Page 56 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

I sigh softly. “Maybe not. But you’re part of something bigger that is, aren’t you? Something that’s putting other people at risk.” I meet his gaze again, trying to convey understanding rather than judgment. “I just want to know the truth, Marcus. I want to help.”

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything. That’s okay. I’m not in a rush. Instead, I gently tilt his head to check a bruise forming on his temple, probably from a rough blow earlier. “This one’s going to hurt,” I warn as I dab the ointment on, earning a wince.

“I’ve had worse,” he mutters, though his face tightens in discomfort.

I smile softly. “I’m sure you have. Still, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it. You’d be surprised how much better you can feel after a little care.”

For a moment, there’s nothing but silence as I continue patching him up. Marcus watches me carefully, his suspicion slowly giving way to something else–maybe confusion or curiosity. It’s clear he’s not used to someone treating him like a person, not just a problem to solve.

When I’m done, I step back, wiping my hands on a towel. “There,” I say, nodding at the now-clean bandages covering hisnumerous injuries. “That should help. You’ll need to take it easy for a bit, though.”

He eyes me for a long time, then finally sighs, his shoulders slumping a little. “You really think this is going to work? Playing nurse? You think I’m just going to spill everything because you patched me up?”

I tilt my head, a small smile on my lips. “Honestly? I don’t know. But what I do know is that you’re in a tough spot, and I’d like to make it a little easier for you. Talking to me? It might not fix everything, but it could help.”

For a long moment, Marcus says nothing, his eyes locked on mine. I can see the gears turning in his head, the struggle between trust and fear playing out across his face. He’s wavering. That’s good.

I sit back in my chair as I meet Marcus’s eyes. I already know why he’s here. Teddy, Atlas, and Key didn’t keep it a secret from me. They’re after a young girl–someone important to them, their friend’s daughter. She’s missing, and these men took her.

But Marcus? He’s not the mastermind. He’s just one of the guys who got mixed up in something way bigger than him. I can see it in the way he looks at me–like he’s trying to put up a front, but underneath it all, he’s scared. Guilt-ridden.

“You’re part of a group that took a girl.” I say softly, watching his reaction.

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t deny it. His eyes flicker with something–a mix of fear and regret–but he stays quiet. I take that as a good sign.

“She’s important to the men I’m with,” I continue, my voice gentle but firm. “They’re not going to stop until they find her. You know that, right?”

Marcus shifts in his chair, looking away, the guilt thick on his face. “I didn’t want to take her,” he mutters after a moment,his voice rough. “But I don’t get to make those calls. I was just following orders. I don’t get a choice.”

I let out a slow breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Where is she, Marcus? You have to know something.”

He shakes his head, but it’s more of a reflex than anything else. “I don’t know where she is. They kept me out of it. I wasn’t supposed to be a part of this, I got roped into this at the last second.”

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, keeping my voice calm. “You know what’ll happen if they don’t find her. Just give me something and I’ll help you.”

Marcus winces, his shoulders slumping slightly. “They won’t kill me?”

“I don’t know,” I say softly, unable to lie even in the face of a kidnapper. “But I will do my best to ensure they don’t. Tell me what you know, Marcus. Every little bit helps.”

He lets out a shaky breath, his eyes flicking toward the door as if he expects Teddy, Atlas, or Key to burst in at any second.

“They’ve got my wife. That’s why I work for them.”

“Oh, Marcus…” My hand flies to my mouth and I feel my heart ache at the pain in his voice.

“They can’t know I told you,” he says, his voice barely a whisper now. “But I know they’ve got the girl stashed somewhere nearby. There’s a cabin–it’s hidden, hard to find, off the main roads, kinda like this one, but smaller.”

I bite my lip, hope fluttering in my chest. A cabin. That’s more than we’ve had so far.

“Listen, I–” He’s about to say something important–I can feel it–but, before he can get a single word out, the door slams open with a force that makes the walls tremble.

My heart leaps into my throat as Atlas storms in, his massive frame taking up the entire doorway. The rush of air swirls inbehind him from the force of his entry, whipping my hair across my face. His eyes, dark and intense, immediately lock on me.

“What the fuck, Grace?!” he growls, his voice a low rumble of barely contained anger.

I barely manage to open my mouth to respond before he’s crossing the room in two long, powerful strides. I stumble back, startled, but it’s too late–his arms are around me, pulling me close as if I might disappear at any second. There’s something almost frantic in the way he grips me, his hand pressing firmly against the small of my back, holding me to his chest. I can feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest as the tension radiates off him in waves.

“Atlas, I-” I start, but he’s not listening. His gaze flickers past me, landing on the hostage, who’s frozen in his chair, wide-eyed.

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