Chapter 51
Lily
We haven’t said it in so many words, but I’ve almost moved in with Marcus. I said I’d stay with him until he was better, and these past few weeks, I’ve felt more and more like I belong.
Elena, Carlos, and Paulo returned to Spain after Marcus was settled at home and were happy that he was in good hands.
But they FaceTime every day to check on him, and I look forward to their calls.
I’ve been back at work and also working alongside Nelly’s charity, trying to get things in motion, and walking out of this meeting, I’m on top of the world.
It’s all set.
This match will pull in the much needed funds we need to keep going for years, and if we pull this off, it could be a yearly event. I’m so impressed with what we’ve managed to achieve in such a short amount of time. I can’t wait to talk it all through with Marcus tonight.
I burst through the front door to his apartment, excitement pulsing through me to tell Marcus everything, but my stomach sinks at the eerie silence that welcomes me.
I was expecting the TV blaring, with Kai and Marcus laughing and talking shit.
“Hello?” I place my bag on the kitchen island and go hunting for them.
“Marcus? Kai?” I hear muttering—and is that giggling—coming from our room.
Peering through the slight crack in the door, I cover my mouth with my hand to silence my laugh.
“Look, Marcus, look at her chasing this fluffy mouse.” Kai full on girly giggles as the beautiful ginger kitten bounces around trying to catch the toy mouse he’s moving.
“It’s cute as fuck. Do you think she’ll love her?” Marcus says, his eyes bright as he watches the gorgeous ball of fluff jump about.
“How could she not? Look at her, she's perfect.”
The kitten does some ninja moves and misses the mouse, but lands on Marcus’s lap. He stares down at her with so much awe, tears prick in my eyes. He scratches under her little chin, and the kitten snuggles into him. “I wonder what she will call you, little lady?”
“Nova,” I whisper, walking quietly into the room. Sitting down next to Marcus on the floor, I rest my head on his shoulder. He still has one leg in a cast, but he’s much more mobile than he was a few weeks ago.
“I think this is my cue to leave.” Kai dusts himself off as he stands and smiles warmly at the pair of us before leaving us alone with our little ball of ginger fluff.
“Why Nova?”
I reach out and stroke under the kitten's chin, and she starts to purr. She moves to come and settle on my chest, and I cup my hand under the tiny bundle. “It means new in Latin. And we’re about to start something new and very exciting.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I know.”
“Always so humble, Chambers.”
“Thank you. She’s perfect, but why? When?” I look at him, but he’s too busy staring at Nova.
“When I was driving to Kai’s the night of the accident, I was going to pick up this little lady.
I had a whole thing planned, but for obvious reasons, that didn’t work out, so he kept hold of her for me, along with these.
” He shifts and pulls out of his pocket a small black box, which he cracks open, and the ruby earrings I was looking at on our first night together at the gala sit in the center of the black satin cushion.
“Marcus, I can't accept these. They're far too expensive.”
“I’ll take it as a personal insult if you don’t accept them.”
“Always so pushy.”
“Dominant, not pushy.” He nips my ear gently, making me shudder.
“And the why? I want to give you everything you want, I want to spoil you.” He places a tender kiss on my cheek as I take the box from him, placing the box down at my side before capturing his lips in mine.
The kiss is slow and utterly perfect. When he pulls away and rests his forehead against mine.
“I also want to take care of you.” Moving slightly, he strokes Nova’s head, who has now fallen asleep on my chest. “Both of you.”
“I’ll accept that.” I grin down at Nova, and I’ve never felt so content.
Today’s the day of the charity football match and I’m a ball of nerves.
Kai has been helping get everything ready for today, and he’s playing alongside me, which is both exciting and nauseating.
I’ve not played with this many people watching since my accident.
I got the all clear from my physio and doctors to play last week, and I’ve been practicing with Kai whenever I’ve got a spare minute.
Lacing up my boots in the training room, gathering my thoughts, I finally feel ready.
This is going to be so big for the charity.
It’s been like I’ve been walking on a cloud these past few weeks, everything is slotting into place, the only thing that could have made it better would have been to have Marcus at my side.
He has an appointment to get his cast off finally, but he messaged to say they were running late and he wasn’t going to make the match.
I’m so unbelievably happy his cast is finally coming off, but I could also do with his calming touch right now.
My phone flashes with a text next to me as I try to ease my anxiety and frustration at him not being here.
Marcus - I’m so proud of you, Petardo, go show the world how fucking amazing you are.
Lily - You’ve gone soft, Diaz
Marcus - I won’t be later.
Lily - I’ll hold you to that.
Marcus -You’ll be holding something, alright.