Page 56 of Forever Mine

“Hey, babe. Missed you,” he says with a smile.

“What do you want, Marcus?” I ask warily.

“I want a kiss from my girl, obviously,” he laughs as he leans in to kiss me. I turn my head, forcing him to kiss my cheek. “Gimme those lips, babe.”

Marcus grabs my head tightly and smashes our lips together. I feel his fingers dig into my scalp and whimper in pain. This isn’t the kiss of lovers. This is Marcus kissing me to assert dominance over me. To establish power. To make me recognize I’m beneath him.

“Marcus, stop,” I cry as he bites my lip and draws blood.

“I’ve missed you. Guess it got away from me a little. This is what happens when you keep yourself from me. I can’t control myself,” Marcus jokes. Wait. Did he really just blame me for that kiss?

“I have to go. I have a showing,” I mumble.

“Meet me tomorrow at Pines and Peaks Bar. We have some things to discuss.”

“No. That’s not a good idea.”

“Oh? You think it’s not a good idea?” Marcus’s voice has risen weirdly. He cocks his head to the side and studies me.

“I’m not interested in doing anything with you, Marcus. It’s over.” I attempt to walk past him and get in my car, but he grabs my arm forcefully.

“I don’t think so, Monica. I decide if and when we’re over, not you. Meet me at that bar tomorrow at 6. I’m not joking.”

He presses another harsh kiss against my lips, and when he steps away, his lips are covered in my blood. He licks his lips and groans. “Tastes good, babe.”

I shudder in disgust as I unlock my car door and open it.

“Oh, babe?” Marcus calls out in that weird voice. It’s incredibly off-putting. I turn to him, and he smiles maliciously. “You’ll want to show up tomorrow.”

“Why?” I ask warily.

“Because if not, I’ll take matters into my own hands. Take those little screaming demons of toddlers you live with. They certainly were loud this morning, weren’t they? It sure is a pity Nathan’s security system isn’t as good as y’all think. I enjoyed hanging out with the girls in their rooms. They’d fetch a pretty penny on the dark web. Men love to break little girls.”

Marcus blows me a kiss as he turns and struts away. I’m left standing in shocked silence next to my car as Marcus begins to drive out of the parking lot. He stops his car next to me and rolls down the window.

“Don’t even think about calling the cops or Liam, Monica. Meet me tomorrow so we can discuss what’s going to happen in the future. If you don’t show up, I’m taking the twins. You get me?” he asks. I nod numbly as he drives out of the parking lot.

Gabriel was right. Marcus isn’t who I think he is, and I have no idea how I will protect those beautiful girls.

The lovely life I finally found in Colorado just blew up in my face.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Monica

I drive back to Emily's house in a daze. I don't know what to do. I can't tell Em anything. She's bound to go into labor if her blood pressure rises, and I need both her and Nate to keep the girls safe. How can I keep them safe?

I'm weirdly relieved to see Liv's car in Em's driveway when I pull up. In case Marcus is watching, I grab my belongings calmly out of my car and focus on walking steadily to the front door. If he's been in the house, who knows if there are cameras, microphones, or what. I don't know what to trust. Is my phone safe, or has he rigged that? Who fucking knows.

As I walk into the room, I hear laughter from the kitchen.

"Mon? That you?" Em calls.

"Yeah, I'm here," I respond. I can hear my voice trembling slightly. As I walk into the kitchen, both Liv and Em turn to look at me.

"What happened to your lip?" Liv asks. Em's eyes narrow when I don't immediately respond. She begins to open her mouth, but I shake my head subtly.

"It's nothing," I say hastily as I approach them at the island. "Been chewing on it, I guess. I'm stressed."

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