She opened her mouth to speak, but what could she say to make him understand. “Rory was adamant that he didn’t kill that girl. I believed him.” She nibbled the side of her fingernail. “Maybe Carl had something to do with it?” She shuddered as a chill skittered down her spine.
His eyelids never lifted but his lips parted and an extended gust of air left his lungs in a rush. “Look, Lana, I’ve told you…I’m dealing with it.”
Uncertainty knitted her ribs together and she twisted her hips around. “Why are you pissed off?” She silently begged him to open his eyes and look at her.
“I’m not.” He threaded his fingers with hers and pulled them to his lips, but his gaze remained hidden. “He’s banged up with the low lifes. You need to focus on yourself, Lana, and let me take care of the rest.”
She walked her fingernails over his taught chest. “I feel better knowing Carl is in prison. I guess I’ve just been in shock.”
“I can arrange for a counsellor to come here?” he suggested.
As tempting as that sounded, she had to get out and about sooner or later. It had been three days since the whole ordeal and the world kept spinning regardless. “I can’t hide away here forever.”
He hummed in agreement. “I’ll drive you to Belfast for the appointment.”
“Thank you.” Scooting her hips closer, she angled her body snuggly to his. Her cheek rested on his pillow, inches from his head.
“You don’t need to thank me. No matter what happens in the future, I’ll always look out for you.”
Her heartbeat paused. Her brain shook like the universe was giving her a wakeup call.
Did they have a future together?
“That’s good to hear.” She added quickly not wanting to think of a life without him.
The muscles in his face relaxed and his breathing deepened. His skin smelled like vetiver. That sexy musky scent she knew so well. It was both alluring and masculine.
She wanted to cling to his weary body and never let go, mostly because he was warm and inviting but the other part of her was freaked out by the deathly silence that came with the silent night.
Irrationality paid her a visit. Crazy thoughts haunted her thoughts.What if Carl finds out where I am and pays us a visit in the dead of night? What if he poisons Marcus while we sleep and takes me again?
As if sensing her fear, Marcus drifted his hand to her belly. The tender caring movement was just what she needed to sooth her distress and his lightening touch zapped her with a bolt of dirty desire.
“I hope he gets locked up and they throw away the key,” she muttered, soaking up his protection.
His head snapped to the side and his eyes flicked open, brewing like storms. “Carl is a dead man,” he gritted out like he was holding a ball of anger inside his mouth.
“What if they let him out?” Her voice trembled.
“Listen to me, Lana. He will never be near you again. EVER.” He over emphasised the word.
He nuzzled the tip of her nose with his. “After what he did to you...the guy will pay with his own life.”
Lana wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that statement.Surely, he wasn’t going to take matters into his own hands and beat the crap out of Carl himself?
Nevertheless, knowing he had her back gave her comfort and helped to appease her persistent worry.
“What about his wife,” she asked.
“I didn’t know how to tell you this, but…” He paused briefly. “He strangled her. She was found in the house, dead.”
The memory of Carl’s surreal calmness flooded her mind, taking her to the very minute he told her his wife had run back to him. An avalanche of words rolled like waves and crashed violently against her skull. Her mouth drained of saliva.
“She was in the house?”
“Yeah.” He jerked her tight against his chest, drawing her trembling body into his shielding embrace.
Her hand slid over his washboard abs and her leg drifted over his thigh, so she could be even closer. “I feel sick. That poor girl was killed, and I could’ve helped her.”
