Page 10 of Honor and Claim (A New Reign #2)

Chapter Ten

Z

I 'm running on fumes at this point. If I thought I'd get sleep on the plane, I was a dumbass. That was before Tova's little remark about Cosima having offers of marriage. As pissed as I am at myself for what I'd done, I also know Cosima, and she might entertain this idea if only to dig at me.

“How the hell did you get in here?” Marks throws her hands up. “I have the place on lockdown.”

“It’s not your place.” I come to my feet.

Cosima has yet to say a word; she only stares at me.

Her coloring is off. Is it the shock of seeing me or is she not well?

I hadn’t noticed her coloring change in the surveillance or any of the pictures I was sent from the two people I had watching over her.

"Well, we rented it, but it's ours for now," Marks tosses right back. "I think you should leave." She puts her hands on her hips. "We don't care to have your company right now." Cosima is rubbing off on her. “Or maybe ever.”

"This place belongs to me." Cosima's expression finally changes, her brows rising.

"No, I searched the history. This home was first built in?—"

"1907 by the Barbieri family. Then it was passed on to their second daughter, who went on to?—"

Marks cuts me right back off. "You made all that up." She glances around, I'm sure trying to figure out how I was three steps ahead. I'd made up the whole story about the villa. It needed a clean past for Marks to be okay with renting it.

"Glad to know my history of the villa felt authentic."

"That doesn't make sense. How would you know which villa we were interested in unless…” Marks trails off. I can see her mind working. "Did you hack me?"

"For that? No." Could I hack her? Sure, and I have, not that I’ll ever tell her that.

"For that? For that! What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter." I take a step toward Cosima, who holds her hands out. I only halt my movement to assess her. If she thinks I'm going anywhere but to her, she's in for an awakening. God knows I've had one.

"Tell her, or she'll have a mini meltdown." I don't want to tell Marks shit. "Please." Well, fuck.

"I planted things to lead you to the villa." That's the simplest way to explain it. I’m only giving that information because it is an easy give, and it will win me some favor right now with Cosima.

Marks’ shoulders drop, disappointed in herself. She’s good at what she does and will only get better. "You're young and susceptible to ideas."

"Susceptible." Cosima rolls her eyes. "Why are you here?" She pushes her shoulders back, and I can tell she's fighting her emotions.

"You're why I'm here."

"Well, I don't want you here."

"Too bad," I clip back, taking another step toward her. I'll burn this villa to the ground before I leave it without her. I’ll take her anger and anything else she wants to throw at me, but I won’t leave her again.

“This isn’t fair.” Cosima shakes her head adamantly.

“When have I ever played fair?”

“See, right there!” Cosima's voice starts to rise, her cheeks flushing. I want to make them flush, but for a whole other reason. “You’re playing, played, whatever. This isn’t a game to me.”

“It’s not one to me either.” Nothing is a game when it comes to her.

Cosima comes before everything else in my life, and I’m going to start letting everyone know that.

“And if anyone enjoys games, it’s you.” It’s a hobby of hers to try to get a rise out of me.

She usually succeeds in doing so too. She is the only one that truly can get that from me.

Cosima is the only reason I ever got my rage and anger under control. I learned from practicing. When she came along, I knew Rochelle and Dario wouldn’t let me near her if I was still filled with rage, always picking fights with War and Ronan. That I would need to change, and I did, for her.

I’d thought I had mastered it, but I’m seeing now that Cosima holds the power over that control I thought I had. She has no idea how easily she wields it.

“You’re not staying here, and we have plans.” Cosima lifts her chin, trying to get her bravado back, but she’s still off. I can’t put my finger on why, but I can sense it.

“We do?” Marks asks. Cosima shoots her a look. “I mean, we do, of course we do. We have a super busy social life,” Marks tries to say with finality.

“If you think you’re going to visit the Amato family without me, you’ve lost your mind.” Cosima's mouth opens and closes. “How do you know they’re here? Wait, does Dad know you’re here?”

“No one knows I’m here.” I wasn’t chancing her finding out and trying to take off. Oh, she wouldn't get away, but it would take me longer to get to her. “And I know everyone that has been coming and going from this town since you got here.”

“Really, Jesus,” Marks mutters. “That’s a lot. Do you remember it, or do you have a program? I guess you could put in a?—”

“Marks.” Cosima gives her another pointed look.

“Right, I don’t want to know shit from you.” Marks tries to glare at me, but it comes off like her eyes are being hit by the sun, and she can’t see. “Jerkoff," she adds for good measure.

"You know what?" This time it's Cosima who takes a step closer to me. "Why don't you clue me in on why you're here at all? This is the first time you have ever come to Europe to see me."

"That's not true." Oh, I have come so many times.

Sure, I had eyes on her, but I often felt the need to see her for myself.

Even if only from a distance, and a few times not so distant at all.

She had no idea I was there. Close enough to even touch her.

It wasn't a coincidence that her dorm roommate dropped out; the person never existed.

I had set it all up so she would have her own room.

That made it easier to come and go as I pleased.

To be closer to her and get my fix of her just by being in her presence.

"How is it not true?"

"He stalks you. I told you that. With your phone."

"I'd be real careful, Marks," I warn her.

“Don’t threaten her.”

I keep my eyes trained on Cosima. “You and everyone else need to understand I’ll do whatever I have to to keep you safe and mine.

” I clear the rest of the space between us, my hand going to her chin to tilt her head back.

“Do you understand me, Cosima? I’ll do anything .

” I let that word hang. “And if Marks thinks she can play inside my phone and I won’t return the favor?—”

“It’s her phone. I didn’t try to get into yours. I’m not that stupid.”

“Anything that belongs to Cosima belongs to me.” Cosima sucks in a breath.

“Wait, you got into my phone?” Marks asks. I answer, but my attention stays on my girl. I can smell and feel her now. Normally that soothes me, but right now it’s not. It has another need clawing inside of me.

“I’m not the only one who has a stalking problem, it would seem.” I finally turn my head to lock eyes with Marks. “And I’m guessing you don’t want me to tell that person where you are.” The color drains from Marks’ face.

“What the hell?” Cosima shoves at my chest. It was a dick thing to say, so I take half a step back, letting my hand fall away from her face.

“Stop being a jerk to her. She’s my friend.

A loyal one who has been here for me when no one else was.

” Cosima’s words hit their target, striking me where she knows it will hurt the most.

“Marks knows turnabout is fair play, and I want her to know that I know what she’s up to.”

“That’s not any of your business.” Cosima adorably pokes my chest with her finger. Her nails are painted a soft pink.

“This time it is, and she knows why it is.” Cosima’s brows pull together, and she glances over to Marks, who has taken a few steps back toward the hallway.

“I hear what you’re putting down.”

“Wait, what am I missing?” Cosima's eyes go from Marks to me, her brows pulling together.

“It’s nothing.” Marks glances around at anywhere but us.

“Z?” Cosima asks me. I’m in sticky territory. Cosima wants to know what I mean, while I don’t think her friend wants her to know.

“I’ll tell.” I shrug. “But I don’t think she wants me to, so I’ll leave it up to you.”

Now Cosima holds the choice in her hands. “Is there something you don’t want me to know?” she asks Marks.

“I don’t want anyone knowing.” She tries to glare at me. Marks is terrible at it. Too much time behind a screen, I suppose. Cosima has a glare that can cut; she gets it from her mother.

“Why?”

“I’m still working it out myself, okay?”

“Okay, that’s fine. He won’t tell me.” Her attention swings back to me, where I want it. “Right?”

“I won’t tell you unless you ask me.”

“No.” Cosima shakes her head adamantly. “You won’t tell anyone.”

“Cosima—”

“No, promise it.” She pokes my chest again, and I have to fight a smirk.

“All right, but if things change, I will be telling you, and you can decide what should be done.” She doesn’t realize who her new little friend here is stalking.

I’m not sure how she’d feel about it. I know I probably shouldn’t be using it against Marks, but there is nothing I wouldn’t do if someone was in my way to Cosima. Marks needs to understand that.

“I don’t even understand what you said, but okay,” Cosima agrees.

“Marks understands, and that’s what matters. Right?” I cock my head toward her, and she nods.

I note that Marks isn’t saying she’ll stop, and on some level, I can more than understand that. My stalking of Cosima is leaps and bounds further than Marks’ fascination with Ronan. But I’ve had a lot more time than she has.

“Maybe I should leave you two to talk?” Marks takes a few more steps back, putting her now into the hallway. “I’ll be in my room. Come talk to me later,” she says to Cosima.

Again, Marks is terrible at hiding cues in person. There is something she wants to talk to her about, something that is a secret.

"Fine. Run." Cosima sighs. "I get it. I'd run too if I could."

"You're welcome to try," I advise her. She wouldn’t get very far. Not even a few steps.

"Shut up." An admirable growl comes from her.

"Don't pretend you wouldn't enjoy me chasing you." I lean down closer, feeling her minty sweet breath against my lips. "You wanted me to chase you here."

"I ran to get away from you."

"Oh, Cosima, haven't you realized this yet?" I bring my hand to her cheek, cupping it so my thumb can stroke her soft skin. "You'll never escape me."