“By yourself?” I ask. Doesn’t he have any friends to spend time with?
He leans forward. “Is that your way of asking if we can spend more time together?”
Oh, crap.
I cram a mound of food into my mouth and gesture that I’m not answering because I’m busy chewing. My eyes reflexively drop to my phone screen once more and a message appears.
Marshall: You backed yourself into a corner, Lucky. Can’t wait to see how you get out of this.
Pretending to scratch the back of my head, I flip Marshall off. After I swallow my food, I can’t ignore answering any longer. “I’m just curious.”
“Well, rest assured you and I will be spending plenty of time together.” He winks, and my stomach turns. And I don’t mean in a good way. This is more like nausea. Dammit. I don’t want him ruining the rest of my meal.
Afraid to encourage him more, I stare at my rapidly clearing plate. I catch the flash on my phone’s screen, and as much as I don’t want to look down and see what’s no doubt a wiseass text, I can’t seem to help myself.
Marshall: Lucky you, Lucky.
I shake my head to let him know he’s not as funny as he thinks. In fact, that was decidedly lame. Was he even trying? I’ve come to expect more from him.
We finish eating, and after another pat on my head, Kent heads inside, carrying our plates and silverware.
“Lucky, give me a signal if you want me to step in.” I turn and find Marshall standing at the closest deck railing. His willingness to save me should be considered a nice thing, but with our history, I can’t help but suspect he has ulterior motives. It would be just like him to help me and then paint me as helpless and needy.
“Go away, Marshall. I’m a big girl. This isn’t my first date.” My words sound harsher than intended.
“Okay. Gotcha. You don’t need my help.” He moves toward the slider, and I almost tell him not to go, but I bite into my bottom lip, keeping the plea to myself. I’m an adult and I can handle Kent.
Facing forward once more, I rise and move toward the back edge of the deck. Leaning over the railing, my gaze sweeps over the unobstructed view of the Atlantic. Varying shades of orange, pink, and yellow swirl and streak across the sky, creating a striking canvas of texture and vivid color. Sunsets at the shore are always the most beautiful. Back in the city, with too many buildings blocking the view, I don’t get to see them as clearly.
My thoughts wander to a vision of a shirtless Marshall in the water earlier today. Every time he reached for the tennis ball, his muscles rippled and flexed under his skin. His body is as impressive as ever.
Arms unexpectedly slip around my waist, and a squeak of surprise slips from my lips. “Babe, it’s just me,” Kent says.
“Babe, huh?” I ask.
“You don’t like nicknames?”
“I like nicknames fine. Endearments from someone I don’t really know…” I shrug. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s a little weird.”
“Maybe we need to get to know each other better.” He spins me in his arms and lays his lips on mine before I can react. I gasp, and his tongue invades my mouth. My palms press on his chest to push him away, but his large hand grips the back of my head, keeping me hostage in the unwelcome kiss. His tongue is unrelenting, and fear strikes me. What if he doesn’t stop?
I push on his chest, but he’s so much bigger than me, he doesn’t budge an inch. I kick at his shins, but my sandals offer poor protection for my feet and inflict little to no damage to him. His tongue thrusts aggressively, and panic assails me when the realization hits—he’s not going to stop.
In a flash, Kent is gone and I’m free. My hands cover my mouth, wiping away the remnants of his kiss as Marshall grabs the front of his shirt, driving him backward across the deck. Kent crashes into the table and chairs, flopped on his back like a fish out of water. He groans, dangling awkwardly over the furniture.
Marshall stalks closer to loom over his groaning form. “Don’t ever fucking come near Clover again or I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life. I’m sure you don’t want this pretty face fucked up.” Leaning over, he gives Kent two quick, cracking slaps on his cheek before hurrying toward me. Eyes connecting with mine, his expression morphs from blind rage to concern in an instant.
He cups my cheeks, gently framing my face for his perusal. “Are you okay?”
I nod, clutching on to his forearms. My legs feel like cooked noodles, all wiggly and weak beneath me. His worried orbs blur in front of me as tears well and overflow. Marshall’s thumbs swipe the wet trails from my cheeks before he pulls me to his chest. He clasps me tightly to the wall of sheer muscle, reassuringly stroking my hair. His heart beats in a strong, steady cadence beneath my ear, providing all the comfort and reassurance I need.
A groan and the sound of deck furniture shifting draws our attention. Kent struggles to his feet, as if Marshall beat the crap out of him instead of just shoving him. “I’m calling the police. You assaulted me.”
Marshall’s arms drop from my back and he ushers me behind him. My hands clutch his sides, still needing the contact as I peer around him.
“Go ahead. How do you think they’ll feel about you sexually assaulting Clover?” Kent’s mouth opens and closes, but he remains silent. “Yeah, that’s what I figured.” Marshall takes my hand and leads me to the stairs, making sure to stay between Kent and me. He pauses, glaring over his shoulder. “If you so much as breathe in Clover’s direction, I’ll make sure you never fucking do again.” Marshall squeezes my hand reassuringly and leads me down the stairs and back to our deck. We slip inside the sliding glass door, and he silently takes me up to my room. I don’t want to see Maddie and have to explain why I’m home so early, and Marshall seems to instinctively know this.
He closes the door to my room behind us but doesn’t release my hand. “Clover, are you sure you’re okay?” His use of my actual name tells me how serious he is.
I nod. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sure you’re feeling all kinds of things I can’t relate to personally, but one thing I’m fairly certain of is that you’re not fine. Don’t dismiss what happened as if it was nothing.”
“It was just a kiss.” I downplay the situation.
He shakes his head. “He stole that kiss, and you tried to push him away. I saw what happened, Clover.”
“How did you, though? You went inside.”
“You’re right. I did, at first. But I had a feeling he was going to do something fucked up. I’m glad I listened to my instincts.”
“Me too. I don’t want to think about what might’ve happened if you hadn’t.” A fear-filled chill crawls down my spine, and I shiver.
“Don’t think about that. It’s over, and you never have to see him again.”
“Ugh, but I do. He’s right next door. It’s not like I can avoid him altogether, unless I lock myself inside the house for the rest of my vacation. I might as well go back home.” Marshall’s grip on my hand tightens, reminding me how long we’ve been joined together. Tugging free, I move across the room to put some space between us and sit on the edge of the bed. I kick my sandals off and glance down at my toes, checking for bruises.
“Did you hurt yourself?” He’s on his knees in front of me in a flash, cupping one of my feet in his palm. He carefully inspects and prods my injured big toe. “Does that hurt?”
“A little bit,” I reply.
“I don’t think it’s broken. Bend it for me.”
“It’s okay. You can go now.” I say the words with more force than I intend. Having him appear so concerned is doing funny things to my head and my heart. I can’t allow myself to spin his momentary concern into more than it is. With my parents being motivational speakers, I was raised to be eternally optimistic as a rule, but Marshall has always been my one exception. After the one “moment” we had so long ago, I allowed myself to get carried away with silly schoolgirl fantasies—until they were crushed the next day when his date showed up.
/>
Indulging in any fantasies where Marshall has romantic feelings toward me would now make me delusional. As the saying goes—fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Marshall rises to his feet and my chin raises. Eyes sweeping up his chiseled physique, they don’t stop until they connect with his.
“If you’re sure you’re okay, I’m gonna give you some space. If you need anything, just give me a yell,” he says.
“I’ll be fine.” He nods and heads toward our adjoining bathroom. “Marshall,” I call to him. He stops, peering back at me, one eyebrow raised in question. “Thank you for everything. You got to be my knight in shining armor after all.” I smile.
His lips press together, curving slightly upward at the corners. It’s not much as his smiles go. “I’m glad I was there.” He disappears into the bathroom, and seconds later, I hear the door that leads to his room closing.
I fall back onto the bed, my legs dangling off the side. What a crazy and unexpected turn tonight took. My heart gallops as my thoughts gravitate toward Kent and the stolen kiss. There was a moment when I was convinced he wasn’t going to stop, and I was overtaken by panic. I’ve never felt so scared or weak in my entire twenty-one years. If Marshall hadn’t been there, I’m sure things would’ve escalated, and my life would’ve been forever changed.
My stomach turns as I fight with my mind to stop myself from playing out the worst-case scenario. I don’t want to put those images in my head. It’s bad enough that I can still feel his tongue battering my mouth. Covering my lips, I shiver with disgust, and tears pool in my lower eyelids. Shifting my position, I crawl onto the bed. Settling my head on a pillow, I draw my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around my waist. Giving in, I let the tears loose, silently crying myself to sleep.
Chapter Five
Marshall
Stripping down to my boxer briefs, I lie down on the bed and stare up at the unblemished white ceiling. It’s still early, but after the clusterfuck that just happened, I have no desire to go out. Jesus. I scrub my hands over my face and sigh with relief that things turned out the way they did. It could’ve been so much worse.
What if I had stayed inside?
What if I didn’t listen to my gut?
I can’t even go there. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if anything bad happened to Clover.
What if I hadn’t agreed to come to the beach with Shaw?
Who would’ve saved her then?
No one. There wasn’t anyone else around to witness her struggle. Thank God I was able to put an end to the situation before it escalated further.
When I saw him force his kiss upon her, I wanted to tear him apart, one piece at a time. But once I was close enough to put my hands on him, all I could do was get him away from Clover as quickly as possible.
When I saw her fear-filled eyes staring up at me, my chest filled with a dull ache. I couldn’t keep up my indifferent front any longer. I drew her into my arms and did my best to soothe her worries and show her she was safe.
Cycled up with an abundance of adrenaline, I thought my own heart would beat free from my chest. Embracing Clover helped settle me down. She fit so right in my arms, I didn’t want to let her go. And I wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for Kent. I had to set that fucker straight. If he wants to walk without crutches, he’ll keep his distance from Clover.
But what if he doesn’t and I’m not here?
What if he’s emboldened by what happened and tries to finish what he started?
Fuck.
There has to be a way to make sure she has fun on her vacation without seeing Kent’s arrogant face.
Using my thumb, I move over each finger, cracking my first knuckle. It’s an old habit of mine that began when my mom left. I would lie in bed at night, my mind whirling with a tornado of anxiety-driven thoughts. Sometimes, I’d swear that my bedroom ceiling was moving closer and closer to me and I was convinced I’d be crushed. There were many times I didn’t think I could lie there long enough to make it to the next morning. Cracking my knuckles became a way of grounding me. Stumbling upon it by accident, I realized it took my focus away from my worries and kept me present in the moment. I got so good at cracking them that it barely takes an effort now.
I repeat the process on my other hand, each knuckle popping while I tick through ideas, but nothing eliminates the possibility of seeing Kent. Clover mentioned being worried about having to face him again, so I have to come up with a solution.
An ingenious idea hits me, and I grin. Picking up my cell phone, I send a text to my dad.
Me: Is anyone staying at the cabin this week?
It only takes a matter of seconds before I receive a reply. My mother may not be dependable, but my dad is solid as a brick wall. He’s the definition of always being there for me.
Dad: It’s vacant and yours if you want. No parties allowed.
I smile at his reply.
Me: I know nothing of parties. You must have me confused with Maddie.
Dad: Ha. Good one. Let me know if you’re using the cabin. You may technically be a grown man, but I still want to know where you are.
Me: Will do. Thanks, Dad.
Dad: Call me if you need anything.
Me: I will.
Dropping my phone on the mattress beside me, I smile. I have a place to take Clover. Now I just need to figure out how to get her there.
* * *
As it turns out, Shaw and Maddie left early this morning, and they’ll be gone until tonight. My sister texted me to let me know they took Buddy with them.
I’m buttering a bagel when Clover walks into the kitchen. “Where is everyone?”
I notice how puffy and bloodshot her eyes look. She must’ve spent a good portion of the night upset. I want to rush next door and kick Kent’s ass for causing her sadness.
“What do you mean? I’m here,” I tease, hoping to lighten her mood.
She rolls her eyes. “I meant everyone important.”
I smile. Okay. She might be down, but she’s not out.
“They’re gone for the entire day and Buddy’s with them,” I fill her in. She appears slightly disgruntled. “What’s that look for?”
“I was hoping we’d all stick together today. I guess it’s not fair of me to be bummed out that they’re not here when they don’t know what happened to me.”
“I hate to tell you this, but I need to take a drive to my family’s cabin in New Hampshire and check on something for my dad.”
“You’re leaving too?” She looks crestfallen.
“I am.”
“Crap. I wish they’d left Buddy. I’d feel better if he were here with me.”
I set the plate with the bagel down in front of her. “Want to share?”
She plucks half from the plate, mumbling, “thanks,” as she bites into one side.
“You’re welcome.” I grab my half and tear off a chunk with my teeth. Two more bites and I’m done. My stomach growls to let me know I’m nowhere near full, and that was the last bagel.
“What time are you leaving?” she asks.
“Soon. Why?”
She sighs, a look of resignation on her face. “Would you mind if I went with you? I don’t want to be alone here.”
She’s playing right into my hands. This is too easy.
“No, why would I mind?”
“You and I don’t exactly get along,” she explains.
“That’s only because you secretly lust after me.”
“Ha. You wish,” she replies, shoving the final bite of bagel into her mouth.
“Can you be ready in twenty minutes?” I question.
“Sure. I’ll take a quick shower and I’ll be good to go.”
“Bring your bathing suit and a towel. We can jump in the pool to cool off before we drive back here.”
“Sounds good.”
* * *
We’ve been riding for about an hour when Clover drifts off to sleep. I don’t mind, it gives me a cha
nce to watch her without her realizing. She has no idea that I think she’s beautiful or that I’ve had feelings for her for years. And that’s the way I want things to remain. Clover is all about commitment, and I’m not a relationship guy—and I never will be. I’d only break her heart. I care about her too much to do her any harm, and dating me would end badly for her.
After watching the demise of my parents’ marriage, I have a jaded opinion on relationships. My mom tore my dad’s heart out, and I was witness to more of what happened than I should’ve been. I saw more than they realize, and I don’t plan on filling my dad in on exactly how much.
It’s been years, and I’ve kept it to myself for this long. What would be the point of sharing the information now? It would only devastate him, and he doesn’t deserve the pain it would cause.
My dad, the man who’s done everything right in my eyes, is my role model. I admire him for so many reasons. He’s an amazing father to Maddie and me. A hard worker and a great provider, we both have always had everything we needed. Dad’s there if we need to talk, and he makes sure to check in with us at various points throughout the week when we’re away at school. During the summers, when we’re living at home, he eats dinner with us as often as he can.
My mom gave up the best man she’ll ever find and all for the young piece of ass she was fucking.
Neither of my parents are aware that I know she was unfaithful. But even if I hadn’t heard them fighting about her infidelity, the signs were there. I would’ve figured it out on my own anyway.
Oh and that young piece of ass… he dumped her shortly after she and my dad split.
She had everything—a faithful husband and kids who loved her, a nice house, a pool, and food in her stomach. But it wasn’t enough.
And now she’s all alone with her favorite person—herself.
I still see her from time to time, mostly around the holidays. We get along fine, but I wouldn’t say we’re close. It’s impossible to trust the person who betrayed me so badly in the past. I know most people would say that my father, as her spouse, was the person she betrayed. I don’t disagree with that, but I also don’t think that he was the only one. Maddie and I just happened to be collateral damage.
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