She knew when she’d stumbled onto him in rooms in the past few days, he’d be standing there, staring at nothing, appearing so lost in his own thoughts.Marshal had a lot of wealth and could have anything at his fingertips, but the irony was, he didn’t have anyone he could trust.Sure, the snap of his fingers and the house would be beaming with people he didn’t know, but that wasn’t what he wanted.Anyone would turn up for a party, but it didn’t mean they’d watch your back.
“Yeah, this is great.”
“I’ve never had a movie night before.At least, not where I got to pick the movies.”Marshal smiled.
“What happened to your parents?”Ava asked.
Marshal shrugged.“Car accident, I think.I’m not really sure.I know I inherited their small fortune and their business was failing.All I could do was attempt to rebuild it.”He gave another shrug again.
“You weren’t close to your parents?”
“Nah, they were more interested in their own lives than their son’s.All they wanted from me was to be left alone and to grow up.What about you?”
“I didn’t know my parents,” Ava said.“I grew up in the foster care system.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.I like where I’m at today.”
“Is that how you know Knox?”
She shook her head.“Nah, Knox rescued me from a very bad situation.”There was no point in telling him that Knox killed a serial rapist and murderer who intended to make her the next victim.
“Knox is a good guy.”
“That he is.”
“Look, I know you two want to run off and do the dirty together, but I like you guys, and I like hanging out with you.This is a lot of fun, and I’ll go to bed soon, I promise.”He winked at her and grabbed a couple bottles of beer.“You want one?”
She shook her head.She didn’t drink and hadn’t since that night she met Knox.She was not going to pull Knox away and be selfish, even though part of her wanted to do exactly that.
“See you in there.”
The popcorn was done, and Ava pulled it out of the microwave, opened the bag, and enjoyed the scent as a wave of steam wafted up.With the popcorn ready, she grabbed a soda and joined them as Marshal sat on the other end of the sofa.She snuggled against Knox, and the two men shared the popcorn.When it was Knox’s turn to have some popcorn, she’d steal some right out of the bowl.
Even as the movie played, Ava watched but was far more aware of Knox than she was of the movie.She’d never really been interested in movies or television.To Ava, they had sold too many lies.
The minutes seemed to tick on by, slowly.
One minute.
Two minutes.
The movie seemed to last a lifetime, and finally, when she didn’t think it would ever stop, the magical words ofThe Endcame on in fancy writing, and Marshal let out a loud yawn.
“Wow, that was fucking boring,” Marshal said.“Okay, that’s me pooped, and I think it’s time for me to hit the sack, which is exactly where I’m going.See you two crazy lovebirds in the morning.”
He surprised her by leaning down and kissing her cheek, and then tapping Knox on the shoulder.
“What do you think all that was about?”she asked.
“He’s lonely.”
“Do you think we need to find him someone?”
“I think Marshal needs to find people he can trust and who have his back.”
“True, but I think we’re those people,” Ava said.
