Page 7 of Grave Kisses (Graveyard of Hearts Collection #1)

Kendra

Three Days Later

Tuesday night, I ended up falling asleep on my couch.

I had to text Julie to bring me more clothes, but then she scolded me for not going home.

I definitely should have because I spent all day Wednesday exhausted.

Marcus has been lurking all week. He hasn’t said anything to me, but he is just always there.

I’ve opened up to Bellamy more than I thought I would.

He’s a nice guy, and I do trust him. He is very gentle by nature, it seems, despite being built like sin.

He is tall and handsome. He isn’t as bulky as Marcus, but he’s strong.

Yesterday I was standing on a stepladder trying to situate books on the top shelf of the bookcase in my office.

It got wobbly for a second, and he snatched me off that ladder and moved me to sit on the couch like I weighed nothing.

I’m not tiny by any stretch of the imagination, yet he picked me up like I was.

I’ve come to accept that Marcus bothers me so much because he's sexy as fuck, and I want him to hate-fuck all of my secrets out of me. Bellamy is so gentle, but I just know he’d be the soft pleasure dom type. God, and both of them? I’d die and go to heaven.

I am sitting at my desk getting ready to leave. I’ll be going straight to Martin and Noel’s house, and I know Marcus is too. Bellamy is going to be there also, so I am confident that everything will go smoothly.

The door opens, and Marcus stands in the doorway. “Oh, sure. Come on in. Don’t worry about knocking,” I say with an annoyed tone.

“Why are you still here?” he asks.

“Do I need your permission?” I ask, glancing up at him.

“This is my building, so…”

“Our,” I say with a smile. “And I’m leaving now. Don’t worry.”

I grab my stuff and stand up. When I get to the door, he doesn’t move. “I will find out what you are hiding,” he says as a warning.

“Now, Marcus. You’ve been a good boy all week. You really want to start this again?” I ask.

“Don’t,” he growls.

“What?” I ask innocently. “Clearly, you are a brat… Pushing back and in need of stability. Do you need someone to dominate you, Marcus? Put you in line so you can learn how to be a good boy for me? Tell me, Marcus. Do you prefer to be on your knees when you beg, or do we just skip to restraints?”

Marcus abruptly grabs me by the throat and pulls me closer as he leans down.

Nose to nose with this man, I just laugh.

Bellamy was right about one thing. I’m a brat, and he’s pissed he can’t do anything about it.

Except this, apparently. I’m not afraid in the slightest, but his words send a shockwave of anger and fear into my soul.

“I can’t fucking wait for Archer to take you to court,” he growls.

“W-What?” I ask with a meek voice.

“Aww. What’s wrong? Are you shocked that I’d help get rid of you? He is his son, Kendra. This company belongs to him, and—”

It doesn’t surprise either of us when I ball my fist up and punch him. Marcus stumbles back a step, and I take the opportunity to shove him backward so I can shut my office door and walk away. Julie is watching but says nothing as she steps into the elevator with me. Marcus is watching, fuming.

“What happened?” Julie asks softly. I just shake my head because if I try to say anything right now, I will sob.

When we get out of the building, I go straight to my vehicle.

I drive away before Julie can stop me. Before anyone can.

I saw Bellamy in his car when I was walking out.

He is the last one I want to explain this to.

I’m terrified that he will take his friend’s side, and I would not even blame him.

Against my better judgment, I still drive to Martin’s house. I want to get there before Marcus. Maybe if I explain first, he won’t side with his son. Even just thinking that makes me feel awful, but Alan wanted me to have this company. I cannot let Archer take it from me.

When I get into the driveway, Martin is waiting for me on his front porch. It takes me a minute to actually get out of the car, but when I do, Bellamy is driving up.

“Kendra,” Bellamy says when I get out.

“Please don’t,” I say tearfully. I see Marcus pull in right as I get to Martin. Instead of waiting on anyone else, he pulls me inside and shuts the door.

“What happened, sweetie?” he asks, holding my face.

“What’s wrong?” Noel asks, walking into the living room. “Sit her down. Did Marcus do something?”

I’m practically sobbing as he sits beside me so that he can hold me while I cry.

“What the fuck is she doing here? Are you fucking kidding me?!” Marcus yells at his parents.

“Tell me, Kendra. What happened?” Martin asks softly while Noel tells her son to shut the fuck up.

“He’s… helping Archer. He said… Archer is taking me to court,” I choke out. “I can’t lose this company. I promised him… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”

I try to stand up, but Martin grabs me in a tight hug and pulls me into his lap as the rest of my emotions burst out, and I’m nearly hysterical. I have kept all of this inside for a week now, letting a little bit out at a time so it doesn’t overwhelm me. Right now, it’s too much to handle.

After a few minutes, Martin lets me move back to sit on the couch and holds my face so I look at him. “I promise you right now, Kendra. No one is taking that company from you. Okay? No one. I will be damned if Archer ever hurts you again.”

“Him hurt her? She’s the one—” Marcus starts to say as he walks closer, but Martin jumps up and gets in his son's face.

“Archer raped her for twelve fucking hours, Marcus. She was a fucking child, and he hurt her. I am the one who helped Alan take care of her. I am the one who sat there while I watched her sob in his arms because she was in so much pain. Alan was like her father, and if you could stop for two fucking seconds to realize that she is grieving, we wouldn’t be here.

I don’t know what you did, but you are going to fucking fix it.

Don’t think for a second I can’t take that company back from you.

If you help Archer hurt her again, you are no son of mine,” Martin yells.

“Dad…”

“He was her foster father,” Bellamy says simply. “The day she found Alan dead, she had the adoption papers ready. She didn’t want to feel like she was intentionally replacing Archer. She never wanted to do that. Alan did that on his own, and you’ve been torturing his fucking daughter all week.”

“You knew?” Marcus asks. “Why didn’t you—”

“Why didn't I what, Marcus? Why didn’t I tell you that you were being a fucking asshole? I did. Why didn’t I tell you that she was grieving?

I did. You didn’t fucking listen. It was not my place to tell her story.

Yes, I knew. That woman has done nothing to deserve how you have treated her,” Bellamy says with a grave tone.

Marcus sits on the ottoman across from me, and Martin lifts my chin. “If he says something stupid, punch him in the face again,” Martin says, making me smile.

“Okay,” I sniff. Martin pats my leg, glares at his son, and leads everyone into the kitchen. Bellamy stays behind but keeps his distance.

“Kendra…”

“Why?” I ask. “Why did you care so much who I was to him? Did you think so low of him that you would think that he was dumb enough to be tricked?”

“No… I mean, I guess… I always assumed that he was alone. He was so content being alone. I thought he was just… fuck,” Marcus says, but stops and lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Kendra. Truly.”

“If I had told you and not your father. Would you have believed me?” I ask.

“Why would you lie about being raped?” he asks. “But honestly… I don’t know. Archer has been saying all week that you manipulated his dad, and he believed you because he was desperate to have a daughter again.”

“Again?” I ask. “I never knew of him having any other kids.”

“Let’s just… start from the beginning. Can we do that?” Marcus asks.

I do as he has suggested and start from the beginning.

I explain everything from the rape to the recovery to the years that followed, leading up to Alan’s death.

I talked about all of our happy memories and how that man saved my life.

He saved me from myself more times than I can count.

By the time I stop rambling, Marcus has tears in his eyes.

“I thought for years that Dad was cheating on Mom,” he says. “I kept telling her, and she said that it was okay and to mind my own business… When I would ask him, he would just chuckle.”

“I should have just explained,” I say. “I spent so many years trying to be as invisible as possible. I wasn’t ready to face the consequences.”

“What do you mean?” Marcus asks.

“Archer… the entire time he was raping me. He kept saying that no matter where I went, he would find me if I opened my mouth. The fact that I told his father and it led to him losing everything… Part of me is still that terrified teenager praying he doesn’t come back for me… but he has,” I say.

“If the adoption papers had been signed, Archer wouldn’t have a case at all,” Marcus says.

“Your dad said that Alan kept signed ones in his safe at home. All I would have to do is sign them, and Jesse could take care of it,” I sniff. “I haven’t been to the house since I found him. Hell, I didn’t even go past the living room.”

“Shit,” Marcus sighs.

“What?” I ask.

“He’s having you served Monday morning,” he says.

“Shit. Okay,” I say. “I guess I’ll go and get it…”

“Do you want someone to come with you?” he asks carefully.

“Oh. You are. You helped make this mess. You’re going to help fix it,” I say.

“I’ll come with you guys,” Bellamy says, moving closer to sit beside me.

“Are you two… I swear I’m not calling you a whore again,” Marcus says.

“He wishes,” I laugh.

“Julie thinks you should…” Bellamy starts to say, but I gasp and cover his mouth. He licks my palm, and I yank my hand back.

“Ew! You heathen. Did you just lick me?!” I ask, wiping my hand on his shirt.