Chapter 50 Holding On

Chapter 50 Holding On
Ariel and Cielo followed the others, slipping into the crowd without a word. Mayzie hadn't even noticed Gustav and Marga leaving the ferry, but Blake and Bellatrix approached her a moment later.

"You want to hang out with us?" Bellatrix asked. She desperately wanted Mayzie to see the relationship she and Blake had built, even if it was doomed from the start.

"No, Dalton needs me," Mayzie replied flatly.

"We can tag along. Act as a buffer," Bellatrix offered with a weak, pleading smile.

"Let's move," Dalton said, tapping Mayzie's shoulder as he brushed past toward the shopping center.

"We're coming too!" Blake called out.

Dalton shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets as he glanced at Mayzie. "Do you want them to come?"

She was surprised he even bothered to ask. As much as she wanted to say no, manners won out. "I don't care," she muttered, frowning.

"We'll be fine on our own," Dalton told the couple, picking up on Mayzie's tone.

"Yeah, but it will be more fun together," Blake said, catching up to walk beside him. "The girls haven't seen each other much since we arrived. It gives them a chance to catch up. I know she’s your assistant, but you've got to let her off the clock eventually. This is a vacation, after all."

Bellatrix smiled at Blake, murmuring, "Always looking out for me."

Mayzie looked completely unimpressed, a detail Dalton caught instantly. "There will be plenty of time for Bellatrix to beg for forgiveness later," he snapped. He paused as Clyde and Ember waved from down the street, and Mayzie smiled, waving back. "We're meeting up with them. Having the two of you around will just make things awkward."

Blake's expression darkened. "You and I need to talk later, I think."

Dalton turned up his nose. "Just take her and go."

Blake grabbed Bellatrix's hand, offering Mayzie a tight smile. "Next time, then. Don't forget, we owe you a double date."

Mayzie didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. As Blake and Bellatrix disappeared into the crowd, she turned to Clyde and Ember. "What are you guys up to?"

"We've never been here before, so we're just wandering around," Clyde said, explaining that they had arrived half an hour early.

"Come with us. I'll show you the real deal of the place; interesting sights," Dalton said.

Clyde and Ember nodded eagerly as Dalton set off. Ember linked her arm through Mayzie's to keep pace. The crowd grew denser, and the shouts of vendors hawking their wares became nearly deafening.

"Wait!" Ember called out.

Dalton turned back as the three caught up to him. "You need to keep moving."

"We're going to lose you," Ember insisted. Letting go of Clyde and Mayzie, she grabbed Dalton's hand with one of hers and Mayzie's with the other, pulling them all together. "There. Now we won't get separated."

Dalton looked down at the smaller hand in his. Seeing the sheer embarrassment on Mayzie's face, he dropped it instantly. "Just watch where I'm going!" he yelled over the noise.

"We're supposed to be sightseeing," Ember sighed as Dalton forged ahead again. "You come here all the time, but this might be our only chance."

Hurrying to keep up while dragging the other two along, Mayzie reached out and firmly grasped Dalton's hand. He tried to pull away, but it was a half-hearted attempt.

"What the hell?" he barked.

"Shut up! I don't like it either, but I don't want to get lost," she snapped back. "You're leading, and it's too crowded not to stick together."

"I'm not going to—"

"You will, or we can turn around and go back to the manor right now."

He scowled. "Fine."

With their hands linked, Dalton led them toward the island's historic temples and local landmarks. Eventually, they wound up in a beautiful garden. Even though the open pathways meant they could safely let go, no one broke the chain. Mayzie was acutely aware of Dalton's palm against hers, and it bothered her how little she minded it. The arrogant jerk who usually made her life miserable was holding her hand, and she wasn't repulsed at all.

When Ember and Clyde stepped aside to look at a flower, Mayzie and Dalton waited on the path, still hand-in-hand. A few passersby smiled at them, and a group of tourists murmured about what a cute couple they made. Mayzie pretended to be deaf, hoping Dalton hadn't heard. When she sneaked a look at him, his face was flushed, though he made no move to let go.

"Are you hot? Your face is bright red," Ember noted, returning to tuck her arm back into Mayzie's.

"Yes," Dalton answered. "Let's find something cold to drink."

Near the garden entrance, they spotted a small refreshment stand. Ember ran ahead with Clyde in tow, leaving Mayzie and Dalton behind once more. By the time they reached the stand, Ember had already ordered for everyone.

Dalton finally let go of Mayzie's hand, offering a fleeting, apologetic grin as he pulled out his wallet to pay. Mayzie felt a wave of relief, mixed with a strange emptiness, as her hand grew cold. Clyde handed her a soda, and the four of them ate hotdogs and drank their sodas as they finished their late-afternoon lunch.

Once they tossed their trash away, Ember immediately hooked her arm back through Clyde's, giggling. Mayzie noticed Clyde looked stiff. She couldn't tell if he was just unaccustomed to receiving affection from anyone besides Bellatrix, or if he simply wasn't interested in Ember. When his eyes met hers, Mayzie offered a reassuring smile, and he seemed to relax.

Ember caught the exchange and pulled Mayzie closer. "This has been so much fun, hasn't it?"

"So far," Mayzie agreed, and Clyde nodded.

Dalton walked a few paces ahead, hands buried in his pockets, apparently tuned out.

"Are you having fun, Dalton?" Ember called out.

He looked over his shoulder and paused. "I've seen it all before."

"But not with us," Ember pointed out, catching up to him. "The same old places feel different depending on who you're with."

Dalton pressed his lips together, considering her words. "I suppose the scenery is better with the current company."

Ember beamed. "Of course it is. Beauty amplifies beauty." She let go of Mayzie's arm only to grab both her and Dalton's hands again. "We should head back to the ferry."

Dalton swallowed hard, looking down at Mayzie's hand. "Yeah. It's getting late."

The rest of their group hadn't arrived at the pier yet, so the four decided to head back on their own. Ember kept her grip on Clyde and Mayzie even after they boarded, which left Dalton holding Mayzie's hand through the entire ride.

Since it was a private ferry, they had the deck to themselves, standing close against the railing to watch the waves. Mayzie felt Dalton's hand shift and braced herself for him to let go. Instead, his fingers slid between hers, interlocking properly as he gave a gentle squeeze. A sudden, confusing knot tied itself in her stomach — part of her had been disappointed when she thought he was letting go, and another part was panicked by how natural it felt. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she forced herself to think of Arking, feeling a familiar ache in her chest.

The moment they stepped onto the pier and spotted Blake and Gustav waiting on the beach, Dalton dropped her hand like a hot coal.

Blake smiled, walking toward them. "Have a good time, light-haired girl?"

Gustav had a rare, mischievous smirk on his face. "What was that I saw when you two got off the ferry?" he asked Dalton before Mayzie could answer Blake.

Ember quickly let go of Mayzie and hurried ahead with Clyde, clearly wanting no part of the impending fallout.

"What was what?" Dalton frowned.

"It looked a lot like hand-holding to me," Gustav teased.

"The marketplace was packed. We had to stick together," Dalton snapped.

"Was the ferry packed too?"

Dalton scoffed, puffing out his chest. "She wouldn't let go of my hand! I think she’s got a crush on me."

Mayzie's jaw dropped. "What?"

"You heard me. Why else were you clutching onto me on the ferry? It was obvious I wanted you to let go."

"I wasn't clutching onto you! You were the one holding my hand!"

"Don't flatter yourself."

Mayzie sputtered, furious. "I'm going to my room. Don't bother inviting me to dinner, because I won't come!" She turned on her heel and stormed down the pier.

"Great! I don't need you putting your hands all over me anyway!" Dalton shouted after her. "Learn some boundary control!"

Mayzie threw a glare over her shoulder, shaking her head as she reached the manor. "Asshole," she muttered under her breath, stomping up the stairs to her bedroom.

She slammed the door shut and flung herself onto the bed, burying her face in the mattress. "I didn't even want to touch him!" she yelled into her pillow. "I would rather have gotten lost! I was just trying to keep Ember happy." Sitting up, she let out a frustrated sigh. "Why didn't I just say that? The second he stops being my boss, I am going to give him a piece of my mind."

"Mayzie?"

A soft voice called out from the balcony. Mayzie raised an eyebrow, walking over to the sliding glass doors. Stepping outside, she saw Bellatrix standing on the adjacent balcony to her right.

"I knew it was you. I could hear you clear as day," Bellatrix said, leaning against the railing with a smile. "Everything okay?"

Mayzie's expression hardened. "None of your business."

Bellatrix's smile faded. "Come on. Why can't we just talk and just be friends?"

"Because you hurt someone I care about. How am I supposed to defend you when you're completely in the wrong?"

Bellatrix bit her lip, looking away for a moment. "I made the choice that was right for me. Maybe it’s selfish, but it's what I wanted. I'm talking to Clyde tonight to explain everything. He might not forgive me, but at least he'll understand why I did it."

"It's not just Clyde," Mayzie said, her voice rising as she gripped the railing. "You made yourself the enemy. You betrayed me, too."

"How did I betray you?"

"Dalton has made my life an absolute hell for weeks, and you turn around and start dating his best friend? He was trying to ruin me, Bella. Me!" Mayzie slammed her hands against the metal bar. "It made my stomach sick and I can't even look at you right now."

Bellatrix fought back tears. "Mayzie, you were friends with Arking and Ariel, and they're much closer to him—"

"They got kicked out of the group because they chose a side."

"Well, I noticed how quickly you forgot your morals when Dalton waved a paycheck in your face," Bellatrix shot back, her sorrow turning to anger. "How dare you judge me!"

"I swallowed my pride because I needed to eat and pay rent!" Mayzie yelled. "I did what I had to do to survive. What’s your excuse?"