Read Marked (The Recruits: Book One) Online
Authors: Emma Hillman
Marked (The Recruits: Book One) (12 page)
He stopped beside her, his face thunderous, but she still beamed up at him. “Hey. I thought you were working.”
“I was.” He clasped her shoulder with his palm and squeezed. Hard. “Let’s go.”
Faye blinked. “Go?” she repeated. “Where?”
“Home. Where you should be.”
“But John–” She turned towards the other man, who was looking at them with a sly smile. “John invited me, and I thought–”
“You’re not allowed to think anymore. Let’s go.”
“You’re not even going to acknowledge my presence, Jake?” the other man taunted.
“I don’t talk to people who don’t use my title. Let’s go!” He grabbed her elbow and boosted her up.
“What’s going on?” she asked as she found herself hurrying after him, smiling at the people who deigned to look at her. What the hell was wrong with him? “Jake?”
“Not now,” he grunted through clenched teeth, his fingers tensing around her palm. “Not one more word, Faye, until we get home.”
“But–”
He shot her a look so dark she stumbled and nearly fell flat on her face. He righted her at the last second but she’d seen the anger in his eyes. She was going to pay. For what, she wasn’t sure, but it was becoming clear that she’d made a mistake.
Fighting the tears that were suddenly threatening to spill from her eyes, she let him lead her back to the house, her head bent and her heart bruised.
Chapter Twenty–One: Shouts and Apologies
“What the fuck did you think you were doing?” The door slammed shut behind her, Jake whirling around to glare at her. “Are you freaking crazy?”
Faye took a step back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You don’t know? You don’t know?” His gaze found Sofia lurking at the bottom of the staircase. “She doesn’t know!”
The older woman walked to him and put her hand over his chest. “She really doesn’t know, Jake. And you should blame me, not her. I let him in.”
His eyes shooting daggers, he brushed her away. “I’ll blame whoever I want to! She was flirting with my enemy, damn it!”
“Your enemy?” Faye repeated.
“Flirting?” Sofia said, turning to her. “You were flirting with John?”
“No! I was just trying to be polite. He wouldn’t let me leave and he was so boring, but I didn’t know what to do! Who is he?”
“He’s the person who wants my job.” Jake looked at her as if she should have known that.
“Why hadn’t I heard of him before?”
“Because I don’t want his name being said in my house!”
“So, how did you want me to know that I couldn’t talk to him?”
“Because you weren’t supposed to meet him!”
“He came here and invited me to visit the town!”
“You should have said no! You’re my Mate for fuck’s sake!”
Faye’s cheeks reddened as anger threatened to spill over. She strode to him and asked, her voice low, “So I’m not allowed to talk to other men? Is that it?”
“That’s exactly right. You’re mine, Faye, and you’re not to leave this house ever again.”
“Are you freaking crazy?” she cried out, watching him walk away. “Jake! I’m talking to you!”
His head whipped around. “Don’t forget I’m still your Master, Faye. I control your life now.”
“No!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re my Master while we have sex, and I’m fine with that. But this is entirely different. You can’t forbid me to go out! I’m going to go stir crazy if I have nothing to do all day! And I only accepted his invitation because I was so damn bored!”
“You’re bored?”
“Yes!” She threw her hands up in the air. Hadn’t she said that already?
“Then I’ll give you something to do.” He stalked towards her, looking so pissed off she seriously considered turning around and fleeing out the front door. He didn’t give her time however, as he grabbed her hand once more and pulled her after him. He took the steps two by two, making her run in an effort not to stumble, her breath coming out in short pants when they finally found themselves in their bedroom.
She watched him pop his pants open. “You’re kidding,” she muttered. But he wasn’t.
“You owe me an apology,” he had the gall to say as he motioned her to kneel in front of him.
“I don’t think so.”
“Don’t push me, Faye. I’ve had the day from hell!”
“What about me?”
“It was because of you I ended up being ridiculed in front of my own people! By my own fucking Mate!”
“What do you mean?” Had she really done that?
“He’s my enemy, don’t you get it? You were seen walking hand in hand all over town! He wants my job! He’s trying to get everyone to agree with him that the rules need to change. That the First Man should be elected, like a freaking democracy! I was raised for this, Faye. I
earned
it.”
“I’m sure you did,” she tried comforting him. It didn’t work.
His eyes were so dark they were nearly black. “Then why in hell did you do that?”
“I didn’t know who he was! He came in, asked me if I wanted to visit the town, and he seemed nice.”
“Nice?”
She winced at his bellow. “I’m sorry, Jake, but how was I to know he was your enemy when you hadn’t even told me this was going on? I know I’m new at this Mate thing, but surely you have to understand there needs to be communication between us. I’m not a puppet, or an airhead. I need to know these things if you don’t want me to mess up!” The tears that hadn’t gone far spilled over then. She was horrified she’d made him a laughing stock, but to top it all, she was upset he obviously deemed her not important enough to share information with her. Maybe she was only good enough to warm up his bed after all. Wiping her cheeks, she turned around and stared out the window, too hurt to look at him.
* * * *
Jake watched his Mate try to hide her crying fit, her shoulders going up and down a sure giveaway however. He couldn’t take seeing her upset like that. And the worst thing was: she was right. He should have told her what was going on, what she should expect from living here in the compound. Sure, he was their First Man, but dissensions were rampant and it was running him ragged. It’d been bliss to be able to live elsewhere for a few months, taking Sofia with him so she wouldn’t be at the mercy of that lunatic.
When John had asked to become part of their community a year ago, not even a background check with his European counterpart had thrown up issues with the older man. He’d seemed to be just like what he appeared: a gentleman from another time. An Immortal who had lived for centuries in a quiet manner. Someone who’d be a nice addition to his people.
How wrong had he been. As soon as his parents had gone, John had started on the offensive. Friendly talks at first to key members of the community, his calm presence hiding a conniving brain, no one had realized his ultimate goal until that fateful altercation. If Chris hadn’t stopped him that day, Jake would have killed him. And what a good riddance too… But John’s talk of democracy had had its effect on his people’s thoughts. They wouldn’t let him kill his opponent, not without a fair trial first. So the damn man was still living in the compound, grating on Jake’s nerves as he tried to bring sympathy to his side. And now, he’d targeted his Mate.
His
Mate!
Before he’d truly come to terms with what he was going to do, Jake was standing behind her. He let his hands palm her hips as he leaned down and said, “I’m sorry.”
Chapter Twenty–Two: How to Be Helpful
The next morning, Faye woke up to a silent house. She rolled around in bed until she had her cheek pressed against Jake’s pillow, all the better to inhale that spicy scent that was so him. For the first time since their ‘swapping weekend’, he hadn’t made love to her before going to sleep. No, instead he’d comforted her, apologizing as best he could, which had been a revelation all in itself. Who’d have thought he even knew how to say sorry? His breathing had gradually slowed down and he’d fallen asleep with his arms around her.
It had been nice, she mused. Except now, she really wanted him. Or rather, her body really wanted his. Faye opened her eyes to find the sun had managed to burst through the sheer curtains and was bathing the room in bright light. Ah well, she sighed as she sat up… They still had tonight. She slipped down from the bed and strode into the adjoining bathroom.
* * * *
She made herself breakfast. She read the paper. She turned the TV on then turned it back off ten minutes later when she realized there really was nothing to watch at this time of day. She walked out onto the patio and looked around. She became mind-numbingly bored once again.
She really had to find something to do. Jake might not agree with her finding a job, but she couldn’t just stay inactive for so long. It would drive her crazy. Actually, it was already driving her crazy. And then she’d end up like yesterday, hurting her Master without meaning to. She bit her lower lip and went back inside, her gaze going from one door to the other, trying to decide where to go next. Eenie…meenie…minie…moe. She directed her feet towards the library and fought the shudder that coursed through her when she came to stand in the middle of the darkened room. There were no windows in here. It looked like a panic room would, if there weren’t hundreds of old books lying around. On shelves, tables, even on the floor. She might like to read for pleasure, but this was something else all right.
She picked up the first tome she found, the one with the least dust mites on, and read its title.
Federico Augustino, An Immortal’s History Through The Ages
. “Sounds riveting,” she muttered to herself before putting it back with its friends. That’s when the idea burst into her mind, bright and shiny like a beacon. “Of course!”
Faye suddenly had something to do. Something that would help her and Jake at the same time. Something that would please him; something that would hopefully make her praise–worthy. It was a foolproof plan, and by God was she proud of herself for even thinking about it.
* * * *
Hours later, Jake stopped outside his house, his feet planted in the middle of the sidewalk as he looked up at the dark windows. It was the only one on the block that didn’t have lights on. From all accounts, it looked empty. “If she’s gone out again, I’m going to kill her!” he mumbled darkly under his breath as he took the steps two by two. As soon as he was inside, he started calling out her name. He knew Sofia was still out, because she’d left him a message saying she was going out of town for a few days. Considering how angry he’d been the day before, that hadn’t been a big surprise. She obviously blamed herself, and he couldn’t say he didn’t agree with her conclusion. He stalked to the kitchen but no one was there. There were no lights in the house, bar from a faint one coming from…the library? “Faye? Faye! Where the hell are you?”
He pushed the library’s door open and stopped short when he saw her. She was sitting in his father’s leather armchair, her legs dangling over the side, her head bent. She was squinting at something, probably trying to decipher whichever old book she was currently holding. “Faye?”
She jumped up so high she nearly slid off the smooth leather. “Ahhh!” She blinked. “Jake?”
“What are you doing here? I’ve been calling out for you for the last ten minutes!”
“Oh, sorry.” She blinked once again. “I didn’t hear you.”
“Why are you here?”
“In this room, you mean?” He nodded. “I was just, uhm, reading. There’s lots of stuff in here and it was so dusty, I thought I could…you know, clean it up or something.”
He frowned. For someone who hated tidying up, that excuse was a bit flimsy. “And you found yourself reading instead?”
“Something like that.” She put the book she’d been reading on top of an already tittering pile and slowly stood up, grimacing as pain rushed through her. “Ouch.”
“What’s wrong?” He was already reaching her side, his hands clasping hers and pulling her forward. “Baby?”
She looked up and smiled, a soft tired smile that went right through him. “Just some pins and needles. I probably stayed in the same position for too long. How was your day?”
He stared down at her, and wondered whether he should ask her what she was hiding. He could read her so easily now that he didn’t need confirmation to know she wasn’t telling him something. Deciding to wait until later, he tugged her out of the room and said, “Let’s order pizzas, okay? I need a quiet evening.”
* * * *
“There’s a pizzeria in the compound?” Why hadn’t she known that? Shoot, she really needed to get on top of things. She was the First Man’s Mate after all! Of course, it’ll have to wait until her current project was completed.
“Yes. The Augustino family comes from Italy, and their food is beyond excellent.”
“But why is there a pizzeria and a coffee shop, but nothing else?”
He shrugged. “We only get new shops when people get too bored or want to try something new. You see, most of us have lived…well, let’s just say we’ve lived for a very long time. We don’t need to work, we already have money.”