Page 39

Elliott

I feel colder after Kameron leaves and I find myself pouring another glass of scotch.

Do I need it? No.

Do I want it? Yes.

“He’ll be back.” Hunter comes into the dining room, grabbing the few dishes left on the dining room table.

I take a sip from my glass, the burn of the liquor less now that it’s my third one.

“Yeah, that's what everyone keeps saying.”

“Because it’s true. He’s good at what he does. The best at it really, that’s why he is the one that goes on these missions.”

“Yeah.” I say, absentmindedly swirling the scotch in the glass as I stare at the wall behind the small bar.

A ring goes off and I hear Hunter answer his phone as he walks out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

I drink down the amber liquid, my muscles relaxing as the warmth spreads through my chest. I stare at the scotch for a moment longer before deciding on one more.

I pour less than before, wanting this just to sip on.

With glass in hand, I tippy toe to the room's entrance, looking down both ends of the hallway, seeing no one.

I take a step out and turn left, towards a part of the house I’ve never been to before. I’m feeling adventurous and I need to learn more about this house, get to know the men that live here.

A thumping sound reaches my ears as I step further down. A warm light comes from an opening that leads down yet another darkened hallway.

It’s music.

Rough, gravelly music. A kind I have never heard before.

My body is drawn closer to it, the vocals raw as the singer switches from singing in a hushed soft tone to a deep guttural scream. The entry seems to be a sliding glass door, leading out to what I can now see is a home gym.

So this is how these men stay so fit. I was starting to think they weren’t human.

I take advantage of the liquid courage I have coursing through me and inch my way to settle against the frame of the entryway.

I look around the equipment for Marcus and when I finally find him, I see he is shirtless.

Pulling on a bar, repeatedly bringing it down to his chest. The music is so loud I can’t even hear the machine he is working on.

Even when he lets go, the weights on the other end slam down with force.

He lifts something over his head, pocketing what I can only guess was the remote, then lets his elbows rest on his thighs.

The music cuts off, silence filling the room. My ears begin to ring from the sudden volume change.

“You know most people come to the gym to be alone.” He says to me, but keeps his head low.

His breaths are labored and eerily loud in the sudden silence.

“Most people wouldn’t leave the door open, if that was true.” I smirk to myself, but the smile fades away the minute his eyes meet mine in the mirror in front of him.

“Get out.”

“I am out.” I mock him.

He pushes off the seat, walking towards a punching bag that hangs a few feet away from the machine he was just using, “You know what I mean.

Go back to your boyfriend's part of the house.” He grabs a roll of what looks like tape and starts to wrap one of his knuckles with it.

I watch him intensely as he finishes one hand just to repeat the motions with the next, “Go on, run back.” He gestures with his hand to the door, before punching the bag with full force.

I can’t suppress the giggle I let out right before he clicks the music back to life.

I close my eyes, resting my head on the door frame. I don’t really know why I’m laughing, probably just the mixture of scotch and the way he is so serious and sulky. And here I thought I was the one having a pity party with Kameron gone. This guy here was on a whole other level.

When I open my eyes again, I find Marcus in front of me, fire in his umber hues. His nostrils are flared and his deep breaths make the rise and fall of his chest even more dramatic.

“What’s so funny?”

“I thought I was the pouty one tonight.”

“What?”

“I was throwing myself a pity party about Kameron leaving. Not knowing how long it will be until I see him again, but then I found you here–” I motion to the gym, “--and you are looking more mopey than I am.” My hand snaps to my mouth as I begin to giggle again.

His face scrunches up. “See!” I blurt out through a cackle between my fingers.

Marcus takes a step closer to me, “It won’t work on me, you know?”

My laugh fades, “What are you talking about?” I take a breath, my head spins with his oaky, tobacco scent filling my senses.

“This whole– look at me, I'm pretty, give me attention –thing.” He acts like the words disgust him, but his eyes contradict them as they rake down my body.

Marcus thinks I’m pretty?

My cheeks heat up and I blame the liquor for their reaction.

He did this to me at the bar the last time I had a bit too much to drink.

I thought back then that it was the drinks that had me feeling this way.

That missing Kameron was the reason I was all flustered.

But here I am, all warm again from his attention. Why?

I shake the thoughts away, not wanting them to spiral, needing to clear my head. But he catches my wrist in time to pull me back into place.

“So predictable. All you need to hear are some nice words and you pool between the legs. I’m not interested, Elliott.”

I snap my wrist from his grasp, “I don’t want you either, Marcus.” I glare at him, shifting my legs as my body starts to go against me at the very moment I try to deny my reactions to him.

He must see it as well because he flashes a gotcha grin. “Sure, princess. Whatever you say.”

I turn away, speed walking back to Kameron’s room. The music resumes but quickly fades as I put as much distance between myself and Marcus as possible. Once I land on Kameron’s bed, I take a breath, mad at myself for how my body reacted…to Marcus.

These men…I don’t get it.