20. Marcus
TWENTY
MARCUS
I scan the crowded reception hall, my eyes automatically tracking movement and assessing potential threats. But there's nothing to see except happy guests, twirling on the dance floor or gathered in laughing clusters around the bar.
One of Reign's security guys materializes at my elbow. "Ruins, it's time for a shift change."
I nod curtly. "Copy that."
I slip out of the reception hall and into the quiet hallway. The thump of bass from the band fades as the door clicks shut behind me. I roll my neck, hearing vertebrae pop.
Walking slowly down the corridor, I reflect on how smoothly the day has gone, all things considered.
Reign's security plan proved, as usual, to be more than adequate.
Between their team and Enzo's goons, everything has been calm despite the different players in the room. Enzo walked Lorena down the aisle earlier and has been on his best behavior all evening. Axel's band is playing the reception, crooning a slow love song. Lainey and Ruby are twirling around on the dance floor, having a great time.
I should feel relieved. But I can't shake this restless energy thrumming through me.
Weddings are a reminder of everything I've spent my life avoiding. The vulnerability. The intimacy. The promise of forever. It goes against every instinct ingrained in me by years of military service and even more years of keeping people at arm's length.
Except, every time I think of Lainey, something inside me shifts.
I can't help but imagine what it would be like if she were mine. If I were the one spinning her around the dance floor, holding her close. If it was our wedding that brought this crowd together.
The thought doesn't fill me with the usual dread. Instead, there's a yearning, an ache in my chest that grows with every beat of the music.
Throughout the ceremony, I couldn't take my eyes off the bride and groom. But in my mind, it was Lainey walking down the aisle toward me. It was her hand I was sliding the ring onto, her lips I was kissing to seal our vows.
I never thought I'd want that. A wife, a marriage, a future that didn't revolve around the next mission. But Lainey changed everything.
She's gotten under my skin in a way no one else has. Made me question everything I thought I knew about love and commitment.
I think of the small velvet box tucked away in my dresser back home. The one I bought on a whim a few weeks ago, my gut telling me it was the right move even as my head screamed at me to run.
We haven't talked about marriage. Not yet.
But deep down, I know she's the one. My one. The only woman I want to wake up next to every morning and fall asleep holding every night. The one I want to grow old with me.
The music changes, shifting into a slower tempo as Axel's band takes a break. I can hear the chatter in the reception hall get louder as people leave the dance floor to refresh their drinks.
I'm about to head back in when I see Lainey walking down the hallway.
The dim hallway lighting casts a soft glow across her face, making her blue eyes sparkle. Her blonde hair is coming loose from its braid, tendrils framing her face. She looks ethereal, almost too beautiful to be real.
"Hey you," she says softly when she reaches me. "I was just coming to find you."
I cock an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What for?"
She shrugs one shoulder, and a coy smile plays on her lips. "Maybe I missed you."
I reach out and tug her to me.
"Missed me, huh? Even though you've been having a grand old time dancing the night away?"
She loops her arms around my neck. "It'd be more fun if I could dance with you."
I hum low in my throat. "Probably not a good idea, sweetheart. I've got two left feet."
"I don't care." She presses closer, her breath tickling my neck. "I just want to be close to you."
Desire crashes through me, hot and urgent. I walk us backwards until her back hits the wall. Caging her in with my arms, I dip my head and capture her mouth in a searing kiss.
She makes a soft noise and melts against me, her lips parting eagerly. I lick into her mouth, tasting the sweetness of champagne on her tongue.
Kissing Lainey never fails to destroy me. It's like tossing a match into gasoline - the want between us ignites instantly, a wild inferno I can't control.
Breaking the kiss, I start trailing my lips down her neck, growling when I hit the high collar of her dress. I want to mark her, stake my claim for everyone to see.
The image of her sitting next to Axel flashes through my mind and I tense, jealousy flaring hot in my gut.
I know they're just friends. I know I have nothing to worry about. But something about seeing them together, their heads bent close as they talked, made me want to drag her into my arms and show everyone who she belongs to.
Mine. My woman, my love, my future.
I pull back slightly, staring down at her flushed face and kiss-swollen lips. Her eyes are hazy with desire, her pulse fluttering wildly in her throat.
"Let's get out of here," I rasp.
She blinks. "What? Now?"
I nod curtly. "I need you. Right now."
Her pupils dilate, and she licks her lips. "But what about the reception?”
"Screw the reception." I slide my hand into her hair, tugging lightly. "I want to be alone with you.”
I take her hand, my fingers wrapping completely around hers. The knowledge of the resort's layout from my security sweep guides me as I lead her down the hallway. My stride lengthens until she has to hurry to keep up, her heels clicking against the marble floors.
"Marcus, where are we going?" Her voice carries a mix of excitement and nervousness that makes my blood burn hotter.
I spot what I'm looking for - one of the resort's private powder rooms, complete with a sitting area and ornate vanity. Without hesitation, I open the door, pulling her inside. The lock clicks with satisfying finality.
The space feels like its own world, removed from the wedding and its complications. Crystal sconces cast a warm glow over marble and gold fixtures. Lainey's reflection multiplies in the surrounding mirrors as I back her against the door.
"You have no idea what you do to me." My hands find her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin through the silk. "Watching you all day, not being able to touch you."
"Someone will notice we're gone." But her hands slide up my chest, contradicting her words.
"Let them." I capture her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head. "Right now, I need to remind you who you belong to."
Her pupils dilate, darkening those blue eyes I can't stop thinking about. "Marcus..."
"Say it again." I press closer, using my body to pin her more firmly against the door. "Say my name."
"Marcus." It comes out as a breathless whisper that tests every ounce of my restraint.
"That's my good girl." My free hand tangles in her hair, tilting her head back. "Now tell me who you belong to."
"You." Her voice comes out soft but certain. "I belong to you."
The words trigger something primitive in me. I lower my head to her throat, dragging my teeth along her pulse point.
"And don't you forget it."
"How could I?" Her body arches into mine. "When you make me feel like this?"
I release her wrists, needing both hands on her. My fingers trace down her sides, memorizing every curve through the silk. "Like what, sweetheart? "
"Safe." She threads her fingers into my hair. "Wanted. Like I don't have to be strong all the time."
The vulnerability in her voice makes my chest tight.
"You're always strong. But here, with me, you can just be mine."
In one smooth motion, I lift her, pinning her between my body and the door. Her legs wrap around my waist instinctively.
Then I capture her mouth in a deep kiss. The sounds of the reception fade away until there's nothing but her - the taste of her lips, the scent of her skin, the feel of her body pressed against mine.
My hand slips beneath the hem of her dress, finding the lace edge of her panties. I tear my mouth from hers.
"You've been teasing me in this dress all day. Did you wear these for me, too?"
She nods, lower lip caught between her teeth. "I thought about you when I put them on. How much I wanted you to take them off me."
A growl rumbles through my chest at her words. My fingers hook into the delicate lace, ripping it away. Her gasp mingles with the sound of tearing fabric.
"Marcus!" Her eyes widen, but her hips roll against mine, seeking friction.
"I'll buy you a new pair." I slide my hand between her thighs, finding her already wet for me. "Fuck, Lainey. You're soaked."
"It's what you do to me." She rocks against my fingers. "I've been thinking about you touching me like this all day."
I withdraw my hand, ignoring her whimper of protest. The sound of my zipper mingles with our labored breathing. I free my aching cock, fisting it roughly.
"Beg me for it, baby." I rub the swollen head through her slick slit. "Beg me to fuck this sweet little cunt.”
"Please." She tries to sink down onto me, but I hold her still. "Please, I need your cock. I need you to fuck me.”
I tease her entrance with the tip of my cock, savoring the desperate little sounds spilling from her lips.
"You're always so eager for me, aren't you, sweetheart? So ready to take what I give you."
With one swift thrust, I bury myself deep inside her tight heat. We both groan at the intensity of the connection. Her walls grip me like a vice as I start to move.
"Fuck, you feel incredible." I punctuate each word with a powerful snap of my hips. "So hot and wet for me, like you were made to take my cock."
Lainey clings to my shoulders, nails digging in through my suit jacket as I pound into her. The door rattles with the force of my thrusts, but I don't slow down. I can't, not with her perfect body wrapped around me so completely.
"Look at me,” I demand roughly, needing to see the pleasure in her eyes. "Watch me while I claim this sweet cunt."
Her lashes flutter open, pupils blown wide with lust and adoration. The absolute trust and submission in her gaze make my balls tighten. I capture her mouth in a filthy kiss, tongues tangling, teeth clashing. Branding her with my taste.
"Marcus, I'm so close," Lainey pants against my lips. "You make me feel so good."
"That's it. Let go for me, sweetheart." I grind against her clit with every thrust. "Squeeze my cock and drench me with your come. Show me who this pussy belongs to."
Lainey throws her head back with a sharp cry as her orgasm crashes over her. Her walls spasm around my cock, fluttering and clenching in the most delicious way.
The intensity of her pleasure triggers my own. With a guttural groan, I bury myself balls-deep and empty inside her, marking her with my seed.
I press my forehead to hers as we catch our breath, still intimately joined.
"Mine," I rasp out, still pulsing inside her heat. "All mine."
"Yours," Lainey agrees breathlessly, soft and pliant in my arms. "Always."
We take our time cleaning up, savoring the intimate moments of putting each other back together. I help Lainey slide her dress back into place, my fingers lingering on her silk-covered curves. She giggles as I press a kiss to her shoulder, the sound light and carefree.
I straighten my suit jacket and attempt to smooth my rumpled hair in the mirror. Lainey comes up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her cheek against my back. Our eyes meet in the reflection.
"We should probably get back out there before someone comes looking for us," she murmurs, though she makes no move to let go.
"Probably," I agree, covering her hands with mine. "But I'm not done with you yet. Once this reception is over, I'm taking you home and keeping you in my bed for the rest of the weekend."
Her cheeks flush prettily at the promise in my words. "I like the sound of that."
Reluctantly, we disentangle ourselves and exit the powder room. Lainey's hand fits perfectly in mine as we make our way back toward the reception hall. She still has that just-thoroughly-fucked glow about her, cheeks pink and eyes sparkling. I can't resist pulling her in for one more kiss before we rejoin the crowd.
"How did I get so lucky?" Lainey murmurs, leaning into my touch.
A soft chuckle rumbles through my chest. "Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing."
I slide my hand to cup the back of her neck, thumb stroking the soft skin behind her ear. "I love you so much, baby."
"I love you too, Marcus." The way she says it, so open and earnest, sets off a burst of warmth in my chest.
We're just about to part ways when a voice behind us stops me cold.
"What the fuck?"
I know that voice. I've heard it raised in anger too many times to count. Slowly, I turn to face my son.
Axel stands a few feet away, his face a mask of fury and betrayal.
His gaze darts between Lainey and me, taking in our joined hands, her mussed hair, my loosened tie. I watch the realization dawn, quickly followed by disgust.
“ Lainey is your new secret girlfriend?" Axel spits the words at me like they're poison on his tongue. "My ex? My best friend? Are you fucking kidding me right now?"
I step forward, putting myself between Axel and Lainey.
"Like I said before. It's complicated, son."
"Complicated?" Axel lets out a harsh laugh. "No, what's complicated is you being a sick bastard who's fucking someone barely older than your own kid. And my best friend, at that! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Axel, stop." Lainey moves to step around me but I throw out an arm, keeping her behind me. "It's not like that. Your dad and I have something real."
Axel's eyes widen before narrowing into slits.
"Something real? Are you serious right now, Lainey? He's old enough to be your father! He’s my father! How could you do this to me?"
“Lower your voice, son,” I growl, my fists clenching at my sides.
Inside, a war rages. The tactical side of my brain is already running scenarios, analyzing the situation and trying to find the best way to handle the impending fallout. But the emotional side, the part that's still getting used to allowing myself to feel, is reeling.
I always knew the revelation of my relationship with Lainey would be a turning point. I anticipated Axel's anger and betrayal. But confronted with the reality of it, the disgust and accusation in my son's eyes, it hits harder than any physical blow.
"Axel, I know this is a shock." I keep my voice even, trying to diffuse the growing tension. "But Lainey's right, this isn't some casual fling. What we have is-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Axel cuts me off with a violent slash of his hand. "I don't want to hear whatever bullshit justification you've come up with for this. You've crossed a line, Dad. A major fucking line."
"Axel, please." Lainey's voice wobbles, and I can tell she's on the verge of tears. "Just let us explain."
"Explain?" Axel’s voice rises a full octave. "What could possibly explain this? You're my best friend, Lainey. How could you do this to me?"
"I never meant for this to happen," Lainey pleads, her voice breaking. "I didn't plan on falling for your dad."
"But you did," Axel says bitterly. "You both did."
Lainey looks to me for support, but I'm at a loss for words. How can I possibly explain the complex emotions and history between Lainey and me? How can I make Axel understand that this isn't some fling or manipulation on my part?
But Axel is already backing away, shaking his head in disgust. "I can't even look at you right now. Either of you."
He turns on his heel and storms off, disappearing around the corner. The sound of a slamming door echoes a moment later.