Page 85 of Missed Steps

“What is the address?”

I tell him.

“I’ll send a representative. Thank you for calling. Do you like Bali? I have a holiday coming up and—”

Mark snatches the phone out of my hand. “Enough about Bali, Damien,” he scowls, “I told you I’m not going.”

“I was asking Kyle—”

Mark hangs up.

Chapter Thirty-One

Mark is broody when we finally make it back to his apartment. The guards were in the middle of taking our statements when a woman showed up armed with a file. She showed them copies of my restraining order, confirmed that Ronan was who we claimed, and we were sent on our way. Mark not getting so much as a warning despite being caught on camera, pinning and punching Ronan.

I lie back on the couch, legs draped across Mark’s lap, not complaining as Mark ices and massages my leg for the umpteenth time.

“It’s fine, Mark,” I say, for what is probably the tenth time in the last half-hour.

“I should have kept him there until the guards arrived,” Mark says back, tense.

“They’ll pick him up somewhere. And we’re leaving tonight to go to your house. We won’t even be in the same county; never mind the same town. He won’t be getting anywhere near me,” I remind him. Mark doesn’t say anything. “I’m the one who made you let him go. Are you mad at me?”

Mark’s eyes flick to me. “Of course not.”

I hold eye contact until Mark’s shoulders slump. He leans forward and presses his lips against my cheek. “I’m sorry. I’m just—I am so goddamn pissed off that he pushed you like that.” Anger creeps into Mark’s voice. “If I ever see him again—”

“Mark,” I interrupt. “The last thing I want is you getting into trouble. He’s not worth it. Seriously,” I partly feign my nonchalant tone. “I’m way more annoyed about losing my invitation.”

“I’ll get you a new one,” Mark promises. He sits up, and I think he’s a bit more relaxed since I’ve brought up something he can solve. “We should start getting ready. Are you sure you are still up for it?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” I say. More for Mark than me. Being out of town and distracted until Ronan gets picked up will keep Mark from thinking about him. “And we got the suits, so it would be a waste not to see you dressed up.”

Finally, a faint smile tugs at Mark’s lips. “I agree with you there. You stay here; I’ll get our things ready.”

I fold my legs to let him stand up. “And let Eddie and Sebastian know it’s safe to come out.”

Mark rolls his eyes at me, but I hear him knock on both their doors on the way to his room.

Sebastian joins me, flinging himself onto the end of the couch. “The dragon has gone back to sleep?”

Mark had bitten the head off both Eddie and Sebastian when we’d come in, and they’d asked—quite reasonably, I thought—what was wrong. Wisely, both had quickly retreated to their rooms.

“Sorry,” I say. “I had a run-in with my brother. It upset Mark.”

“A literal run-in, was it?” Eddie asks as he walks in, his gaze flicking to the ice packs wrapped around my leg.

I honestly feel a little edgy with Eddie staring right at my leg, but I force all of those feelings down. Eddie is a good guy. A good guy, who always sticks up for Mark. I refuse to let Ronan spoil anything for me anymore.

“He shoved me,” I say honestly.

Eddie’s eyes flash to anger. “What?”

“Whew,” Sebastian whistles. “No wonder Mark is pissed. Did he kill him?”

“He wanted to.”

“You could have let him,” Sebastian shrugs. “Damien will never let Mark spend so much as a day in jail. Mark could turn out to be a serial killer and Damien would still coddle and protect him. He’s such an idiot.”