Part 18 (2/2)

Angrily, I snapped my head and glared at him. ”What are you doing?” Just because I was a bit comfortable around him, didn't mean he knew me well enough to put his hands on me.

”Look. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that to you. Maybe he was given a separate job to handle.”

”Bulls.h.i.+t. Don't try and cover his a.s.s now.” I crossed my arms while tapping my foot along the leg of the metal barstool in front of me. What was Marcus doing on those nights if he wasn't on a job? Jealous thoughts began to take over, causing my blood pressure to rise.

”Look at you! You're working yourself up over something that's not even an issue. Come on. Let me grab you another drink.” Raising a brow, he flashed a wide grin. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was overreacting. He ordered us another round of drinks after I let out a deep breath and nodded.

”You gotta live a little, Mia.” He exclaimed as he ruffled a hand through my hair.

”Hey!” I jabbed his shoulder. His mocking wide-eyed expression made us both laugh.

My laughter immediately stopped when I saw Gio stare over my shoulder. He straightened his position as his facial features went from humorous to stern in a nanosecond. Confused by his instant change in demeanor, I turned to see what had caused it. My heart dropped at the sight of Marcus storming across the dance floor. The look on his face caused my body to slightly tremble with fear. I'd never seen him that angry-the grimness in his eyes, the tightening in his jaw, the thin line of his lips, and the command in his stride. With every step he took, my heart pounded just as quickly.

Gio grabbed his beer and leaned back onto the counter smoothly, as if Marcus's behavior didn't intimidate him. I twirled in the barstool to fully face Marcus as he approached. Once he was in front of us, his eyes never left Gio. ”Marky.” Gio said while lifting the beer bottle in salute and then chugging the rest down. Marcus didn't respond, not even a nod in acknowledgment. He continued to grimace at Gio. Then Marcus slowly tilted his head and looked down at me. My chest heaved in and out from the angry stare-down. Why was he making me feel as if I had done something wrong?

To lighten the mood, I breathed out a smile, stood, and wrapped my arms around his neck. ”Hey baby, I've missed you. How was your night?” I tried to sound upbeat and excited, but his continued glare left me uneasy.

He didn't respond; instead, he wrapped his hands around my wrist and pulled my arms away from his neck. Still with a tight grip, Marcus turned and hauled me through a swarm of dancing drunks. He was walking so quickly, winding through the crowd that I had to practically run to keep up. Megan waved at me as we pa.s.sed her. I didn't have time to wave back as he pulled me up the stairs and toward the second level. The music died down the moment the door closed behind us.

Once we reached the hallway, he let go of my wrist but continued his way down the hall and into the VIP room. Following him, I shut the door behind me. Marcus paced back and forth in the room while staring at the wooden floors the entire time. I didn't know what to do or say, so I leaned against the wall and waited.

Finally, he stopped by the table. Tightly gripping the back of the chair, he shut his eyes as his breathing became heavier. ”Why didn't you tell me you were going out?” His voice was in a low cruel tone.

My lips slightly trembled as I let out a shaky break. What brought on this hostility? ”It was a sudden decision. I didn't realize I had to keep you posted on my whereabouts.”

He laughed with no sound of humor echoing the room. ”Here I am busting my f.u.c.kin' a.s.s to keep you safe, and I have no right to know your whereabouts? f.u.c.kin' perfect. As I try to better our future, you're over here flirting with him!”

What did he mean keep me safe? When I was going to question him on it, I remembered his last harsh statement. ”You cannot be serious about me flirting with Gio?”

”I'm. Completely. f.u.c.king. Serious.” He ran a hand over his face in frustration.

”Marcus, I was not flirting with him. Not in the least.” I moved toward him until we were a foot away. ”He was comforting me.”

His head snapped up at me with dark eyes. ”Comforting you? Why would he be comforting my girl?”

Marcus sarcastic and harsh tone left me uneasy. ”He was comforting me because I was extremely angry when I found out my boyfriend had been lying to me for the past few weeks.” I crossed my arms and dropped a hip, waiting for his response as his mouth slightly opened.

Then his eyes grew angry as his jaw clenched together. ”You have no idea what you're talking about.”

”No? So you weren't lying to me for the past few weeks? You were, in fact, on jobs for Lou? Or were you so busy at the firm that you had to stay extra late hours with Stephanie, I wonder?” I raised my hands in question with a mocking tone.

”You need to stop right there.” Marcus sneered as he turned his back on me and walked over to the bar area of the room. Grabbing a gla.s.s and a bottle of whisky, he poured a gla.s.s.

Anger rushed through me. Storming over toward him, I pulled the drink from his hand and dumped the liquor into the sink.

”What the f.u.c.k, Mia!”

I inched in and pointed my finger at his shoulder. ”We have not seen each other in two weeks, Marcus. Two whole weeks! We were doing so well. Are we back to arguing and not discussing our issues? I know that you're hiding something from me. I can feel it.” I reached my hand up to touch his beautiful face and stared into those damaged eyes. With a lower tone I went on, ”Why are you not telling me? I don't understand. Are we back to that now?”

He exhaled at my touch and shut his eyes, contemplating, and then he lifted his eyelids open. ”Do you trust me?”

With all my heart, I trusted him, but he obviously didn't trust me. ”Do you trust me?” I shot back.

His eyes focused on mine as if the question was difficult to answer. I couldn't believe him. I'd never for one second given him a reason not to trust me. I'd stuck by him through all of his decisions, good or bad. I'd accepted his lifestyle, because I knew deep down it wasn't what made him who he was. Whether he believed it or not, he was a good man.

My eyes blurred as he continued to stare at me but didn't answer my question. Removing my hands from his face, I studied his features. ”Wow.” I couldn't believe it. He didn't utter a word, but, judging from his actions, it was clear that he did not trust me.

”Mia, listen.” He reached out to grab my arm.

I pulled away, stepping back. ”No. I get it.”

”Mia, no, you don't.”

”I've done everything in my power, Marcus, to show you what you mean to me-that I love you more than I care to breathe. It hurts me, and I mean a terrible heartrending pain, for you to stand there, look me in the eyes, and basically admit that you don't trust me.” Sniffing back, I couldn't keep the hot tears from streaming down my face. His expression broke at my words. ”What do you want from me? What else can I give you?”

He leaned into me and stared down. We were so close I could feel the heat from his body against mine. With his unsteady breathing, his tortured eyes danced along my face. For a moment, it looked as if he was going to crack, but then he contained himself, took in one deep breath, and shut his eyes. ”I need you to trust me when I say it's important for you to grab Megan and go home.” His eyelids opened, and my heart swelled in pain at his words. He reached up and grazed my cheek with the back of his fingers. I was beyond angry. He was pus.h.i.+ng me away when he should've been able to confide in me. Before the warmth of his touch seeped through my skin, I tore my face away and stepped back again.

”Mia.” He tenderly whispered.

”Whatever you say, Marcus. I'll just go home with Megan and sit around and wait for whenever I get to have my Marcus back. Because the one in front me at this very moment . . . I have no idea who he is. I want my Marcus: the loving, caring, and pa.s.sionate one.” His face was broken, but I needed to say how I felt. ”Let me know when he's back.”

With my back turned to him, I stormed out the door, dragged a highly intoxicated Megan off the dance floor, and grabbed a cab.

Something deep down within me knew that Marcus was involved in something deeper than he had disclosed. It left me nervous and unsettled. Guilt began to seep through me as I thought of the way we had left things. I should have kissed him and held him tightly against me. My deepest regret that night was that I didn't pull him in and hold him, even if it was just for a few seconds.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

MARCUS.

”Marcus. Marcus. Yo, Marcus!” I broke out of my daze as Jimmie hovered over my desk, snapping his fingers. ”What the h.e.l.l? I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes.” His brows bunched together, concerned. ”You alright, Bro?”

Having had no sleep, I blinked my dry eyes and ran a hand over my face. There was nothing that could rid me of the exhaustion I felt. When Mia left the club the night before, I wanted to tell her everything that was going on, but it was better to keep it from her for now. It was the only way I could keep her away from the Club and the only way I knew to protect her. It was the day of the bust, and I would be f.u.c.king lying if I wasn't running all the possible scenarios of what could go wrong through my mind: the thought of possibly not coming out alive, never having a chance to express the love I had for Mia, to show her that it was always true, and that my reason for everything was her.

Then I thought of my niece and mother as I looked into Jimmie's same fearful eyes. ”Sorry, Jimmie. When will Vinnie be here?”

He slumped back in the seat of my home office. ”Soon. I told Mom that you and I were dealing with inventory at the Club today. She took Elle out for breakfast and then a trip to park since it's nice out.” He quickly glanced at his watch. ”It's still early, only nine. Vinnie said the bust will happen at two this afternoon.” He nervously ran his hands along the thighs of his jeans. ”Marcus, I need to ask you something.” Jimmie looked up at me. ”If anything happens to me, I need you to take-”

”Don't talk like that!” I slammed my hand against the desk in frustration. The last thing I wanted to hear was my brother being weak. ”We are going to get out of this. You'll be home with Elle, and I'll be home with Mia. It'll all be okay. We are going to be okay.” It felt as if I was trying to convince myself more than him.

His eyes clouded over as he cleared his throat. ”You're right.”

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