Page 42 of Revenge of a Queen

“We should finish up and get to class,” he ignores me. What the fuck?

“We still have ten minutes left,” Jace says, looking at Marcus weirdly, which isn’t ridiculous considering he is more likely to skip class altogether than be early. However, he is already standing up and sliding back into his leather jacket. I look to Lincoln who is also watching him closely.

He leans back down and pecks me on the cheek, “Catch you later, baby,” and before I can even respond he is stalking away from us and out of the doors.

I frown, “What the fuck was that about?”

Chapter 25

ELLE

The rest of the week has followed the same pattern. Marcus being overly nice, sweet, and attentive, all of which has freaked me the fuck out. I just got so used to his hot and cold attitude, one minute he was threatening me and telling me to get out of his town and the next he was slamming me against walls and using his magical fingers to fuck me. Now, I am dealing with kind and caring Marcus. One who carries my books, gets my lunch, and pecks me on the head. What's a girl gotta do to get more orgasms around here?

I mean I get it, I do, I told him my truths, and this is his way of trying to be respectful, but how do I tell him that’s not what I need? I am not some broken little girl; I may carry the scars from that night three years ago, but I don’t carry the fear. Not anymore. The only thing I feel when I think about what happened to me is revenge and love. How I am going to pay back all the ones involved in hurting me, and how I will do anything it takes to ensure my daughter is kept safe and never at risk.

It’s the weekend now and the guys are all sitting in the cinema room with me and Cassie watching Tangled. It’s pretty funny to see the South Side Rebels spending their Friday night watching a Disney Princess movie. But apparently my daughter's convincing skills know no bounds. Even Asher is here and honestly it is the happiest I have ever seen Cassie and the most settled I have ever felt. It’s pretty hard to feel worry or be scared when you are surrounded by four beautiful, brooding men willing to lay it all on the line for you.

I am sitting in the middle of a huge, curved sofa, Cass is snuggled into my right side with Ash next to her. I have got Marcus on my left side and the two other Rebels next to him. I lay my head on his shoulder and feel content at knowing almost everyone I care about in this world is under this roof right now, it's blissful. I drag my fingers up and down Marcus’ arm transfixed on how the goosebumps break out across his skin every time. I glance up and find his gaze transfixed on the same thing and I halt causing his stare to flick to mine. The blackness I find there makes me break out in goosebumps of my own. How the fuck am I meant to control myself around him? His dark lashes cast a shadow on his cheeks and the glow of the movie just highlights his chiseled features perfectly. I want to kiss him.

He turns back to the TV but I still lift my face so I can press my lips against his neck and the shiver he lets out makes me blush. I think of all the ways our bodies will respond to each other, but he has more restraint than me because he keeps his eyes on the movie.

As usual we don’t even make it to Rapunzel hitting Flynn with the frying pan before Cassie is out cold. Asher looks over at her sleeping form and then to me.

“You mind if I tuck her in?” he asks, and I smile.

“Ash, you’re her dad you don’t have to ask,” I remind him, and he gives me the same little smile he always does whenever I tell him he is her dad. It’s a smile that says he can’t quite believe how lucky he is.

He lifts her sleeping frame off the sofa and bends down so I can drop a kiss to her forehead before he turns and leaves the room. I turn back to the guys and find Lincoln staring after them, he must feel me staring because he turns to me before quickly averting his gaze.

“You like him?” I say finally realizing what all the tension from him towards Ash has been about.

“What?” Jace says looking between us.

“Superman here, has a little crush,” I tease him with a smile.

He rolls his eyes as Jace barks a laugh, “I do not have a crush,” he replies, emphasizing the word not.

“This is fucking gold,” Jace chimes in looking at Linc. “Sorry brother, but think you are shit out of luck for once, that little psycho screams big dick energy. I am sure he doesn’t swing your way.”

Lincoln exhales a huff like he is pissed off, but I can see the little gleam in his eye. My little Rebel has a crush on Ash. I pocket that information for future reference and make it my mission to find out Ash’s thoughts. We might be best friends but something he has never discussed with me is his sexual orientation. He has too much on his plate to think about such trivial things but now I am thinking I should find out.

Marcus snakes his arm under me and drags me until I am sitting in his lap. I squeal in surprise until I realize that he has dragged me into his lap, and I decide not to waste the opportunity. I turn and throw my arms around his neck and surprise him by slamming my lips against his. After a week of gentle kisses, I am ready for more and I don’t care if the fucking Rebels are here at this point. He kisses me back for a minute before he pulls away and abruptly stands effectively leaving me to fall onto the sofa.

“I erm,” he panics, looking for something to say as I stare up at him in disbelief, “I just need to grab a drink,” he says quickly, before he looks at me and pats my head like a dog and then leaves the room.

I sit stunned for a minute before I look at the two remaining guys and Jace bursts out laughing as I speak, “Did he just pat my head?”

“Yes,” he manages to choke out before choking back into a fit of laughter again.

“What the fuck am I missing?” I say to the two of them. Lincoln looks uncomfortable so I concentrate on Jace who is wiping actual tears from his eyes the little fucker.

“He is just trying to go at your pace, Elle,” he says, turning his tone slightly serious but still with a stupid smile on his face.

I frown, “What do you mean?”

“Oh Queenie, you really know nothing,” he replies, shaking his head before patting the seat between him and Linc “come and let Jacey tell you everything you need to know.”

His patronizing tone makes me want to dick punch him, but I am feeling desperate, so I move until I am between the two of them. “You’re inexperienced Elle,” he says, totally serious and I blush. Okay so we are going there, what the fuck?

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