2. Marcus
TWO
MARCUS
I watch as Lainey disappears behind the door toward the back of the kitchen. And like the sick bastard I am, I can’t stop thinking about how easily I could have pulled her closer instead of letting her go.
Fuck.
I scrub a hand across my beard and stare out the window, watching the morning traffic crawl past.
I’ve been obsessed with Lainey Daniels from the moment I first laid eyes on her five years ago.
I was fresh out of the Marines, sitting in this booth drinking black coffee, when she walked out of the kitchen carrying a tray of apple pie.
She was like a fantasy come to life. Honey-blonde waves tumbled past her shoulders. The sweetest face I’d ever seen. Lush tits. A tiny waist. Thick thighs. And generous curves that made my hands itch to grab her hips and pull her close.
The attraction was instant and primal. But I knew it was wrong. She was barely legal, and I was old enough to be her dad. Not to mention that she was friends with my son, Axel.
But even when she and Axel started dating, I still couldn’t stop thinking about her. I couldn’t stop imagining her beneath me, moaning my name as I showed her what it meant to be with a real man.
And when they broke up a few months ago, I was secretly glad.
I love my son, but Axel has a lot of fucking growing up to do. Lainey deserves better than someone who cheats on her and takes her for granted. She deserves someone who will cherish her, protect her, and give her everything she wants.
Someone like me.
Over the years I’ve tried my best to stay away, to focus on work, to remember all the reasons this can never happen. But every visit to this diner, every glimpse of her smile, every sound of her laugh brings the wanting roaring back.
I push away from the window and head for the door, needing to put some distance between me and the temptation in the kitchen. I’m about to step outside when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and glance at the screen. It’s my best friend Reign.
“We need to talk.”
I sigh. “Now’s not a good time.”
“Make time. It’s important.”
Reign and I served together in the Marines, and he’s the closest thing I have to a brother. If he says it’s important, it’s important.
“Fine. What time do you want to meet up?”
“Now. Where are you?”
I hesitate, glancing back toward the kitchen where Lainey disappeared.
I sigh. “I’m at the Piney Creek Diner.”
“Where is that?”
“On the corner Lost Forest Drive and Bellvue.”
“Be there in five,” Reign responds. Then the line goes dead.
Five minutes later, the bell over the door chimes and I glance over to see Reign slip inside, his suit out of place among the faded flannel and muddy work boots of the morning crowd.
Reign spots me and strides over, sliding into the booth across from me with a frown. He glances around at the shabby interior of the diner, taking in the peeling vinyl seats and chipped tabletops.
“Interesting choice,” Reign comments, raising an eyebrow. “A bit out of the way for you, isn’t it?”
I shrug and take a sip of my coffee. “I like their omelets. And the coffee’s good.”
Reign frowns. “Since when do you give a shit about the coffee?”
Before I can answer, Lainey appears at our table, a menu in hand and her usual warm smile in place.
“Welcome to the Piney Creek Diner,” she says to Reign. “Can I get you started with something to drink? Maybe some coffee or tea?”
Reign turns the full wattage of his charm on her, flashing a grin that makes most women go weak in the knees.
“Coffee sounds perfect, sweetheart,” he says. “And I’ll take a look at that menu, see what looks good.”
I want to punch the shit out of him for calling my girl sweetheart, even though I know it’s just Reign being Reign.
But if Lainey’s affected by his charm, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she just nods and sets the menu in front of him.
“I’ll give you a minute to decide. Holler if you have any questions.” Then she turns to me and her smile softens, turning to something more familiar. “More coffee?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Let me know if you boys need anything else,” she says. Her eyes meet mine for a brief, charged moment before she turns and heads back behind the counter.
When I look back at Reign, he’s got one eyebrow cocked, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “You come here for the coffee, huh?”
“Fuck off.”
“So you gonna tell me who she is? Or do I have to guess?”
I sigh and cross my arms over my chest. “Her name’s Lainey. She owns the diner.”
Both of Reign’s eyebrows shoot up at that.
“Owns it?” He glances toward the counter where she’s carefully counting out change from the till. “She doesn’t look old enough to be out of high school.”
“She’s not that fucking young.” The defensiveness in my voice surprises me. I take a breath, forcing my shoulders to relax. “She’s twenty-three.”
“Still. I’ve got combat boots older than her. She inherit this place or something?”
I nod. “Her dad passed away last year. Left her the diner and a mountain of debt. She’s been busting her ass to keep the place afloat ever since.”
“Shit. No family or anything?”
“Nope. Just her deadbeat brother. But he got locked up five years ago right before I moved here.”
Reign gives a low whistle. “That’s a lot of responsibility. Running a business at her age.”
“She’s making it work.” A hint of pride creeps into my voice. “Lainey’s got a good head on her shoulders. She’s tougher than she looks.”
And I admire the hell out of her for it. I’ve watched her struggle and fight for this shabby little diner, never once complaining, never giving up.
Reign is still studying me, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Sounds like you know her pretty well.”
I shrug. “She’s friends with Axel.” Then I decide to drop the bombshell. Might as well get it over with. “They dated for a while, too.”
Reign’s coffee cup freezes halfway to his mouth. The surprise on his face would be comical if the subject wasn’t making my hands curl into fists under the table. “Axel, as in your son Axel?”
“Yep.”
A slow grin spreads across his face. “The plot thickens.”
“Fucking tell me about it.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re just going to pretend you don’t want her?”
“What else can I do?” I snap, struggling to keep my voice low. “She’s twenty-three. I’m forty-fucking-five. And she’s Axel’s ex.”
“Who gives a shit what Axel thinks?”
I glare at him. “Things are rocky enough between me and Axel as it is without me dating his ex.”
“I’m just saying that life’s too short for regrets. Sometimes you have to go after what you want.”
“What I want is to not fuck up my relationship with my kid any more than I already have.”
Reign holds up his hands.
“Fair enough.” Then he lowers his voice. “Anyway, there’s another reason why I’m here. I need your help.”
I set down my mug. “With what?”
“I have a job.”
“No.”
Reign chuckles. “You don’t even know what the job is.”
“Don’t need to.” I push my coffee away. “I’m done with that life. You know that.”
After fifteen years in the Marines, civilian life had felt impossible – too quiet, too normal, too safe. When Reign showed up in Cooper Heights suggesting we start our own security company, it had been exactly what I needed.
For five years, we built our reputation handling the kinds of problems that required absolute discretion and specialized skills. We operated in the shadows, taking contracts from clients who couldn’t go through official channels. The work was dangerous, lucrative, and gave me the rush of adrenaline I craved after leaving the service.
But that was before last year when everything changed. Now the thought of going back makes my hands curl into fists under the table.
“Just hear me out.” Reign leans forward, lowering his voice. “This isn’t like the other jobs. It’s personal.”
My jaw tightens. Personal means complicated. Personal means messy. But something in Reign’s tone makes me pause. After twenty years of friendship, I know when my friend is truly worried about something.
“What’s the job?”
“You heard about The Summit? Opens tomorrow night.”
I can’t help but snort.
Everyone in Cooper Heights has heard about The Summit. The whispers started months ago about a new high-end club where the wealthy and powerful can indulge their darker appetites behind closed doors. The construction crews have been working around the clock to transform the old mountain lodge into something sleek and exclusive.
“Yeah. What about it?” I ask.
“I’m handling security for opening night. And I need backup.”
That gets my attention. Reign never asks for backup unless something’s seriously wrong.
“Why?”
“Enzo Castellano just got out of prison. And word is, he’s coming to The Summit’s grand opening tomorrow night.”
Fuck.
Enzo Castellano runs one of the most notorious crime families in the country. The kind of man who remembers every slight and makes sure debts get paid in blood. Our last encounter left me with three broken ribs and a knife wound that still aches when it rains.
“How the hell is he even out?” I ask. “He’s been in Blackwater what, a year? He was supposed to serve twenty.”
Reign shrugs. “You know how things go. His daughter Lorena’s getting married next month. Wanted to walk her down the aisle.”
I snort. “And they just let him out for that?”
“Money talks.” He takes a sip of coffee. “And Enzo’s got plenty of it.”
I sigh and shake my head.
“Look, things have been quiet the past few years,” Reign says. “No one’s expecting trouble, but the owner wants neutral security on site. Someone who knows how to handle Enzo if things go sideways. You’re the only other person in Cooper Heights who knows how he operates. Plus, the pay’s good.”
“Money’s not the issue.”
“Then what is?”
I stare out the diner window at the mountains rising behind town. “Last time we crossed paths with Enzo, three of our guys ended up in the hospital.”
“This is different. We’re not working against him this time. Just need to make sure everyone plays nice. All I’m asking for is one night.”
“Reign-”
“Give you something to do besides sit up in that cabin and brood.”
I glare at him. “I don’t brood.”
“Right.” His lips twitch. “You what, meditate? Commune with nature?”
“Fuck off.”
But even as I say it, I know I’m going to help. Reign and I have pulled each other out of too many firefights, saved each other’s asses too many times to count. Twenty years of friendship means something.
I sigh and scrub my hand across my beard. “How many guys you got?”
“Eight. All former military.” He meets my eyes. “Could use one more.”
I drain my coffee. “Fine. One night. But if Enzo starts anything, I’m throwing him through a window first and asking questions later.”
Reign’s mouth twitches. “I always did appreciate your subtle approach to conflict resolution.” He stands and drops a wad of cash on the table. “I’ll see you at eight tomorrow night. Wear something nice. Preferably without pine needles stuck to it.”
I flip him off as he leaves, his laughter carrying back to me.
“More coffee?”
I turn at Lainey’s voice. She’s changed into a clean uniform since the incident with the dish water earlier, her hair falling loose around her shoulders now. The coffeepot in her hands catches the morning light, and I notice the slight tremor in her fingers as she gestures with it.
“No thanks. All set.”
She shifts her weight, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Busy morning coming up. Looks like rain.”
Something in her tone makes me pause. Like she’s searching for words she can’t quite say. For a second I let myself wonder if she feels this thing between us too.
I stand, pushing those thoughts away where they belong. “Yeah. Looks like it.”
Then I head for the door without looking back. The mountains will be shrouded in clouds soon, perfect weather for staying up in my cabin and forgetting about everything else.