“Marcus doesn’t need that asshole poking and prodding at him anymore,” Marc cuts in. “Just slap a Band-Aid on it and I’ll be fine. I swear,” he adds, seeing the look on my face. “I won’t move from this spot all night and I’ll be as good as new come morning.”
Letting out a huff, I climb off his lap and cross the room to the box of medications and first aid supplies that Mick gave us. I return to his side a moment later with everything he needs, not hesitating to crawl back onto his lap. Pulling his shirt right over his head, I do my best to concentrate on the wound and not the masterpiece beneath me.
Getting straight to work, I spread an antiseptic cream over his wound, slowly massaging it in before bandaging it up, knowing all too well that he’s over being stitched up. There’s enough there to hold the wound and with a few more days to just chill, he should be as good as new. I don’t know anything about internal wounds, but Levi has assured me that as long as they all take it easy from here on out, we should be on the home stretch.
Grabbing the bottle of water by the side of the couch, I force medication down Marcus’ throat, grinning as he scrunches his face. “What’s the matter? Not enough practice having things shoved down your throat? I could give you some pointers,” I laugh as Levi waltzes back into the room, his arms full of food, though from what I can tell in the dark, it’s nothing nutritious, but it’s probably the best we’ve got.
Marcus grins right back at me and the best kind of warmth spreads through my chest. I hate that my issues are going to keep him from having me the way he really wants and needs, but he’ll keep his hands off at all costs because that’s just the amazing kind of guy he is. Doesn’t change the fact that I want to … I just don’t know how it’s going to go. I owe it to them and myself to at least try.
My tongue rolls over my bottom lip as nerves settle into my stomach. “What’s wrong?” he asks, sitting up a little straighter, sensing the change in me. His question instantly gets the attention of Roman and Levi, and all three of them watch me as though I’m about to break all over again.
Quickly shaking my head to ease their worries, I reach forward, nervously biting my bottom lip before swallowing hard. “I want to try something,” I murmur, leaning closer and closer. His brows furrow, having absolutely no idea where I’m going with this, but willing, nonetheless. “I want to kiss you,” I tell him. “Like really kiss you, but you have to promise to let me be in control. You can’t reach for me, can’t grab me, or deepen the kiss beyond anything I’m already doing. Not even a groan, Marc. I know you have a hard time handing over control, but I … I need to know.”
He nods, his eyes focused on mine, and for a moment, I swear he looks just as nervous as I feel, something I’ve never seen in him before. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispers, remaining as still as a statue, letting me slowly move into him. “I’ve got you, baby. Anything you need.”
Fear and anxiety build in my stomach, and the closer I get, the harder it becomes to push past it, but I trust Marcus with everything that I am. If I need to stop, he won’t think twice about it or be upset about not getting what he needs from me. He won’t hold it against me for even a second.
My breath becomes shaky as I press a hand against his chest to brace myself. His hands fall away from my body, making me aware of them the entire time.
My hand shakes against his chest but I don’t dare stop, determined to see exactly what Giovanni has cost me.
I swallow hard over the lump in my throat, and then just like that, the gap closes and my lips press down on his. So far, so good. This isn’t anything I haven’t already explored with them, so I close my eyes and allow myself to sink into him, slightly deepening the kiss.
I feel Roman and Levi’s curious stares, each of them more than ready to pull me away if Marc even looks like he’s at risk of losing control and pushing my boundaries. But a second passes and as my tongue pushes inside his mouth and I melt into him, the fear dissolves.
I kiss him greedily, taking everything that I’ve missed from him over the past few days. He matches my hunger, but doesn’t dare push me further than what I’m ready to give. His hands remain where they are until I physically reach down and place them on my body. He pulls me in tighter but doesn’t hold me flush against him like I know he’s dying to do, giving me space to pull back if and when that time comes.
Seeing that I’m perfectly fine, Levi and Roman get back to what they were doing, leaving me to kiss Marcus with everything I’ve got. I haven’t dared kiss any of them with more than a small peck since finding them in the cells, and I don’t doubt the jealousy is eating at Roman and Levi, but they’re also very patient men … not Marcus though. He’s a different breed.
My body melts into his, and I kiss him a moment longer until a soft groan pulls from the back of my throat. I don’t intend on pushing my boundaries, only exploring where they are, so I gently pull back from him, my breath coming hard and fast.
Marc holds me just in front of him, our eyes meeting through the darkness. “You good?” he murmurs, his fingers brushing against the side of my face, pushing back that same strand of hair he only moved a few minutes ago. The nervousness still shines in his eyes, and he looks unsure if he did the right thing.
Swallowing hard, I nod, feeling the warmth exploding through me, spreading through my veins, and strengthening something I thought I no longer possessed. “Never been better,” I whisper, a smile playing on my lips. “Thank you.”
“Wow,” he says, that nervousness fading away. “Can’t say I’ve ever had someone thank me before.”
Levi scoffs, jamming a crisp chip into his mouth. “Probably because you’ve never actually listened to what a woman wants before,” he says, before adding with a wicked smirk. “Or maybe because our girl here didn’t realize you were actually capable of satisfying her without the use of your cock.”
Marcus grabs the water bottle by the side of the couch and launches it at Levi’s head, his aim perfect as always. I laugh and slide off Marcus’ lap, moving back in beside him and curling into his side, feeling a million times better about myself. It was only a kiss, a fucking good one at that, but I don’t doubt that my issues finish there. There’s still one more important test, but I’m not ready for that, not yet.
The fire crackles and lights up the room with a soft orange hue that somehow helps me to relax. The boys sink into their couches, laying back and enjoying the silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. My eyes grow heavy, and just as I’m about to fall into a deep sleep across Marcus’ lap, I hear Levi’s soft murmurs across the room. “This is our last chance,” he murmurs, his eyes locked on the blazing fire. “Whatever we decide to do, we need to make it count. We cannot fail this because the alternative … him winning and taking Shayne again. I won’t accept it. We do this, or we fucking die trying.”
Roman nods. “No more fucking around.”
“So, what’s the plan?” I murmur on a yawn. “Find the baby, kill Giovanni, destroy what’s left of the DeAngelis family and rise up in its spot?”
Levi scoffs. “Close, but no. We can’t take that baby, not anymore.”
I push up off Marcus’ lap, my brows furrowed in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?” I question, looking to Roman for some kind of back up, but getting nothing. “We’re rescuing that baby no matter what. That is your brother we’re talking about.”
Levi’s lips press into a hard line, and for a moment, he looks sick with what he’s about to say but pushes through it. “No, Shayne. I know your heart is in the right spot, but before, we thought that child was Roman’s son, our nephew, but he’s not. Since finding out that child is biologically my father’s, it’s not rescuing him, it’s kidnapping.”
I scoff. “Since when do you assholes have an aversion to kidnapping?”
Levi glances at Roman who leans forward, bracing his elbows against his knees and dropping his chin into his hands. “I don’t know, Empress. I think we need to focus on taking out Giovanni first. The rest will follow. Going after the baby, it’s too risky.”
I stand and shake my head. “Absolutely not. Think about the childhood you had. That man is about to inflict that same hell on your brother, your blood. He needs you three more than ever. I made a promise to Felicity as she died in my arms. I told her that I would protect her son, that I would save him, and as long as he remains in Giovanni’s care, I’m failing. We are going after that baby no matter what it costs. Even if I have to do it on my own.”