"Time," he said. "And lots of talks. It wasn't perfect, and sometimes still isn't, but at least we're all together."
"And that's why you've been… wary of me?"
He scoffed. "Why I've been a dick about it? Yeah."
I nodded. That context was… helpful. "So you feel… secure? Now that we're mated?"
"To an extent," he said. "A big part of it is I'm able to feel your feelings."
"So?"
"I can tell exactly how you feel about me. How you feel about Cameo, and Indi. Even Eva. You're not playing a game. But there's something else going on that I'd like you to tell me about."
I sighed. He did just tell me a lot, so it only felt fair for me to return the favor.
"I've been bonded before."
The growl that came from Marcus made me jump. His pheromones flooded the car. "And you're… not anymore?"
"Well, I am… but not to who I was the first time."
I told him about what happened before I met them. About Mason getting me out and breaking the bond, and about my tattoo.
He listened in a tense silence as I told the story, not interrupting me once.
When I was done, we each sat in that silence. Did he think differently of me now? Did he have the same concerns about pain I did?
"And what happened to him?"
That wasn't the question I was expecting. "Uh, I don't know. Mason just relocated me after, and I never asked any questions."
"I see."
The silence had me bouncing my foot.
"Are you upset?" I asked.
"Very," Marcus said.
I deflated. "I understand. Being bonded to someone tainted by someone else probably isn't…"
I wasn't able to finish my thought. Marcus grabbed my face, a bit too hard, and pulled me to look at him. Anger was etched across his features.
"To be clear, I'm not upset with you, or about your previous bond, or anything stupid like that. I'm upset because I want to rip the fucker limb by limb for thinking he could ever touch what was always mine."
"Oh."
I knew it might be a bit toxic, but his words were comforting.
"Again, I know this bond didn't happen the way he should have, but it happened because it was supposed to. You were always meant to be ours."
I could feel the pressure of tears behind my eyes, but refused to let them fall.
"Okay," I breathed.
Except… "Indi is really pissed with me."
"Yeah, he is," Marcus said unhelpfully. "But he'll get over it."
