The Vacuum

Part 22

Alex took a deep breath as she felt Mac stand up next to her, his legs firmly set apart, his broad shoulders squared. She knew that footing by now. He was either getting ready to pounce on her or gearing up for a fight...one he desperately wanted. He was amped up, ready, thick muscles flexing next to her and hands clenching in and out of fists.

"Alex...come on." Toby muttered, looking around the bar where all the patrons had taken notice of the local bad boy getting ready for a fight with the already injured man.

Alex shook her head. "Are you insane Toby?" It was a bad idea for him to come here. What was he thinking?

Toby shook his blond head at her and glanced at Mac. "Alex...baby."

"Don't call her that." Mac hissed low through gritted teeth, not caring that his father and Devon were watching at the moment.

Toby ignored him purposefully. "Alexandra...you've been through a lot babe. Too much to know when you're in a dangerous situation. That guy there, he's dangerous."

"I know that!" Alex snapped, her heart racing. "But what I do here is none of your business."

Toby narrowed his eyes. "You mean who you do here." He shook his head. "You have enough shots for the spread. Time to come back to the real world."

"I am in the real world." Alex spat at him. "You're the one who's being a delusional little prick!" She moved the step forward but Mac's large hand caught her by her bicep.

Toby rolled his eyes though she could only see it through the one that wasn't already swollen. "See? Hick doesn't even like people touching his toys!"

"Fuck no I don't." Mac spat. "And you stick around here you're gunna see what kind of sick shit I do to little fucks who try and take them away!" The words left his mouth before he could stop them, rage and whiskey making him forget exactly where he was and who was listening.

"There a problem here?" A voice asked from the side of them. Alex glanced over to see the off-duty deputy stepping closer to them in a plaid shirt and cowboy hat. She frowned as she looked back at Mac and Toby who were still trying to burst each other into flames with their eyes.

"Yeah," Toby said, not taking his eyes away from where Macs grip on Alex's arm was tightening. "I want that man there arrested for assault."

"So does half the town." Devon muttered. "You got any proof?"

Toby gestured to himself. "This isn't enough? I went over to visit Alex last night and that shit head jumped me!"

"No way!" Alex spat out before anyone could stop her. "Deputy, he came over to my place...uninvited while Mac was...fixing my sink. I told him to get out and he didn't listen. He threw the first punch at Mac...angry ex's and all." She hissed out, glaring at Toby.

"Fixing your sink." The deputy said flatly.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yeah...the garbage disposal was stopped up."

"How helpful," Walter muttered under his breath, making Mac's eyes dart back and finally realize what had just happened here. They were outted. They knew that Mac was over there for a reason and that reason with neither to help her with house maintenance or scare her.

"Okay...okay..." The deputy murmured. "Sir I'm going to have to ask you to leave unless Miss Conners wants to press charges for trespassing?" He quirked an eyebrow at Alex.

Alex took a deep shuttering breath. She didn't like being told what to do...treated like a child and that's what Toby had been doing since the moment she got back home. "No...No I just want him to leave me alone." She muttered. She felt a shot of guilt move through her. She had known Toby for years and his betrayal didn't make her guilt for not siding with him any less.