by Rose, Callie
“Understand what?” I breathe.
“How you’re so fucking good.” He slides his hand through my hair, reaching up with his other to grasp my head between them.
I huff a little laugh, shaking my head as much as his grip allows. I’ve stopped trying to convince myself that I ended up in front of those bullets that night by accident, that some part of me didn’t know exactly what I was doing. But no matter what Marcus says, that doesn’t make me a saint. It doesn’t make me an angel.
“I’m not good,” I say.
“Yes, you are.” His voice is hard, almost angry, as if he can’t believe I don’t see what he sees. “You’re perfect, Ayla. Perfect for me.”
Pulling me closer, he crushes his lips against mine, kissing me hard enough to bruise both of our lips.
It reminds me of the first time he kissed me, and the barely restrained violence in his touch that day. As if he wanted me so badly that nothing was ever good enough, our bodies never close enough.
The deep craving inside of me flares to life, ignited by his touch, and our tongues tangle as we kiss wildly. When we finally break apart, Marcus doesn’t release his grip on my head, and I get the feeling he never wants to let go. That part of him resents every minute he has to spend outside the little bubble that exists between us in moments like these.
I never understood all-consuming love before—the kinds of stories where people would rather die than lose each other. The kinds where they burn the whole world down with their love.
But I think I do now.
“Angel,” Marcus rasps, his fingers sliding through my messy dark hair. “I followed you since that night, even though I knew I fucking shouldn’t, because I had to know what was inside you. I had to know what made you do that, what made you do… anything. What made you tick. And everything I learned? Every little piece of you I discovered? Instead of satisfying me, it just made me want more. I still want more. I want every fucking piece of you that you’ll give me, and I don’t care if it makes me selfish. I’m never giving them back.”
“I don’t want them back.” I reach up to cup his face with my hand, tracing the chiseled lines of his cheekbone and jaw. “They’re yours. I’m yours.”
A slow smile spreads across his face, and the tension drains from his grip. He kisses me again, this one soft and deep and lingering. When he draws back, he lets out a breath. “Don’t ever think you’re like her,” he murmurs. “You’re better than her. You’re better than me and Ry and Theo. You’re better than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I think he’s underestimating himself and his friends and overestimating me, but I don’t really care. Not when he’s looking at me the way he is right now.
“I want to help you find your brother,” he says suddenly.
My eyebrows shoot up, and I draw back a little in surprise. “What?”
“I said I’d help you before all this shit went down.” He releases his grip on my head, trailing his fingers through my hair before winding a lock around his knuckle. “I still want to do that. I hate that I haven’t been able to already.”
“Marcus, it doesn’t matter right now.” I shake my head, my brows furrowing. “We need to figure out how to keep you guys from getting killed in this game—find a way for you to end it and win. Then we can talk about finding my brother.”
He presses his lips together stubbornly. “I can do both. If something happens to me again, I’m not leaving you with an unfulfilled promise. With empty words.”
“I don’t need—”
He cuts me off with a finger to my lips, and there’s a moment of silence before he says, “I know what it’s like to lose someone you love like that, angel. I want to help you if I can. Please.”
His sister.
The knowledge beats against my chest, but I keep the words trapped behind my lips. That’s something I only know because Ryland and Theo told me, back when none of us were sure Marcus was even alive. It’s not something Marcus himself told me, which makes it feel like it’s not really mine to have.
“They told you, didn’t they?” His voice is quiet, the earth and air of his irises soft.
I bite my lip, suddenly afraid that the words escaped despite my effort to contain them, and Marcus smiles.
“I can see it in your eyes,” he murmurs. I blink in surprise, and his smile widens. Then his expression grows serious again. “I’m glad they told you. I should’ve told you myself when I had the chance.” He brushes a kiss over my lips, his touch featherlight. “I want you to have me too, angel. Every bit of me you want.”
I can’t help it. I palm the back of his head and pull him closer, straining against my seatbelt a little as I kiss him back hard. Whatever animalistic, wild thing exists inside him must exist inside me too, because there’s something fierce in my voice as I speak against his lips.
“Everything. I want everything.”
* * *
By the time Marcus starts the car back up and drives us the rest of the way back to Theo’s place, I feel like we’ve both purged the toxic effects of our visit to Victoria’s house. He spends the drive telling me about Alexis, and I listen with rapt attention, soaking up every word he says.
I learn as much about him as I do about her in the stories he tells, and the picture he paints is of a little boy fiercely protective of his sister, one who got her into trouble often but always found a way to get her out of it, and who lost a piece of himself when cancer claimed her.
The way his features soften as he speaks of her makes my chest ache in a pleasantly painful way.
I wish she was still alive.
I wish she could’ve seen the man her brother became, and I wish she could’ve been there for him when he got roped into this fucking game, sold out by his parents in the pursuit of wealth and power.
I wish I could’ve met her.
When I tell Marcus that after he pulls into Theo’s garage, he gets a strange look on his face. Then he leans over and kisses me, a gentle press of his lips.
“Me too. She would’ve loved you, angel.”
He helps me out of the car, and we head inside the house. Theo and Ryland both look up when we enter the kitchen, and I get the feeling they’ve been waiting for us. I know I would be if either of them had gone to Victoria’s house. With the way things stand right now, being apart from any of these men makes me feel antsy and on-edge, as if they might vanish into thin air unless I keep them close at all times.
“Well?” Theo stands up from the stool he was perched on, his blue-green eyes lighting up.
“What happened?” Ryland stands too, although he looks more wary than Theo, as if he’s expecting bad news.
Marcus and I go over our entire visit to Victoria’s house, and I repeat what I told him in the car, elaborating on my conversation with her now that we’re all together.
When I finish, Theo drags a hand through his hair, sending the blond strands into disarray.
“Huh. She thinks Gabriel and Michael are the weak spots, huh? I guess we could go after them one by one. Maybe even play them against each other. If their families are being edged out by this Viper guy, whoever he is, they might be willing to cut a deal if we promise them protection once the game ends.”
“I’m surprised Luca hasn’t dealt with the guy already,” Ryland grunts. “Not a single damn thing happens in this city without him finding out about it, so he’s gotta know there’s a new player on the scene.”
“Maybe he’s planning on leaving it for his successor to deal with.” Theo shrugs, then snorts. “Isn’t that the benefit of retiring? Letting someone else deal with all the bullshit that used to be your problem?”
“Well, either way, the threat the Viper poses to the Morello and Saviano families gives us the opening we need,” Marcus says. “We need to talk to one of them, make a deal, and try to break up their alliance—for good, this time.”
“Which one? Michael or Gabriel?” I glance between the three men, eyebrows lifted.
“Gabrie
l,” Theo answers immediately.
“Why?”
“Because Michael’s an asshole.” Ryland grimaces. “Well, they’re both assholes, but Gabriel’s at least smart enough to consider a deal that might benefit him.” He glances at Marcus. “We should do more digging before we set up a meeting with him. See if we can find out anything about this Viper dude. I’d never heard of him until today.”
“Yeah.” Marcus nods, then winces.
“We’ll do it,” I say firmly, gesturing between myself, Ryland, and Theo. “You’re going back to bed.”
Marcus grabs the waistband of my jeans and drags me toward him, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Angel, the only way you’re getting me back in bed right now is if you strip naked and get in first.”
Heat pools low in my belly, but I wriggle out of his grasp and step back. “No. You need actual sleep. I know our injuries were different, but I also know what it’s like to survive three gunshots. It’s not the kind of thing you just brush off, no matter how lucky you were.”
I’ve been trying to keep my worry for Marcus under control, pushing it aside to deal with the other issues facing us, but as it comes surging to the surface, I can hear the strain in my voice.
He must hear it too, because the heated amusement vanishes from his face. He pulls me toward him again, but this time it’s to wrap his arms around me, tucking me against his chest.
“Okay. I’ll go rest,” he murmurs into my hair. He presses a kiss to my temple, his voice a rough whisper as he adds, “Thank you, angel. For caring.”
I let myself cling to him for a moment, careful to avoid the wounds on his back.
I do care. It scares me a little how much I care.
It’s utterly terrifying to realize that my heart now exists outside my own body.
But I meant what I told him in the car.
It belongs to him now. It belongs to Ryland and Theo.
And I don’t want it back.
Chapter 21
I expect Marcus to be a terrible invalid. He’s stubborn and driven and impatient, and I have visions of myself having to drag him back to bed or lock him in his room to get him to slow the fuck down.
But I forgot that this man also won’t deny me anything I want.
I asked him to stay in bed—so he does.
For the next several days, he rests religiously, throwing all of his focus and dedication into getting stronger and healthier as the rest of us prepare for our meeting with Gabriel. There’s not much to be found about the Viper, but thanks to some connections Theo and Ryland have, we’re able to piece together a bit more information.
Ryland’s family does own a large hotel chain—he wasn’t lying about that—but both his family and Theo’s have their hands in several less-than-legal things along with their legitimate businesses.
It makes me wonder if there’s a single member of the wealthy elite in Halston who’s entirely above board. When I express that thought to Theo, he laughs, shaking his head ruefully. “Not a chance in hell, Rose. Nobody gets to a certain level of wealth and power without a few skeletons in their closet. Some with quite a bit more than a few.”
Marcus joins us whenever he’s awake, falling into deep discussion with the other two men as his fingers tangle in my hair or trace the patterns of the flowers tattooed on my damaged arm. We have a hard time keeping our hands off each other when we sleep together, so after his first night back at the house, I go back to sleeping in my room—although Theo joins me one night, and I slip downstairs into Ryland’s room on another.
After six days, which is more time than we need to prepare for a meeting with Gabriel, but less time than I would’ve liked for Marcus’s continued recovery, the guys decide we’re ready.
I think Marcus’s impatience has finally caught up with him, and I can’t complain too much. He looks better every day, the slight hollowness in his cheeks filling out again and the circles beneath his eyes vanishing slowly. The scars on his back are still shiny pink and angry looking, and I know they still cause him pain and probably will for a while yet. But he carries himself more like he used to, some of the tension draining from his shoulders.
His parents know he’s alive. He called them the day after Luca’s party to let them know he’s back. I could only hear his side of the conversation, but anger burned low in my belly as I listened anyway. His voice was clipped and curt, purposefully devoid of emotion, and it hurt my heart.
I think the Constantines are glad their son isn’t dead, but I honestly don’t know if it’s because they love their only remaining child or if they’re just glad their family still has a chance of winning Luca’s fucked up game.
That thought makes me even more determined to help Marcus and his brothers, to find a way to end this whole thing before any more of them get hurt.
After everything the men have said, I’m a little worried that Gabriel will refuse to meet with us, so I’m relieved when he agrees.
As we head out to meet him on Saturday evening, I tilt my head a little to take in the looming skyline of downtown Halston.
“What is this place?”
“It’s a members only club,” Theo tells me, glancing at me from the driver’s seat. “Gabriel’s family owns it, although it’s not a front like a few of their other places. We let Gabriel pick our meeting spot, and he chose his home turf.”
A ripple of unease washes through me at that thought. I’m not opposed to the idea of a public meeting place, as opposed to going to his house or having him meet us at Theo’s. But I don’t like the idea that he’ll have a natural advantage there.
“It’ll be okay, Rose.” Theo reaches over to thread his fingers through mine, giving a squeeze. “We’ll just talk. None of us is gonna risk breaking Luca’s rules for this, so the worst that can happen is Gabriel says no.”
“And if he does, we try Michael. He might be interested in cutting a deal just based on the fact that Gabriel isn’t,” Ryland adds, drawing my attention to the back seat.
He and Marcus are both wearing dark wash jeans and henleys, and Theo is dressed similarly. I’m in a pair of nice jeans and one of the fancier tops the guys bought me to replace my old clothes, which Marcus assured me is enough for where we’re going.
If I still had my prosthetic arm, this might be one of the occasions when I would’ve decided to wear it, just to avoid extra attention. I’ll have to see about getting a new one at some point, but it’s far down on my list of priorities.
Just as I expected, I get a few curious stares and sidelong glances as the four of us step inside the large, luxurious space.
The Saraven is less like a dance club and more like a very upscale speakeasy. It’s massive, with a dining area and bar, a lounge, and smaller private rooms spread around the space. Theo points out all of these things to me in a low voice as Marcus leads us confidently down a corridor toward a small room at the end.
Gabriel Morello is waiting for us when we step inside the room. A cocktail waitress wearing a form-hugging dress keeps her gaze demurely diverted as she sets several glasses down on the large table in the center of the room. She slips out the door like a ghost as the four of us sit down.
Gabriel openly studies the inked remnant of my right arm, and I can feel all three of the men around me tense a little, their bodies shifting closer to mine.
Fuck. I really don’t want them to get in a fight with him over something this inconsequential. Not when there are bigger things we need to worry about.
“What?” I cock a challenging eyebrow at Gabriel, leaning forward to rest my elbows on the table. “You’ve never seen a tattoo before?”
His gaze jerks up to my face in surprise, and when he sees the sardonic smile on my face, he blinks. Then he laughs. “You’re funny. I like that.”
I shrug. I’m not that funny, but my comment did what it was meant to—it got him to stop staring at me, and it relaxed the three overprotective alphas who surround me, at least enough to keep them from reaching across the table to
grab Gabriel by the throat.
Gabriel’s chuckle fades, and he slouches a little in his chair, cocking his head as he examines me and my companions. “So, why are we here? What do you want from me?” A smile touches his lips. “Or more importantly, what can you offer me?”
“What do you know about a man called the Viper?” Marcus asks.
Gabriel’s expression changes immediately. His relaxed posture evaporates as his dark eyes turn hard as glass. “That motherfucker. Who gave you his name?”
“Not important.” Marcus brushes the question aside. “But we know his name, and we know he’s been giving you and your family a hard time. Stealing suppliers, shaking down business owners, encroaching on your territory. This goes on too much longer, and you’re gonna lose your foothold in Halston. It’s a slippery fucking slope from the top of the heap to the bottom, isn’t it?”
Gabriel’s jaw clenches. “That’s it, then? You came here to threaten me?”
“Nah.” Ryland shakes his head. “We came here to offer you help. If you help us.”
“Fuck you.”
Theo shoots me a glance out of the corner of his eye. “See? This is why shit rarely gets accomplished between games. Nobody’s willing to make a deal.”
He speaks in a low voice, but Gabriel doesn’t miss the words. The dark-haired man leans forward, narrowing his eyes. He’s got heavy, blunt features, and they turn even harder as his face contorts with anger.
“And why the hell would I make a deal with you, huh? Everybody knows the three of you look out for each other—you expect me to believe you’re gonna look out for me too? That you won’t turn on me the second you get whatever you want?”
