Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(16)

“That was my thought too.”

I let out a small laugh and fiddled with my thumbs while my hands fisted nervously in my lap. Did he know I’d run out like a jealous idiot last night?

“So, you left me last night.” His tone didn’t give anything away.

I tucked the hair acting as a wall between us behind my ear.

“Um, yeah. Sorry. I was tired and needed some air.”

He didn’t respond right away and I prayed my breathing was normal because my heart was doing a strange little fluttery thing.

“I would’ve taken you home if I’d known you wanted to go.”

Because he was one of the good guys.

“You were having fun. Your friends obviously miss you. I didn’t want to ruin your night. Cage was coming my way so it worked out okay.”

A small frown touched his lips and I turned my eyes back to the cement crack in the floor I’d been staring at before he’d arrived.

“I was enjoying your company too. I’d looked forward to taking you home.”

Okay now the fluttery thing my heart was doing had turned into a full blown pounding.

Had Marcus Hardy just insinuated he was upset because he didn’t get to take me home?

“Oh,” I responded. What else did I say to that?

The first washer stopped and I jumped up and made myself busy with putting the load in the dryer.

“Washer is free,” I announced smiling back at him.

He stood up and instead of waiting on me to move out of the way he crowded me back against the washer and sat his basket on the closed washer beside it. I lifted my eyes up to his to say “excuse me,” but the heated look in his green eyes stopped me. A small gasp left my mouth.

“I don’t think I’m making myself very clear Low,” he’d lowered his voice and the effect made goose bumps break out over my body. “I was only interested in one person at that bar last night. I only came to see one person,” he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and softly caressed my earlobe before tracing the line of my jaw. “I was there for you.”

The husky whisper in his voice made it hard for me to take a deep breath. Instead, I was making small little pants.

“Oh,” I whispered.

He chuckled and lowered his head until his lips were hovering over mine.

“OH! Ah, um, I, uh,” the startled female voice broke the spell and Marcus closed his eyes tightly and cursed. Straightening up he turned around to face whoever had entered the room. I couldn’t see over his back and the way he was keeping me cornered with his body I realized he didn’t want the intruder to see me either. At least not my face.

“Sadie?” I could hear the surprised confusion in his voice.

“Uh, Marcus I’m so sorry. I was headed up to your apartment and I saw the back of your head through the window and came in. I didn’t see anyone else.”

“No it’s okay. What’re you doing here?” Marcus body was strung tight as a bow. Something was off with this situation. Who was Sadie?

“It’s Amanda. She stayed over at my place last night. I took her home this morning and your Mom was well... anyway, uh, she’s outside in the Hummer and upset. I didn’t know what else to do.” The sound of the girl’s musical voice was not helping my imagination. She had an odd affect on Marcus.

“No you did the right thing. I’m coming.”

I heard the door shut and Marcus let out a defeated sigh.

“I gotta go check on her.”

“Of course you do.” I stepped out from around him this time and went to the other washing machine that had stopped to unload it.

He stared at me as if he was going to say something else but instead shook his head and left the room and his dirty laundry forgotten.

I got my other two loads in the dryer then put a load of his dark clothes in to wash.

Standing in the washroom without Marcus suddenly felt cold and lonely. He’d almost kissed me. He’d come to see me last night. But then Sadie had shown up. She affected him. Why? Jess, Sadie... there were many girls in his life. Just like Cage. I shook my head and cleared my thoughts. I needed to finish up and get ready for work.





Chapter Six


Marcus





Sadie was twirling a strand of her blond hair around her finger. She did that a lot when she was nervous. “I am so sorry I walked in on that Marcus. I feel like an idiot,” she began explaining as soon as I made it to Jax Stone’s Hummer.

“No worries,” which wasn’t exactly the truth. Sadie walking in on me about to kiss Willow had screwed with my head a little. Sadie had wrapped me so tightly around her finger not too long ago I’d expected to feel something when I turned around and saw her standing there with Willow’s warm body pressed against my back. But I hadn’t. Nothing. No ache at the sight of her. Absolutely nothing. Righteous anger at my father and the hell he was putting my mom and sister through, yes, I’d felt that. Worry for Amanda, yes, I’d felt that. But nothing for Sadie. My immediate response was to protect Willow. Not sure what I was protecting her from but none the less that had been my goal.

Sadie opened the door and Amanda sat curled up in the corner sniffling like a little girl. My heart broke. It was like I’d stepped back in time and the little sister I loved and protected needed me to fight off the monsters under her bed again. But this time the damn monster was our father. He was ripping us apart for a twenty year old whore. Or however old she was. She was young. That’s all I knew.