9. Lainey
NINE
LAINEY
Two hours later, Marcus’s truck rumbles to a stop in front of my apartment building. My hands fidget in my lap as reality crashes back in.
Last night feels like a dream. But now we’re here, in the harsh light of day, and I have no idea what happens next.
I’ve never done anything like this before. Never been the girl who gets swept off her feet, who spends the night with a man she’s barely spoken to. Never been the girl who lets herself want something this dangerous, this complicated. The confident woman who responded to Marcus’s every touch last night feels like a stranger now.
“Well, this is me.” I gesture vaguely at the weathered building, cringing at how awkward I sound. “Thanks for... everything.”
A low chuckle fills the cab. “You’re welcome, baby.” The endearment rolls off his tongue, rich and warm, like he’s been calling me that for years instead of hours. “Want me to walk you up?”
Part of me desperately wants to invite him inside. But I think about my tiny apartment with its secondhand furniture and peeling paint. About the dishes I left in the sink yesterday morning. Marcus’s cabin was all clean lines and masculine elegance. My place would feel like a child’s playhouse in comparison.
“No, that’s okay. I can manage.” I flash what I hope is a casual smile, though my heart is racing. “Ruby’s waiting for me.”
“You sure?”
I nod, probably too quickly. The confident, self-assured man who commanded every moment last night is still right there, watching me with those intent amber eyes. While I’m sitting here falling apart over what to say next, he seems completely at ease. Like he knows exactly what this is, exactly what he wants.
“Yes. Thank you though.”
“What’s your schedule look like for the rest of the week?”
“Two doubles, today and tomorrow. But I’m off Thursday and Friday.”
“Good.” His voice drops lower. “That means you’ll have plenty of time to rest before our date.”
“Date?”
“Yep. I’m taking you out on Friday night.”
My stomach flutters at the thought.
Going out in public together would make this real in a way that last night wasn’t. Cooper Heights isn’t exactly known for keeping secrets. People would talk. They’d wonder what Marcus Ruins is doing with someone his son used to date.
As if reading my thoughts, he adds, “I know a little place outside of town. Private. Just us.”
Relief floods through me. “A date sounds nice.”
Satisfaction flickers across his face, and my stomach does a little flip.
“One more thing.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thick fold of bills. Then he hands it to me.
I blink at the money. “What’s this?”
“For the oven repair.”
I count the bills, my eyes widening.
“Marcus, this is way more than I need for the repair.”
“Buy yourself something nice to wear for Friday.” His voice softens but maintains that edge of authority that makes my pulse race. “Something that makes you feel beautiful.”
My throat tightens. I’m so used to handling everything myself, to being the one who takes care of others. The simple act of someone wanting to take care of me feels overwhelming. Dad was the last person who looked after me like this, who noticed what I needed before I had to ask.
“Marcus, I...” Words fail me. How do I tell him that this means more than just money? That someone seeing me, really seeing me, makes me feel things I can’t explain? “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Now come here and kiss me goodbye.”
He curves his hand around the back of my neck, drawing me closer. His other hand catches my chin, tilting my face up to his. For a moment, he just looks at me, those amber eyes searching mine with an intensity that steals my breath. Everything I’m feeling - the uncertainty, the attraction, the need - he sees it all.
The kiss starts gently but quickly deepens. His fingers tangle in my hair, holding me exactly where he wants me. No hesitation, no uncertainty, just pure male dominance that makes my knees weak. When we finally break apart, I’m dizzy.
“I should go.” I gesture weakly at the building, fighting the urge to climb back into his arms. “Before the neighbors start talking.”
“Friday,” he reminds me. His voice is a low growl that makes me shiver.
I reach for the door handle. “Friday.”
“Don’t make me come looking for you, sweetheart.”
Marcus’s words are still echoing in my ears when I step into my apartment. I barely have time to kick off my shoes before Ruby bursts out of her room, her dark curls wild around her face like she’s been running her hands through them, something she does when she’s worried.
“Oh my gosh!” She grabs my arm. “Tell me that wasn’t Marcus Ruins who just dropped you off. Tell me that wasn’t Axel’s smoking hot dad.”
Heat floods my cheeks. “It was.”
Ruby squeals.
“Get in here right now!” She drags me across our tiny living room to the couch. “I need every detail. And I mean every detail. What happened last night? I gave Axel hell for leaving you behind, by the way.”
I sink into the worn cushions, tucking my feet under me. My body still hums from Marcus’s kiss, my lips slightly swollen. Everything from last night feels surreal, like a dream I’m afraid to examine too closely in case it disappears.
“Start from the beginning,” Ruby says, pulling our throw blanket around both our shoulders. “And don’t leave anything out.”
For the next hour, I recount every detail to Ruby, from the moment Marcus found me in that private room to the possessive way he'd carried me out of the club. I tell her about the charged drive to his cabin, how he'd taken control and made me feel safe for the first time in months.
Ruby listens intently, her green eyes widening at certain revelations. When I finally finish, she lets out a low whistle. "Wow. That's a lot."
"That's not even the craziest part." I pull my knees up to my chest. "He wants me to move in with him."
"Like move into his cabin?" Ruby sits up straight, her jaw-dropping. "Full time?"
"Yep.”
“What did you say?”
"I asked him for a few days to think about it." I twist the blanket between my fingers, remembering the intensity in Marcus's amber eyes when he'd made the offer. "He gave me until Friday. Said he doesn't want to rush me, but he also doesn't want to wait."
"Wow." Ruby falls back against the cushions, her eyes wide. "This is huge, Lainey. Like, life-changing huge."
"I know." I press my face into my hands, my emotions swirling like a storm inside me. "I don't know what to do, Ruby. I mean, I want this. I want him. But the reality of it is just so much."
"Because of the diner?"
"That, and Axel." I lean back against the couch and sigh. "He's one of my best friends. And even though we broke up, I still care about him. I don't want to hurt him."
"Lainey, look at me." Ruby's voice is gentle but firm. She tugs my hands away from my face, forcing me to meet her gaze. "I love Axel, you know I do. But he also cheated on you. With a girl who had a boyfriend."
I flinch at the reminder, shame and anger warring in my chest.
"I know he's been there for you through a lot. But he's also put you through a lot." Ruby squeezes my hands. "He doesn't get to have an opinion on who you're with. Not anymore."
"But moving in with his dad? That's a whole different level."
"So? You deserve to be happy, Lainey. You deserve a man who looks at you the way Marcus does, who wants to take care of you." Her green eyes blaze with conviction. "If Axel can't handle that, it's his problem. Not yours."
I let out a shuddering breath, her words sinking into my skin. She's right. I know she is. But accepting it, really letting myself believe it, is harder than it should be.
"I'm scared," I whisper, voicing the fear that's been lurking beneath the surface since Marcus first brought me to his cabin. "Of how much I want this. Of how right it feels when I'm with him."
"Oh, honey." Ruby pulls me into a fierce hug, surrounding me with her familiar vanilla scent. "That's how you know it's real. When it's big and scary and consumes you. When it makes you want to risk everything just for a chance at something amazing."
I let Ruby's words wash over me, soothing the jagged edges of my uncertainty.
She's right. This thing with Marcus is unlike anything I've ever felt before. It's thrilling and terrifying in equal measure, like standing on the edge of a cliff and finally letting yourself jump.
"Thank you," I murmur into her shoulder, squeezing her tightly. "For always being here. For knowing exactly what to say."
"That's what best friends are for." Ruby rubs my back. "I've got your back, girlie. Even if it means dealing with the fallout from Hurricane Axel."
A weak laugh escapes me at that. "He's going to flip out, isn't he?"
"Probably. But that's his damage to deal with, not yours."
My entire body aches as I drag myself into the bathroom after my double shift later on that night. The ancient pipes groan when I turn on the shower, and I lean against the counter while waiting for the water to heat up.
Steam slowly fills the small space, fogging the mirror, but not before I catch sight of the marks Marcus left on my skin.
A trail of purple bruises traces down my neck, across my collarbone.
My fingers drift over them, remembering the possessive way his mouth had claimed me. The slight scrape of his beard, the commanding grip of his hands. I’ve never let anyone mark me like this before. Never wanted to belong to someone this way. The sight makes my pulse quicken, remembering how deliberately he’d placed each mark, how he’d growled his satisfaction against my skin.
The shower finally runs hot enough, and I step under the spray, letting the water soothe my tired muscles. Every movement reminds me of last night, delicious little aches that make heat pool in my belly.
I’m just pulling on my sleep shirt when my phone rings. Marcus’s name lights up the screen.
I climb into bed, pulling the covers up. “Hello?”
“Hey, sweetheart.” His deep voice wraps around me like a physical touch. “How was your day?”
Ugh, how does he do that? Make me feel wrapped in warmth and electricity all at once?
“It was okay. Carl came by to fix the oven, but it still took a while before everything got up and running again.”
“Sounds exhausting.”
“It wasn’t so bad.” I close my eyes, picturing him in his cabin. “How was your day?”
“Long one. Had to head up to the north ridge with Reign. He needed me to help him check out some storm damage at one of his facilities.” There’s an edge to his voice that makes me think there’s more to the story. “Some equipment got hit pretty bad. Took most of the afternoon sorting it out.”
My mind fills with images of him working in the rain, those powerful arms lifting equipment. “Sounds intense.”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle. Managed to get some extra firewood chopped after, at least.”
“Of course you did.” I bite back a smile, settling deeper into my pillows. My body relaxes just listening to him talk about his day, even as excitement hums under my skin. “Because clearly your arms aren’t intimidating enough already.”
His low chuckle makes my toes curl. “You complaining about my arms?”
“Definitely not.” The memory of those arms lifting me, holding me down, makes me tingle between my legs. “Though I’m starting to think you just like showing off.”
“Only for you.” His voice drops lower. “Are you alone right now?”
“Yes. I’m in bed.”
“Good girl.” His approval washes over me, making my nipples tighten beneath my thin sleep shirt. “I want you to do exactly what I tell you. Can you do that for me, Lainey?”
“Yes,” I whisper, already aching for his commands.
“Take off your shirt.” His voice deepens with authority. “Slowly.”
I set the phone on speaker and let the straps slide down my shoulders, shivering as the cool air hits my overheated skin.
“Okay, it’s off.”
“Now, your panties. I want you naked in that bed, ready for me.”
My fingers tremble slightly as I shimmy out of my underwear and kick them to the floor. Feeling exposed and vulnerable, craving his eyes on me.
“I’m naked now.”
“That’s my girl.” His praise makes me clench around nothing. “I wish I could see you right now, spread out for me. I bet your tits are so pretty, aren’t they, baby? Your sweet little nipples just begging for my mouth.”
“Marcus...” I whimper, my thighs pressing together.
“Uh uh. Spread your legs for me. Nice and wide.” He waits until he hears my sharp inhale, knowing I’ve obeyed. “That’s it. Now, touch yourself. Start with your tits. Squeeze them the way I would. Pinch those pretty nipples.”
I cup my breasts, imagining his large hands in place of my own. I pluck at my nipples until they’re stiff and aching. Little mewls escape my throat as I work myself higher.
“Like this?”
“Just like that. Fuck, I love those sexy noises you make. Let me hear how bad you need it.” His voice is pure gravel. “Trail your fingers lower, baby. Past your belly button. But don’t touch that greedy little clit yet.”
I do as he says, my hips arching off the bed seeking more. “Please...”
“Please what? Use your words.”
“Please let me touch myself. I’m so wet.”
I’ve never been this bold, but something about him brings it out of me.
“Do it. Slide your fingers through that slick, needy pussy. Tell me how it feels.”
I nearly sob in relief as my fingertips glide through the wetness.
“It’s so warm and soft. I’m dripping for you.”
“That’s right, you’re dripping for me. Because that pussy is mine.” His words are fierce with possession. “Rub that swollen clit, baby. Work yourself till you’re desperate.”
My hips jerk as I follow his instructions, pleasure sparking up my spine with every light touch. It’s torturous, denying myself the pressure I crave. But obeying him, submitting to his control even from miles away, only makes me wetter.
“That’s my good girl,” he praises darkly. “Now slip two fingers inside that tight cunt. Feel how hot and slick you are.”
“Oh, yes.” I sink into myself with a low moan, my inner muscles clenching greedily. “You feel so much better...”
“I know, sweetheart. Soon. For now, fuck yourself on those pretty fingers. Imagine it’s my cock stretching you open, taking what’s mine.”
Obscene wet sounds fill the room as I work myself faster, grinding against my palm. The coil in my core winds tighter with every word he growls in my ear.
“Marcus, I’m close.”
“Come for me.” His command is guttural, laced with his own barely restrained desire. “Give me what’s mine.”
With a gasp of his name, I shatter. Pleasure bursts through my veins as I ride out the intense waves, my body bowing off the bed. Marcus’s low groan echoes through the phone, spurring my release higher.
“That’s it, baby. Milk those fingers.” His voice is raw, almost pained. “Wish I could feel you coming around my cock right now. Squeezing me so fucking tight.”
I whimper as the aftershocks roll through me, leaving me boneless against the sheets. My hand slows, drawing out every last spark until I’m too sensitive. With shaky movements, I pull my fingers free, marveling at the evidence of my pleasure coating them.
I ache to have him here with me. To feel his weight pressing me into the mattress, his arms caging me in.
“I wish you were here,” I whisper.
“Soon.” The promise in that single word makes me shiver. “For now, I need you to rest. You worked hard today.”
He means the diner, but the double meaning behind his words isn’t lost on me. A satisfied smile tugs at my lips as I reach for my discarded shirt, still buzzing from my climax.
“So did you.”
“I aim to please.” I can hear the smile in his voice. “Now get some sleep, baby. I have plans for you soon, and you’ll need your energy.”
“I can’t wait.”
And I mean it. I’m already counting down the hours until I’m back in his arms, surrendering to his dominance. “Goodnight, Marcus.”
“Sweet dreams, gorgeous.”
I end the call and snuggle under the covers, his deep timbre still echoing in my head.
For the first time in months, I drift off easily, my body sated and relaxed. The stress of the diner feels distant compared to the anticipation humming through my veins.
Friday can’t come soon enough.