Page 71 of His to Keep
“Put it on and get in the fucking villa. This asshole has been drinking alcohol. He’s not driving you anywhere.” Marcus’s voice cracked through the quietness.
She snatched the shirt and blanked out his angry glare with the fabric as it passed over her face. At first she thought he was jealous, but she quickly realised he was just pissed that the guy was going to drive after drinking alcohol.
Emilio rounded the car. “Stand the fuck back, Falcone!” Marcus shouted over his shoulder when his shoes crunched over the gravel towards them.
A tear rolled down her pale cheek. “I didn’t think he drank that much?” She gulped.
His face furrowed into a deep-set frown, a look she had never seen before, a darkness behind his uncompromising glare.
“Even if he had one sip…” He held his finger up in front of his face. “Just one - that’s more than enough to put your life at risk. He’s not allowed to put you in danger. Deal or no fucking deal with my brother.” His breathing deepened, and his eyes cut to Emilio who lowered his head.
“Is this who you want, Lana. A prick who would risk your life?” He lunged forward and seized her wrists.
She choked back tears, staving the urge to burst into sobs. “N…No, Marcus. I…” Feeling utterly overwhelmed she violently shrugged off his hands, shoving him away.
“Stay away from me, you head fuck!” she yelled. With the large polo shirt covering her decency she hurried back to the villa.
“Lana!” he shouted, but she continued to run, as best as she could in sky high heels.
Voices echoed in the corridor. She quickly yanked off the heels and scampered up the staircase that flanked the main entrance hall.
It curved the cylindrical wall, taking her to the upper level. Finding herself on a long white mezzanine, she was gifted with multiple exits to retreat behind.
She chose to run to the very end, so she could hide in the farthest room. Pushing down the handle, she gently cracked open double doors.
Inside was the most enchanting room she had ever set eyes on. A glass domed ceiling with long windows lead to a rapid incline, giving the impression that the whole room floated in the sky.
It was built into the mountain and the entire left side of the room was bare rock that dropped into a crystal blue water lagoon. She wandered into the magical space with her jaw slack and her heart heavy.
The door slammed shut behind her.
“Lana,” Marcus called with a stern tone.
She spun around to face him. Each shallow breath made her lips quiver. “Go away, Marcus. Please, just leave me alone,” she pleaded.
He stepped forward closing the distance between them. “Please, Lana, we need to talk. I’ve blown the fuck out Jamie’s deal now anyway,” he said in a low rasp.
Lana sighed loudly and wiped her tear streaked cheeks with the back of her hand. Her heart was pumping so fast that she could feel it in her throat.
“There’s nothing to talk about!” she snapped.
Marcus slowly shook his head. “I don’t know how to do this, Lana. I feel like I’m under water and you’re the only one who can reach in and pull me out,” he finally admitted.
“Do what, Marcus?” Her voice cracked.
“I can’t stop thinking about you. I need to hear your voice, savour your taste, feel your skin. I’ve never felt this way before.”
“Are you being serious right now, Marcus? The guy who walked away and then flaunted women in my face?” she murmured through gritted teeth.
He stepped closer and she backed away. “I wasn’t flaunting women in your face?” His brow creased.
“Yeah, you were. At Sunrise and then downstairs. I’m not an eejit, Marcus. I knew what you were like when I let myself fall for you.”
The gold fleck in his eyes lit up like fire. “Lana, I want to try…us, together. No matter what it takes. It was wrong to let you go, I knew it from the second you walked out the door.”
Her jaw slackened and her teary eyes blinked wide. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true.”
