Innocence (Tales of Olympus #1)(73)

Angelo’s body started to tremble underneath Marcus’s hand at his throat. “I hear you,” he whispered shakily.

“Good,” Marcus said with one last shove.

He turned back to the table and holstered his side arm. “The Titans will be dealt with. Their violence will not go unanswered. But we do it smart. Tiny, Fats, find out who their major supplier in Metropolis is. Double up the Shades’ presence on the Westside. No more Titans get in our city that we don’t know about. No more surprises. And find that gods damned driver, see what he knows. Meeting adjourned.”

There were nods all around and the guys stood up and hurried off. Smart. Most people knew not to mess with him when he was in a mood. Angelo skittered off with his tail between his legs. Marcus would have to watch that. Angelo had a big ego and he was ambitious. That could be a dangerous combination.

Marco glanced at his watch. He knew he was old school, not staring at his phone every godsdamn second, but people were on those things too much.

He looked to Sharo. “Everything considered, it might make sense for you to lay low for the time being.”

Sharo nodded and left without another word.

Probably why the big man was his closest friend, if the term applied to anyone. He knew when it was best to keep his mouth shut.





Twenty-Two





It was a different driver than Sharo who picked Cora up at the shelter. She’d changed into a dress and heels as per Marcus’s request and she fiddled with her purse strap. It felt strange to be driving in the car without Marcus. Strange to be anywhere without Marcus. And yet, Cora found herself doing the exact same thing she’d be doing if Marcus was in the car anyway.

She stared out the window, silent, hand on the glass as she watched the beautiful glittering lights of the city.

“Um, sir, can you put on some classical music? I think it’s preset one?”

The strains of Rachmaninoff filling the Bentley made Cora relaxed back against the chair. Between the gentle lull of the music and the soft leather seats, Cora felt her eyes drifting closed.

She’d watched a TV show while Marcus was gone at work yesterday about these beekeepers who used smoke to daze the bees, lulling them into a false sense of security while the beekeepers emptied their hives of honey.

Was that what was happening to her? Being lulled into a false sense of security by routines and little gifts after periods of hardship her husband himself had inflicted?

Was she being manipulated by a master?

She rolled her eyes at herself. Gods, what was with the animal metaphors today? But maybe it was natural that she couldn’t help thinking about traps and cages on the one day she was free.

The driver pulled in front of Paulie’s, where apparently Marcus was already waiting. Several Shades shadowed Cora as she stepped out of the backseat and, looking both ways, they ushered her out of the car and hurried her into the restaurant.

She’d been here a couple of times, before they were married when Marcus had stopped in briefly for business and she’d drunk coffee in a front booth while he was in the back. Today though, Marcus was in the booth in a little room separated off from the rest of the restaurant. He was alone, not meeting anyone, as if he was waiting for her.

The waitress took Cora directly back to him and Marcus waved for her to take the opposite booth seat.

Cora nervously fingered her purse and sat down, scooting over until she was in front of him, the narrow table between them.

“How was your time with your friend?”

“It was good. Thank you for letting me go.” The words were a little hard to get out. She shouldn’t have to ask permission to go see her own friend. But she kept her temper in check because she really wanted him to award her more and more freedoms like this afternoon.

Marcus tilted his head at her and she wondered what he was thinking. Seemed like she was always wondering what he was thinking lately. His face was so unreadable and his actions often inexplicable. He’d eased up so much from the wedding night but she didn’t know why or what was coming next. She was back to constantly waiting for the next shoe to drop.

“I don’t suppose we could talk like real people?” she asked with a sigh.

Marcus’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “By all means.”

But that was all he said. She sighed again. He’d never make anything easy, would he?

“How was your day?” she asked.

He continued studying her, and shrugged. “I dealt with business.”

Cora rolled her eyes. “Fine, don’t tell me about your day. I’ll tell you about mine. It was great to see Maeve again. And the dogs. The reporter was nosy but I kind of expected that.” Her eyes had been wandering the restaurant but they came back to Marcus. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything.”

“I wasn’t worried that you would.”

This time it was her looking at him in surprise.

“I give you more credit than that. You’re smart. It’s one of the things I like about you.”

It was one of the things he liked about her?

“Though I might have let it slip how grumpy you are in the morning before you get your first cup of coffee.” The teasing comment slipped out but she couldn’t deny the way her chest warmed when she saw his lips twitch.

No. Stop it. No smiling at the sadistic captor. Getting on better terms with Marcus so he gave her more freedoms was one thing, but…liking it?