Page 112 of Villainous Fate

I don’t care if that’s selfish. Deacon has been in my life for too long to have him gone, and I can’t lose Marcus. He’s my Mate; his friendship and companionship have been everything these last six months.

They both hold a piece of me.

Deacon’s head turns as he stands from the booth, giving me his back. A growl escapes him as he registers who stands there.

Marcus allows the door to close behind him, silencing the rain, and stands there staring at his best friend.

“You?” Deacon says, his tone is unreadable from behind him. I jump up, no longer able to contain myself.

“No!” I cry, not sure who I’m saying it to. I don’t want Deacon to shift and attack Marcus, and I don’t want Marcus to give him a reason.

How could you do this to us?

I ask, questioning The Fates.

“Deacon,” Marcus starts, his hands going up in a sign of surrender, showing he isn’t a threat. “Listen, we didn’t,” he tries to explain.

“Don’t,” Deacon says, lifting his hand into the air to stop him. “Do. Not. Lie. To. Me,” he says, punctuating the words one by one. He walks toward Marcus, each step increasing my heart rate and panic. When they are inches apart, Deacon speaks again.

No, please, not like this.

“Get out of my way,” Deacon says, command filling his voice at the statement, and Marcus’s wolf flashes in his eyes, challenge evident.

Oh no!

Marcus clenches his jaw, physically fighting with his wolf before stepping to the side and letting Deacon walk out the door.

The door slamming behind him rings in the air, and I collapse to the floor, no longer able to hold myself up with the weight of the world lying on my broken heart.

How will I survive this?

How will he?

How could you?

Chapter 54

Marcus

Seeingherfalltothe floor guts me. All I want at this moment is to go to her. Wrap her in my arms and tell her we will make it through this.

Because we will.

But I know that despite every fiber of my being pulling me toward her like gravity, I need to follow him. He didn’t let her explain. He doesn’t know the truth.

He thinks we betrayed him.

Without second-guessing myself for another second, I storm out the door into the rain, yelling his name into the night, seeing his tall frame freeze in place at my voice.

“You can’t walk out on her like that!” I shout at him, allowing myself to get soaked, knowing his actions hurt my Mate. “She deserves better. We both do! I’m your best friend,” I state, anger bubbling inside.

I know he’s hurt. But he loves her. How dare he leave her like that? She needs time to explain.

“Were… Youweremy best friend, and I find it laughable that you believe I owe either one of you anything. Tell me, how long did you wait before you betrayed me? Was it that night? Or did you wait until I was out of communication before you swooped in and fucked my girl behind my back?” Deacon asks, venom dripping from his statement as he turns, accusing me.

I freeze in place, an internal war raging within myself.

One part of me wants to punch him square in the jaw for talking about her like that. The other wants to correct him, explain that we haven’t crossed a single line, that out of respect for him we have done nothing.

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