At least most of them weren’t. I could fit my life into one suitcase. The only person who would miss me would be Cage. Well and Larissa until she forgot I existed. Just starting over anywhere else was so tempting. Eventually Cage would see the wisdom behind my leaving. He’d be free of his need to protect me. I’d make new friends. Maybe find a decent job and finish my education.
“Deep thoughts?” Marcus’s voice startled me and I jerked my gaze up from the cement floor to stare up into sleepy green eyes.
“Hey, what’re you doing down here so early?”
He shrugged and sat down a basket of laundry on the ground beside him.
“Well I thought I’d get some laundry done before I fixed breakfast. But it appears all the machines are in use,” his tone was teasing.
“Oops. Sorry about that. I didn’t think anyone would need them so early.”
“That was my thought too.”
I let out a small laugh and fiddled with my thumbs while my hands fisted nervously in my lap. Did he know I’d run out like a jealous idiot last night?
“So, you left me last night.” His tone didn’t give anything away.
I tucked the hair acting as a wall between us behind my ear.
“Um, yeah. Sorry. I was tired and needed some air.”
He didn’t respond right away and I prayed my breathing was normal because my heart was doing a strange little fluttery thing.
“I would’ve taken you home if I’d known you wanted to go.”
Because he was one of the good guys.
“You were having fun. Your friends obviously miss you. I didn’t want to ruin your night. Cage was coming my way so it worked out okay.”
A small frown touched his lips and I turned my eyes back to the cement crack in the floor I’d been staring at before he’d arrived.
“I was enjoying your company too. I’d looked forward to taking you home.”
Okay now the fluttery thing my heart was doing had turned into a full blown pounding.
Had Marcus Hardy just insinuated he was upset because he didn’t get to take me home?
“Oh,” I responded. What else did I say to that?
The first washer stopped and I jumped up and made myself busy with putting the load in the dryer.
“Washer is free,” I announced smiling back at him.
He stood up and instead of waiting on me to move out of the way he crowded me back against the washer and sat his basket on the closed washer beside it. I lifted my eyes up to his to say “excuse me,” but the heated look in his green eyes stopped me. A small gasp left my mouth.
“I don’t think I’m making myself very clear Low,” he’d lowered his voice and the effect made goose bumps break out over my body. “I was only interested in one person at that bar last night. I only came to see one person,” he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and softly caressed my earlobe before tracing the line of my jaw. “I was there for you.”
The husky whisper in his voice made it hard for me to take a deep breath. Instead, I was making small little pants.
“Oh,” I whispered.
He chuckled and lowered his head until his lips were hovering over mine.
“OH! Ah, um, I, uh,” the startled female voice broke the spell and Marcus closed his eyes tightly and cursed. Straightening up he turned around to face whoever had entered the room. I couldn’t see over his back and the way he was keeping me cornered with his body I realized he didn’t want the intruder to see me either. At least not my face.
“Sadie?” I could hear the surprised confusion in his voice.
“Uh, Marcus I’m so sorry. I was headed up to your apartment and I saw the back of your head through the window and came in. I didn’t see anyone else.”
“No it’s okay. What’re you doing here?” Marcus body was strung tight as a bow. Something was off with this situation. Who was Sadie?
“It’s Amanda. She stayed over at my place last night. I took her home this morning and your Mom was well... anyway, uh, she’s outside in the Hummer and upset. I didn’t know what
“Deep thoughts?” Marcus’s voice startled me and I jerked my gaze up from the cement floor to stare up into sleepy green eyes.
“Hey, what’re you doing down here so early?”
He shrugged and sat down a basket of laundry on the ground beside him.
“Well I thought I’d get some laundry done before I fixed breakfast. But it appears all the machines are in use,” his tone was teasing.
“Oops. Sorry about that. I didn’t think anyone would need them so early.”
“That was my thought too.”
I let out a small laugh and fiddled with my thumbs while my hands fisted nervously in my lap. Did he know I’d run out like a jealous idiot last night?
“So, you left me last night.” His tone didn’t give anything away.
I tucked the hair acting as a wall between us behind my ear.
“Um, yeah. Sorry. I was tired and needed some air.”
He didn’t respond right away and I prayed my breathing was normal because my heart was doing a strange little fluttery thing.
“I would’ve taken you home if I’d known you wanted to go.”
Because he was one of the good guys.
“You were having fun. Your friends obviously miss you. I didn’t want to ruin your night. Cage was coming my way so it worked out okay.”
A small frown touched his lips and I turned my eyes back to the cement crack in the floor I’d been staring at before he’d arrived.
“I was enjoying your company too. I’d looked forward to taking you home.”
Okay now the fluttery thing my heart was doing had turned into a full blown pounding.
Had Marcus Hardy just insinuated he was upset because he didn’t get to take me home?
“Oh,” I responded. What else did I say to that?
The first washer stopped and I jumped up and made myself busy with putting the load in the dryer.
“Washer is free,” I announced smiling back at him.
He stood up and instead of waiting on me to move out of the way he crowded me back against the washer and sat his basket on the closed washer beside it. I lifted my eyes up to his to say “excuse me,” but the heated look in his green eyes stopped me. A small gasp left my mouth.
“I don’t think I’m making myself very clear Low,” he’d lowered his voice and the effect made goose bumps break out over my body. “I was only interested in one person at that bar last night. I only came to see one person,” he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and softly caressed my earlobe before tracing the line of my jaw. “I was there for you.”
The husky whisper in his voice made it hard for me to take a deep breath. Instead, I was making small little pants.
“Oh,” I whispered.
He chuckled and lowered his head until his lips were hovering over mine.
“OH! Ah, um, I, uh,” the startled female voice broke the spell and Marcus closed his eyes tightly and cursed. Straightening up he turned around to face whoever had entered the room. I couldn’t see over his back and the way he was keeping me cornered with his body I realized he didn’t want the intruder to see me either. At least not my face.
“Sadie?” I could hear the surprised confusion in his voice.
“Uh, Marcus I’m so sorry. I was headed up to your apartment and I saw the back of your head through the window and came in. I didn’t see anyone else.”
“No it’s okay. What’re you doing here?” Marcus body was strung tight as a bow. Something was off with this situation. Who was Sadie?
“It’s Amanda. She stayed over at my place last night. I took her home this morning and your Mom was well... anyway, uh, she’s outside in the Hummer and upset. I didn’t know what
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