Page 67 of Little Fury

About a year ago, I went to New York with Marcus. I wanted to do some shopping and get some Christmas gifts for a few people, and since he was already going to see his family, I figured it's always more fun to travel with a friend.

I spent very little time with them. I don’t like the Russian cousin—I never have—so I stayed busy in New York. But on our last night, Marcus convinced me to join them at a club.

It was fun until it wasn’t. Drugs, alcohol, women in tight dresses, and young men who believe they own the women on their laps are always a bad combination.

Alexi had a girl in his lap and his hand up her skirt; her boyfriend took exception to this.Fair enough, dude, some guy had his hand in your girl's pussy right in front of you and your friends.The guy tried to take his girlfriend off Alexi’s lap, but the Russian was not going to let that happen. No, instead, he finger-fucked her in front of him, making her come, then showed the boyfriend her release on his fingers.

The guy yanked her off Alexi and then took a shot at him, landing a punch to Alexi’s jaw. Marcus reacted instantly, jumped on the guy, and beat the ever-living shit out of him.Bouncers tried to pull him off, Alexi and the other guys tried to pull him off the guy, but Marcus was high as fuck, so he felt and heard none of it. The only way we got him to stop beating the guy was by me grabbing a gun off one the Russians and clocking Marcus in the back of the head.

Now, he has one hand around my throat, and the other is trying to get my sleep shorts down.

Fuck this shit.

My vision is starting to go a little fuzzy, so I release his wrist and slap my hands on either side of his head, hard. It hurts like a mother fucker when you get a person just right on the ears. Marcus howls in pain and rolls off me. I shake my head and suck in a massive lungful of air. I scramble up and get my knees onto Marcus’s chest instantly. Using all my weight and strength to push one of my knees into his sternum. I wrap my hand around his throat.

“I will put up with a lot of shit, Marcus. I will accept the coke problem and being stood up for your fucking piece-of-shit cousin. But what I will not accept is you laying your fucking hands on me while you’re coked out of your head.” I squeeze his neck harder.“I will not accept you trying to fuck me when you have no fucking idea where you are, or who the fuck you’re trying to stick your dick into.” I squeeze tighter, seeing his face go red.“If you ever do this again, I will put a fucking bullet in your head and never look back.”

“Time to go to sleep, asshole.” When he passes out, I let go of his neck and get off his chest.

I get out of bed and head to the other side of the house. I go into Marcus’s room, close the door, lock it behind me, and pull the dresser in front of it. I don’t bother with any lights; I pull back the covers on the bed, get in, and sleep.

I wake up the next morning to Marcus knocking on the bedroom door.

“Ava?”

“Yeah?”

“Baby, I… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what the fuck happened. I have no idea how to tell you how sorry I am. Please, Baby, you must know that wasn’t me.”

“You watch the surveillance video?”

“Yeah.”

“So, you saw it all?”

“Yes.”

“How much do you remember?”

“Enough that I made myself watch the video to know what I did.”

“I’ll be out in a while, Marcus.”

“Okay,”he says and leaves the other side of the door.

I go back to sleep, waking up three hours later. I move the dresser, unlock the door and open it. I head to the kitchen, not hearing any movement. I’m surprised to see Marcus sitting at the island. His back is to me, but I see his body stiffen when he hears me enter. He turns in the chair, and I see how wrung out he looks. I see the tears in his eyes and the stains on his face.

Walking over, I take his face and make him meet my eyes.“Never again, Marcus. You want to get high with Alexi in the future, go for it. But stay at his place or a hotel. You don’t come home to me. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Once, Marcus. What you did and tried to do last night happens once. I will kill you if it happens again.” My voice is calm and quiet.“Look at me and see if what I’m telling you is the truth.”

“I know Ava. You should have killed me last night.”

“No, I shouldn't have. Everyone makes mistakes, but you don’t get to make this one again.”

He nods and closes his eyes, more tears falling from them.I bend toward him, my lips to his, kissing him softly. He startled at my touch, and then I felt him sink into the kiss. Marcus has more than a few issues. What I’ve learned over the years is that he needs physical reassurance. I can tell him we’re good, but he won’t believe it. He needs to feel it.

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