Chapter 10 Chapter Ten
I would have loved the rough way in which his l*ps kneaded mine, and I would have k*ssed him back with equal fervor if it was someone else. But this wasn’t some stranger or lover of mine. It was Mark.
I struggled between pulling him to me and pushing him away. I wanted to clamp my teeth on his tongue or l*ps as I did the first time, but I couldn’t bring myself to. This feeling was confusing. I wanted him to stop and go far from me, but, insanely, I was scared that he would actually stop. It was crazy.
away
But I still struggled, and as I did, my eyes squeezed shut. I tried to speak even with his l*ps on mine. His tongue, somehow, made its way into my m*uth. His b*dy pressed on mine, and I could faintly feel the bulge in his trousers against.
my thighs.
My struggles doubled, and a scream rose in my ch*st .
My scream died in my throat because suddenly, his hands were off me, and I couldn’t feel his b*dy heat anymore.
I brushed off the tiny tinge of disappointment and looked up to find a wall with limbs in front of me. My ch*st heaved up and down as I tried to catch my
breath.
There was a tall figure in front of me, his shoulders were broad, and his stance
made me feel protected even though I didn’t feel like I needed protection at the
moment.
His fists clenched, and he took a step forward, “I believe the lady is rejecting
you. You should respect her and leave,” his deep voice rang out, hard and deter- mined to stand his ground no matter what.
His icy gaze riveted to the stranger, “So that’s what you do in your bar? You eavesdrop on people’s conversations.”
“I didn’t mean to. I was in the restroom, and your voices naturally drifted to me.”
12:21
1/5
Chapter 10 Chapter Ten
my
“Nothing seems natural here because you seem quite determined to meddle in affairs,” then his gaze dropped on me, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe as he pinned me with that hot gaze. He pointed at the stranger, and his brows rode up his hairline, “Is this him, Sydney? Or he’s one of them, isn’t he? He’s one of the assholes that’s been telling you to divorce me. He’s the one you’ve been cheating on me with!” He finished; his voice resounded in the hallway, and his raised finger trembled in the air. He quickly tucked it away.
“I don’t even know him; I’ve never seen him before. This is the first time I’m
even coming to this bar!” I blurted out. “Why are you so bent on convincing your- self that I cheated? Is it to make yourself feel better? Since you’re the cheater here, does it make you feel better to act like the victim?”
In blind rage, he attempted to pull me from behind him again, but my savior
was bigger and faster. I moved away from behind him and stood a few feet away from both of them.
“Stay back, sir.” I suppressed a laugh. It would have been even better if he had-
n’t added ‘sir.‘ It sounded so fake and mocking.
I looked at the bar owner; I squinted my eyes at him. I could swear that I had seen that face somewhere before. His piercing eyes and chiseled features felt
like they had been ingrained in my memory before, but somehow I couldn’t
place a finger on who he was. There was an air of authority about him; he oozed an undeniable confidence and power. And it was there; the memory of
where or when I had seen the face, but I couldn’t quite reach it. It remained blur-
ry and far from my grasp.
Mark stood squarely before the bar owner. Even though the bar owner was much taller and muscular, he didn’t feel intimidated. In fact, with the anger ooz- ing off him, he might as well be the bigger man.
“Do you know who I am? You have no idea who you’re dealing with.” His gaze flickered past me and down the hall. There was a condescending look in his
eyes as he took in the place before turning back to the bar owner. “I could
sweep everything you ever own…everything you hold dear off your feet in the
12:21
2/5
Chapter 10 Chapter Ten
blink of an eye.”
Mark’s voice, as he threatened the bar owner, sent shivers down my back. There was an edge to his tone, and I knew he would really do it if he had to. He would strip the man off everything he had if he didn’t back off.
Any sensible person would have retreated and left the troublesome couple alone, but this man….
My eyes were fixated on him as he took an equally threatening step forward. His b*dy seemed even more taut…alert.
“I know who you are, Mark Torres. President of GT Group. And I know you can make me go bankrupt, but that wouldn’t stop me from defending a helpless lady. You can’t waltz in here and harass my guests, your wife or not.” His words had that underlying tone to it; it was filled with unspoken threats.
There was a shift in the air, and Mark seemed stunned at the man’s response, then he abruptly turned back, cackling.
“This man is a joker.” He sobered up, “You know all dle in my affair? Are you tired of your bar already?”
Of this yet you dare to med-
Oh no. I couldn’t let this go on. Clearly, the bar owner wouldn’t give up, and
Mark wasn’t one to back off a threat either. I couldn’t let a total stranger go bank-
rupt just because of my personal affairs.
The bar owner opened his m*uth to speak, but I stopped him.
“Wait,” I splurged and rushed forward. I got in between the both of them and placed my palm on Mark’s ch*st . His well–built ch*st was hard and strong be- neath my palm as I pushed him backward. If he hadn’t willingly moved backward
, I wouldn’t have even been able to move him an inch from his spot. Then I
turned to the bar owner’s increasingly familiar face, “Thank you for trying to help, but rest assured. Mark wouldn’t hurt me.” I forced a smile, “My husband would-
n’t hurt me.”
“Are you sure?” He seemed so concerned.
12:21
3/5
Chapter 10 Chapter Ten
“I assure you. We might have had some misunderstanding. It happens. Cou- ples fight all the time. It is always bound to happen, but he would never hurt
me.”
As I looked at him, my brain still worked. I still tried to figure out where I had
seen him.
He glanced between the both of us for several seconds. Then he took a hesitat- ing step back and nodded. “I’ll count on your words then. Take care.” His arm shot out, and he stretched his open palm toward me, a smile dancing on his
l*ps.
I had barely taken his hands when Mark slapped his hands away, then he took hold of mine and pulled me away from there. He pounded down the hallway. and straight to the bar’s entrance.
I felt a prickle on my n*eck. I had assumed it was the other bar guests, but I
couldn’t resist the urge to turn back.
I looked back, and there he was, seated on a stool before the bartender. He
must have followed us to confirm that Mark really wasn’t going to hurt me.
I managed a smile to thank him, but I was taken aback when he winked at me, then he placed his thumb on his ear and his pinky finger across his l*ps. “Call
me,” he m*uthed.
Instinctively, I looked down at my hands, the free one, and was shocked to find.
a card there. I stealthily sl*pped it into the back pocket of my skirt before Mark
would see it and create another scene.
How did the card get in my palm? The thought bothered me as I let Mark drag
me out.
My brows creased, and my brain tried to work out how I had gotten the card, then suddenly I could reach it and it became crystal clear…
The memory. I remembered vividly where I had seen that man. Where I had
met him.
12:21
4/5
Chapter 10 Chapter Ten
My head whipped back; he was still watching me, his l*ps on the rim of the
wine glass he was holding.
The jagged left brow. Those dark piercing eyes. His raspy authoritative voice as he had ordered, ‘don’t make a sound,’ resounded in my head.
My heartbeat accelerated, and my feet moved at the same pace as Mark’s. I suddenly wanted to be out of here as soon as I could.
It was the same man. The one who had been in my house when I came back from my trip. The one whose bullet wound I had begun to treat before Mark’s in-
terruption.
Holy shit! How had I not recognized him immediately? That face…that stance wasn’t one to be quickly forgotten.
