Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

up my feelings. I was confused. How could he possibly step it up a notch? He was being over-the-top sweet and touchy feely, grabbing at me, kissing me, always near me even though I’d told him God knows how many times to piss off. I had my answer almost right away.
    “You coming, hunny bunches?”
    Mace planned on being sickeningly cute. With a huff, I grabbed the bowl of snacks and stomped back to the living room. This time, I squished myself between the twins in hopes I’d be safe. Turns out, I wasn’t that lucky.
    “Are you gonna marry my Uncle Mace?” Jordan asked the second I put my drink to my lips, causing me to inhale, bubbles burning my nose.
    Squeezing my eyes together, I tried to recover to answer him, but before I could form a word Mace answered, “I hope she does, bud.”
    “I sure hope you do too. You’d make a pretty wife, and then Uncle Mace can kiss you whenever he wants and take you to get burgers and shakes.”
    “I—I— umm, well, you see—” I stuttered, not sure how to approach an eight-year-old boy about the fact I wasn’t going to marry his uncle mainly because he was a chicken shit. All the time Jaxson’s eyes bored into the side of my head.
    “Do you love my Uncle Mace?” My head swung around to find Jaxson watching me with intense curiosity.
    Looking him right in the eyes, I couldn’t make myself lie to him, even if it was for my own good. “Yes, I think I’ll always love him.”
    Jaxson smiled big up at me and nodded, looking at Mace. “Okay, you can marry her and have lots of babies then.” Great, they were planning my future, never mind me having a say in it.
    “I think that sounds like the perfect plan, Jax. How many babies do you think we should have?” Mace asked the boys, grinning like a damn fool while I glared daggers at him.
    “Lots!” yelled Jordan, bouncing up and down excited. “Enough that we can all play soccer and football.”
    “But no girls! Girls have cooties,” Jaxson chimed in equally excited, and then he turned to me and added, “Not you though, Aunty Scarlett. You don’t have cooties.” My breath caught the second he said Aunty. I’d never been an Aunty. I’d never thought I would have the chance to be an Aunty. To anyone. Ever.
    Mace quickly jumped in, “Alright, shower time, guys. Grab your PJs and hit the showers, one upstairs, one down. Brush your teeth too. Properly. I’ll be up to tuck you in soon.” Both boys jumped up and scampered off.
    Mace came over to where I sat, leaned down and kissed my forehead “I’m not giving up; you may as well just give in and take me back.” A cocky smirk crossed his face before he stood, collected all the empty pizza boxes and bowls, and made for the kitchen.
    “Hrmmpf! Not likely, buddy!” I yelled out after him. “You can’t cute me to death. It won’t work.”
    “Wanna bet, fluff bunny?” he tossed back.
    Fluff bunny? Gag!
    A goodnight story, plenty of touchy feely hugs and cutesy names later, I was showered and ready for bed, exhausted by the day’s many theatrics It was honestly tiring, trying to avoid Mace’s new routine. Yet, regardless of the fact I wasn’t taking him back, I still crawled into bed a lot less stressed than I had been. Realizing all the creepy stalker crap had pretty well stopped was helping, and sure Mace was bugging me, but he was doing it in the sweetest ways possible. I fell asleep with a smile on my face wondering what crazy cheesy trick he’d try next.

 

     
    I was getting super freaking pissed. If Trip took off laughing on his cell one more time today, I was going to ink his eyeball. I knew who it was on the other end because that same person had been sending me sickly-sweet text messages all day. All freaking day!
    Trip looked over at me and burst out laughing. “Yeah, she’s pissy alright, glaring at me like she might take my manhood away,” he told his constant caller.
    “I’m seriously contemplating it.” I grumbled under my breath.
    Freaking assholes!
    Mace had recruited Trip and Remy into helping with his stupid plan. They were all ganging up on me. The only person I had left on my side was Teeny.
    Trip strutted his ass back over to his station smiling at me like he knew a big secret. Maybe I should wipe the smile off his face. Great, I was turning into a violent bitch.
    Not ten minutes later, in walked Mace. He made his way behind the counter like he owned the place. That ever present cocky smirk on his face, even with my mood