Claiming Macie (Crave and Claimed 2)

“It’s a few cents. It’s nothing.”

“And that is another reason that man loves you. To some, a few cents is a precious thing. You are not made of money, and every little thing you had, you’re willing to give to others. That’s something not a lot of people are willing to do. You need to learn to see what you’ve got, sweetheart. It’s a lot in this world.”

The doorbell rang, and Macie glanced toward it, feeling her heart race, but it wasn’t Wilson.

She forced a smile to her lips.

“And I think it’s also time you realized that you’re in love with that man as well,” Carl said as his parting words.

Macie couldn’t deny it. She knew she loved Wilson. It had nothing to do with his wealth and everything to do with the man himself. He made her laugh and feel safe. Whenever he entered the diner, he made her heart race, and she always found herself looking forward to her shift at the prospect of seeing him again.

He’d gotten under her skin long before he took her home with him. There were some nights she’d lain awake, watching him sleep. She’d always been a light sleeper, and it was in those moments she had to refrain from pinching herself to confirm it was real.

Good things never happened to her.

Not that she went out of her way to test that theory.

Wilson was the only good in her life, apart from work and Carl.

She only wished she knew what was bothering him. He hadn’t been short-tempered with her, or given her any cause for concern, but she wanted to help him in any way she could.

Chapter Eight

“What are you going to do?”

Wilson glanced behind Edward’s shoulder at the street before him. The last thing he wanted to do was to have a damn bounty hunter at his door, but Edward was a good friend. They had served as bodyguards together many times over the years. Where he retired and invested his fortune, making him wealthy, Edward had gone on to hunting for a price.

“What I usually do. Hunt the bastard down and deal with him.” He held his hand out to Edward. “I appreciate you giving me the heads-up.”

“Come on, man. You and I go way back. You’d do the same for me.”

Wilson pulled him in for a hug, slapping him on the back and meaning it. He did care about Edward. They had worked together for a long time. They’d taken bullets for each other. He’d probably describe the man as close to a friend as he’d ever have. That was saying something.

“If you need any help, let me know.”

“Let me know if he’s caught up with,” Wilson said.

“Will do.”

He stood at his front door and watched as Edward climbed into his car, pulled out of his driveway, and drove away.

This meeting hadn’t been a business one. He glanced down at the time and saw it was close to Macie finishing her shift, and he didn’t want her to be left waiting in the cold. Grabbing a jacket, he closed his home and made sure to activate the extra locks and security codes.

He got into his car, turned over the engine, and pulled out of his driveway.

Five years ago, he was bodyguarding for an heiress. Her father had real concerns about the death threats she’d been receiving, not to mention one of her bodyguards had died in the line of duty to protect her. Some maniac had tried to run her off the road.

He was brought in along with Edward, and for six months, they had worked side by side, trying to catch the bastard who was scaring the poor young woman. She’d only been eighteen, but had also made sure her whole life was about doing good.

They had no way of knowing exactly who she’d come into contact with.

He’d been the one to spot the car constantly tailing them. Without alerting the young woman, he’d let Edward see what he saw, and then, they formed a plan. To lure the man out, they acted like they had no cares in the world. Like the death threats were a young girl getting attention.

The ploy paid off.

They had put the young heiress in a safehouse. Edward pretended to be drinking while Wilson stayed locked in the bedroom, as if he was the young heiress. All they had to do was wait, and sure enough, the man in question came right through the window, ready to steal the young woman away.

He hadn’t been homeless, or helped in the animal shelter, but he’d been unstable. At some point, he’d come into contact with their young heiress and in doing so, had convinced himself he was in love.

He’d gotten thrown behind bars, but due to good behavior, he got out a week ago. Edward had stopped by to alert him. There was a chance he was going to hurt him for revenge.