17. Chloe
E ver since I bared my soul to Marcus, and he basically put the ball in my court, I’ve been torn over what to do.
The part of me that’s been obsessing over Marcus since I first discovered boys is screaming at me to get on with it, but then there’s the rational side of me that seems to be holding back.
Telling him my secret wasn’t half as bad as I thought it would be. I expected him to view me differently afterwards, and although I didn’t go into too much detail, he still looks at me in the same way. I expected to see pity shining in those bright blue eyes of his, but that never came.
As I expected, he was furious on my behalf. I knew he’d be mad, and I sort of suspected he’d want to know his name, so he could punish him, but what Marcus is planning is so much worse than a punishment.
He wants to torture him, to make him endure pain and suffering for the same length of time that he held me captive, before eventually ending him.
I’ve never had someone want to fight my battles like that before, and I can’t say his plans don’t call to the darkness that lives inside of me.
Ever since Frank let me go, I’ve dreamed about all the different ways I could make him pay for what he did to me. But I’ve always known that’s all they were—dreams.
Yet, now I have someone who wants to fight my battles for me, who wants to end Frank in whatever way I see fit, and I’ve never felt better.
One of my biggest fears is that I’ll randomly bump into him in a club, and I’ll have to pretend like I’m not standing face-to-face with the man who ruined my life.
For Marcus to offer me a world where my monster no longer exists, that’s the best thing he could do.
So why the fuck haven’t I jumped into bed with him?
He reacted much better than I planned. He didn’t judge me, he wanted to help me, and he still wants to teach me to grow in sexual confidence, like I have been doing—so why haven’t I asked him yet?
My mind is a mess, and while talking about Frank brought a lot of the nightmares back, I’ve also been focusing on the conversation I had with Marcus about us.
I don’t know what on Earth possessed me to tell him how much I like him, but I was baring my soul, and it all just sort of came flooding out.
When he was honest with me in return, telling me he’s never had a serious relationship—and has never wanted one—I was both shocked and a little concerned.
I knew Marcus had a reputation. I grew up with him, so I’ve seen the revolving door of girls that are in his life for a night and are never seen again, but it never really occurred to me why he doesn’t want anyone serious.
It also never crossed my mind why me and Marcus might be off-limits. Of course, I know about the peace treaty between my family and Marcus’. It’s the reason Blackthorn is no longer stuck in the middle of a civil war, caused by the battle for power that was raging for generations between our families.
The peace treaty only works because our families worked hard to make sure there was a balance of power. Each family is responsible for their side of the town, and they deal with loyalty shifts fairly, so that no family ever gains the majority.
It never occurred to me that if I were to be with Marcus, that would give him more power than the Santoros, putting the treaty on shaky ground.
I guess that’s why my father always told him I was off-limits, and why Marcus spent the better part of our teen years either ignoring me or making it clear he didn’t like me. He knew I liked him, but pushing me away was the safest option.
Although he’s not willing to risk the peace treaty, or his friendship with Jacob, he still wants to see what happens between us. But, for me, that’s such a vague statement.
What if we spend the next few weeks together and realise, by some miracle, that we actually love each other? What then? Would he be willing to take a risk on me, or does everything have to end once the clock stops ticking, no matter what we feel?
That’s the big problem for me. I know that spending more time with Marcus, handing over the trust that’s needed for him to explore my body in the way he wants, that will change me.
It’ll only strengthen what I feel for him, but I don’t think anything will change for him. I suspect he will end things when the time is up, no matter what, and I don’t know if my fragile heart can take that.
Which is exactly why I haven’t walked into his room completely naked, begging for him to finally fuck me. And believe me, that thought has crossed my mind several times.
Instead, we’re still being friendly with each other, having meals together, talking, getting to know one another, and it’s nice… but fuck do I want more.
Thankfully, Jacob will be here in about ten minutes, which should give me some time to be in the same room as Marcus without picturing what he looked like on his knees when he was eating my pussy in the car.
I’m pacing around the living room, while Marcus sits in the comfy armchair, watching me with the ghost of a smile on his face. He thinks I’m nervous about Jacob coming over, which is part of it, but that cocky smirk of his isn’t helping to stop me from thinking about other things that are getting me all hot and bothered.
Miles walks into the room and throws himself into the armchair opposite Marcus, leaning back with his arm over the top like he doesn’t have a care in the world. “So, how are you going to do this intervention?”
I look over at Marcus, wincing at the thought of how much Jake would hate this being called an intervention . Marcus seems to have the same thought.
“We’re not calling it that. We’re just confronting him over his issues, as we’re not really sure he’s all that aware of them.”
Miles rolls his eyes as he tuts. “No, he’s barely aware of anything when he’s off his face on drink and drugs. But what makes you think he’s going to want to do anything about it?”
I freeze before turning to glare at Miles. “Why wouldn’t he?”
Miles holds his hands up in a non-threatening manner as he speaks. “Well, he’s been blacking out, waking up in puddles of his own vomit and piss for a while now, and if that’s not enough to make him see he’s hit rock bottom and needs to change, why will talking to you? ”
Marcus lets out a groan and Miles’ eyes go wide as he realises his mistake. “He’s been getting so bad that he’s passing out? Marcus, you knew he was that bad and you didn’t tell me, or do anything?”
Marcus looks like he’s about to reply, but Miles cuts in. “To be fair, you were going a bit wild yourself for a while, so I don’t think telling you would have helped.”
Both myself and Marcus shoot Miles matching glares, but he shrugs his shoulders like he doesn’t care. Marcus turns back to me.
“Honestly, I haven’t really known what to do or how to approach him. Even though he’s my best friend, this crosses the line into telling him how to rule, and that’s a very fine line.”
I never thought of it that way. Although we’re telling Jacob that he needs to get his shit together for his own health and wellbeing, the underlying reason is that we need him to be the leader we know he can be.
If he doesn’t step up soon, Dad won’t hesitate to find a replacement, and right now, that’s Scott.
I can only imagine the war that will occur if Marcus is told he has to rule with Scott. It’ll never happen, and the peace treaty will be a thing of the past. We need Jacob to get his head on straight, but I’m aware what we’re asking is so much more than him just getting sober.
He’s never wanted to rule, and I’m pretty sure he’s acting out in this way to block out all the responsibility he suddenly finds is being thrust upon him. So asking him to embrace that, without the help of any substances, is going to be a tall fucking order.
“Yeah, I don’t think he’s going to take any of this well. I might need some time alone with him, just to sort of ease him into the idea before we hit him with the hard stuff.
“As siblings, we’re used to falling out all the time, and we make up easily, but I don’t want you to risk your relationship with him if he takes it badly,” I say to Marcus, who nods in agreement.
Marcus fixes his gaze on mine, sending a shiver down my spine. “If he kicks off, you better call one of us. I won’t let him treat you like shit.”
“People who feel cornered will lash out,” Miles adds, somewhat unhelpfully.
“Why are you here again?” I ask, sounding every bit as sarcastic as I intended to.
Miles glares at me as Marcus lets out a short laugh, before Miles turns to his friend, silencing him with just one stern look. Marcus holds up his hands.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. After the way Jake was with you the other day, I’m surprised you’re here too. It’s not like the two of you are even friends. ”
My brow furrows at this. “I thought you were all friends, and have been since school.”
Miles’ friendly expression turns blank, though he throws a glare at Marcus that is anything but friendly. “We all went to school together, but me and Jake only know each other because we’re both friends with Marcus.”
“I could have sworn you were all close when you were younger. I know you don’t hang out that much anymore, but you used to do,” I state in confusion, distinctly remembering the three of them hanging out when they were teenagers.
It wasn’t just two people who were acquaintances because they share a mutual friend, I’m sure of it—so why is Miles lying?
“Look, it was a long time ago… Even if we used to get along, we don’t any more. We’ve both changed a lot, and other than because of Marcus, we don’t have any reason to see each other.”
Miles sounds almost robotic, like he’s reciting something he memorised just for occasions like this, yet there’s no emotion in his voice. I don’t believe a word he’s saying, but the look Marcus is giving me tells me to drop the subject.
Naturally, I’m about to ignore him when the doorbell rings. Saved by the bell, I think to myself. Though I’m going to make sure this isn’t the last time we have this conversation. Something happened between them that caused their friendship to end, and I fully intend on finding out what it is.
Marcus stands and goes to answer the door, startling me a little as I was sure Miles would go. He catches me looking and gives me a smirk that’s not quite as effective as Marcus’.
“It’s my day off. Marcus is pretty good at making sure I don’t do anything that would be considered working when I should be off the clock.”
Interesting. So he’s not here in a work capacity. Just another piece of information to file away for a later date.
Marcus walks back into the living room with Jake trailing behind him. As soon as my brother is close enough, I spring up from my seat and rush over to him, pulling him into my arms.
“Jake, it’s so good to see you. Thank you for agreeing to come,” I say, squeezing him tighter.
Although he wraps his arms around me in return, he’s oddly stiff, almost formal. I pull back just enough to get a good look at him, my hands still firmly on his shoulders so he can’t move away.
His short, dirty-blonde hair that’s usually styled into haphazard spikes has grown longer, and seems to be curling at the ends. His usually bright brown eyes are dull and sunken, surrounded by large dark circles.
Where I’d normally expect to see his rounded cheeks and dimples, his face is gaunt and pale, with patchy stubble splattered across his chin, giving off the appearance that he hasn’t shaved in a few days.
Although my brother is wearing the designer jeans and T-shirt that I’d expect to see, they now look baggy on him. His once muscular frame is smaller, and I wonder how the hell I missed all this when I saw him just two days ago.
I guess I was so focused on him being wasted and behaving like an arse, I didn’t look any further. If I’m being honest, that’s probably what I’ve been doing for quite a while.
If I acknowledged that he really looked like this, I would’ve had to do something about it, and mentally, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to take on anyone else’s problems.
Now I have Marcus to help me, so I finally allow myself to see just how bad things have really gotten for my big brother.
“Hey, Clo. You okay?” Jake asks, giving me a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
At least his pupils look normal, so he’s not high right now, I think to myself.
“I’m good, thank you. Pleased to see you.”
I give him another squeeze before taking a step back. Marcus is by my side and reaches his hand out towards Jake. “Glad you could come, Jake.”
Jake looks down at his outstretched hand before flicking his gaze up to Marcus’, glaring at him in a very unfriendly way. Somewhat reluctantly, he shakes Marcus’ hand, but doesn’t say anything.
As Marcus takes a seat in the armchair again, Jake looks around for where he’s going to sit, his gaze landing on Miles, who is still lounging in his chair.
He’s so relaxed, he’s practically reclined, with his arm thrown over the back of the seat and his legs stretched out in front of him. Though the tense expression on his face tells a different story.
Jake’s expression darkens, his nostrils flaring as he turns to face Miles. “Why the fuck are you here?”
Miles’ lips turn up into a lazy smile that makes Jake clench his hands into fists. “It’s my day off, so I’m just hanging out here,” Miles says, sounding far more jovial than the situation calls for.
“You don’t fucking live here, do you? So I don’t see any reason for you to be here. You should get the fuck out,” Jake snarls, taking a threatening step towards Miles, who doesn’t even flinch.
“Jacob! Don’t be so rude,” I chastise, wondering where all this hatred has come from.
“Yeah, this isn’t your house, and you aren’t my boss, so you can’t kick me out. Some of us can do whatever we want, we don’t all have to do as Daddy tells us, Pretty Boy,” Miles adds unhelpfully, and somewhat cryptically .
It’s like he just added alcohol to a simmering flame, and Jacob’s barely contained rage explodes.
“Fuck you. Who the fuck do you think you are talking to me like that?!” Jake yells, striding quickly towards Miles until he’s towering over him threateningly.
Miles just rolls his eyes, like he’s bored by Jake’s outburst. Marcus rushes to my brother's side and grabs hold of his arm, which Jake quickly tries to pull away from.
“Calm down, Jake,” Marcus says, his tone tinged with a warning.
Miles starts to stand up, and Jacob is forced to take a step back to give him room. Once Miles is at his full height, they’re standing almost nose to nose, not much of a height difference between them, glaring at each other.
Marcus is hovering beside them, ready to intervene if needed.
“Jacob is too busy behaving like a spoiled teenager throwing a temper tantrum to calm down,” Miles says to Marcus, before turning back to Jake. “Looks like you still haven’t grown up enough to deal with your emotions like an adult.”
Jake takes a step back on a gasp, like Miles slapped him. “Fuck you.”
Miles shakes his head, looking more disappointed than anything. “Let me know when you decide to stop acting like a petulant child,” he says, giving Jake a small smile before stepping away from him.
Both Marcus and Jake are looking at Miles with the same confused expression I’m sure is reflected on my face too. I have no idea what is going on between Miles and my brother, but he’s not wrong. Jake is lashing out in all the wrong ways.
Just as Miles is about to leave, he turns to face me. “I’m out of here. Good luck. You’re going to need it.”
The door slams shut, leaving behind an awkward silence as we all just stand there, waiting for someone to be the first to speak. Marcus looks over at me, ignoring Jake as he sinks down onto the sofa.
“I’m going to go and check on Miles. Will you be okay for a moment?” Marcus asks, his intense gaze watching me to make sure I answer honestly.
“Of course. Go, make sure he’s okay.” I give him a reassuring smile, and he seems to like what he sees as he jogs over to the door, seeking out his friend.
As soon as the door closes, leaving me alone with my brother, I sit down on the opposite end of the sofa to him, giving him my best disappointed stare.
“Is this where you yell at me?” Jake asks, his eyes locked on where his fingers are picking at an imaginary piece of lint on his trousers.
“I mean, it probably should be. You were a real dick to Miles, when he’s done nothing wrong that I can see.”
I hate how old I sound when I’m telling him off, and I wince at the knowledge that it’s only going to get worse from here.
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
“That may be true, but I still don’t think that excuses your behaviour today.”
Jacob lets out a long sigh as he drags his hand over his face. “I know.”
“We both know this isn’t just about your behaviour today, or the other day at dinner. You’ve been spiralling for a while, and it’s only getting worse.” I try not to sound judgemental, or as hypocritical as I feel, but it’s clear in the way Jake’s eyes narrow, he thinks I’m judging him.
“This isn’t about me. I’m here to check on you. I need to know that you’re okay here. I’ve been worried sick since that fucking awful poker night. I’m so sorry that I bet you, and that you’re paying the price for my mistakes,” he rushes out, guilt practically dripping from every word.
I can’t help but chuckle, and Jake’s eyes widen in confusion. “Jake, I’m happier here than I’ve ever been. You have nothing to apologise for. I want to be here.”
“I’m confused. Are you and Marcus…”
I bite my lip as I shake my head, unsure how to explain what the hell is going on between us, but I settle for some version of the truth.
“No, we’re not, but it’s a bit of a long story.”
“I’ve got time,” he replies, fixing me with a stare that tells me it’s not optional.
I let out a sigh, internally cursing Marcus for running away so I have to deal with this on my own. “Marcus made the bet with you because I asked him for his help.”
“What?” Jake blurts out, interrupting me before I can finish.
“I don’t want to marry Scott. I don’t want any kind of arranged marriage, and yet nobody seems to give a shit about what I want. When I found out I was marrying him, I went to Caged and drank a lot.
“Marcus stopped me before I was about to do something stupid, and we, erm… We got talking, and he said he could help me get away for a bit. I was feeling suffocated, and although he couldn't get me out of the engagement, he said he could get me a few weeks of freedom, so I agreed.
“Honestly, I didn’t really think much of the agreement, and I thought when the booze wore off the next day that it would be all talk. I had no idea what he was planning, so I was shocked when I found out about the bet. It wasn’t Marcus’ greatest plan, and I’m sorry you were hurt in the process, but I’m not sorry I’m here. ”
Jake shakes his head as he squeezes his eyes closed, using a thumb to rub circles into his temple like he’s got a headache.
“So the bet wasn’t real. You don’t really belong to him? This was all just an elaborate plan to get you away from Scott, to delay your wedding for a few weeks?”
I reach over and take his hand in mine, squeezing until he opens his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m so confused. Why didn’t you come to me?” he asks, hurt dripping from every word.
“Honestly, you’ve not exactly been yourself recently, Jake. Whenever I talk to you, you’re so off your face, you can barely string a full sentence together,” I reply honestly, though I hate the way his face falls.
“I’m not that bad,” he grumbles.
I squeeze his hand reassuringly again as I give him a sad smile. “Yes, you are, Jake. You have a problem—a big one. You need to go to rehab.”
As soon as the word leaves my lips, he pulls his hand from mine and turns to glare at me, his face scrunched up in a way that makes his normally beautiful face appear ugly.
“Fuck you. I don’t have a problem, and I don’t need to go to rehab.”
I don’t know when Marcus came back into the apartment, or how long he’s been standing in the hallway, giving me and Jacob some time together, but as soon as he hears Jake yell at me, he makes his presence known. He strides into the room, a fierce expression on his face.
“Do not talk to your sister like that!”
“Fuck you. I’m supposed to be your friend, and you lied to me,” he snarls, shooting daggers at Marcus with his eyes.
Marcus ignores him and moves over to me, sitting next to me on the sofa. There’s not much room between the sofa arm and me, but he lowers himself into the gap, pressing his side up against mine in a way that I shouldn’t find both reassuring and incredibly sexy.
As always when he’s this close to me, my body starts to heat. Luckily, Jacob’s temper is enough to distract me.
“I am your friend, which is why I agreed to help your sister.”
Marcus’ words sting a lot more than they should. The idea that he’s only helping me because of Jacob hurts, as I thought he was doing it for me.
“You should have told me and I would’ve helped her,” he shouts.
Marcus lets out a harsh snort. “Help her? You can’t even help yourself. You won’t even admit you have a problem.”
“I don’t fucki?—”
“STOP!” I yell, holding a hand out in front of both of them, stopping them from raising their voices any more. The tension in the room is growing, and if both of their egos expand anymore, we will get nowhere. “No more arguing with each other. You’re both going to shut up, and I’m going to speak.”
Jake looks suitably chastised and shrinks back in his seat, while Marcus’ eyes flash dark, and I can tell he likes me standing up for myself. I wish he’d stop looking at me like that as it’s making it really hard to focus.
I clear my throat and reluctantly drag my gaze away from his, so I don’t get more distracted. I reach over and grab Jake's hand again, and although he looks like he’s going to pull it back, he eventually lets me.
“Jake, the truth is, things have been so much worse recently than I think even you’re aware of. You aren’t doing your job properly, and although both Marcus and Dad are covering for you, it’s not going unnoticed. People are starting to talk, and it’s getting to the point where Dad can’t ignore it anymore,” I explain, trying to keep my tone as light as I can, so I don’t come across as judgy. I want him to understand the seriousness of the situation.
“What do you mean?” Jake asks.
Marcus somehow manages to discreetly move his hand to my lower back, rubbing slow circles in a reassuring way, so when he begins to answer, I know he’s calm enough that I don’t stop him.
“People have been commenting about it for a while now, and I’ve been downplaying things. I tell people you play hard but you work hard too, often letting you take credit for things that I’ve done.
“But now things have changed, as not only is my father aware, so is yours. They’ve hinted on more than one occasion that they’re not going to tolerate your behaviour any longer.”
“So, what does that mean?” Jake asks, running his free hand down his face again, suddenly looking really exhausted.
Me and Marcus look at each other, silently trying to work out which of us is going to be the one to tell him. I know it needs to be me, so with a slight nod of my head, I let out a sigh.
“This is the reason I’m being forced to marry Scott so soon. Dad has decided that you’re not fit to rule, and since you clearly don’t want to, he’s been looking for someone to replace you as his heir.
“As we have no other family who’d be eligible, the only option is for me to marry the person Dad wants to train as his heir. It would appear he’s chosen Scott.”
Jacob’s eyes darken now in a way that reminds me of Marcus, anger flashing across his face. “He wants to fucking replace me with that arsehole?”
“Well, it’s no secret that you’ve never wanted the role, and you’ve rebelled whenever he’s tried to teach you, but Dad always believed you’d step up when the responsibility was handed to you—which you’ve not done, so now he’s being forced to rethink.”
“I-I… I mean, well, I…” Jake splutters, struggling to find the right words.
“Dad always thought the drinking and drugs were a phase that would pass, but it’s only gotten worse. I think he’s starting to realise that you’re doing drugs and drinking too much to escape the world he’s pushed onto you.”
Jake shakes his head vehemently, looking a little sad. “I’m not going to lie and say I want the job, as I never have. But it’s more about things being forced on me than the actual job itself.
“I was raised to become the person Dad expects of me, and there’s no room for me to think for myself, or to do what I want to do. There’s actually parts of the job that I enjoy, and I care about the people of Blackthorn, I just hate the lack of choice.”
I let out a snort. “Now that’s something I can relate to.”
“Me too,” Marcus adds. “But if you truly cared about the people of Blackthorn, you have to realise how much they’ll suffer if things continue down this road.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Marcus lets out a long sigh, his hand stilling against my lower back, and I lean in to his touch, giving him as much support as I can.
“You have to know that I’m never going to accept Scott as an equal replacement for you. If your father announces Scott as his heir, I’ll have no choice but to tear up the peace treaty.
“Uniting your family with the Caprillos could potentially give him more power, and that would be a risk for me. I’d have to act straight away, to make it clear I won’t ever see Scott as my equal.”
“But that will start a war,” Jake screeches, his eyes wide.
Marcus’ mouth forms a tight line as he solemnly nods. “I wouldn’t want to do it, but I’d be an idiot not to think Caprillo was a threat to me.”
“I know putting off the wedding isn’t a fix, but I figured it would buy us some time,” I add.
“Time for what?” Jake asks, though I think he’s already worked it out in his head, he just needs to hear the words out loud.
“Time for you to get your shit together,” Marcus replies, taking a much harsher approach than I would have.
I glare at him, and he just rolls his eyes at me, his lips turning up into that cocky smirk that makes my stomach flutter. I turn away quickly and address Jake.
“We were hoping you’d use the time to go to rehab, to get better. This is about more than just stopping Scott from getting power. Marcus needs you to rule with him. The people of Blackthorn deserve the leader they think you are. But more than that, I’m sitting here, as your little sister, asking my big brother to help me.
“I don’t want to marry Scott. I don’t want to be forced into any marriage, and I know it’s selfish of me to ask you to do a job that you hate just so that I won’t be forced into the life I don’t want, but I’m asking anyway.”
Jake squeezes my hand, his chocolate eyes turning misty with unshed tears. This time when he speaks to me, his voice is small, barely above a whisper. “I’m scared. I don’t know who I am without using as a crutch.”
I shuffle closer to him so that I can throw my arms around him, pulling Jake into my chest, my heart breaking when I hear his small sob. “You don’t have to be scared, Jake. You’ve got me, and I promise, I will be with you every step of the way. I know you can do this.”
He pulls back, lifting his free hand to swipe away the rogue tears that are trailing down his cheeks. “I’m such a mess.”
“It takes a lot to admit that,” Marcus says, giving Jake a reassuring smile. “I think you’re strong enough to handle this. I’ve seen you take on worse. Besides, I found that once I took over and proved myself to my father, I was able to move away from what he wanted and be who I want.
“I was raised the same way you were, with a shit tonne of expectations thrust on my shoulders from an early age. The pressure was crippling, and I hated the person my father wanted me to be.
“I could have rebelled the way you did, but I didn’t. Instead, I did as I was told. I trained, I followed my father’s every instruction, and I quickly became the heir he wanted me to be.
“Then, when he handed all the power over to me, there was nothing holding me back. I stopped doing what he expected of me, and I became my own leader. He’s not pleased with how I handle certain things, but at this point, there’s very little he can do about it.
“So my best piece of advice for you would be to play along for now, bide your time, and when you finally have his power, then you can step out from his shadow and be the person you want to be. At that point, he can’t do shit about it anyway.”
I can’t help but laugh, and both guys turn to look at me, confused as to why I’d be laughing at such a tense moment.
“Sorry, it’s just… We should have known you’d be playing the long game.”
Marcus shrugs his shoulders. “I like having a plan.”
I turn back to my brother, watching as he takes a deep breath to try and get control over his emotions again. “Are you okay?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. But I know that I care about the people of Blackthorn, and I don’t ever want to let them down. I’d also do anything for my little sister.
“So, while the idea of rehab scares the shit out of me, and I’m not sure it will work, I’ll give it a try—for you,” he says, squeezing my hand at the end.
I shake my head, fixing him with a stern glare. “No, you need to do this for you. If you keep going the way you are, you could die. You need to get better because that’s what’s best for you.”
Although his smile is small, it’s genuine, and my heart soars. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
I turn to Marcus, a bright smile on my face, mixed with a little shock. Although I hoped Jake would agree, I didn’t actually know if he would or not. Marcus was incredibly sceptical, but the smile on his face tells me he’s just as pleased as I am with the outcome.
“Right,” Marcus says as he stands, “I’m going to go and make some phone calls before you change your mind.”
“What will we tell everyone?” Jake asks.
“We’ll tell your dad the truth, and he’ll cover for you with everyone else. He knows you’ve got a problem, and this will make him see you’re serious about getting help. We need him to know you’re doing this, so he reconsiders Scott,” Marcus explains as he pulls out his phone, walking towards the hallway.
“That makes sense,” Jake agrees.
“I’ll make the calls in my office. I’ll be back soon,” he says, looking directly at me. I give him a smile, and what can only be described as an awkward wave, watching as he leaves.
When I turn back, Jake is looking at me with a fierce expression. “What’s really going on with you two?”
I let out a long sigh. “It’s complicated.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Look, I know you’re not going to want to hear this, but you asked me and it’s the truth… I’ve liked Marcus for pretty much my whole life. He’s never been interested, even going as far as to pick on me just so I’d hate him, but I never did,” I confess, my cheeks heating up as I admit my feelings.
Jake lets out a short, sharp laugh that sounds suspiciously like a snort. “Please, I knew you liked him. You practically drooled whenever he was in the same room as you.”
My eyes widen as my mouth flops open. “I did not!” I snap, though I have a sneaky suspicion he might be right.
Jake laughs, nodding his head. “You did. It was obvious you liked him. I was just never sure if he felt the same.”
Well, that’s not what I expected him to say. “He hated me in school. ”
Jake rolls his eyes at me before fixing me with an exacerbated look. “No, he pretended to hate you. He always looked out for you. I just couldn’t work out if he was doing it because he saw you as a little sister, or if there was something more. I suspected it so much, I even made him promise that nothing would ever happen between you.”
“Noooo. When?” I cry, my brows so high they’re hidden in my hair.
“I think we were thirteen. I wasn’t the only one to threaten him either. Dad made it clear you were off-limits too,” Jake confesses, startling me.
“So that’s why Marcus mentioned the treaty,” I mutter to myself, not quite loud enough for Jacob to hear.
“What? Tell me, what’s going on with you?” he says, more firmly this time.
“Look, I have no idea what it is. All I know is that I’ve liked him forever, and now he’s offering me the chance to have just a little piece of him, so I’m going to take it. I don’t know if he’ll ever want more than this, but if there’s even the slightest chance he will, I need to hold on to that. I’m always going to want him, and this is my chance.”
My heart races as I finally voice the things I’ve only ever thought about in the darkness when I’m struggling to fall asleep. I like Marcus more than I should, which means I’ll happily take whatever little piece of him he’s willing to offer me, in the hope it becomes more.
Jake looks at me with a sad smile, pity written across his face and it makes my stomach sink. “Chloe, lovely, I’m not sure Marcus is capable of more—not just with you, but with anyone.”
I shake my head defiantly. “No, he is. I know he doesn’t do commitment, and that he’s never had a real relationship, but that doesn’t mean he won’t ever have one, or that he can’t. He’s more scared of the situation than anything.”
“What situation?”
“The treaty,” I reply.
Jacob’s brow furrows. “What about the treaty?”
“Apparently, Dad made it clear that I was off-limits from an early age, letting Marcus know that nothing could ever happen between us as it would disrupt the power balance, thereby voiding the treaty. Having me on his side would potentially make Marcus more powerful, depending on which of our followers remained loyal to me, and our family would never allow that. If Marcus chooses to be with me, he has to be prepared for the possibility that could start a war.”
A dark expression crosses Jake’s face as he scrunches his nose in a way I’ve always thought was cute, despite him trying to look angry. “I would never start a war against my best friend, or my sister, for that matter. I’m not saying I’d be ecstatic about the relationship, but I wouldn’t go to war over it. As long as you are happy, and he does right by you, I’d be fine with it.”
My shoulders feel a little lighter on hearing that, and I can’t hold back my smile, before the situation hits me once again. My smile turns tight, as I remind Jake he’s not in a position to make that kind of a promise.
“It’s great that you say that, Jake, but right now, it really doesn’t mean much. At the moment, you’re not actually in power, Dad still is. While other people are making decisions instead of you, it will always be a possibility. Which is why I’m being forced to marry Scott.”
Jake’s silent for a moment, his body slumping as though all the energy is being drained out of him. “If I want to keep my family safe, and the people of Blackthorn, I don’t really have a choice anymore. I have to become the leader they need me to be—that you need me to be.”
I pull him in for a hug once more, wrapping my arms around him as he rests his head on my chest. “I’ll go to rehab, and I’ll get sober. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I mutter, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
“Promise me something,” he asks, leaning back to make eye contact with me, so I can see how serious he is.
“What?”
“Just be careful with Marcus. I don’t want you to get your heart broken, and by the sounds of it, you’re deeper into this than he is.”
I let out a groan, knowing he’s correct. “You’re right, but the problem is, I’m so far in now, I can’t stop. I might get my heart broken, or I could get everything I’ve ever wanted since I was eight-years-old, so it’s worth the risk.”