Page 14 of Our Broken Pieces
I rise with her, walking to the door. I take one last look at her—her features etched in my mind, each one softened by memories I won’t forget. My hand rests on the handle, lingering before I finally pull the door open.
“Goodnight, Lauren.”
“Goodnight, Marcus.”
And with that, I step out, leaving her behind.
Chapter Nine
Gigi
It’s Friday evening, and as I walk out of my apartment, I feel the crisp air of early evening settle around me. Marcus is already waiting downstairs to pick me up. Audrey wanted to get us all together for dinner tonight, and with Lewis tied up at a work event, Marcus offered me a ride. It’s only a ten-minute drive to Audrey and Jax’s place, but it’s nice not having to worry about driving or catching an Uber.
I open the door to Marcus’s truck and hop up into the seat. He reaches out to steady me, his hand warm around mine.
“Hey,” he says, giving me a half-smile.
“Hi,” I reply, settling into the seat. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“No worries. How was your day?”
“Busy. I made schedules and saw a few clients, but it went by pretty fast. What about you? Did you build any skyscrapers today?” I turn toward him, teasing.
He laughs, his deep voice filling the cab of the truck. “No skyscrapers. I spent most of the day in Providence, actually. We opened the new office yesterday, just wrapping up some loose ends.”
I raise an eyebrow, surprised. “You didn’t tell me it opened yesterday! Marcus, that’s amazing!”
He shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road. “Yeah, I’m glad it’s done. Now I can monitor things from here and only have to make the drive up a couple of times a month.”
“Well, I’m proud of you, prince,” I say softly, watching him out of the corner of my eye.
He glances over at me, giving me a small grin, but something feels off. He’s been distant for a couple of weeks now, and that faint smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Anything else happen this week?” I ask, trying to gauge what’s going on in his head.
“Just the usual bullshit,” he mutters, his tone flat.
I pause before treading carefully. “Has your dad said anything about the Providence project?”
His silence fills the truck, and I instantly regret bringing it up. Damn it, Gigi, why did you have to mention his dad?
We pull into the parking garage of Audrey’s building, and Marcus finds a spot, easing the truck into park. He runs a hand through his dark curls, letting out a long, tired sigh.
“I didn’t tell you this,” he says quietly, staring straight ahead, “but he’s ready to hand the business down to me.”
“Marcus, that’s incredible! Finally!”
His expression stays flat. “It’s not that incredible, G.”
The way he says it makes my stomach knot. “What is he making you do now?”
He leans back in his seat, tipping his head against the headrest, eyes closed as if trying to gather the strength to speak. “He told me he won’t hand over the business unless I get married.”
I blink, stunned. “Are you serious?”
He nods, jaw tight. “Dead serious. And he gave me one year to do it.”
My mind reels. “What happens if you don’t get married in a year?”
