Page 132 of Mark

“I haven’t. Was I meant to?” I question.

“She said she wanted to speak to you,” he replies, glancing around quickly before looking back. “She saw us last night.”

My eyebrows scrunch together at his words. He sounds like we were caught doing something we shouldn’t have been doing. “And?”

“And she got the wrong idea. I knew something was up with her last night but I was too tired to question it. Then when I finally got her to speak earlier, she blew up at me and said she didn’t know if she could trust me.”

Jesus Christ. I don’t need this. “But you explained we were just talking?” I grit out.

He rubs the back of his neck. “Kind of. I mean, you did bring up what happened with us and I couldn’t lie to her.”

I grit my teeth, wanting to punch his crooked nose. He’s standing there acting like I cornered him, so I dread to think how he twisted what was spoken between us to Esther. It’s like he doesn’t want us to fix the rift between us and prefers that we are always at odds. “And let me guess, you let her mind go wild with scenarios.”

I shove past him when I spot Lily taking a seat at a table with her parents and Jaxon. She looks up when I approach. “Have you seen Mark?” I ask.

“He went to go shower and change.”

“Thank you,” I reply. “I’ll go see what’s holding him up.”

“Are you okay?” she asks softly.

“I’m good, thank you,” I tell her absently.

As I make my way to our floor, my mind drifts back to Esther. How do I explain what happened without causing another argument? I should never have brought up old shit to Danny, knowing she will never understand that it’s not about them getting together. It’s the ripple effect Danny caused after. The whispers, the arguments, the distance, all could have been avoided if it wasn’t for him. I blame him for all of it. I think I always will. As sad as it makes me, I also know Esther will never be able to put herself in my shoes and understand where I am coming from. She will never be able to understand how much she hurt me.

As I make my down the hallway, getting closer to my room, I notice Mark’s door is ajar.

I hear a moan, and my eyes widen. Liam must have a girl inside and forgot to shut the door.

“Too hard,” she gasps.

I know that voice. I know it like I know my own. My heart begins to race, the sound of my pulse thumping in my head as I move closer, quietly pushing the door open a little more.

Because I don’t think it’s Liam in there.

It’s Mark.

Tears well up in my eyes as I see Esther sitting on the edge of the bed, her thighs spread. Her bikini top comes loose, her tits spilling out.

And Mark…

The person I’ve grown to care for, even fall for. The one person I believed would never cheat on me.

Is knelt between her legs.

Esther’s gaze slams into mine, and it’s not guilt shining back at me.

It’s triumph.

Her head falls back as a moan slips free, and my heart bottoms out.

I catch my sob, stepping back until I’m out of the room. I don’t run into my own cabin to escape, not wanting to be near them.

I go to the only person who I know will help me.

As I run down the hall, I hear Mark yell, “What the fuck?”

But I keep running.

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