She took the public bus back to the greyhound station but didn’t go in. She took up a lookout from across the street. At some point she would have to risk it, to go in and get a ticket… it didn’t matter where she went anymore. One place would be as dangerous as the next.
Cara pulled her hat down and pushed her sunglasses onto her face. She was sitting on a stoop that pulled back into a doorway where she could look out without being seen.
“Were you planning on catching a bus out of here or were you just going to sit here all day?”
Cara jumped, her body swinging back against the wall. She looked into the darkness behind her and saw Marco.
"You came for me? You're giving me to him?" Cara felt her chest pump with air, her heart thumps out a deep beat.
Marco looked at Cara for a long time. His eyes were burning a deep gray. He moved toward her then put a hand out to touch her shoulder. Cara looked at the hand then back into his face.
“I’m not taking you to Dimitri and I didn’t tell him anything… yet.” Marco sat down on the stoop and Cara looked at his strong back, perfect shoulders and the line of his neck.
Cara looked out at the road, at a greyhound just pulling out of the station. She could run for it, maybe she would make it to the bus. Would he follow her? Could she afford for him not to? Cara sat down next to Marco.
“You were Stavros Costas’ girlfriend?” Marco’s torso leaned forward onto his knees.
“Yes,” Cara was surprised to hear her own voice so deliberate and open.
“And now he’s dead?”
“Are you asking if I killed him?” Cara looked at Marco and felt her eyes fill. She had no control over herself or her emotions. She was just on display for everyone to witness every thought that passed through her head. “Well, I did. I killed him.”
Marco nodded, not saying anything.
Cara took off her sunglasses and wiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks, “Aren’t you going to ask me about it?”
“Do you want to tell me about it?” Marco’s face looked perfectly untroubled.
The odd thing was that she did want to tell him about it. She’d had everything so bottled up inside of her for more than three weeks and she’d not been able to confide in one person. The nightmares kept her awake, afraid of falling asleep. The horrible memories would come flooding back with one clang of a pan on the stove or the slam of a car door.
Cara took a deep breath and let her body find an even rhythm. She pressed her hands together.
“I don’t know how well you knew Stavros,” Cara looked at Marco but he said nothing. “He was… difficult. Sometimes he was, well, he was almost violent.” Cara had never said those words aloud before. “Not almost… he was violent,” Cara felt her body contract and she looked at Marco but he showed no reaction, just continued to look at her.
“I knew I had to leave him, I just didn’t know how. So, one night he got… the way he gets… and I was stupid, I told him I was leaving, that he couldn’t keep treating me that way and…” Cara remembered the look in Stavros’ eyes when she’d said those words. His face had gone red and Cara watched his skin begin to change, his body, he was going to transform into a dragon and she would be dead. The door was on the other side of Stavros and she’d needed to get out, to get away.
“So, I pushed him,” Cara stared at the space of pavement between her feet. “His head hit marble and the sound… the sound his head made when it hit…” Cara felt as if she was staring down at him again. “The blood pooled out around him, so much blood. He didn’t transform, he didn’t get up, he didn’t hit me, he didn’t even open his eyes. I killed him.” Cara looked at Marco. She noticed for the first time that his hand was on her knee.
"And Dimitri?" Marco asked.
“He walked in to find Stavros dead… and me standing over him. I’m surprised I’ve made it this far alive. He can transform too, only he’s more ruthless than his brother was.”
“So you came here, to me, because I’m the only one who can keep you safe.” Marco wasn’t asking he was stating it as fact.
Cara studied Marco’s set jaw, his strong hands.
“You can stay with me,” Marco turned his face to her, “I won’t tell Dimitri. You’ll be safe.”
“Really?” Cara was beyond surprised. Marco had no reason to help her, to keep her safe. She’d gotten herself into this mess and it would only be natural for him to leave her to herself.
“Come on,” He stood. “Let’s go back—you have a party to plan.” He smiled and Cara felt a lurching sensation in her body. The feeling scared her, this man may be protecting her but he was not hers, he didn’t love her. She had to remember that—as soon as he could get his hands on another woman he would.
Chapter Six
Cara spent the rest of the day and all of the next deep in plans for the party Marco was throwing. She forced herself not to think of Dimitri. There had been something magical about telling Marco her whole story but she did worry about the false sense of closeness she felt with him because of it.
Cara reminded herself more than once that there was nothing between her and Marco, she remembered the way he’d practically pushed her out of his office after they’d fucked the first time. She reminded herself that it was just a fuck and nothing more, that there could never be anything more with a man like him.
Despite all these warnings that she peppered herself with, over and over again, she let herself believe every now and again that Marco was looking at her, noticing her more, that he wanted to review her party plans more than was strictly necessary.
“Don’t be an idiot,” She whispered to herself as she walked back into the house on Thursday in the late afternoon.
The party was coming along and it was to be a huge gluttonous affair, dancers on stands, a Moulin rouge environment, more alcohol than any group of people should ever try to consume. There would be strip tease, and burlesque, and at the end of the night, there were a small group of women willing to do a little extra for hard cash.
“I’m just double checking everything, she’s not all there, you know? Not the brightest bulb. This deal means too much to me,” Marco’s voice came floating down the hall. Cara saw his secretary first before she saw Marco and it took all that time for Cara to realize that he had been talking about her. That she was not all there, not the brightest bulb. Cara felt her face flush hot.
She had actually let herself believe that he’d wanted to spend extra time with her, that he liked her, maybe more than all the other bimbos she’d seen him with so often.
“Hi,” Cara stopped walking in the middle of the hall. She didn’t want him to say anything else, couldn’t bear to hear another hurtful thing come out of that mouth she’d pictured so many times. “I was just coming to review the plans with you…again.”
“Oh,” Marco looked at his secretary then at Cara.
Cara blushed again and looked away from him.
“Great, we were just…” Marco looked unruffled, “Why don’t you come with me?”
Marco’s secretary walked off in the opposite direction and Cara followed Marco along the well-lit hall.
Marco stopped by one of the large windows and reached a hand out for her folder. Cara placed the folder carefully into his hand. She needn’t really come over here for this, she could email plans to him just as well, then he wouldn’t have to lower himself to the level of even talking to her. Cara felt her body grow hot.
“Did I do something wrong with the first party?” Her voice was harder than she’d meant for it to sound.
“No,” Marco looked up at her surprised.
“Have I made any glaring mistakes so far in planning this one?” Cara knew that if Marco wanted to find a mistake in her work then he would and could but she’d really been trying so hard to be careful.
“What are you trying to get at?” Marco closed the folder.
“I was just wondering what makes you so sure I’m not the ‘brightest bulb’ if I haven’t mad
e any major mistakes.” Cara was horrified to feel her eyes sting with tears. Crying was not a solution to this, it would only make things worse, but she wasn’t at all sure that she could help herself.
“I heard you talking just now.”
“Ah,” Marco tapped the folder on his hands a few times. He looked back at Cara, “You really can’t take any of…”
“Excuse me, Mr. Martinez?” his secretary’s voice came from behind them. Cara brushed at her face, trying to hide any sign of emotion or tears. She felt a hand on her arm and Cara was moved. She turned to find that it was Marco’s hand on her arm. He’d moved her behind him and now she understood why. Standing next to his secretary was Dimitri.
“You lied to me,” Dimitri’s voice was harsh. “She killed my brother, this is none of your business.”
“You should leave,” Marco’s voice was calm. Cara could see his muscles clenching and releasing.
“Someone saw her here, at your little party…”
Cara wished that she could close her eyes and find herself somewhere else. The heat of Marco's body was almost too much for her but at the same time, she found herself pulling in closer and closer to him. He was her only protection.
“You need to leave my property and never come back,” Marco said slowly.
“Why are you protecting her?” Dimitri moved closer. “I made a promise,” Dimitri’s voice grew louder and Cara knew he was speaking directly to her. “I will not give you up so easily.”
Cara pulled in closer to Marco. Her body was shaking, her whole being felt pulled apart.
“Out,” Marco walked forward toward Dimitri. The two men stared at each other before Dimitri seemed to understand his disadvantage. He looked at Cara over Marco’s shoulder one last time before turning and leaving the house. Marco walked him out the door and watched him drive away off his property before coming back to Cara.
Marco took Cara by the elbow and gently helped her to sit down.
“Are you ok?” He asked looking her over. Cara nodded, not at all sure if she was.
“Come on,” Marco stood and helped Cara to her feet. “You can do your work in my office for a while until you’ve calmed down.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Cara heard her voice, vulnerable and cracking. The entire thing didn’t make sense to her. It was one thing to keep the information from Dimitri it was another to outright defy him, Marco was creating an enemy of another very powerful man—and he was doing it only for Cara’s sake.
“Well, I can’t just hand you over to him, now can I?” Marco tried to sound light hearted but Cara could hear the seriousness underneath his words.
Marco watched over Cara for the next few hours in his office then made excuses for her to stay with him for dinner. He was sure that Cara could see through his excuses but she was too emotionally distraught to say anything or perhaps even to care. He could see that she wanted to be near him and some part of him wanted to be near her as well, to keep an eye on her, to make sure, with the solid knowledge that sight provided, that she was nearby and that she was well.
But something else surfaced with these feelings. He felt a new disgust for himself, a disgust at how protective he was being. He could protect her without pouring attention over her or seeing her every moment. It was unlike him to care so much what happened to one woman.
Not that he would hand her over to the likes of Dimitri but he knew of others that would help, other places where she might even be safer since Dimitri wouldn’t suspect them…but he couldn’t relinquish control of her safety, give the power over to someone else who might slip up. He didn’t trust Cara’s protection to anyone else.
That night Marco didn’t even let Cara go over to her own room.
“If someone snuck in looking for you, they would never go to my bed,” Marco said as he showed Cara into his room. “You can wear whatever you like to sleep in. I’ll just be in the adjoining room.”
“But no one would ever be able to sneak in here,” Cara understood the amount of security that was showered upon this property. “I think I would be quite safe in my own room anyway. I don’t sleep much as it is.”
"You'll sleep here," Marco said. It was a phrase that meant, end of discussion and Cara wasn't about to argue. She watched him walk through to the adjoining room then soon heard him leave the room and watched as he made a loop around the house. Could he really be this worried for her, a woman that meant nothing to him but a fuck in his office during a party?
Cara put her head down on Marco’s pillow. The smell of his musky scent was potent and helped her relax. Though she’d had trouble sleeping for weeks Cara closed her eyes and drifted off into an untroubled sleep. When she woke to find Marco seated in the small living space just next to the bed she didn’t think strike her for a second that he’d been there all night. She smiled at him and felt rested for the first time since she’d left Vegas.
“I moved my meeting here for this evening, then my business associate can just stay until the party,” Marco was fully awake and Cara had to focus to process what he was telling her.
“Oh, right,” Cara nodded. She was in Marco’s monogrammed pajamas that she assumed he never wore because they looked and felt brand new. Her hair and face must look like she’d just woken up…since she had. “I’ll just get up,” she rolled out of bed and tried to stifle a yawn. Marco was already showered and dressed for his day.
“You can work from the library and the kitchen and I’ll be in my office until lunch if you need anything,” Marco walked briskly out of the room as Cara watched him go.
Cara wasn’t sure what it was she was feeling this morning. There was something that felt pinched as she watched him move out of the room. She felt an odd longing to call him back, to ask him to stay a bit longer. She could imagine having coffee with him and knew that she was getting into dangerous territory. She was spending too much time around him and his stepping in as her protector wasn’t healthy.
He was just doing what anyone in his position would do and she was beginning to read things the wrong way, have feelings where no feelings belonged.
“Ok, new day,” She said as she looked in the mirror at herself. She would shower and change and then spend her day as if Marco didn’t exist. She would focus only on the party, only on the things at hand.
Chapter Seven
The party was an even greater success than the first. Marco delegated one of his men to watch over Cara for the evening but she noticed Marco searching her out regularly anyway.
Marco was feeling desperately ill-tempered with himself. The party was exactly what he'd wanted, debauchery in every corner. Women scantily dressed, his business associate was having no problem indulging in the women, the alcohol, and the atmosphere but Marco wasn't acting like himself. Normally he would be knee deep in his first woman of the night by now. Instead, he was checking on Cara who he'd already set up safely for the evening just so he wouldn't be tempted to check on her every few minutes.
“Martini?” A gorgeous blonde came up to Marco with a fresh drink for him and one for herself. “You throw an amazing party.”
"Thanks," Marco forced himself to look at the blonde. Her legs were long and perfectly sculpted.
“Is this your first time at the house?” Marco tried to look interested in whatever the woman was going to say.
“Yes,” The woman smiled and sipped at her drink. She had a plunging neckline and Marco let himself look over her young buoyant cleavage. “Who is she?” The woman asked looking at Cara.
“Why?” Marco lifted up taller, feeling the protective heat in him rise.
“You just keep looking at her,” The woman put up one hand and Marco tried to relax again but it was no use.
“Have a nice time,” Marco said in a deep growl. The woman practically ran away and Marco shot a quick look at Cara. Had he been looking at her that much? Marco was annoyed with himself and annoyed with Cara…for what he wasn’t exactly sure, mostly just for being here, causing an i
nterruption in his normal routine.
Marco watched as Cara busied herself behind the scenes then turned back to the extravaganza of women in front of him. There ought to be some sultry woman here that would turn his attention.
But there wasn't…Marco had spent the night trying in vain to be interested in various women scantily clad in next to nothing but he just wasn't interested. Finally, after much effort, he gave up trying. A nagging thought tugged at the back of his brain. He didn't want these women because there was another woman he wanted.
To Marco, that line of thinking was unacceptable. He’d always made himself quite clear to both the women he slept with and to himself that he wasn’t interested in that sort of thing. He was a man that was destined to sow his wild oats all his life. Being trapped by one woman was not his destiny. This thing he was feeling with Cara was a minor lapse but that was all it was.
As Marco watched the leggy blonde leave with some other man, he decided that he would have to choose another line of action with the whole Cara and Dimitri thing.
Cara watched Marco as he moved around his guests and the women who were meant as entertainment for the party. There was something peculiar about his manners throughout the night. Maybe something had gone off during the business deal in a way Marco hadn’t wanted to happen.
The women that were paid extra to stay and give extras didn’t seem to tempt Marco and Cara wondered if she’d gotten his type wrong, he’d seemed interested in any woman that could breathe and walk before, but he was out of good humor during the night and didn’t seem to find anyone that struck his fancy at all.
A fleeting thought ran through Cara's mind but she pushed it away, she could not afford to fall for this man. He would break her heart into so many pieces she would never be sure she'd ever had a heart, to begin with. It would be best for her to keep her distance, emotional and physical.
The next few days Marco was quiet, perhaps even a bit secretive, but he would startle Cara by showing up unexpectedly in the kitchen or in the doorway of her bedroom, just to make sure she was ok.
The Bear Shifter's Virgin (Fated Bears Book 1) Page 22
