Page 36 of Marked By Him

But facts are facts.

The man was a fine specimen standing before me in my apartment, intruding on my most intimate space.

He was almost a foot taller than me, but he didn’t have the kind of brutish appearance some men do at that height.

No… Jin’s physique is cut by lean and wiry muscle. A perfect balance between strength and agility.

In better lighting, I could see that his hair was a beautiful, pure jet black, arranged in a style that was permanently messy and windswept, his bangs slanted across his brow. It partially concealed a scar that once seemed to reach down to his eyes, though had healed over time.

His eyes were as dark and pure as the color of his hair. They were unsettling and so natural, it’s what made them almostunnatural.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone with eyes so dark, so cold and penetrating…

The rest of his face was sharp and chiseled. High cheekbones and a slim, angular nose. A jaw in proportion to the rest of his features, that was so distinct I could watch the muscle clench when it filled with tension.

He wore what’s quickly become his signature leather jacket, paired with jeans and aged, well-worn boots that have been broken in many times over.

He was intimidatingly handsome and dangerous all at once.

I chastise myself as I step into the shower and try to wash away last night. I do what I did when Jin first marked me, grabbing a loofah and scrubbing at my skin in hopes I’ll get rid of all the evidence.

The bruises he’s left behind. The feel of him on my kiss-swollen lips. Even how he tasted and smelled.

None of it goes away. Just like the mark on my left wrist, constantly reminding me of what he promised that night in the alley.

Now it’s written. Let’s see if you can outrun it.

Ten words that have made my life a living hell over the past two weeks.

I step out of the shower wrap up in my satin robe, tying it at the waist.

For the first time since last night, I explore my apartment.

To say it’s a mess is an understatement. A single glance around shows every last moment of our altercation.

The shattered pieces of my vase are on the floor by the door. The area rug in the living room is twisted and kicked away.

I spot the can of air freshener I’d desperately reached for and sprayed into his eyes.

All of it is an immediate trigger that makes me groan and cover my face.

How could I kiss the man who had violated me? He marked me, stalked and followed me, and now he was breaking into my apartment to murder me!

“What the fuck, Moni?” I whisper to myself.

New questions emerge in my head. More than just me scolding myself.

Will he be back? And if so, when?

Over the next two days, it’s what I think about most.

We’ve reached the part of the summer in South Korea where the seasonal rain floods the peninsula. We’re getting more than usual, the raindrops pelting down on and off at all hours.

I don’t leave my apartment. Luckily, I have enough food and supplies to last me a while.

The world outside feels more dangerous than ever. It feels like I’ll step outside my apartment building and Jin will be there again, watching and waiting…

It sounds stupid.

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