Page 1 of Forever Mine

CHAPTER ONE

Monica

Present Day

The only thing I can think right now is that if my grandmother could see me at this point in my life, she’d be so fucking disappointed. Never in a million years would she think that I’d end up here. I’m her little spitfire. The one who never lets anyone get the best of her.

Yet, here I am, cowering in the back of a hole-in-the-wall bar in Colorado Springs because my occasional fuck buddy decided to beat the crap out of me.

I don’t even know how I got here. How this happened. Did I ignore all the signs? Never thought I’d be someone who would end up in this situation.

“This is all your fucking fault, Monica. All your fucking fault,” Marcus mutters.

I was never serious about Marcus. For a few months, I thought maybe I could make it work with him. That I could ignore the red flags and just enjoy the sex. But honestly, the fact that none of my friends liked him should have been ahugered flag. They made it blatantly clear any time Marcus came to a social event. Em not so discreetly told me I shouldn’t bring him to her house anymore, that she didn’t trust him around her kids.

And while I completely agree with her on many things, I took that comment personally. To me, it meant she didn’t trust my judgment. Which, in hindsight, is absolutely fucking correct. I evidently can’t trust my own damn judgment. If I could, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’d be anywhere else.

“Marcus, I don’t know what I did to make you so angry,” I stammer. I don’t even see his hand as it whips across my face. I only feel the excruciating sting against my cheek and lips as I cry out in agony.

“Of course you don’t, you fucking stupid bitch! Jesus! I had you exactly where I wanted you, Monica. It was fucking perfect, and you had to go fuck it all up and go after that other guy,” Marcus snarls.

I’m confused.

There’s no other guy.

Other than Marcus, I haven’t gotten laid since I left Oklahoma.

“There’s no other guy, I swear,” I whimper. My voice doesn’t even sound like my own. I’ve never been so scared.

Marcus stands over me, leering at me with disgust in his eyes.

“Your asshole boss, Mon. I know you’re fucking him,” he growls. My eyes widen in shock.

“The hell I am!” I shout.

“Oh, come on. All the late working hours? The business trips to real estate conferences? That shit doesn’t even exist. I’m not that fucking stupid,” Marcus says, rolling his eyes.

“I swear to you, Marcus. I’m not sleeping with my boss,” I tell him clearly.

“I can also confirm she is not sleeping with me, Marcus. Not for lack of hoping on my part, though,” a deep voice announces from the doorway. I cringe. It’s him. My boss.

Gabriel Campos.

The most beautiful man in the history of the world.

Also, my boss. And also an asshole.

Well, maybe not an asshole. He’s been perfectly nice to me and respected my wishes ... most of the time.

But God, he’s so damn pretty. A foot taller than me with dark blonde hair and a smattering of grey hairs throughout. Crystal clear blue eyes that unnerve me every time his studious gaze lands on me. He has a habit of studying me with his head cocked slightly to the side as if he’s trying to read my mind and learn all my secrets.

“So, Marcus. You gonna explain why my employee looks like she’s had her face smashed in a bunch of times?” Gabriel asks wryly from the door as he calmly crosses his arms across his chest and stares unblinking at Marcus.

“She needs to learn that I’m in charge,” Marcus explains. “I’ve got this under control, man. You need to leave. She’s mine.”

“Ahh. That’s an interesting explanation. Considering I know she’s not your woman, as I watched her block your number when you wouldn’t stop calling her,” Gabriel says as he cocks his head to the side and smirks at Marcus.

“It was just a fight. We’ll be fine. Will you excuse us, please?” Marcus says before turning his back on Gabriel and facing me. His eyes are wild as he stares at me, and I know he’s going to make me pay for Gabriel turning up here.

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