Page 109 of Marked

“I’m sorry, little one,” he rasped, his voice rough and broken. He set me down so quickly I stumbled, catching myself against the wall. “We can’t. Not yet.”

“Not yet?” I snapped, fury and frustration burning through me. “When then? Because this hot-and-cold game is getting really old, Marcus. You want me—I can feel how much you want me. All of you do.”

“Kai.” Derek’s strained voice came from behind Marcus. Both he and Caleb looked like they were in physical pain, their bodies rigid with barely contained need.

“Don’t ‘Kai’ me,” I snarled. “You three parade around here looking like sex on legs, touching me like you own me, kissing me like you want to devour me, and then—what? You just leave? Again?”

Marcus took another step back, his hands trembling. “You don’t understand—”

“Then make me understand!” I pushed off the wall, advancing on him again. “Because right now, all I understand is that I want you—all of you—and you want me, but you’re running away. Again.”

“We have to,” Marcus growled, then turned and practically fled through the door, his brothers following close behind. They moved with an inhuman grace that should have seemed strange, but my fury overwhelmed any other thoughts.

I ran to the door, my ruined shirt still hanging off my shoulders, chest heaving with anger and unfulfilled desire. “Fine! Leave!” I shouted after their retreating forms, my voice cracking with frustration. “Run away like you always do! Because clearly, that’s what big, strong alpha males do—kiss someone senseless and then sprint for the hills!”

I gripped the doorframe, watching their broad shoulders disappear into the darkness. “Don’t you dare come back unless you plan to finish what you start! I’m not some toy you can wind up and abandon! And someone owes me a new shirt—this was designer, you animals! You stupid, gorgeous, infuriating teases! You’re all impossible! What kind of men kiss someone like that and then run away? Cowards! Beautiful, maddening, completely insane cowards!”

I slammed the door so hard the windows rattled, slumping against it with a mixture of fury and despair. “Cowards,” I muttered, touching my swollen lips. “Beautiful, maddening, completely insane cowards with their perfect mouths and their stupid muscles and their impossible self-control.”

I stumbled to the sofa and collapsed onto it, all the anger suddenly draining away, leaving only a hollow ache in my chest. Scout whined softly and padded over, resting his head on my lap.

“Yeah, buddy.” I laughed bitterly, running my fingers through his fur. “I don’t understand them either. Three grown men, built like Greek gods, running away from little old me like I’m some kind of threat.” I touched my swollen lips, remembering Marcus’ desperate kisses. “Though that was one hell of a goodbye kiss.”

The whole room felt saturated with their presence—Marcus’ cologne lingering in the air, the ghost of Derek’s hands on my skin, the mark of Caleb’s teeth on my neck. Every surface seemed to hold a memory of their touches, their heated gazes, their maddening almost-promises. Even the cushions beneath me still held their warmth.

“Screw this,” I muttered, pushing up from the sofa. I couldn’t stay here, not tonight. The dark woods beyond my windows usually terrified me, but right now, the thought of remaining in this shrine to unfulfilled desire was worse.

I stalked upstairs, yanking on a fresh t-shirt and grabbing my keys. Scout trailed behind me, whining anxiously until I looked down at him.

“Fine, you can come too. At least you’re not complicated.”

Scout’s tail wagged as he bounded to the door. I didn’t have a destination in mind—just away. Away from this cottage, away from their intoxicating presence, away from the mess of feelings they stirred up in me.

My ancient Honda Civic groaned in protest as I pushed it along the dark road, no real destination in mind except ‘away from infuriatingly hot men who can’t commit.’ Scout sat quietly in the passenger seat, occasionally whining when I gripped the steering wheel too hard.

Marcus’ desperate kisses kept replaying in my head—the way his body had pressed mine against the wall, how his hands had branded my skin. Derek’s hungry mouth, Caleb’s teasing bites…

“Oh my God, stop being so pathetic,” I growled at myself, smacking the steering wheel. “They’re just three ridiculously attractive men who clearly graduated summa cum laude from the School of Mixed Signals. Get it together, Kai.”

The car made a sound like a dying whale, sputtered, then died completely.

“No, no, no…” I turned the key repeatedly but got nothing other than sad clicking sounds. “Come on, baby, don’t do this to me.” My faithful Honda hadn’t been driven much since Marcus started insisting on picking me up for work two weeks ago—probably part of his ‘How to Drive Kai Crazy’ master plan. Now she was getting her revenge for the betrayal. “I know I’ve neglected you for Mr. Fancy-Sports-Car, but I promise I’ll make it up to you. Just start. Please?”

I pulled out my phone, Marcus’ number appearing first in my recent calls. My thumb hovered over it before I angrily scrolled past. Derek’s name came next, then Caleb’s. “Nope. Nothappening. I’d rather walk barefoot through poison ivy than give them the satisfaction.” I’d call Maria or Jorge. Hell, even Miguel would be better than—

No signal. Because the universe clearly hadn’t finished punishing me for my terrible taste in men.

“Come on, Scout.” I stepped out into the darkness. “Let’s go find some bars. The cell phone kind, not the drinking kind—though honestly, I could use both right now.” Scout pressed close to my leg as we walked, which helped calm my racing heart. The woods loomed on either side of the road, and every shadow made me jump like a caffeinated squirrel.

Headlights appeared in the distance, and relief flooded through me. I waved, thinking that literally anyone would be better help than three certain brothers who shall not be named.

I was wrong. So, so wrong.

Two black SUVs pulled up, and my relief evaporated faster than my dignity had earlier that evening. I recognized the men from Knox Publishing who’d been hanging around the bookstore—the ones who’d made my skin crawl even in broad daylight. Now there were more of them, all big, all wearing smiles that belonged in a shark documentary.

“Well, well,” the tallest one drawled, stepping out of the lead vehicle. “If it isn’t the Stone brothers’ pretty little pet. Having car trouble?”

Scout growled low beside me, his usual playful demeanor replaced by something fiercer. More men emerged from the SUVs, forming a loose circle around us like the world’s creepiest game of Ring Around the Rosie.

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