The Distance Between Us (MAC Security 3)

For now, I’ll stay. I just hope I’m strong enough to stay for good and not run away.

I lean back in the chair, fed up with doing menial tasks at the compound. For two weeks, I’ve been stuck in my cottage, staring at the four walls and watching Netflix. Don’t get me wrong, I like to binge watch TV shows as much at the next person, but I can only watch so much before I become one with the sofa.

Now I’m back at the compound, stuck behind this goddamn desk.

I huff long and loud, earning me a chuckle from Kay.

“Bored?” she asks, standing up from the desk that she and Ty share.

“I don’t know how you stayed in this office all day,” I moan, twirling around in the seat, my head leaning back as I stare up at the ceiling. “It’s so fucking boring in here!”

I twist toward Kay as she leans on my desk, crossing her arms over her chest, her brows drawn down deep in thought.

“You need to get out.”

“You’re telling me! I’m itching to get out of this goddamn place.”

I wince as I look down at my arm in the sling, hating how it traps me, stopping me from doing what I want, when I want. I’m not used to having to watch what I’m doing or rely on someone to take me places.

“Let’s get out of here,” she says smiling, standing up and waiting for me.

“Where are we going?” I ask, practically bouncing over to her and putting my arm through hers.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Burgers!” I shout, earning me a chuckle from her. “I want a sweet juicy burger.”

“Burgers it is then.”

The smile on my face is so wide at the prospect of getting out of here, nothing could wipe it off my face right now, I can almost taste the juicy meat on my tongue.

We both walk out of the warehouse and over to the truck that she shares with Ty, opening the doors and about to get in as Ty calls her name.

“Where are you two going?” he asks, looking inside the truck. “You good, Kitty?”

“Burgers.” I grin at my one-word answer and he frowns, confused by my outburst.

“We’re getting Kitty burgers,” Kay says, turning to Ty and placing her hand on his chest. He wraps his arms around her waist, bringing her closer a

s he kisses her.

I make a gagging noise, bringing my fingers to my mouth and looking away.

Ty has always been a hard man with a soft side, but that soft side turns to mush when it comes to Kay.

I can understand it though because Kay is one of a kind. We’ve become close over the last couple of years and she’s the closest thing I have to a sister. I can talk to her about anything and she knows all about me and Charlie and our fucked-up relationship. Although she thinks that I’m not going there with him anymore, I just can’t bring myself to tell her that we slept together again, not wanting to see the disappointment on her face.

She pulls away from Ty, leaning back and smiling up at him.

“I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Take your time,” he says, turning toward the warehouse. “I’ll pick Eli up.”

“You sure?” she asks, looking to me and then back to him.

“Of course, I am, enjoy your burgers!”

I can feel the sweat rolling down the side of my face. My breathing somehow sounds like the only noise in the room. Trying to concentrate on what’s being said is harder than I ever thought. Something so simple, just to sit in a meeting and go over the jobs that everyone has been working on is the hardest thing in the world right now.