LARA:
Not a single word was spoken during the drive. I let Mark take the wheel, steering us out of the city while I sat with the little girl, her small frame limp on my lap. She was still unconscious, probably from the shock of what happened.
It all came back in flashes. I'd woken up to a pounding on the door, the kind that rattled your nerves. It was late, and Mark was nowhere to be found. Typical.
Had he left again?
I huffed, dragging myself toward the door, but something felt off. My gut told me not to answer, but the knocking only got louder, more insistent. The little girl had woken up too, standing beside me, eyes wide. We both hesitated, exchanging a glance, wondering if we should just ignore it.
The knocking stopped.
Relief? Not quite. In seconds, they busted through—four men storming in before I could even process what was happening. Panic surged, and we ran, but they were faster. One of them slapped me hard when I tried to shield the girl, while another shoved her to the floor. My head spun, my heart raced, and for a terrifying second, I thought this was the end. They started dragging us out, and I had no idea what to do.
Then Mark appeared out of nowhere. Chaos erupted. Fists, blood, violence. Everything blurred together. In the midst of it all, the girl must've passed out.
My thoughts snapped back to the present when the car came to a stop. We were in front of a massive mansion, isolated in the middle of nowhere.
A mansion? Wait, isn't he supposed to be broke?
"Where are we?" I finally broke the silence, my voice laced with disbelief.
"Home," Mark replied casually, stepping out of the car. He walked around, opened my door, and gently lifted the unconscious girl into his arms, motioning for me to follow.
"Home?" I repeated, still in shock. "This is your home?" I asked again, needing confirmation as I trailed behind him.
The mansion loomed before us, massive, surrounded by lush greenery and an immaculate landscape. How the hell did he even find this place? My mind buzzed with questions, but before I could ask, Mark seemed to sense my growing confusion.
"Your room's the third on the left upstairs," he said calmly, continuing toward the entrance. "And for her..." He glanced at the girl in his arms. "I've made arrangements for her right next to yours."
The idea of some peace, of space, should've been appealing after everything we'd gone through. But something inside me screamed that I needed to be near her, to keep her close.
"No," I said firmly, "she'll stay with me.'"
It was four in the morning, and I was wide awake. Out of the city. With a man I'm completely obsessed with—probably sleeping with too, well, 'cause he's a 6'4" god with muscles that could lift me with one hand... and those smouldering brown eyes. Oh, and let's not forget, he's starting to actually care about me. But that's beside the point.
I don't even know what to think anymore! When he and Enzo first moved to town, Mia pegged them as broke, nerdy types. But now? Everything I believed flew straight out of the window of this enormous mansion I'm standing in. Yeah, that's right—he lives in a freaking mansion.
And the way he fought today—taking down four men, single-handedly? Damn, that was hot. Okay, calm down, Lara. Now is not the time. I sighed, glancing at the little girl sleeping peacefully nearby. Mark had called a doctor right after we got here, making sure she was okay and well-fed before putting her to bed.
This all feels so surreal. Why am I suddenly playing house with a man who's part monster?
"You're still awake?" His voice broke my thoughts, and I turned to see Mark standing in the doorway. He wore nothing but a pair of low-slung track pants, a silver chain resting against his chest, highlighting those delicious collarbones and the muscles that—
Okay, shut up, Lara.
"Uh... yeah. Couldn't sleep," I stammered awkwardly.
He chuckled, that deep, sinful sound, and walked closer. "I bet you've got a million questions racing through that pretty head of yours, keeping you up," he whispered in a low, husky tone that sent shivers down my spine.
My breath hitched. He was too close—way too close. I was losing control, and I couldn't afford that. Not with the little girl sleeping just a few feet away. But Mark? He wasn't concerned in the slightest.
"Let me wipe those thoughts from your mind," he murmured, his lips barely grazing my ear. "I hate seeing you all worked up."
He pulled me closer, and I gasped as I crashed into his strong arms. Those arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me into a kiss so intense it made my head spin. I groaned into his mouth, undeniably turned on by his mere touch. His hands slowly slid down to my ass, giving it a hard squeeze.
Oh, hell.
We fought for dominance, but of course, he always wins. This was wrong—so wrong. What if the little girl woke up in the middle of this? It wouldn't matter if she were an adult, but she's a kid, and this is way too intimate for her to witness. And wait—was he seriously trying to distract me from asking him questions?
Oh boy.
He definitely was.
I pushed him back, my voice low but firm. "No. Stop. You have some explaining to do, okay? I need answers or I swear I'm gonna—"
Before I could finish, he stopped me again, but this time, he did something... impossible. Grabbing my arm with that wicked grin, he leaned in close, his voice a husky whisper. "How about I ease your mind with my tongue while you sit on my shoulders? I'm a very possessive man, Lara."
I blinked, confused. "Wait, what?"
But before I could protest, his hands were right between my legs, lifting me effortlessly until my back hit the wall, my legs wrapped around his broad shoulders.
"Mark!" I gasped, caught between shock and surprise.
He didn't even blink, his smug grin never faltering as he looked up through those maddeningly long lashes. "There's a kid sleeping, Lara. You better keep quiet."
"Fuck you," I growled.
He flashed that devilish smirk. "Don't mind if I do," he whispered, his voice dripping with desire.
My eyes widened as his fingers slid beneath the waistband of my underwear, teasing my skin with a promise of what was to come. I suppressed a shiver, biting my lip as he pulled them down to my knees in one swift motion. My chest was heaving, my breath wild, but I forced myself to stay still.
He paused, his gaze dark and full of desire as he admired me. Then, with a teasing grin, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my thigh.
"So fucking sweet."
I arched my back, panting, my body begging for more. And just like that, all the thoughts that had been running wild in my mind disappeared. He was the only thing I could think about now.
Another soft kiss—this time an inch above my clit—and I couldn't hold back the whimper that escaped. His eyes flicked up to mine, a warning in his gaze. "Keep quiet, sweetheart. You don't want to wake the kid, do you?"
Then his tongue flicked against my clit, a low, feral groan vibrating from his throat as he tasted me. One hand held my leg firmly, keeping me open for him, while the other slipped under my t-shirt and cupped my breast, squeezing hard. My eyes rolled back, my head hitting the wall as waves of pleasure washed over me. I bit my hand to keep the moans in, just like he'd warned. Not that it mattered—I was already too far gone.
"Fuck..." he growled between licks. "You're so fucking creamy." His dirty words made my body pulse, my pussy throbbing under his expert touch.
He licked the length of my slit, slow and deliberate, savoring every inch of me as his fingers worked magic on my breast. My nipples were hard, achingly sensitive, and when he pinched one between his fingers, I couldn't hold back the moan that tore from my throat. And when he sucked my clit between his teeth, I practically lost it.
"Oh my god," I mumbled into my hand, trying to muffle the sound.
He pulled away slowly, my clit dragging between his teeth until it slipped free, sending a delicious burn through me.
"Mark..." I moaned, no longer able to keep quiet.
He didn't stop. He kept going, licking and teasing, until I was nothing but a trembling mess, my mind completely lost in him. By the time I reached my breaking point, I could feel or see nothing but him.
When my eyes fluttered shut, he gently helped me down. I don't remember much after that, but I do remember him carrying me to the bed, laying me beside the little girl, and then curling up next to me. Just like a perfect little family.
This has to be a fucking dream. A sweet, beautiful dream.