Page 37

Story: Marking Mia

Kane glances down at himself- his massive frame, his powerful hands that could easily snap someone in half, and the intensity radiating from him that screams danger.

He sighs heavily and drops into the chair beside my bed. Running a hand through his dark hair, he suddenly seems weary. “Mia, I want to apologize for earlier. At the restaurant. About the money.”

The reminder makes my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“Do you think I’m some kind of charity case?”

“Not at all,” he says firmly, holding my gaze. “I thought it might help you, considering the situation you were in. I don’twant you to pay it back. I don’t expect anything from you in return.”

I study his face, looking for any sign of deception.

His gray-blue eyes are steady and serious. My drug-addled brain wonders what it would be like to have those eyes looking at me while I’m naked.

Oh no, I mustreallybe high to be thinking like that.

I let out a long breath, my body relaxing further into the hospital bed. The pain medication has fully kicked in now, wrapping me in a comfortable haze.

“I accept your apology,” I say. “But I feel uncomfortable keeping that much money.”

“It’s yours,” Kane says with finality. “I’m not taking it back.”

Beneath the thin hospital blanket, I press my thighs together, shocked to feel a pulse of desire between them. A strange warmth blooms in my chest, unrelated to the medication.

Where did this man come from? Why is he being so kind to me? And why is my body responding so intensely to his presence?

My core clenches and I suddenly become aware of a wetness gathering there.What the hell?I’ve just been through a traumatic experience. I’m high on pain meds, and I’m getting turned on by a complete stranger.

I close my eyes briefly, trying to regain my composure. When I open them again, I find all three men watching me with identical expressions of concern and something hungry that makes my pussy clench again.

“The nurse will be back to take me for X-rays,” I say, desperate to break the tension. “And then I guess they’ll let me go.”

The hospital wheelchair squeaks as the attendant pushes me toward the exit, my bandaged wrist resting carefully in my lap. The pain medication has wrapped me in a comfortable haze, dulling the sharp edges, but I’m still acutely aware of the three men flanking me like bodyguards.

Finn is silent on my left, Kane ahead, clearing a path with his muscular body, and Jace hovering protectively on my right. It’s strange how safe I feel surrounded by men I just met today- men who obliterated Justin into a bloody mess.

The automatic doors slide open, letting in a rush of cool night air, and I shiver from the cold.

“I’ve got her from here,” Finn says to the attendant, his deep voice rumbling in the quiet of the night.

Before I can protest, Finn is behind the wheelchair, his strong hands taking over. The attendant nods and retreats into the hospital, leaving me completely in their care. Kane leads us to the massive black SUV parked near the emergency entrance- clearly illegally, but no one seems to have ticketed them. It must be nice to be so intimidating that even parking enforcement thinks twice.

Finn wheels me to the passenger side, where Jace has already opened the door. The interior lights illuminate their faces in the darkness, casting shadows that emphasize the sharp angles of their jaws. I can’t look away from how handsome all three of these men are.

Utter perfection.

“Easy now,” Finn murmurs as he helps me stand from the wheelchair.

His large hands are surprisingly gentle as they grip my upper arms, steadying me when I sway slightly. The pain meds make everything feel tilted as if I’m on a boat. Finn keeps one hand on the small of my back as I step up into the high seat of the SUV, his touch burning through the thin fabric of my dress.

I settle into the seat, and my gaze falls on the floor where my purse sits.

One of them must have grabbed it during the chaos with Justin. The sight of it sends a wave of dread through me. Everything inside connects me to my life with Justin: my keys to his apartment, my wallet with the address on my ID, and my phone with his texts.

The thought of going back to that apartment makes my stomach churn. Even with the pain meds, I feel sick at the idea of facing him again, of seeing the aftermath of what happened.

What if he’s waiting there, drunk and angry? What if he’s destroying my things?

“You okay?” Jace asks, sliding into the seat beside me. The SUV is enormous, with a wide back seat that comfortably fits the three of us, with me in the middle, Jace to my right, and Kane climbing in on my left. Finn jumps into the driver’s seat.