Truth or Dare?

Back to Business

I didn't know what to tackle first. The bit about sorting it or the bit about deciding whether or not he'll go back.

I lifted my head from his chest and looked him in the eyes, trying to gage his feelings about this but it was pointless. Marcus could hide all aspects of emotion when he needed to. He was trained for it and sometimes I bloody hated it!

"What do you mean?" I was almost scared to ask.

"Don't worry baby, honestly, let's just enjoy each other now that we know you're well enough for a bit of fun." His hand started sliding up my thigh and I knew his target so I swatted him away.

To help maintain focus, I slid my shorts back on and pulled my vest back up. We might just have had some hot sex but I won't let him distract me from the truth.  Even if he's just lying there in his joggers.

"Marcus, what do you mean?" My voice was stern and I suddenly felt like he was hiding a lot more than he was letting on. "Does this have something to do with who you were texting while I was in the bathroom?"

He looked at me like he was surprised I remembered that but I couldn't forget the look on his face.

"I just don't think it's a good idea that I go running off to another job when you need me here." He sounds so easy going, like it was the obvious thing to do when in reality my family would've been fine and I could've asked Jane to help get my stuff from his.

"Marcus, you know I would've been ok. I have people. The girls are only just popping in because they know you're here. They were only in my hospital room for an hour a day because it meant you had to leave to let everyone else in. They're just trying to give us some time together before you go to work. When you have a job to do you need to go. I'll be here, I promise. Jackson's not going to be a problem now. You're boss saw to that!" I chuckled a little at the end at the amount of connections his boss had.

Funny how I never knew his name except for Boss! He looked like a Roger or maybe Clive, but that's just because they're the first names that pop in my head when I think of men in their early 50s.

His face was still emotionless as we talked about his job and I knew then that I wasn't going to like the answer he was hiding.

"It doesn't matter at the moment, our team is out of action."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He looked at me and his face was so hard it was kind of intimidating. This was work Marcus. Something was really bothering him.

"Let's just say that I stood out for a job and the guys were put into a stupid mission that was obviously going to end badly and Jack got hurt. He'll be ok soon just a couple of days in hospital. I was texting with Jonah who stood up to command the team when I was out. He's a little shaken up and I know he's blaming himself."

My mind was racing. He let them go without him?! He shouldn't have stayed with me. If it wasn't for me, Jack might not have been hurt!

"Why? Why didn't you tell me you had a job? You should've gone! I would've been fine. When did they go? How long ago did they come back?"

He rested his hand on the side of my waist and soothingly stroked my skin underneath my vest. It worked a little but I had so many emotions running around my mind right now.

"Baby I did what I wanted to do and that was to stay by your side and help you recover. The guys might have needed me but you needed me too and you'll always come first. Always."

" I would've survived with the help of my fami—"

"Then maybe I needed to stay and be with you. Fliss, I had no idea what was happening to you when you were taken by that fucking lunatic! I had so many different scenarios running through my fucking mind. Then I had to watch him hit you in that sick video he sent me. It was more painful than being shot and there was nothing I could do to stop him. I've waited so long to be able to admit my feelings for you, to finally hold you the way I wanted to for years and then he tries to force himself back on you. If I was ten minutes later..." he can't finish and I don't blame him.