Page 62 of Toxic Devotion

“If we hadn’t gone, we wouldn’t have known that my own men were going to fucking kill me, would we?”

“You saying you would’ve let them get that close without realizing they were there to kill you?”

He could feel Marco’s glare and wasn’t surprised when the man sank into his seat, muttering under his breath.

They stayed silent for the rest of the drive and through him parking and leading the way to the fancy apartment building where he had an apartment waiting for them. He wasn’t about to tell Marco that it wasn’t a safehouse but his home. Well, as much as an apartment he was almost never in could be a home.

They stepped into the elevator, and he caught Marco giving him a look he preferred to ignore. Had he bought the apartment because it was close to Marco and Dante? Yes. Did he want Marco to know that? Fuck, no. The man only wanted him near when he needed to get off. The sting of betrayal was still present in Marco’s eyes, and he doubted it would ever go away. It didn’t make him stay away. On the contrary. He would take any little scrap Marco would give him.

The love he felt for the man only got bigger even as they grew further apart. He felt Marco slipping away slowly, more and more each time they were together. He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He couldn’t stay away. Not for long anyway. He was running out of excuses. His Raiders were free of their past. Stanton and Colt were doing great. Cade was clear of the Agency and his family was safe. Or at least as safe as a bunch of con men were ever going to be.

He glanced at Marco out of the corner of his eye, catching the man in a moment of serenity, his shoulders low and his stance relaxed as he rubbed a hand over his cheek. Marco turned his head, eyes meeting Neil’s and for a second, he caught a glimpse of the man he fell in love with. There was something soft and warm in those eyes that hadn’t been there since Alicia’s murder, and he felt his heart trying to beat right out of his chest.

He knew Marco still felt that love they’d had. If he didn’t, he would’ve put a bullet in Neil years ago. He had no doubt about that. Despite not knowing if Marco would ever allow him back into his heart, he’d come back. Every time. He’d never been able to put out that tiny flame of hope inside him. Hope that he would feel Marco’s love again.

That hope only burned brighter now.

Marco

Spending the night in the same place as Neil had turned out to be a whole lot harder than expected. Pun very much intended. Being trapped with the man made it abundantly clear to him how much he wanted him. It wasn’t even like anyone would know if he got in the man’s bed. He did that regularly. It just seemed like…morewhen it was like this. In Neil’s home. When he couldn’t just walk away or throw the man out.

He was sitting on the couch with the steaming mug of coffee Neil had made him, glaring across the coffee table at the man. He wanted to go back to the time when his heart had been closed. Everything had been so much easier. All he’d felt when he looked at Neil then was either anger or lust. Now? He didn’t even want to know. He tried not to feel it.

“Do you want something else?”

Marco snapped his head up, confused gaze meeting Neil’s eyes. Neil nodded toward the mug in Marco’s hands, and he promptly put it down on the coffee table.

“No. It’s fine.”

Neil shook his head and stood, walking around the coffee table to stand in front of Marco who was busy gritting his teeth.

“What’s wrong? If you’re worried about Alvaro?”

“Of fucking course I am,” he snapped, pushing up from the couch. “The man is trying to ruin me. He wants me dead. He wants to take everything from me. Dante is with people I’m not sure I can trust.”

“You can,” Neil said.

“You’re assuming I trust you,” he spat, hating that he did trust Neil. He shouldn’t, but his heart was in control when it came to the spook.

He glared at Neil who closed his eyes with a sigh.

“I love you,” Neil said, stepping closer to place his hands on Marco’s arms. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“You’re here because you owe me,” he snarled at him.

Neil shook his head. “No, I’m not, and don’t pretend you don’t fucking know that.”

“Fuck you,” Marco snapped, wrenching free of Neil’s hold to slam a hand against his chest. “Fuck. You.”

He knew his sister had made her own choices. They were what had gotten her killed. That wasn’t what he blamed Neil for. It was not saving her when he could have. It was that he hadn’t saved her himself.

The way Neil stared at him had him itching to reach for his gun. He grabbed his phone instead, dialing Rome’s number.

Rome picked up after a few seconds.

“Hey, Marco.”

“Really?” Neil asked, walking over to sit next to him and making him curse under his breath.

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