He shoves his way between the two of us, snatching Kyle's fingers back off my arm and wrenching them backward.
"Ah! You fucking prick. You're gonna break my fingers!"
Marcus shoves Kyle away. "You're lucky I don't break your neck."
The sneer on Kyle's face drops when he sees the expression on Marcus. The way my bodyguard stares him down promises a slow and painful death.
"Reginald will hear all about this. You'll be flat on your ass before the day is out. Mark my words!"
Kyle runs off, his tail firmly tucked between his legs. But my heart is pounding, and I can't get over how it felt to have him grab me like that.
I had no idea what he planned to do, what he might do if I ended up on that floor with him above me. Some part of me knows that he would have no problem forcing himself on me.
"Lila, are you okay?" Marcus stands in front of me, gripping my shoulders. "Princess, can you talk to me?"
But I can't. I don't know what happened to any of my words, but they're gone. I'm at a loss for words.
"It's all right, princess. I've got you. Let's get back to your room."
Pulling me against his side, Marcus leads me down the hallway. All I can do is follow along after him.
And I try not to think about what would have happened if he hadn't come when he did.
7
Lila
"Lila? Lila, I need you to talk to me, okay?"
I shake my head, realizing that I'm sitting on my bed. It feels stupid that I got this worked up over what Kyle said.
He didn't even do anything. Not really. You're so weak.
"I'm here. I'm alright." I look up at Marcus. His face is so full of worry that my chest feels like it's cracking. "I don't know why I'm so upset. God, IhateKyle. Why was he here?"
"Hey," Marcus smooths his hand down my face, doing whatever he can to comfort me, "it's not your fault. You have every reason to be upset. And I have a feeling he was here because your father is moving forward with a new launch, Bellavita+."
My mouth drops open, and the burn in my eyes triples. "He'sstillgoing through with that? The first version is hurting people, and now he's going forward with the next one?"
"There's a lot of money to be made, Lila. Your father...he won't go to the FBI. He won't risk it even with protection. 'It wouldn't cover the company.' His words."
A sob breaks free, and I drop my head against Marcus's chest.
"I don't know if your father is the route forward, Lila." Marcus rubs up and down my back, and I try to use him as an anchor. "He said this was none of my business. But I want you to know that I'm not backing off or quitting. If I need to take on Cilento alone, I will."
Looking up into his eyes, I'm scrambling. I'm falling apart at the seams, and too many questions plague me.
"Why are you doing this? Why do you even care what happens to me?"
Marcus doesn't flinch, doesn't hesitate when he says, "Because I see you, Lila. I see the pain and the determination to break free. I recognize it, too. I'm not the best man in the world, princess, but being around you makes me feel like trying to be."
My mouth drops open. I'm blown away. But I believe him. I...want him.Now.
"Make love to me."
Reeling back a hair, Marcus's brows shoot up before furrowing over his eyes.
"Lila, I don't?—"
