“This is the part where you tell us we’re just good for a fuck but that’s it?” Liam continued. “Or some other equally arseholish remark?”
Mack’s eyes cut to Liam. “And if it is?”
“Bullshit.” Liam took a step toward them. “Why can’t you just admit it? There’s something here but you’re terrified of it.”
“I’m not afraid of anything.” Mack glared at Liam.
Liam smirked. “He says as he runs away with his tail between his legs.”
Mack took a step forward like he wanted to punch Liam again. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
Calla stepped between them. “So tell us.” She placed a hand on Mack’s chest, which glistened with sweat and little bits of dust and dirt from their vigorous activities. She didn’t want to think what a mess she must be. She focused in on Mack’s eyes.
“Liam’s right. There’s something here between us. All of us.” She glanced Liam’s way before moving her eyes back to Mack. “Something special. Something good.” It was an echo of Mack’s words that first day and she hoped she was getting through to him. “Life’s too short not to grab ahold of something good before it’s gone.”
By the way the hard lines of Mack’s face went soft, she could tell he remembered. His eyes were full of pain, though. “Not sure I got any special to give.” He stepped forward and ran his thumb down her cheek. “This ain’t where my road is headed, sweetheart. I meant it when I said I’m leaving in three months.”
He was wrong about the special, Calla was sure of that. Calla had known a lot of folks in her life and never come across special the likes of Mackenzie Knight or Liam O’Neill. Still, Calla nodded. “So give us three months.”
It just popped out of her mouth. She hadn’t thought it through. But Mack was right about grabbing hold of good before it was gone. God knew it was the way she ought to be living her life. She never knew when life as she knew it could be over. And it would be cruel to ever get in a real relationship without telling the person there was every chance she was a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode their lives. No, even the damn fortune cookie knew it was smarter to live life the way Mack was suggesting.
No future. No tomorrow.
“We take it a day at a time,” she said, reaching out for Mack’s hand. “But we live the hell out of every moment while we’ve got it.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” Mack bit out, his hands balled into fists. Calla grabbed hold of it anyway. Liam’s head was swinging back and forth, looking to her, then Mack. Calla grabbed Liam’s hand in her other one, connecting the three of them.
Mack just stared down at their hands for a moment. And then, with a full body sigh like he was giving in against his will, Mack interweaved his fingers with hers.
Calla pulled both of their hands to her chest over her heart so Mack and Liam’s knuckles touched.
“So we’re all in?” She looked back and forth from Liam to Mack.
Liam’s eyebrows wagged up and down. “Ménage with benefits till we get sick of each other? Count me the fuck in.”
Mack rolled his eyes but nodded.
Calla grinned brilliantly, pulling both of them close and hugging them at the same time. Her heart raced with a happiness so full she felt high with it. She was elated. Ecstatic. Euphoric.
And when it ended?
And if the test results came back positive?
And if she slowly lost her mind? With no family? No money? Nothing to live for?
She shook her head and let all the negative thoughts go with it. She kissed first Liam and then Mack.
Live each day like it’s your last, motherfuckers.
21
MACK
Mack didn’t know why he hadn’t immediately said hell no to Calla’s ridiculous proposal that day in the barn two weeks ago. He ought to be focused only on his training. Every minute spent hardening his mind and body so he’d be ready when he came face to face with that evil fuck.
But then he’d think about what Calla was offering and, well, if there were no strings… He could still leave in three months. No harm, no foul. Friends with benefits, that’s what Liam called it, right?
Except Mack didn’t have friends. So what the fuck was he doing?
Well, for one, he was standing in Liam’s room just like he did almost every night, watching Calla slip through the door.
Liam had the biggest bed so his room had become the unofficial fuck pad. It wasn’t every night—sometimes after a day of hard work, one or the other of them fell asleep while waiting for the rest of the household to go to bed. But more nights than not, they’d meet up in Liam’s room by the light of Liam’s dim nightstand lamp.