Chapter 3 Marcus
Marcus
That princess is going to be the death of me.
The entire day has been a back-and-forth with her—push and pull, provocation and reaction.
Between the stunt she pulled after her shower and disappearing through a door that wasn't marked on the library blueprint, I'm at the end of my rope.
"What? I was sweaty. I needed to shower, and now I'm hungry."
She had the nerve to walk out of her bedroom in a fucking towel while I waited outside. Lila could've gotten a snack fully clothed, and we both knew it.
And the library? It was like she wanted me to punish her. I fought thoughts about bending her over my knee and spanking that ass of hers until it was bright red all damn day.
Right on cue, the image materializes in my brain. I can see her wearing that stupidly short skirt as I fold her over my lap.
She'd claw at my leg, thrashing until she finally sat still and took her well-earned punishment.
Marcus, fucking hell. You need to stop. This is a terrible idea. I should call Boss and have him send someone else.
It really is the right thing to do. I'm clearly way too attracted to this little minx, and that's going nowhere good.
She's a client. She's younger than me. And from what I understand, she's going to get engaged to some schmuck who works beneath her father.
Her father mentioned it in the briefing, though he didn't mention how long they'd been dating or why he's not the one here making sure Lila is safe.
The door opens next to me, and I shove off the wall as Lila comes out. She's been in that room for forty-five minutes getting ready for dinner.
"Did you forget how to dress yourself or—"
My words die in my throat when I get a look at her.
Lila is wearing a black dress. It's long-sleeved with a turtleneck top, but there is nothing modest about it.
It's painted onto her, hugging every curve. It's also obscenely short, and a wave of something dark washes over me.
No one in the entire goddamn world should be looking at her when she looks like that. No one but me.
It takes everything to shake off the thoughts. I have to physically turn away from her so I don't wind up grabbing hold of her thighs and hauling her into my arms.
"I'm expected to look nice for dinner every night, Marcus. Didn't Father tell you that?"
I glare, narrowing my eyes. "He did not. And I have a feeling that's not what he had in mind."
Glancing down at herself, Lila frowns slightly, then pops her head back up, her eyes shining with barely hidden amusement.
"What? It's a dress." She saunters off in front of me, and I can't keep myself from staring right at her ass. "Let's go. We're going to be late."
Shaking myself again, I catch up with Lila quickly, rounding the corner of the long hallway as she walks to the dining room.
When we arrive, her father is already seated at the head of the table. I give him a little nod from behind Lila. I scan down to the other end, noticing we've got company, and then Lila stops short, nearly causing me to collide with her.
"Kyle? What are you doing here?"
Kyle. That's the guy she's supposed to be getting engaged to.
Annoyance pulls at my gut. I take in the new guy, who smiles up from his seat with all the charm of a python.
The guy is fit from what I can tell, his tailored suit cut perfectly to his narrow frame. I'm guessing he's in his late twenties.
He's also sporting some facial work that suggests Botox or something, and the way his cold blue eyes roam over Lila has me clenching my hands into fists.
Asshole would almost look like a surfer bro if it weren't for the suit and stain of "old money."
"Why wouldn't I be joining my fiancée for dinner? She's been through so much. Of course I'm here."
"We're not engaged yet, Kyle. And I've told you that I have no intention of—"
"Lila." Her father stands up from his seat and gestures at the chairs surrounding the table, which is already decked out with an overabundance of food. "Do settle down and sit. I expect to enjoy my meal, thank you."
Biting her lip, Lila looks clearly uncomfortable but takes a seat across the table from me on her father's right. It wouldn't take all the years of training beneath my belt to see just how much she hates this.
It isn't really my place to say anything, so I let it go—for now.
"I trust things have been well in hand today, Mr. Griffin. Anything to report?"
Reginald levels his stare on me as he moves the food around on his plate. Even here, where we're supposed to be eating an everyday meal, the guy is looking down his nose at me.
Don't punch him. Don't throw your wine glass at his face.
"Nothing of note, Mr. Kendrix. Everything with Lila went smoothly today, and I have a good idea of her daily routine, including walks near the library."
Shooting a glance at her, Lila narrows her eyes, trying to hide the way she's glaring at me.
"It's good to hear that she is finally behaving. I know several of the other security personnel have had issues. It's cost her father a pretty penny at this point."
Swiveling my attention to Kyle, I lock eyes with him. He's so utterly unmoved, talking about Lila like she isn't right there.
"Lila and I have gotten along fine." I flick my stare back to her as she takes a hearty sip of her wine. "Right, Lila?"
Swallowing, she rolls her lips between her teeth before releasing a prolonged breath. "Yes."
I know I'm not helping with the tension she feels, but it does feel like she's earned a bit of her own medicine after today.
"Excellent. I shall expect similar reports going forward." Reginald nods once, picking at his food as he swirls a whiskey in the other hand.
Kyle shuffles at the other end of the table, clearing his throat. "I should hope that this whole mess resolves itself quickly. We have a wedding to arrange, and we'd really hoped we could proceed with having it this fall."
"I haven't agreed to—"
"Oh, enough of that, Lila. There's no need to fuss over it. You get so up in arms over something that's been decided for years now. Come, come. We all know your role here. It is time that you learn it."
I wait a beat, expecting Reginald to say something about that. But there's nothing. My stare lands on Lila again as she gapes at Kyle, but before anyone can say another word, she shoves back from the table and storms out of the room.
Wasting no time, I stand up, quickly glancing at Reginald as I throw my napkin into my seat.
"I'll follow her."
He waves me off. "Yes, yes. Do track down the drama queen."
I don't have time to argue with him about the slight. Instead, I track Lila down to her room, where I can hear her crying behind the closed door.
"Lila, let me in." There's a pause, and I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Christ, princess. Let me the fuck in so we can talk about this."
I hear her stomping up to the door, and I get ready to grab it so I can push my way inside. When it swings open, she glares at me, tears streaming down her face.
"Seriously? I don't need this crap from you, too. Just go!"
Sure enough, she tries to slam the door in my face, but I shove past her, taking charge of the door and closing it behind me.
"Ugh! You're insufferable!"
Scoffing, I roll my eyes. "Yeah, the feeling's mutual, princess. Now, spill. What's going on with Sir Full of Himself?"
Lila throws up her hands, walks to her bed, and plops down. I suddenly realize that I'm in her room—all cream-colored expensiveness and overly fluffy pillows.
It looks like something right out of a Martha Stewart magazine. If they still make those things. I don't fucking know.
"He's an asshole, which appears to be par for the course with men around here.
" She glares at me. "And he's got it in his head that I'm going to marry him.
Hell, it's actually been planned between him and my father since we were kids.
He's some stupid protégé of his, and they're trying to form some dynasty or something between our families.
Obviously, I hate it, and I've protested every step of the way. You can see how far that's gotten me."
I had to assume as much, but it still strikes me that this kind of arranged marriage thing is actually going on nowadays. Who does that shit?
"Well, you can't run off like that. I'll stay here. You won't have to go out and face him if you don't want to."
Lila looks downright flabbergasted at me, her little mouth forming a tantalizing O and her brows up.
"Umm...thank you. But don't think this changes how I feel about this arrangement either. And you can wait outside the door."
Scoffing and rolling my eyes at this woman appears to be something I'll keep doing forever. But I just shrug, shaking my head and going right back to the door I shoved through.
I really shouldn't be sticking my nose in her business anyway. She's a client, not a friend or a lost puppy.
Don't stick your neck out. This is temporary.
"Fine." The door closes behind me before I hear Lila's response, and I tell myself that I don't care, that I don't mind if she's pissy or still upset.
Which is a fucking lie.
I've been standing outside Lila's door for hours now, and the last time she poked her head out, it was to tell me that she was going to sleep.
That was about thirty minutes ago, after I heard way too much rummaging around to just be getting comfortable in bed. I have no idea what she was doing, but it's stopped now, and something about that doesn't sit right.
"It's nothing. Just leave it." I bounce my leg as I tap my thumb on my arm where it's crossed over my chest, chewing on my tongue. "Dammit."
Trusting that gut instinct, I knock on the door but get no answer. If Lila is really asleep, she won't mind me taking a quick peek.
I've told her not to lock it just in case I need to get inside, and the door creaks as I push it open.
But looking around her room, I see no sign of Lila and a perfectly made bed.
"That little brat. Goddamn it!"