Innocence (Tales of Olympus #1)(23)



“There’s a man outside my door,” she continued into the phone, both her hand and her voice shaking, but she gave every detail as carefully as she could, speaking slowly, like a small child. She hung up and waited.

Ten minutes later, she thought she could hear another knock on the door. Phone in hand, she didn’t move. Again, a knock. The phone rang, breaking the silence and nearly causing her to scream. She answered it with a half-strangled, “Hello?”

Sharo was at the door. It took three tries for her shaking hands to unlock it, and when she did, he came in before she asked him, ushering her to a couch with a strong hand, flipping on lights as he did. He poured her a drink and assured her Marcus was on his way. Then he went back to the foyer and she heard his deep voice, talking to what she assumed were more of Marcus’s security team.

Sharo was back a few minutes later, a certain look on his face that told her that he was cautiously pleased with something.

“You okay?” he asked. She’d gotten to know Sharo a little bit over the past month, well, as much as you could get to know a gruff, silent security guard. But there was genuine concern in his eyes as he looked down at her.

“Yes,” she said, smoothing still trembling hands down over her gown. “I think so.”

“Two of my men were outside the apartment. They think they may have spotted him, and seen him dive down into city transport. They’re still on the trail.” There it was again, a look of quiet smugness that suggested Sharo was sure he’d have his hands on the man soon. “You’ll never see him again.”

Cora frowned. The way Sharo said it, it sounded…final. Not like if they found the guy, they’d call the cops.

“He didn’t do anything,” she said. “Just scared me, that’s all.” What the hell was she doing? Defending her kidnapper? She lifted hands to her temples and rubbed. “How—how did he find me?”

But Sharo’s face was now impassive, and he was suddenly no longer willing to speak. A few minutes later, Marcus arrived, and she was comforted, complemented, and cradled in his strong arms. All the while Sharo watched, and Cora felt the silent, knowing glances between the man and his boss.

“Why don’t we stay in tonight, babe. Go order Greek. Sharo will pick it up for us.”

She left the room reluctantly, feeling the eyes of the two men on her. When she returned, they were standing close to one another, both faces were hard and strained, though she had heard no raised voices. As quiet as she was creeping back, she only heard Marcus mutter, “Don’t let it happen again,” before he turned back to her, a cold but gracious host.

Cora stood at the threshold of the room. She’d changed out of the beautiful gown into soft jeans and a plum colored cashmere sweater. This was the other side of the man she…the man she cared for. It was easy to let herself get swept away in the Marcus he was when they were alone together. Passionate. Tender. Sweet. But there was another side to him. A darkness.

“Give Sharo the restaurant name so he can get the food.” Before the bald man left the room, Marcus added, “I don’t want any delivery boy knowing where she lives.” The quiet fury on his face made her pause halfway to the couch. He put out his hand to call her to him and she remained where she was.

“Marcus,” she asked when Sharo had gone, “who is this guy?” Would he open up to her?

“I told you, babe. He’s some dick off the streets who saw a goddess he can never touch and can’t get wise.” With a sigh he seated himself on the couch, staring off into nowhere, his face turned to stone.

Finally, though, he relaxed. “Come here,” he said, and held out his hand again. Slowly, she moved forward and took it, allowing him to pull her down onto the couch. He cradled her as he had when they had first met, arm around her, her head against his suit jacket.

“I don’t want you scared,” he whispered, his lips right near her face, “Don’t think you aren’t safe. Nobody, I mean nobody,” she felt him tense up, angry, “touches my girl.”

She wanted to soothe him. She wanted her Marcus back. “I’m fine,” she murmured. “Nothing happened.”

They sat in silence for a time, and as the clock ticked, the tension left his body. Cora could feel his breathing soften. She held herself very still, like a moth trapped against a lamp; feeling the danger, unable to break away. But she didn’t want to break away.

Let me in, she pleaded silently. She could handle his darkness, if he would let her be his light.

“And nothing ever will. I’ll keep you safe,” he said. “I won’t let you out of my sight.”

She remembered the gleam of the black car she spotted sometimes and frowned. “You already don’t.”

“What?” His voice mixed with the doorbell and she pulled away.

“It’s okay,” Marcus said, his hands steadying her, “it’s only Sharo with the food.” He mistook her anxiety and she let him, body still taut and held away from him, even though she was still so close her hair spilled over his suit.

“Cora,” he repeated, and she relaxed.

“I’m hungry, go get dinner,” she said, but she turned her face away from him as he stood up and went to the door.

He was having her followed, she knew it now. Sharo had all but admitted it when he said men watching her apartment had followed her abductor, and Marcus’s words just now… This was exactly the kind of thing she’d left her mother to get away from.

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