Burning desire

Steven|14

"Baby I'm preying on you tonight
Hunt you down eat you alive
Just like animals
Animals"
                                               -Animals
                                             (Maroon 5)

I have to say I was more than anxious about this dinner Lisa set up. I was excited to see how Mack would act after ignoring me the whole day, got amused only by thinking. And I planned on making her go insane by my presence. It's kind of working.

The look on her face when she saw my at the door was priceless, and I won't even talk about how she almost fell on the floor after the kiss I gave her.

I can't, however, deny that she looks hot as hell and it was hard for me to feign indifference with the sight of her by the door when all I wanted was to drag her by her waist to the nearest bedroom. Acting like I wasn't looking at the way her dress was tight around her body was the worst, and she noticed how out of control she was driving me because of the look of victory I saw flashing through her eyes.

"So, explain to me please how are you two brothers", Jordan asks with a smile over the pizza, looking at Dane and Mack sitting side by side. The climate of this dinner is surprisingly great, is great being around my friends, I feel comfortable in a way I haven't felt in long ago.

"Dane's dad married my mom when he was two, and they had me and my sister Bethany. We share our father but not our mom", Mackenzie answers, looking chilled for the first time since I got here.

"My mom left right after I was born so I've always considered Mack's mom as mine", Dane completes before they can ask. I've always loved their relationship, they've always been there for each other and it's admirable.

Jordan and Luke who are kind of outsiders in our dynamic are slowly beginning to understand everything.

"And I'm more than grateful for my big bro", Mack smiles at Dane who returns a smile before taking a sip of wine.

She quickly engages in a conversation with misha and Dane while I start talking with Jordan, who is actually an amazing company and not exactly who I thought she was the night we met, I can also see that Luke is one step from asking this girl to marry him.

Sensing Mackenzie's gaze on me from across the table, I turn my eyes to her, winking at her while smirking. And she loses it. Mack starts chocking on her wine and everyone on the table shoots worried glances at her. Dane and Lisa reach over to her tapping on her back while she continues coughing the wine.

Jordan looks just as worried as amused when she shoots me a knowing glance and I act like I don't understand what she means by that look with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Come here sweetheart, let's get you some water." I get up reaching out for her ignoring her murderous glance and everyone's amused looks while I drag her to the kitchen tapping on her back.

"Let go of me, idiot", she says in a hushed voice while coughing and I just roll my eyes and give her a glass of water.

"Don't talk while you are choking."  She just stares again in a deadly way before chocking again, now on the water.

"Listen to me for once, for Christ's sake", I say and she finally listens, drinking the whole glass and finally stopping the coughing.

"Lost your phone babe?", I ask with my eyebrows raised. She just glances at me like she could kill me, Again, before rolling her eyes and pushing me out of the way, "leave me alone, Steven." But before she can get out of the kitchen, I pull herself to my chest from behind holding her in my arms. She fights to set herself free but i lower my head whispering on her ears,

"You know and I know that last night meant something for both of us." And I feel her trembling and trying to repress a shiver. When Mackenzie has finally stopped trying to set herself free from me, I just turn her in my arms, facing her dazzling blue eyes while holding her wrists to keep her looking at me, "and I know I don't deserve this, but I'm begging for you to talk to me and listen", she looks stunned by my speech but quickly nods letting go of me.

I reluctantly let go of her but she sees the look at my face and says, "I won't run. Promise", I nod and Lisa's voice comes from the living room in a yell, "hey you two, bring the chocolate pie in the fridge".

I open the fridge picking up the pie while Mackenzie gathers the knife inside a drawer. She has that murderous glance again and suddenly I'm scared of waking next to her with a knife in hands.

When we get inside the living room, all our friends go silent as if they were gossiping about something we can't know. Knowing them, they were most definitely talking about us. Mackenzie senses that and narrows her eyes at them.

"Put the knife down sweetie", Jordan says worried. There's amusement on their faces, and Mackenzie looks like she will kill them anytime.

"Steven, take the knife out of her hands", Lisa whispers-shout, and Dane comes immediately to my rescue taking the knife out of her hands, while Mackenzie looks at him like she has just been betrayed and he shrugs his shoulders.

I swallow down a laugh, too scared of her  before putting the pie on top of the table and returning to my place next to Jordan.

We stay there for a few more minutes eating dessert, talking and laughing over the wine, when Dane and Lisa announce their pregnancy to the rest of the group who still were in the dark, misha and Luke basically.

I see Mackenzie hug her brother and whisper on his ears while he smiles holding her tightly when I make my way to congratulate Lisa.

"I know we had our bad blood, but I love you Lisa. You're one of my oldest friends and this baby will be the happiest and most loved", I say holding her, "also, I volunteer as second dad", she chuckles at that before letting go of my embrace. "You'll be an amazing mom", she smiles and nods before saying, "thank you Steven. Really, I love you. Just stop fucking everything up, okay?", I laugh but nod, "and don't let her go this time", I don't need to ask who she is talking about. We look at Mackenzie's happy features while she holds Dane and talks with the guys. I won't let her go anymore.

We bid our goodbyes by the door and when I approach at Mack she just gives me a knowing look before mouthing 'later'. Surprise glimpses through me because I thought she'd bail on me again, but I just nod before leaving with the boys.

She won't run from me now. And when I finally catch her, I won't let her go.