Page 48 of Marking Mia

“I’m not planning to stay there forever,” I clarify, gripping my coffee mug tightly. “I just need to get my things, talk to my boss, and figure out my next steps. I can’t ignore everything in my life to shack up here with three guys I barely know.”

“You can stay here as long as you need,” Jace offers, his tone gentler than the others. “We have plenty of room.”

“And we can protect you,” Kane adds, his voice brooking no argument.

The implication that I need protection sends a confusing mix of emotions through me- irritation at being treated like a child, but also a strange, primal comfort.

“Just wait until your wrist is fully healed,” Finn suggests. “Please, Mia.”

That single “please” from the usually serious man nearly undoes me. I bite my lip, considering my options. I need to get my things from the apartment, and I should talk to myboss in person. But maybe they have a point about not staying there.

“What if I tell my boss I need time off, grab some clothes and my important documents, and then…” I hesitate, hardly believing what I’m about to suggest. “And then I can come back here until I figure things out.”

The relief on all three men’s faces is palpable, though Kane still looks displeased at the thought of me going back to Justin.

“Finn will take you,” Kane commands, and I roll my eyes.

“I don’t need an escort. I can handle him.”

“I’ll take you,” Finn says. Something passes between the three men- a silent communication that confuses me.

“Fine,” I concede, knowing this is a battle I won’t win. “Finn can take me. But I’m perfectly capable of handling Justin myself.”

Kane’s lip curls at the mention of Justin’s name. “That piece of shit won’t come near you again if he knows what’s good for him.”

These men, whom I’ve known for such a short time, seem more protective of me than anyone else ever has, and it sends a thrill through me.

“We’ll leave after breakfast,” Finn says, his eyes never leaving mine. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.”

Something about the way he says it makes me think he’s not just talking about dealing with Justin. There’s an undertone, a current running beneath his words that I can’t quite grasp. It’s the same with all of them, this sense that they know something I don’t, that they’re waiting for me to catch up to a truth that’s right in front of me.

As I turn back to my pancakes, I notice all three of them watching me with an intensity that should be uncomfortable but somehow isn’t.

It feels like I’m something precious they’re afraid might vanish.

I don’t understand what’s happening here, why these three gorgeous men seem so invested in me, why they’re treating me like I’m special when my ex-boyfriend has spent years convincing me I’m not. But as I sit in their kitchen, surrounded by their protective presence, I can’t deny that a part of me, a part I didn’t even know existed until now, feels like it belongs here.

With them.

fifteen

. . .

Finn

In the car, Mia stares at her phone, her fingers tapping nervously against the screen. I can tell she’s worried about facing Justin again, especially since her sweet honey scent is turning bitter with anxiety.

“What’s going on?” I ask, keeping my voice deliberately gentle. The last thing I want is to startle her when she’s already on edge.

She bites her lower lip, a habit I’ve noticed when she’s nervous. It makes me want to soothe that tender flesh with my tongue, but I keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Justin left a voicemail,” she whispers, her voice small and uncertain. “He’s angry I didn’t come home last night.”

My jaw clenches at the mention of his name. The thought of that worthless piece of shit having any claim on her makes my blood boil.

“Delete it,” I say, harsher than I intended. I soften my tone immediately when I see her flinch. “You don’t need to listen to anything he has to say.”

“Okay,” she whispers, but doesn’t make a move to deleteit. She wrings her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers together until her knuckles turn white.

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