The Day He Kissed Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 3)

Mac cracked his knuckles. The kid was right.

“Well, he tries and that’s what counts.”

“Not if we’re going to lose.”

“Quit babying the kid and let’s get on with the game!”

Mac stilled, his hand on Liam’s shoulder, fingers digging in as everything inside him froze.

Un-fucking-believable. Would he really…

“Uncle Mac, you’re hurting me,” Liam whispered hoarsely.

It was enough to snap Mackenzie back into focus and dropped his hand.

“Is that him?” Liam said, eyes huge as he stared up at his uncle.

“That’s him.”

Liam peered around Mac, one hand gripping the ball, the other shoving the brim of his cap back. He dug into the pitcher’s plate once more and exhaled. “He doesn’t look that mean.”

“No,” Mac said carefully, trying to keep his temper in check. “He doesn’t.”

“My dad doesn’t either.”

Mac stared down into his past, and that temper that was festering inside him boiled. It rolled over and shot through him in one hard thrust.

“Are you okay, Uncle Mac?”

He nodded and lied. “Yep. So, we gonna do this kid? Are you going to get this done?”

Liam gripped the ball. “I’m going to get this done for you, Uncle Mac.”

“Okay.” Mac squeezed his nephew’s shoulder and then turned back toward the dugout. He avoided the stands because he was pretty sure that as soon as he laid eyes on his father, he was going to lose it. And he didn’t want to lose it here.

Not here.

“You alright?” Cain asked.

“No, but we’ve got a game to get through.”

And they did.

Liam managed to pull it together. He struck out the next three batters, leaving the players on base stranded. The boys rallied at their last at bat, and by the time the game was over, they’d pulled ahead by one run.

The entire time, Mackenzie felt his father’s eyes on him—boring into him like a goddamn parasite—and when he finally glanced up and met his gaze, the rage that took hold of Mac was hard to describe. He’d never felt it so intensely before. It was all consuming. It was ugly and harsh, and it left him trembling.

Ben Draper thought he could waltz back into Crystal Lake and pick up where he left off.

His father stood just behind their dugout, his arm around Lila’s shoulders. “Nice comeback, Liam. I see you’ve got some of your granddad’s talent.”

Liam stood beside Mackenzie and remained silent.

Ben’s mouth tightened. “I’m talking to you, boy. Show some respect.”

Mac recognized the look in his father’s eyes and knew that Ben was looking to get into it. He clenched his hands together, envisioning his fist connecting with his father’s face. Christ, that would make him feel good.

A flash of blond drew his attention and clear, blue eyes centered him. They pulled him in and calmed his soul.