Page 148 of Mark & Don't Tell

I pinch my eyebrows together. “Okay, what’s the point?”

“You don’t have to do it alone. We’re a pack. We do things together, and Marco needs more than one person in his life,” Vic says.

“It’s a lot of work,” I murmur.

“And, like I said, we’re a pack. We’ll do this together. So, are you going to keep arguing with us, or will you let Kai go talk to him in a little bit?” Vic arches his eyebrow, daring me to keep protesting, but as his words sink in, I know he’s right.

I can’t be the only person in Marco’s life. He needs to learn how to trust. He deserves to know how healthy relationships work, be it friendships, romantic, or with a caregiver.

The fact that my pack wants to help me out? My heart fills with happiness. “Okay,” I relent. “Thank you.”

Before I can get really sappy and cry, Linc snatches the remote from Kai. “Kill Bill started streaming, and that’s what we’re watching.”

“So much for doing things together,” Vic mutters with a smirk.

Lincoln side-eyes him. “Please, you love watching Uma slash and stab.”

“No lies detected.” Vic grins at his friend.

“Personally, I’m a fan of the Pussy Wagon scene,” I say.

Linc’s eyes dance when they meet mine. “Wiggle your toe.”

I roll my eyes. “Stop yapping and put the movie on.”

“You’re so rude,” he grumbles.

“I know, but you love me.”

Linc nods. “Yeah, bunny. I do.”

“We all do,” Kai says, kissing me on the side of the head before standing. “I’ll go talk to Marco.”

“Thanks, babe.” I squeeze his hand.

“He’ll be okay. He’s a good kid,” Kai reassures me before heading off to talk to my brother.

I don’t know what I did to deserve a pack like this, or maybe the universe is finally apologizing for the shit it put me through, but I hope the happiness rushing through my veins isn’t temporary. Because now that I know what true love is, I’m not sure I can survive without it.

Fifty

DARIA

Clutching my stone coffee mug, I watch Quinn’s face, waiting for her to process everything I’ve said. Her face is pinched in a way that’s only cute on her, brunette hair artfully pulled into a messy bun. Quinn spends so much time at the beach, she makes me look like a ghost. She’s always been gorgeous, but now that she’s not secretly pining after her stepbrothers, she practically glows with ethereal beauty.

“I—” She cuts off and shakes her head. “You...” she trails off.

“Did I break you?” I ask with a grin.

She laughs and shakes her head. “Sorry, I think I’m still stuck on the sex club part.”

“That is a good part of the story.” I smile and shrug. “I know it’s a lot, and as per usual, the relationship moved fast as hell, but I think this is truly the real thing.” Before she can say it, I blurt, “I know I’ve said that before.”

Her face scrunches and her shoulders sag. “Daria, I’m so sorry if I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me about this sooner.”

“No,” I say quickly. “No, that’s not it at all. I just...I don’t know. I lean on you so much, and you’ve been there through so many breakups that I felt guilty. It had been a year without any of that heartbreak, without me crying on your shoulder like that, and I didn’t want to burden you now that you’re busy with your own pack.”

Quinn leans forward and grabs my hand. “Hey, look at me.”

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