The Viper (Untamed Hearts #1)(39)
Katie made dinner while Marcos was gone.
Nothing fancy, burgers with fries that she threw in the oven, because everyone liked that. Marcos was gracious and seemed to appreciate her cooking, but he was quiet and withdrawn in a way he hadn’t been before he left.
“Are you okay?” Katie asked as she sat next to Marcos on the sofa in the living room watching a travel show. He wore only jeans and was certainly more compelling than the television with all those muscles and tattoos on display, but she couldn’t help but voice her concern. “You know, if you’re not comfortable staying here—”
“No, that’s not it. I like being with you.” He reached over and squeezed her knee reassuringly. “I got into a fight with my cousin today.”
“Oh.” She picked up a fry and took a bite as she thought about that. “It wasn’t because of me, was it?”
“No.” He shook his head and set his plate on the table. “It wasn’t about you at all.”
“Is Chuito mad you’re staying here?”
“He’s probably glad I’m staying here.” Marcos stretched out on the couch, resting his head on her thigh. He reached up, helping himself to one of her fries before she set her plate down. “It’s other stuff. Being around him is not so easy anymore.”
Katie stroked his hair, enjoying the way it felt against her fingers. “Why?”
“I think I remind him of what he’s trying to forget. Here, he’s the Slayer. Famous fighter. With me, he’s…something different.” Marcos took another bite of his fry, appearing deep in thought as he rubbed his chest, his hand resting over the cross above his heart. “I dunno, maybe that’s not it at all. I mean, co?o, he’s obviously that person around that Tino pendejo, and he sees him every day.”
“You don’t like Tino Moretti?”
He jerked and looked up at her with a glare. “Do you know him?”
“Yeah, he’s Jules’s brother-in-law.” She shrugged when she saw how tense it made him. “We’re not friends or anything, but—”
“I don’t want you talking to him.” He tugged on a strand of her hair to make his point. “You stay away from him, you hear me, chica?”
“Bossy.” She arched an eyebrow, because that sort of controlling tactic reminded her of Grayson. “I don’t like people telling me who to talk to, Marcos.”
“No.” He sat up and turned to her, his light eyes blazing. “You listen to me about this. Stay far away from him.”
She frowned, more than a little unnerved. “Why?”
He reached out and cupped her face. His rough thumb ran over her bottom lip. “Because I asked you to. If you trust me, you’ll do this for me.”
“Tino Moretti couldn’t pick me out of a crowd,” Katie assured him. “It’s fine. We’ve only spoken a few times.”
“A few times too many.” He was still caressing her lip, his emotions so clear to read, anger mixed with compassion. It was a strange combination, but it was there as he leaned in and kissed her. “And make sure after I leave he’s not the next muchacho to show up.”
She laughed. “I doubt I’m Tino Moretti’s type.”
“You’re every man’s type.” He kissed her again, just a tease of their lips meeting that had Katie running her hand up his bare arm, tracing the muscles that bunched under her fingers. He kept his lips a breath away from hers. “Promise me.”
“I’ve given you enough promises today.” She smiled, thinking two could play this game. If he could tease, she could too. “Are you jealous? He is a horrible flirt.”
“He thinks people are supposed to jump when he speaks,” Marcos whispered with bitterness. “Stay away from guys like that. There’s usually a reason for that kind of attitude. They’ve earned it. The hard way.”
“You have that kind of attitude,” she reminded him. “Did you earn it? The hard way?”
“Yes, chica, I did.” He kissed her again, another brush of his lips against hers as he spoke against her mouth. “You should’ve stayed away from me too.”
He pushed his hand into her hair and then fisted it. He tugged her head back with all the attitude he claimed to have earned the hard way. He studied her, the concern in his gaze being replaced by something much more carnal. “Now open for me.”
She parted her lips, and he took what he wanted. His tongue slipped into her mouth, making a wave of white-hot pleasure wash over her. It was a kiss meant to be obeyed, meant to break her and leave her wanting more.
It worked.
She would have agreed to stop talking to anyone at that moment as he fell back against the couch, pulling her with him until she was straddled over him. She held on to his bare shoulders for support as he kissed her like a man possessed. All she could think about was him. He stole every other thought in her head—like a thief—shamelessly and without remorse.
Chapter Eleven
Katie didn’t stay up late.
Marcos did.
It was one of the first major issues they discovered in their compatibility, but Katie fought sleep as she lay curled into Marcos in bed, her head resting in the crook of his arm. She was trying to read, but the romance novel wasn’t as interesting when she had the real thing next to her. She tried to focus and keep from yawning, but it wasn’t working.