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PART XVIII

MARK

The fallout from the concert was a little hard to manage with the press determined to wheedle its way in to cover the event.

Alex handled it all in stride as did Bart who flew in from New York as soon as he'd heard that Heather had been taken. Together, pulling the strings that they could in their particular spheres.

There was even a private doctor who came to the rented house in Seattle. Heather had remained by his side as the doctor had sewn him up, her eyes averted away from the blood, but she held his hand to comfort him.

And she'd confessed to comfort herself as well.

When it was over, Alex entered the room with a curious look. "Do you two have time to talk?"

Mark looked at Heather, who was a little green in her complexion. "Do you want to get some rest first?"

Lifting her chin, her eyes met his. "If you can, I can."

Mark lifted his hand, using the one opposite all of his stitches and gently brushed her hair back from her face. "You don't need to prove anything to anyone."

She shook her head. It was a tiny gesture that he likely wouldn't have seen if he hadn't been looking so closely at her.

"I need to prove something to myself."

He wound his hand around to the nape of her neck and leaned in. He placed a kiss on her forehead, ignoring the twinge of pain in his side. Her comfort meant more to him than a moment of pain.

Alex pulled up a chair and sat down, catching both of their gazes, but turning toward Heather more.

It made sense because he'd known Heather longer than Mark had known him.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head in a long ponderous movement. "I had no idea that Tanner had picked up his father's business. His name didn't pop up in our investigations... at first."

Alex looked pained and less sure of himself than he had been before.

Maybe Heather saw the same thing in his expression, because she reached out and touched his knee.

Alex smiled in return. "I called a few friends and one of them was assigned to the investigation of what happened here because he'd been investigating Tanner these last few years."

Mark frowned at his words. A little confused.

"Tanner had all but disappeared for years. We chalked it up to him being shuttled off to distant relatives since he had no family here in the U.S. It wasn't as if his father's contacts wanted anything to do with him. After the shooting in the Hamptons, the Barretts were basically radioactive."

Heather nodded and sat back, and Mark gathered her closer to his side.

"Not being in the game currently," he tipped his head back and sighed, "I didn't hear about the current investigation."

Mark nodded. "It's not like they'd call you up and tell you that kind of information."

"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier to know that I had no idea he was coming for you, Heather."

"I knew that there would always be someone out there. Wearing a mask," she scoffed at herself, "wasn't fool proof. Even if I wore a mask like I was in some kind of slasher film there was no guarantee someone wouldn't figure out who I was. And you guys were brought in for a stalker. A stalker that your team found and kept me safe from."

She leaned closer toward Alex. "And it looks like they took you seriously when you said you were out, Alex. You can't know everything. No one can."

Alex couldn't quite muster up a smile. "I almost lost you a second time."

"I'm still here." She looked down at her leg where she'd been cut by glass. "A little scratched up but otherwise in one piece and grateful to be alive and with both of you."

Alex's frown was dark, but Mark knew that Heather wasn't going to give up on lifting his spirits.

"I know it's not the outcome you all were hired for. The violin..." She looked down at the memory.

Mark spoke, hoping that Alex could try to help him try to absolve Heather of her own guilt. "That's not something you have to worry about, honey." Mark looked at Alex over her down-turned head. "Bart's already tried to tell her he's not upset."

Alex smiled, understanding the unspoken plea. "I talked to Bart a few minutes ago."

Heather looked up at Alex, her eyes pleading for good news. "What did he say?"

"Well, he let me know that the insurance company that insured the violin... They weren't thrilled that the violin had been destroyed by a criminal under federal investigation, but that wasn't the main issue."

Mark drew her closer to his side. "Breathe."

He relaxed a little when her shoulder rose with her in-drawn breath.

Alex smiled at Heather. "Because Evan was directly responsible for the damage and near theft of the violin, they refused to pay out to the Margolis family which is how Bart generously wrote out the insurance policy. But Bart is paying them enough so that the two remaining members of the family can live in comfort for the rest of their lives. They, the Margolis family, want to offer you an apology for what Evan put you through."

Heather shook her head. "No apology needed. I feel so horrible that... that it was destroyed."

Mark leaned in a placed a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. "Blame Evan. Blame Tanner. Those are the only two to blame here."

Heather looked down at her hands. "I know what it was like to play that instrument, and it was like... holding heaven." Her shoulders lifted and fell with a deep breath. "I can only hope it's now in heaven with Mary. And she can make beautiful music for the angels to dance to."

Mark held her gently, marveling at the depths of emotion she had inside of her. "I love the way you think, honey. I love the way you feel for others even when Tanner came after you, you're worried about other people."

"I just don't want anyone to hurt for something-"

"Hey," Mark turned and dropped down to one knee beside her, looking into her eyes to get her attention. "Don't you dare say that someone else was hurt because of you. They weren't. Put that blame on Tanner where it belongs. You didn't do a thing to make his father shoot you. Just because Tanner decided that he wanted revenge doesn't make him right.

"His father was a criminal, responsible for theft and murder. Not expecting there to be some kind of punishment was... delusional."

Alex agreed. "People with a lot of money and influence think they won't have to suffer any consequences. It takes people like you doing the heavy lifting for things to work."

Heather drew in a shuddering breath and let it out. "I was lucky that you were able to get me to a hospital where they could save me. I owed it to you to testify."

Alex shook his head. "You would have testified whether or not you'd been injured. I believe that back then and over the years that I've known you, I believe it even more. You are a good person, Heather. Made even more important because even when you learned what your father had done over the years, you fought even harder for justice."

She nodded. "I think that's why he died in the end. I don't believe he was all bad. I'm pretty sure that he never expected his life to touch me the way it did. When I was shot, he tried to apologize to me for the pain I'd suffered. I told him that he didn't need to apologize to me. He needed to think about how my mother would have felt. From that moment, he barely spoke to me. I wasn't trying to hurt him. I was sure... no, I guess I was hoping that it would bring us closer together. The trial ended that dream."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and Mark couldn't help but feel that she was about to crash.

"Hey," he rubbed her back gently and felt her melt against him, "relax, baby... Let it go."

Alex softly cleared his throat. "I'm going to go. Mark?"

Mark didn't look up at him, he was focused on Heather, right where he needed to be.

"One of the other guards mentioned that you thought you wouldn't be welcome in the group after... what happened."

Mark nodded and met Alex's stoic expression. "I made a mistake letting Evan in to see her, without one of us in there."

"You forget," Alex smiled, "I know the woman you were protecting. If you think she would judge you for that. Especially when she wanted to talk to Evan alone? I know her better, and you do, too."

Mark felt Heather squeeze him tighter.

"I love you, Mark. You didn't do anything wrong." [she hasn’t called him Mars in awhile lol]

He lifted her chin and met her eyes. "You want me to keep working with Big Sky?"

She gave him a smile that warmed him from the inside out. "I want you to do what makes you happy. If that's helping other people as a guard? Absolutely. If you want to become a High School teacher? Or a welder? I'll be right there beside you."

He looked up at Alex and nodded. "Looks like I'm going back to work."

Alex's smile made him feel much better. "Take a couple of weeks. Figure things out."

HEATHER

Heather felt Mark relax in her arms and she smiled.

Alex's soft chuckle ended when he closed the door behind him.

Heather shifted back and gave the couch cushion beside her a pat. "Come and sit back down."

Mark got back up on his feet and she could see the hint of the bandage on his side. Thank goodness they'd both showered before they'd been patched up. She wasn't going to worry that he'd hurt himself in the shower before bed. She'd already tried to argue that he take a day or so in the hospital to make sure he was on the mend.

The other men had given her a look that said she was sweet, but she'd known that none of them would help her convince him to go. It was Badger who'd told her that Mark would feel better at home... with her.

Being back at the house, she'd known that the others were right.

Mark was more relaxed, even though they had two of the others outside standing sentry.

"How about I get you something to eat?"

She shook her head. "I don't think I'm settled enough to eat."

He nodded. "You'll be hungry later."

"I'm sure." She got up from the sofa and felt his hand take her own. "Right now, I just... I want to be alone with you."

Mark lifted her hand and she looked up to see him kiss the back of her hand. "Your wish, my lady Nix, is my command."

She shook her head. "I think I might have to retire Nix. Especially after the circus with the press today."

He shook his head lightly, brushing his lips across her skin. The tender touch made her feel warm... all over. "Don't make a decision today, Heather. Or tomorrow either. Let's just take a little time to think about things before you make any decisions."

Heather nodded and smiled up at him. "Maybe we ought to sleep on it. I know I could close my eyes for a while."

He leaned in and kissed her lips, making her hum all over.

"I don't think either of us should be... doing anything that smile is promising."

"Can't blame me for wanting you."

She shook her head. "I know. And I want you, too, but not enough to tear your stitches."

"Okay," he lifted his chin a little, "I get it. We'll just sleep. I want to hold you in my arms."

"That, I can agree with."

They climbed into bed and fell asleep a few minutes later with a smile on both of their faces.

Heather woke to the feeling of a warm hand on the back of her thigh. A moment later it smoothed up the back of her leg and dipped under the hem of her nightshirt. By the time his hand moved over the curve of her backside she was wide awake and hot to the touch.

Shifting slightly, she turned her head so that her cheek was on the pillow. "Good morning, handsome."

He smiled and rubbed his palm back down her thigh. "Morning, beautiful."

She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the tender ministrations of his touch. "Or should I call you, Ares. The god of war."

Heather's eyes opened and her lips parted on a gasp when his fingers slipped between her thighs. "Mark..."

He smiled at her. "I love to hear you say my name like that."

He shifted slightly on the bed, leaning closer as his fingers swept through her heat.

"Mark..."

Heather felt her nipples pinch and tighten against the sheets as his hand wedged between her thighs. She opened her thighs and sighed as his fingers teased her, slipping through her folds and touching the live wire at the center of her heat.

"Oh... Oh god-" Her breath caught as his fingers plunged inside of her.

Mark bit her shoulder gently and the slight nip of pain made her shift against the sheets.

"Like that?"

"I... I don't know, it felt-"

He moved in closer, and her eyes widened at the feel of his cock, hard and heavy against her hip. "If I didn't think you'd argue with me about my stitches, I'd get you up on your knees and show you just how I can take your breath away."

She groaned. "Why are you teasing me like this?"

His fingers reached deeper inside of her, and she pressed back against him, needing more of his touch. "I'm not teasing you, honey. If you'd let me this deep inside you, I'd be there in a heartbeat."

Heather bit into her bottom lip and her eyes closed as his fingers made her see stars. "You keep doing that and my heart just might stop."

He placed kisses from her shoulder toward her neck. "If that happens, I guess I'll have to give you mouth to mouth."

"That sounds pretty amazing, too."

She leaned toward him and took his kiss on her lips. "More of that, please."

He shifted the angle of his hand, and she groaned. "Or I could put my mouth against these lips."

Her breasts were heavy, her thighs shook, and as he skirted his lips across her cheek, he murmured promises to her. Promises that made her whole body quiver and her sex ache for him.

"And when you let me put a ring on your finger, baby?"

"Hmm? What?"

His laugh was warm and the way he plunged his hand into her body, she felt something press against her clit.

"I'm going to make love to you until you can't stand it anymore."

She saw stars at the edge of her vision as he put just the right amount of pressure right there at the apex of her sex. "Oh god!"

Heather bit into her pillow, sobbing her release into the delicate cotton fabric, she swore she heard it tear.

As her pussy clenched around his fingers, she heard him whispering into her ear.

"That's it. Come apart for me. I can't wait to get back inside you, but for now... this is what I need. You, coming all over my fingers."

She was barely aware of the world as she fell back asleep beside him, listening to him tell her how much she was loved.

It was in a word, Perfect.

Mark had done so much more than guard her.

He'd brought her back to life.