Marked (Marked #3) (17 page)

With both hands, I grasped her hips and pulled her back, on all fours, with her bare pussy almost touching my hard cock. With a small thrust, I pushed the swollen tip through and parted her folds. Spread her wetness around.

“Please.” Her wanton moan only fueled the desire burning through my veins. I wanted her to submit—to accept that she could never deny that which she fucking coveted.

“Apologize, and I’ll fuck you.”

With a sultry smile, Maya looked straight into my eyes from over her shoulder. “I’m sorry you suck and are a creepy Neanderthal.” Giggles followed after, her amusement only causing me to shake my head and swat her twice on the ass. “It’s true.”

“You pain in the ass.” With a quick flex of my hips, I buried myself balls deep and held still. “You’re so fucking lucky I love you, Bitty.”

“Not to sound like a therapist or anything, but how do you feel? About everything? Dr. ‘Assclown,’ Jaime...what Lance hid. All of it.” After sliding her mug of coffee across the island, I took ahold of my own and sipped. We needed to get through this conversation before her appointment for a deposition tomorrow afternoon. Enough putting it off.

My biggest fear right now would be another epic boom like the one that happened at the hospital. Over the last week, we’ve learned things that both closed the open puzzle that was Janice and on her part, made my girl doubt her decisions.

Maya might’ve thought that she could fool me, but I knew her better than she did herself. A part of her, miniscule and with a bleeding heart, wanted to forgive and forget. Not that I could blame her. Anyone with a good soul would feel for the little girl that lost it all. Problem was that we weren’t helping that little girl by absolving her of all her sins.

Learning life lessons—even if they hurt like a bitch in the process—helped mold a person. Something I thought Janice needed to experience for herself. Consequences were a part of the life she’d been denied all these years.

“Don’t know.” She shrugged before taking a bite of the cheesy eggs on her plate. “I’m upset. Confused. Feel a bit betrayed, but that feeling conflicts with understanding. Lance was trying to protect the only way he knew how. He thought his warning would be enough.”

“Don’t short change the answer, Bitty. We have a few hours before we need to leave for the shop.” She’d been scheduled tomorrow to meet with the District Attorney to go over a few things, their main focus being the fight last Halloween and the physical altercation that occurred after a weapon had been drawn.

Both Janice’s doctor and lawyers were pushing for her to stay at the hospital she’d been confined to. Their stronghold was their claim to her being mentally ill. Not being able to rationalize—come to grips with her reality inside that place and the truth of what she’d done.

“Not trying to, babe, but so much is going on up here…” she pointed to her head with pursed lips “…to sum it up, I’m an angry, confused old lady. Lance hurt me.”

“It was both fucked up and admirable. Stupidity interwoven with an odd mixture of love and protectiveness that led him to make the decisions he made.” I agreed, but refrained from adding more. While I was still upset, I understood him.

Maya didn’t need for me to sell her on my own point of view. Enough people had tried that as of late and she was entitled to feel however she did.

At this point I was here to figure out where she stood and comfort her when she needed.

“Let’s start with big brother idiot,” Maya began, but stopped to shovel in another bite of food; she was always famished after a few rounds with my cock. “I love him like family—as an older sibling—but what he hid scares me in a sense. You know?” Posed as a question, yet I knew enough about my girl to keep quiet. This was her way of working through the mental blocks that were causing her distress. “His silence, while not with any malicious intent, could be what set her off. The catalyst that drove her past rationality road and straight down bat-shit-crazy drive. Had we known, we could’ve taken bigger precautions. The police could’ve been involved and the mental institution that held her the last time informed.”

“You blame him?” While I agree that he should’ve come forward, Janice’s craziness was in no way his fault.

“No, you ass. I don’t.” Then, I got a roll of her eyes. “But,” she drew out the word with a bit of haughtiness in her tone, “by staying silent, no one helped anything. Just created the right environment for me to come back to face with her wrath. For her to continue self-destructing.”

“Back to face?” Sometimes the way her thought process worked threw me off.

“Bitch came at me with a bat from behind, Talan. Not exactly a fair fight.” If it was the last thing I did, one day I’d return the favor from her. My sight was already set on that piece of shit Dr. Taylor.

“What about the good old doctor?” Just bringing the asshole up brought back the rage I felt the day I came home to him harassing Maya. The scared look in her eyes. The way her hand clutched onto the door while she tried closing it. The motherfucking audacity he had in placing his foot out to stop it. No, the Dr. and I weren’t done by a long shot. “Did you read the file he sent over?”

“Yes.” Low, it was as if she was worried about my reaction.

Coming around the center island, I wrapped my arms around her from behind. Enjoyed the way she melted into my embrace before nipping her earlobe. “Not mad, Maya. I expected as much, sweetheart. Out of both curiosity and your need to make a well-informed decision, that’s how you work. While
I,
I want her burned at the stake.” At my words she reached around my back and pinched my thigh. “Ouch, Bitty. Stop being so abusive.”

“Don’t be an ass.” I could hear the smile in her tone.

“Sorry.” Kissing down the column of her neck, I continued to whisper my apologies. “Forgive me?”

“Yes.” Her low and throaty moan caused my dick to swell against the small of her back.

“Good girl.” She tried to elbow me, but I stopped that idea short when I sunk my teeth into the base of her neck. “Are you going to behave now?” A needy whimper was her reply. Releasing my hold on her, I stepped back and laid a cheek against the crown of her head. “As I was saying, baby girl, you can’t walk around with the guilt following my wishes would leave behind. Trust me when I say that I get it.”

“Thank you.”

“So tell me, what you have decided so far?”

Her much tinier hands settled on my own around her waist and squeezed. “Haven’t yet to be honest, babe. While I feel for her, I also can’t help but feel angry. Want vindication, but then I stop and think about the little girl that never grew up. Lost, abandoned…scared. Her file is full of moments forever cemented in writing with pain and neglect.”

“It isn’t your job to save her.”

“Is it Luke’s, then? Are we putting a block on the process that could?”

Taking in a deep inhale, I let her scent fill my lungs with her sweet essence, bringing me just a tiny bit of calm. “How about I promise you that in the end, after she pays for her sins, she’ll get the help she needs. Would that make everything better?”

“More than you could ever imagine.” Tilting her face up, she pursed her lips in invitation. “But I’ll also gift a promise of my own. Janice Moore will not get off with a slap to the hand, not just because of you, but because it’s the right thing to do. I love you.”

I pressed my lips against hers; I twined our tongues in a sensual caress and enjoyed the taste of her. “Love you too.”

“And when it comes to Jaime,” she grunted, teeth embedding themselves into my bottom lip, “fuck him. Don’t know him or care to. He’s insignificant in the grand scheme of things.” There was nothing sexier to me than when she got aggressive. Let me know in no uncertain terms that she could be a total bitch when it was warranted. That she wouldn’t let what happened ruin her life by living with fear.

“Have I mentioned today just how perfect you are for me?”

On her cheeks she bloomed a beautiful shade of pink. “That goes both ways, tatt boy.”

Pecking her sweet lips once more, I walked away and around the island. “So far we are saying a big ol’ ‘fuck you,’ to Jamie, Dr. Assclown, and…”

“Let me take a sip of my lukewarm coffee please.” Maya winked over the rim of her cup. “We don’t have time to stop for another on our way to work.”

“Just answer the question, woman.” Extending a hand across the top of the island, I held my fingers open for her mug. With a chuckle, she did as asked and waited for me to refill it just the way she liked. She loved her sweetness with a splash of coffee. “I’m waiting.”

“Fuck them. All except Lance. Him, I want to beat into a non-life-threatening coma. You know, with some love thrown in.”

“Okay, so from what I gather, you’re salty toward him.” Bitty nodded before taking a drink from her now refilled mug. “Safe to say you want some sort of revenge.” A twinkle in her eye came forth. I knew her so well. “Want me to junk punch or kick him in the balls for you? Take him out of commission for Veronica?”

Because there was no way in fucking hell she would be going anywhere near his. I’d take care of this.

That earned me a snort and a piece of cold toast tossed at my head. “Something like that. Nothing graphic, just some much-deserved non life threatening pain.”

“Shit list?” Walking over to the refrigerator, I opened the drawer next to it and picked up a dry-erase marker. Uncapping the top with my teeth, I held up the red tip for her questioning eyes to see.

She quirked a perfectly shaped brow at me. “Since when do you have one?”

“Must I say it again, Maya Owens?” Turning around, I pressed the top of the marker against the small magnetic board before addressing her again. “Just because you don’t see it—”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,
fucker
.” The last was whispered under her breath.

I did the only thing I could at that moment and chuckled. “She does listen to what I have to say every once in a while.”

Maya opened her mouth to refute my statement, but I ignored her. Waved her off. Then, in big bold letters, I wrote:

Kick Lance in the balls for Maya.

“You’re serious?” Her stool scraped against the tiled floor. I didn’t turn around. Instead, I continued on with my list

DR. ASSCLOWN. *Break his pompous face*

Her hand grasped mine, not a word said about the two prior entries. She ignored them while guiding my hand over the board with a bright smile on her face. Whomever she was adding should be very afraid. Our growing list of offenders was truly fucked.

Cock-block Esther.

“Should I even ask the why?” Not that it needed an answer. Last night she’d been the most obnoxious one of them all. Giving us shit. Throwing her sexual relationship with Simon in our faces while we were both frustrated.

They’re all assholes, in a sense.

“You could…” She bit her lip coyly at me while batting her lashes.

Shaking my head at her adorableness, I touched a loose curl and twined it around my finger. “Why? Because she’s a pain in the ass?”

“Nope.” She laughed and wound her arms around my neck, effectively pulling me down to her level for a kiss. Our lips met—three consecutive pecks before she nipped my chin. “Because it would be funny as all fuck.”

“Getting a decent parking space this time of day is a bitch.” My hand pressed down against the horn of my truck, scaring the two men standing right in the middle of the next right turn I needed to take. In Miami, sometimes its citizens weren’t the politest, and the curses in Spanish thrown my way proved just that. “Move, buddy.”

Before the old timer could send me to hell, I was punched in the arm by Maya. “Can’t you have just a bit more patience, babe? The man looks to be about seventy and is using a cane, for fuck’s sake.”

“No.” Moreover, since I was at a standstill waiting for them to finish crossing the street, I leaned over and nipped the bare skin of my girl’s shoulder. Just a tiny love bite. A little bit of pressure added. The perfect indentations of my teeth left behind. “Plus,” I grunted, ignoring the small mewls of pleasure that escaped her, “there’s never any parking and if you leave it in the wrong place, it gets towed. Swear each time I come down here my wallet cries out in agony.”

Face flushed in both anger and arousal, she turned my way and glared. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”
About time the assholes moved.
We’d gone around in circles, down multiple streets, trying to find anything. Four different lots and the last two were the paid kind. Each a few bucks more than the last. Price-gouging motherfuckers. “How much time do we have left?”

“Twenty-five minutes, babe.” Maya sighed next to me, her hand twisting the watch on her opposite wrist. Nerves were setting in. Every time she dealt with the detectives in charge or received a subpoena through the sheriff’s personal delivery system, her anxiety rose.

No one liked going downtown to visit a courthouse. Even if it were for a simple traffic citation. It was a pain in the ass—total waste of time. Now, magnify that same emotion by ten with the added bonus of being interrogated over and over again. Not a good combination for even the most Zen of people.

“Fucking finally,” I grumbled while pulling into an empty spot in the lot farthest from the office’s main entrance. “Which one are we heading to? Number, Bitty?”

“The one on thirteenth and twelfth.”

“We need to make a mad dash for it, babe.” Once the engine was off, I ran around to her door and pulled it open. She was already unbuckled and waiting semi-patiently for me to help her down. “Ready?”

“I don’t have much of a choice.” Sullen, her sweet lips were pouted and her eyes looked tired. All the bullshit they were putting her through pissed me the fuck off. Seemed the criminals had more rights than those they wronged.

“Come on, baby girl.” With both hands set on her hips, I tugged her to the edge of the seat and hugged her close. “Faster we get out, faster we can get some lunch. How does Cancun sound?”

“You’re playing dirty, old man. They’re my favorite, and you have an appointment late this afternoon. Don’t think you’ll make it back on time if we did.”

There was a reason why I owned a pickup truck, and having her use my body to slide down had everything to do with it. She used me, moved her tempting body against my own to reach the ground. The navy and white summer dress she now wore with a small cardigan rode up as she did. Exposed her thighs—her almost bare ass—to the three businessmen that walked past us and were smart enough not to stare.

“Naughty little thing,” I growled into the soft skin of her neck, my hands holding the bottom of her dress in place. Covering what was only motherfucking mine to see. Once the men were out of view, I reminded her as much.

With both hands I fisted her ass cheeks and pushed her against my hardened cock. No words needed. Just let her feel what her beautiful body did to me.

“Talan, fuck.” A sweet moan escaped her and reverberated throughout every molecule in my body. Heated my veins. There wasn’t a single moment of the day that I didn’t yearn for her.

“Shut it.” Her eyes widened and her throat bobbed in a harsh swallow at my brisk tone. “This.” I squeezed hard. “Is mine. Don’t parade what doesn’t belong to you.”

“But I didn’t—”

“We have fifteen minutes to make it inside, Maya. Apologize now and I’ll let you ride me later.” Those juicy lips of hers gaped at my words; I couldn’t help myself. Smashing mine to hers, I stole her breath away. Kissed her with every bit of the love and desire I held for her.

“What the fuck, babe. Can’t think when you kiss me like that.”

“Bitty, we need to go,” I reminded her before lowering her down until her feet touched the floor. Our bodies pressed tight. “Be good and say sorry. It’ll be worth your while.”

She raised a brow in question. “Tempt me.”

“I’ll let you take charge tonight. All yours to dominate.” Win
win
in my book. The look of dread on her face was replaced with one of lust. Want. Hunger.

Pulling me down to her level, my forehead rested against hers, and we breathed in the other’s exhale. “Thank you for the distraction.” Her lips moved softly over mine, a soft caress before she bit down hard. “I’m so very sorry, Mr. Cox.”

Fuck, I was hard
. “Say my name like that again.”

“And Mr. Cox.” It was breathy, a naughty caress that caused a shiver to run down my spine.

“Yeah,” I groaned into her mouth.

“You’re on.”

“Mother of fuck.”

“Exactly.”

“Ms. Owens?” An older lady, probably around fifty, called Maya’s name through the thick glass window that held the reception desk. We both stood, her hand held tight in mine, and walked over to her window. Right in front of her we stopped and waited for instruction. “We are almost ready for you…they’re setting up the conference room for the proceeding. When your name’s called again, walk right back through that door,” she said while pointing at the entrance on the opposite wall. “The District Attorney’s secretary will be waiting on the other side to escort you back.” Her dark brown eyes shifted from Bitty’s and widened at my presence. Tried to hide her reaction to my appearance and failed.

“We’ll be waiting, ma’am.” The aggravation in my girl’s tone wasn’t missed by the abashed receptionist who nodded. Without another word, I pulled Maya by the hand toward our seats. Far away from the one jerk-off that kept talking shit about the way they handled his case.

“I’m sorry,” the receptionist yelled, catching us both off guard. We stood up again, my chair falling backwards from the sudden movement. “The gentleman,” she cleared her throat, “stays out here. You will need to enter by yourself.”

“Why?” I asked while tightening my hold on Maya’s elbow. Her intent was clear as day for anyone to see. Poor lady had no clue the fire she kept stoking by looking at me with contempt. As if I were here to fucking rob her.

“They’ll want to speak to her without outside interference, sir. No one to manipulate what comes out of her mouth.” Snide, her tone was both insulting and pissing me the fuck off. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she looked down at us. “Those are the rules. You have no choice.”

I took one step closer, ready to rip her ass a new one, when my name was called.

“Talan…Maya?” We both turned our heads in time to see Detective Gulver walking our way. “What are you doing here?” He reached us and extended a hand out for each of us to shake. “Was she cited to today? Everything okay?”

“Detective Gulver,” the receptionist interrupted before I could reply. “Are you leaving us already?”

Shifting his eyes from us, he turned to look at her with the fakest smile I’d ever seen on a man. Forced. Dry. “I am, Fiona. Headed back to the precinct after I finish talking to these two,” he said while tilting his head our way. “So if you don’t mind…”

“Of course. Just be careful.” Cutting her eyes toward me, she took in the tattoo sleeve and narrowed her eyes. “It’s a dangerous world the one we live in.”

“Is this lady for real?” Bitty snapped beside me; it was clear she’d had enough of this bitch. “No one here asked for your opinion on who’s dangerous or who deserves to win the next elections. You’re here to let the people behind those doors know that their appointments are here. Nothing more. Do your job and quit being judgmental.”

Eyes wide and with her cheeks flushed, she sat back slack jawed. “Detective Gulver, are you going to let her speak to me like that? A government official?”

“Fiona, quit it.” Gulver sighed; the man looked as annoyed by her as we felt. “You’ve been reprimanded before for this same crap. Stop, before I advise them to place a formal complaint.”

“Well, I—”

“Maya Owens?” While we’d been arguing, the door that led to the back had been opened and a man stood just inside its entrance. “We’re ready for you.”

“Coming.” Stressed grey eyes met mine, and I saw the worry in them. Felt in my hands how damp her palms were. How her breathing had become choppier; the quickness in which she took in her next inhale of air.

The process, as simple as it was set to be, made her anxious.

“Give me a second, Detective.” Not waiting for a reply, I took both her hands in mine and walked her toward the door that led to the back. The man just inside didn’t hurry us; instead, he waited with an understanding look on his face. Stopping a few steps before, I pulled her to me and hugged her close. “Breathe, sweetheart. Everything will be okay.” With the tips of my fingers I massaged her scalp; she melted into me. With my lips, I kissed down the side of her face, only stopping once I hovered over her parted lips. “Let them ask their stupid question, Maya. The answers won’t change no matter how many times we go through this process. I love you, and I’ll be right here waiting when you’re done. Go, it’ll all be okay.”

Maya opened her mouth; she looked ready to protest, but then stopped. Instead, she closed it. An audible snap of her teeth met my ears seconds before she shook her head as if to clear it. Within seconds the grey veil of uncertainty that had loomed over her disappeared.

My girl was back.

My little bitty warrior had her shoulders squared and her jaw set in that defiant way that made her adorable in my eyes. Whatever strength she needed to find, she did, and I couldn’t be prouder. While some people might think that this was a “wham bam thank you ma’am” situation with just some questions asked, it wasn’t.

These people, the attorneys, were looking into our life. Dissecting our daily activities and the people we surrounded ourselves with. We were under a microscope. Even something as simple as a traffic citation was weighed into their final analysis about our character. The victim was haunted until the guilty were proven to be just that; guilty.

“I love you too.” Low, she whispered the words, and the next second she was gone through the door that was now closed.

“She’ll be fine, Talan.” Gulver placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “It’s all part of procedure for a case like hers. Janice’s public defender needed a firsthand account of Maya’s testimony. It won’t take long, and no one will be inside the room to make her any more nervous than she already is. Trust me. This won’t take long.”