 

Maeve squeezed me once before letting go. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get your men cleaned up.”

 

“They’re not my men,” I said petulantly, embarrassed she saw them that way.

 

“They are until you officially let them go.”

 

I followed behind her reluctantly as the men led the fighters up the front steps and into the house. I’d thought the scene outside in front of everyone was embarrassing, but something told me this one was going to be worse. Now it was just the close MacKenzie family there to witness my shame. There would be no buffers and no running away this time.