Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(33)

The moment I opened the bedroom door I heard the key jingle in the lock. My nerves hit an all time high as the door swung open and in sauntered Cage looking incredibly hung over. His eyes met mine and he started to grin but the grin fell almost immediately. I was standing in Marcus’s doorway. It wasn’t a detail Cage had missed.

“Good morning Cage,” I said forcing a smile. His bloodshot eyes shifted from me and found Marcus walking out of the kitchen with my cup of coffee.

“Morning,” Marcus nodded to Cage as he passed him and brought me my coffee. I quickly took it from his hands, for fear Cage may suddenly lung at Marcus and burn him with my coffee. I kept my eyes on Cage. If he made any sudden moves I was going to stop him.

“Low, what the f*ck?”

I cringed at the angry growl in his tone.

Stepping past Marcus I placed myself in front of him knowing Cage wouldn’t hurt me to get to him.

“Cage you and I need to talk. Please, don’t do anything drastic. I’ll leave if you force me to.”

The hurt that flashed in his blue eyes stung. I didn’t like hurting him. Other than Larissa, Cage was the only other person I’d ever loved. Hurting Cage was like hurting myself. His throat constricted and his angry glare flashed at Marcus.

“You couldn’t stay out of her damn panties could you Marcus? I warned you she was mine.”

Marcus tensed behind me and started to move and I followed him. I was not letting him get near Cage without me as a buffer. His hands clasped my shoulders. I waited for him to try to move me but he didn’t.

“I haven’t been in her panties Cage. You know Low better than that. Watch what you say.”

Cage took a step toward us and his fist clenched and unclenched reflexively his eyes never leaving Marcus.

“You don’t f*cking KNOW her! You’re a damn pretty boy with his daddy’s money. You’ll use her and walk away. She can’t handle that. Why couldn’t you have just backed the hell off like I warned you?”

Marcus moved me to the side this time.

“You know nothing about me. From the moment I graduated from high school I haven’t used one red cent of my father’s money. I make my own way. And I would never hurt her. You expect her to sit by and wait on you to stop screwing your way through the damn State of Alabama. That’s insane and selfish Cage. If you care about her at all you’ll let her make her own choices.”

Marcus never yelled but his voice was hard and at times lethal sounding. I sat my cup down on the table and prepared to jump between them if Cage made any sudden moves.

“I take care of her. Ask her! I’ve never let her down. I’m the one who has dried her tears and picked up the pieces when her sorry ass sister continues to break her heart. Since she was a little girl it has been ME whose helped her through everything. So don’t tell me how to show her I love her. Don’t you dare tell me I’m f*cking selfish.”

Marcus sighed and shook his head. I knew he didn’t understand Cage’s perspective. But I did.

“I get that you’ve always been the one there for her. I do. But you have a life Cage. You go out with girls all the time. Why do you expect Low to just sit and wait on you? Why can’t she make her own choices?”

Cage’s angry glare finally left Marcus and his focus shifted to me. The betrayal in his eyes almost undid me. The snarl left his face and a concerned frown took its place.

“Is this what you want baby?”

I nodded feeling the tears fill my eyes.

“Okay. If you want to do this thing with Marcus then fine. I’ll take it and deal with it. But when he hurts you. When he lets you down, I’ll be here. My arms are always open for you to run into. I want you happy and if you think this * will make you happy then fine. You need to live a little too. I can’t protect you from everything,” his gaze shifted back to Marcus, “but I can be here to hold you when he breaks your heart.”

Marcus may not like it but I didn’t care. Cage was going to accept this. He really would do anything to make me happy. I went to him and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you,” I whispered in his ear.

His forehead touched my shoulder and he squeezed me tightly. “If he hurts you I’ll kill him,” his words were for my ears only. I didn’t doubt him but I knew Marcus would never hurt me. He was one of the good guys.

“He won’t,” I assured him.

Cage let out a sigh and kissed my temple, “Yes baby, he will.”

Then he let me go and turned and walked to his bedroom without looking back. Once his door closed I let out the breath I’d been holding and my shoulders sagged in relief. That wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d imagined.

Two warm arms wrapped around me and I was pressed tightly against Marcus’s chest. Smiling to myself while he nuzzled my neck.

“I won’t hurt you Low,” he promised.

I nodded. Because I believed him.





Chapter Thirteen





Marcus



Willow had gone to take a shower. Apparently she’d put that off afraid I’d face Cage alone. The fact she’d stood between the two of us to protect me would be funny if it didn’t piss me off a little. It made me want to go out and beat the shit out of someone so she could see I wasn’t some spoiled rich kid who’s never had a busted lip or black eye. She’d met Rock, Dewayne and Preston. Could she not tell I didn’t exactly run around with the country club crowd? I flipped the last pancake and reached to get the butter out of the fridge.