Page 103 of Villainous Fate

“Was Marcus able to get off work to take you to dinner?” he asks, and my heart flutters at the mention of his name, only to cause more guilt a moment later.

“Luca worked it out. Thank you for thinking of me. It was very kind of you,” I say honestly, choosing my words carefully.

“Of course, Tails. You know you are always my priority. Hey, I don’t have much time. I had to call the packhouse first to give them some work information, so this will be fast, but…”

The minute he says he called the packhouse first, I panic, wondering if he talked to Marcus. If he told him?

He couldn’t have. Deacon wouldn’t sound like this if he had.

Is this a test?

I can’t keep my thoughts to myself, and I interrupt his sentence before he can continue.

“Oh, did you get to talk to Luca?” I ask, hoping he says yes so he doesn’t know the truth.

“Yeah, I had to pass on some stuff, but I’m headed overseas with one of the teams here. It’s ten weeks. The bad news is I won't be able to write or call, but when I get back, it’s only three more weeks until I’m home,” he says apologetically.

I gasp, feeling relief for a minute before the guilt creeps in again.

You’re relieved because it gives you more time to choose.

He deserves better.

He misreads my response and begins apologizing again.

“I know. I’m so sorry, Tails, but I’m one of the few who speaks Italian, so he's sending me with his advisor team to help translate where I can. We will be moving all over Europe, and I’m hoping the time will fly by since we will never be anywhere too long. It will give me less time to miss you since we both know all the ways I’ve been missing you,” he ends sweetly.

“I understand. I’m just glad you told me before you had to leave,” I say, relief seeping into my tone, and I try to mask it.

“We’ve got this, but I have to go,” he says, ending the call when I see the paid bills on the counter.

“Okay, D. Be safe, and thank you for paying the house bills. I don’t know how you knew we needed it, but it was a lifesaver. I want to pay you back. It may take a while,” I say before a loud noise on the other end has me pulling the phone away from my ear.

Ouch.

“Sorry, Tails, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Bills? Look, we can talk about all that when I get back. I really have to go. I love you. Talk soon,” he says, and the line goes dead before I stumble through a response.

He didn’t pay the bills? Then who did?

It hits me like a ton of bricks. How stupid was I to think he could sit here and not try to help? It was in front of my face the entire time, and I was blind.

Marcus.

My Mate.

But he couldn’t have known then.

His wolf wouldn’t have known we were Fated until I turned eighteen.

He didn’t do it because we were Fated, then why spend so much money?

As that question dances around, I return to my room and spot his gift. Wrapped in newspaper comics, I lift it, knowing from the size and weight it's a book before even opening it, and I grab the card off the top.

“Get smart, and nothing can touch you.” ~ Dally

Happy Birthday, Spitfire.

I hold the card to my heart, remembering the moment in the book and the movie.

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