Page 53 of Marked

12

Cameron

This wasnothappening. It couldn’t be. There was no way on earth I could possibly be this unlucky. Attacked twice in a week, and now my ex-boyfriend had surprised me at my house to find a guy who looked like a fucking underwear model leaning on my kitchen counter less than four hours after we’d broken up. An underwear model I’d just dry-humped less than ten minutes ago.

Could I lie and say he was Mom’s new boyfriend? That thought vanished as soon as it formed. She was gorgeous and looked young for her age, but Rick knew she wouldn’t go for someone much younger than her.

Rick and Nate stared at each other in awkward silence. The look on Nate’s face was strange. Surprise, sure, but also shrewd suspicion. Almost like he’d met Rick before and couldn’t place him.

The look on Rick’s face was easier to interpret. Unmitigated anger. Finally, he jabbed his finger in Nate’s direction again.

Nate gave him a knowing smile. “Thought I smelled something.”

I frowned.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Rick snarled, taking a single step toward Nate.

My anxiety spiked. I was terrified that these two men might start brawling in my kitchen. Though, if Nate saw Rick’s movement as a threat, he didn’t show it. Instead, he continued to lean on the counter and now grinned back at Rick.

Nate cocked an eyebrow. “Well, one ofusshould be. Right?”

Rick’s lips peeled back, showing his teeth almost like a snarling dog. The hatred in Rick’s eyes made no sense. Even if he thought I was fooling around so soon after breaking up with him, shouldn’t his anger be directed at me? Why did he look like he wanted to kill Nate with his bare hands?

“Do you two know each other?” The question popped out of my mouth before I could think about it.

Nate smirked. “In a manner of speaking.”

“No, we don’t,” Rick said, never taking his eyes off Nate.

Mom, noticing the tension, decided it was a good time to interject.

“Rick,” she said, patting Nate’s arm familiarly in a way she’d never done with Rick. “This is Nate. He’s here to protect Cameron.”

“He’s notprotectingme,” I snapped. “Remember? He’s… uh, on a stakeout.”

Nate shrugged, then winked at Rick. “Maybe I’m protecting her a little bit.”

“Yeah,” Gael piped up. “He’s staying the night. He’s cool.”

Closing my eyes, I tried to think of how this wasn’t the worst possible situation ever. Of course, closing my eyes gave me a moment to think of theactualworst thing that could have happened.

Rick barging into the bathroom while Nate was slamming his cock into me.

Glad I can look on the bright side.

“If anyone is staying the night to watch over Cameron, it’s me,” Rick growled, jamming his thumb into his chest for emphasis.

I sighed. “Rick, this isn’t what you think. The cops contacted Nate. He’s searching for the guy who attacked me. If he did show up for some reason, I think he’d be better able to handle that than you. He’s experienced. You’re just a lawyer and?—”

Rick’s glare cut me off. It took me a second to realize I’d basically just emasculated him in front of everyone. It was always so hard to remember how touchy men were when it came to strength and fighting prowess. Even if it wasn’t true, every guy liked to imagine themselves as Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris, and I’d just hurt Rick’s ego.

That didn’t give him the right to look at me that way, though. We were no longer together. He didn’t have the right to glare at me like some kid who’d done something wrong, and it pissed me off that I crumpled under his angry stare. Forcing myself to meet his gaze, I readied myself for a fight. I didn’t want it, but I wasn’t going to sit back and let him lord over me. Not when I’d told him, in no uncertain terms, that we were through.

“It’s fine,” Nate cut in. “I’ll leave. It’s not a problem. I’ll watch the place from outside.”

“Where are you gonna sleep?” I asked. “All you have is a motorcycle.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’m used to making do.”

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