Page 1 of Marked By His Touch
Chapter 1
The Motel Room
"I seetheir faces in the wallpaper, Alexander, all the ones we left behind in Port Haven," I say, my gaze fixed on the floral pattern that seems to mock me.
And it’s true, I see Sarah, I see Michelle, I see—Cole.
My knuckles crack against the cheap motel windowpane, the sound reverberating in the room’s stillness. I yank it open, the stale air rushing out and swirling with the scent of the nearby highway.
I turn away from the window and return to the bed, the worn mattress groaning under my weight. I look up; the wood-chipped ceiling above is a fire hazard waiting to happen. My gaze lands on the same tired floral pattern I've seen in countless motels across the country.
This place, this motel, is just another prison.
Alexander sits by the window, his back to me, tapping his fingers on the floral tablecloth. His face is impassive, a mask. I can't read him. He's always been a closed book.
“We can’t stay here, Alexander. I’m tired of running, tired of hiding,” I say. “I know you are, too.”
He still doesn’t answer me.
We’ve been on the run for weeks, constantly looking over our shoulders. Every time we've stopped for more than two nights, they've caught up to us. This motel room feels suffocating, just like the others. The Raven has sent his best men after us, and he isn't backing down.
Sunlight struggles to penetrate the dusty window panes of the second window. The single lamp on the nightstand illuminates a half-empty bottle of whiskey.
Alexander has had more than his usual share tonight. His eyes are cloudy, the whites bloodshot.
He grunts, “We stay as long as we need to stay.”
His gaze is fixed on the street outside, searching for something—or maybe avoiding something. Something orsomeonethat won’t come back.
Michelle— she’s gone. I can't believe she's really gone.
I sit up on the edge of the bed; the worn fabric feels rough beneath my fingertips. A stray lock of hair escapes my ponytail, a dark strand against my skin.
This motel room is a world away from the life I once knew. But it’s all we have right now. And still, it’s not safe. I can feel it in the marrow of my bones.
Alexander leans back in the worn armchair; his expression is as hard and unyielding as the granite countertops in the mini kitchen downstairs.
The glass of whiskey in his hand is still. The amber liquid shimmers in the dim light, but he barely touches it. His jaw tightens, a furrow forming in his brow. He is lost in his thoughts, a world I can’t penetrate.
Even after watching him extinguish life with the flick of a wrist, some parts of him remain—hidden. He’s the only one who can keep me safe and protect me from the shadows that hunt us. But sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it. Running, hiding, and changing rooms daily.Is this a life?
“We need to face whatever is hunting us,” I say, my voice gaining more strength. “We have to go back to Port Haven, Alexander.”
The words taste like ash in my mouth. I want a life with this magnificent man. I love him painfully much, but this running is wearing me down.
He finally looks up, his gaze piercing, his eyes as sharp and cold as the steel of the gun he always keeps within reach. “It’s too dangerous, they’re after you, Ava. They won’t stop. I can’t protect you in Port Haven.”
I know.
“Alex—” The name catches in my throat, and I regret it immediately. It’s a forbidden word. Michelle used to call him Alex.
“Don’t call me that,” he snaps, his voice laced with a raw emotion that makes me shift on the bed.
I look down, quiet.
“Sorry,” he mutters, a flicker of regret crossing his face, but it disappears as quickly as it came. “I’m on edge, Ava. Please forgive me.”
“I need to make some phone calls,” he says, his voice hard again. “I need to get a hold of Isaac and tell him that our last location was compromised.”
