Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(48)

“Baby,” Marcus slurred reaching for me. “My Low’s here,” his garbled words were muffled as he pulled me against him burying his head in my neck.

Fingernails bit into my arm and I cried out in pain startling Marcus whose head jerked up looking confused and unstable.

“Back off bitch,” Jess shrilled behind me. Pushing Marcus back just enough so he didn’t end up getting in the way of any blows that were about to happen, I turned around and glared up at her.

“I suggest you back off. Touching my boyfriend like that is not cool with me. He’s drunk. He won’t remember this tomorrow. So back the Hell off before I break that perfect little nose job of yours.” I hissed taking another step toward her.

She cackled, “I’m not scared of you.”

I raised one eyebrow and smirked, “Really? Well, princess, you ever got into a fight with a girl from my side of town? We don’t fight fair. I won’t pull your hair and scratch your face. We fight to live. You’ll wake up flat on your back on this dance floor. Want to see if I’m bluffing? Please, by all means, take a swing at me. You start it and I’ll finish it.”

I heard chanting and a few cat calls and whistles but I ignored everything. Blocking out the crowd was the first rule. I could take her down. I had no doubt. Cage had taught me to street fight at a young age. The indecision in her face as I held her gaze unflinching and waiting was laughable.

“Back off, Jess,” Rock came up behind her taking both her arms and pulling her back. She didn’t fight him. She went willingly turning around and let him lead her out the front door. Once they were outside I turned around to see Marcus’s glassy stare focused on me with a goofy grin on his face. Yep, he was completely wasted.

“That was hot, Low,” he slurred reaching out and pulling me against him.

He smelled like Cage. I didn’t like it. I wanted my Marcus back. Pushing against his chest I stared up at him. A frown puckered his brow.

“What’s wrong?” he asked swaying slightly.

Telling him what was wrong was pointless.

“I’m taking you home,” I replied and grabbed his arm slipping mine through his to help keep him straight.

Preston met us at the door and opened it.

“I’m sorry you had to see him like this,” Preston whispered.

I nodded. I was sorry I had to see it too. I was also sorry I had to go all badass in a bar full of people. I remembered Preston’s reasons why Marcus was drunk but I had a hard time accepting it. So what! He had an argument with his dad. Well he has a mother and sister who love him. I don’t even have that but you don’t see me running off to get drunk every time my sister and I fight. Which is every time I see her. No, he didn’t have an excuse for this. Nor did he have an excuse for letting another girl hump his leg. And his hands had been on her waist. His big hands had been mere inches from her massive tits. For all I knew he could have copped a feel before I arrived tonight.

“He just has some family problems,” Preston said as he opened the passenger side of Marcus’s truck. I let him help Marcus in and buckle him up then I closed the door.

“I’m the poster child for family problems. But do you know how many times I’ve been drunk? None. Not one time. I realize he’s your friend and you’re protecting him but the fact remains he got drunk and had his hands all over another girl. She was humping him rather hard I might add. Do you think he’d been okay with things if the situation was reversed? No! I can tell you he’d have lost it. I’m going to take him home. Put him to bed and I’ll deal with it in the morning. But please Preston no more excuses. He doesn’t have one that will fly in my book.”

Preston let out a long sigh and nodded stepping back so I could walk around to the driver’s seat of the truck.

“Oh, here’s his keys. I took them off him when I got here,” Preston threw me the keys.

“He really does love you,” Preston said then held up his hands in surrender, “don’t yell at me. That’s all I’m saying. I’ll shut up now.”

I managed to give him a tight smile that I did not feel before getting into the truck and driving us home.





Chapter Nineteen





Marcus



I couldn’t swallow. There was cotton in my throat and a pretty thick coating of it on my tongue too. Smacking my mouth I started to move and my head screeched in rebellion. Falling back on the soft bed underneath me, I moaned. What was wrong with me? Slowly I peeled my eyelids up and the sun peeked through the blinds on my window. Confused, I glanced down at myself. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I was in my bed. Something was wrong. Pressing my head between my palms I forced myself to sit up. The room started spinning and I closed my eyes. I knew this feeling. It had been awhile since I’d had it but I knew what it was. Massive hangover. Noise on the other side of the door helped me focus. I was in my room. Why was I in my room? How did I get to my room?

Willow. Standing up I forced my feet to move until I opened the door to my room then I leaned against it and groaned at the dizzy spell caused by the pain in my head.

“You look like shit.”

Opening my eyes I found Cage walking into the living room with a cup of coffee in his hands. Swinging my attention to the couch I noticed it was empty. Willow. Where was Willow?