Marek (Knights Corruption MC #1) (24 page)

I’d been successful in not thinking about Sully for the past hour, but there she was again, popping up in my head, knowing I’d missed her image. What could I say? My new wife was stunning, and the simple fact that she was now all mine made her even more enticing. I was fully aware of the way she watched me, especially when she thought I wasn’t paying attention, her beautiful brown eyes roving all over my body. The funny part was she thought she was being inconspicuous. There were a few times when I’d been tempted to drag her to my bedroom so I could return the favor. But I never did, fearing if I pushed her too fast, she would shut down completely.

And the simple fact that I even cared about such things was quite irritating.

Stone and I waved to each other as we parted ways at the intersection, which was twenty minutes from the clubhouse. I went right and he went left. We were both headed home after a very long trip, which couldn’t end soon enough.

When I’d finally made the turn toward my house, my tires kicking up the gravel of my driveway, I exhaled a long breath and smiled at the sight of my simple and welcoming home.

It was late, too late for anyone to still be awake, so I made sure to be as quiet as I could while unlocking the door and stepping inside. I soon came to realize there was no need for my thoughtful consideration when I saw the prospect and my wife cuddled together on my couch. Sleeping.

Slamming the door so hard I thought I broke a window, I cursed out loud in case the sudden noise hadn’t been enough of a disturbance to wake them up.

Jagger was the first to stir, his eyes fluttering open before he realized who was standing ten feet away from him. At first, he looked calm, but as soon as he glanced to his left and noticed Sully’s head resting on his shoulder, her legs tucked underneath her, his expression turned from serene to pure panic.

He jumped up so fast his sudden absence from Sully made her fall onto the cushion, her shoulder hitting the couch before she woke up. The nightshirt she wore barely covered her, riding up her thighs while she scrambled around on the couch.

“Jagger, what’s the matter?” she groaned. The way she said his name made my blood boil, and it took everything in me not to shove my gun in his goddamn mouth.

Turning all of my focus back on the guy I wasn’t sure if I was gonna kill yet, I clenched my jaw hard enough to keep me from freaking out. I opened my mouth to speak, but before a single word slipped out, he spoke so quickly he tripped over his words.

“Prez, w-we weren’t doing n-nuthin’. I swear,” he stammered. “We ju-just fell asleep watchin’ a m-movie.” All the color drained from his face, so much so it made me think he was actually guilty of something. Something that would get his life snatched from him. In other words, something that would cause me to put a bullet between his eyes. Before tonight, I’d actually liked Jagger.

Not anymore.

Sully had finally come around, her eyes wide and round as she sleepily rose to her feet. Taking a few precious steps toward me, she stopped suddenly when she saw the look of rage on my face. My nostrils flared from the sharp intake of air, my pulse kicking up a notch while I glared at the both of them. I was sure I probably looked like the Devil himself in the soft glow of the corner light.

“Marek,” she whispered. “Jagger’s tellin’ the truth. We must have fallen asleep watching a movie.” Her worried eyes pinned me. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Did you fuck him?” I seethed.

“No!” she gasped. “We’re just friends.” Her head tilted down, her eyes staring at the ground as her long black hair covered half her face from me.

“Friends?” I sarcastically laughed, a sound that drew her attention immediately. Her eyes locked on mine again while I continued to mock her comment. “You think Jagger’s your friend, sweetheart? No,” I said, stepping away from the prospect and toward the one woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. “He’s not your fucking friend. He just wants to get into your pants. Don’t let him fool you.”

“No, he doesn’t,” she countered, fear and worry still dancing behind her dark brown eyes.

“Shut the hell up, Sully!” I yelled, running my hand through my hair in utter frustration. Too much shit was swimming around inside my head, and it was taking everything in me not to beat both their asses.

“Prez,” he pleaded. “That’s not true. I swear, we—”

I cut him off before he could finish his lame-ass argument. “Get outta here, Jagger, before you end up eatin’ my gun.”

Instead of hightailing it out of my house, however, he made a move which proved my goddamn point. He walked past me and stood in front of my wife, his stance protective, instantly giving everything away.
This fucker has feelings for her.

“You’re not gonna’ do anything to her, are you?” His tone quivered, although he tried his hardest to appear strong and calculating. For some reason, I had the urge to assure him no harm would befall Sully, but as soon as I saw her hand touch his shoulder, I lost it. Gone was any shred of control I’d been holding on to. Gone was any sense of logic I had when first walking through the front door. Gone was the rationale to not overreact to a situation which was most likely innocent. Just like they both claimed.

Before I knew what was happening, I rushed forward and snatched Jagger by the throat, squeezing tightly before throwing him to the ground. His body hit the floor with a loud thud, his head smacking off the side of the table on his way down. His fingers rubbed at the side of his skull, covered in blood when he pulled them away. A grimace covered his face and in that moment, I knew I’d lost all control.

Not from realizing I’d hurt him, but for what I was about to do next.

Sully

My breath stuck in my throat while I waited to see what Marek was going to do next. Jagger and I hadn’t been doing anything wrong, except for falling asleep after a very long day. I didn’t even know Marek was due back that night, otherwise, I would have made sure not to be so comfortable around the prospect.

He and I were quickly becoming friends, something which was still a very new concept to me. Especially with a man. I found I was still reserved around him, but I allowed myself to laugh when he did or said something funny. I craved the genuineness he offered me, and now everything was being destroyed because I’d gone and fallen asleep next to him, laying my head on his shoulder while I rested. It was all my fault, and Jagger was going to pay the price for it.

And I would probably be next.

Marek reached down and grabbed him by the throat again, picking him up in one fluid motion and slamming him against the wall. The picture hanging above them fell to the ground, the frame splintering in two at their feet.

“Don’t you ever question me again about my wife,
prospect
,” Marek yelled. “You hear me?” He pulled Jagger toward his body before slamming him against the wall once again. “The only reason I don’t kill you right now is because I don’t feel like cleanin’ up the mess. If you so much as look at Sully again, I won’t think twice about snatching your life, though.” He pulled him close. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” Jagger croaked, his president’s hand still wrapped tightly around his throat. When Marek finally released him, Jagger quickly walked toward the door, grabbing his keys from the side table. He disappeared from the house and true to his word, his eyes never once fell on me before he left.

My heartbeat picked up pace inside my chest. Fear shrouded me. I had no idea what Marek was capable of, especially in a state of rage, never mind that I was the only one left to deal with his rantings.

On top of being genuinely afraid, I was also sad because one of the few people I would have liked to call a friend was no longer allowed near me. Would he prohibit Adelaide from speaking to me as well?

It seemed as if he was going to make me revert back to the introvert I’d been my entire life. The small taste of freedom and budding friendships were glorious, but I guessed it was too good to be true.

Marek’s back was to me, but I could tell by his posture he was struggling with not freaking out on me right then. He kept running his hands through his disheveled dark hair, his broad shoulders rising and falling in quick succession. Appearing as if he were trying to calm down, I relaxed a fraction.

Until he turned around.

And strode forward, every step toward me completely frightening.

Before I could step back, he reached forward and pulled me to him, his warm breath hitting my lips he was so damn close. When I dared to look up at him, his eyes held mine for a brief moment, something passing between us that neither of us understood.

Then he broke the connection.

“Did you fuck him, Sully?” he grated, his hold on my arms intensifying while he waited for my answer.

“No, we didn’t do anything wrong. I swear it.” I all but mumbled the last few words, the closeness we shared very confusing. I was scared of him, yet I hadn’t realized I missed his hands on me until I’d felt them again. Even in his anger.

His silence threw me into another inner struggle.
Does he believe me? Is he going to punish me even if he realizes I’m telling him the truth?

Without another word, he reached for my wrist and dragged me toward his bedroom. The only resistance I gave him was a slight tug of my arm, a gesture he completely ignored. Once inside his room, I glanced around the area where I’d laid my head since he’d left, suddenly missing the solace I’d been able to create for myself.

Releasing my arm, he looked around his room, incredulous eyes giving away what he was seeing. “Did you clean my room?” he barked, walking away to look in his closet, then in his bathroom. When he came back inside the bedroom, he shrugged off his cut and threw it over the back of the chair in the corner.

Why I would clean the area I spent the majority of my time in was surprising, I had no idea. But then again, he was a man, and in my short twenty years of life, I’d never known a man to clean up after himself.

“Yes,” I answered, unsure if touching his things was going to push him over the edge or not. I stood near the door while he continued to look around, watching his every move and preparing myself for anything. While my body remained still, my eyes followed him everywhere, focusing on the stretch of his black T-shirt when he bent over to inspect underneath the bed. Although I wasn’t quite sure why he was looking under there, I didn’t ask; I remained silent, waiting to take my direction from him. His muscles strained against the fitted material, his multiple tattoos twirling around the thickness of his arms, beckoning me to . . . what? Feel them? Long for them to wrap around me and hold me close? The notion was ridiculous and I knew it, shaking my head to try and rid myself of the crazy thoughts.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he calmly said, advancing on me now that his curiosity was sated. I braced myself. When he saw the rigidness in my posture, he slowed, but never stopped. Standing incredibly close to me, he hooked his finger under my chin and raised my head to him.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, Sully, but you have to understand you belong to me now. And if any other man puts his hands on you or looks at you like they want to fuck you, I will deal with them in the only way I know how.”

“Violence?” I squeaked. I knew I was pushing my luck, but I had to make sure there was no misunderstanding him.

“Yes, violence. You know as well as I do that it’s how things are done in our way of life. You can never show weakness or else you die.” The intensity in his blue eyes frightened yet drew me in at the same time. Differing emotions pinged through me, and I had no idea which one to latch on to and ride out.

Maybe he’ll make the decision for me.

“But Jagger and I were just watching a movie. Then we fell asleep. He didn’t touch me,” I promised.

“He may not have touched you, but he certainly wants you. There’s no denying that.” I opened my mouth to argue with him, but he wasn’t having any of it. “I know what I saw when he looked at you, never mind that the little bastard tried to shield you from me, protecting you as if you were his.”

“He’s my friend,” I whispered, our continued closeness making me shift from one foot to the other while he silently demanded my eyes remain on him.