And believe me, I want to hear from him.
Marcus is perfect in an imperfect kind of way.
Deciding it’s not a smart move to go near him—even if I desperately want to—I keep going. My family is all there when I arrive. My sister, Kat, who has her baby on her hip, is the first person I see when I walk inside. She smiles and leans in for a cuddle. I take my niece from Kat’s hands and focus on her as my parents come out from the kitchen.
“Rochelle, you’re late,” my mother chides while shaking her head. “But I made your favorite, chocolate brownie.” She claps her hands as she reaches for my niece in my arms. “Come to Grandma, baby.”
“Mom, no chocolate,” Kat yells out to her, to which my mother doesn’t reply.
My father walks out, hands me a glass of wine, and walks away. “So, who’s the mystery man?”
Putting the drink to my lips, I look over the edge of the glass at my sister. We look much alike—the same strawberry colored hair and blue eyes. We are two years apart and not as close as we should be, but I am trying.
“What, man?” I play dumb. I wasn’t aware Kat saw me with him at the funeral. Then again, I wasn’t paying much attention to anyone on that day.
“Oh, come on… that tall, dark, handsome man.” she waves her hands around. “Tell me.”
“I don’t know him.”
She raises an eyebrow.
“You don’t know him? But you got in the car with him?” she asks, then shakes her head. “Please don’t tell Mom that. She will hands down die.”
“I wanted a one-night stand.” I shrug.
“Well, I had that… and look where it got me,” Kat says, referring to my niece.
“Annabelle is perfect,” I say in my niece’s defense.
“Of course she is, but her father has never contacted me. Didn’t even care that I was pregnant. And I told him to wear a condom.” She rolls her eyes. “All I’m saying is… make sure you watch him slip that sucker on before he slips in you.”
The baby starts crying and Kat walks off to retrieve her.
Finishing my glass of wine, I get up to pour another when my mother walks back out.
“Dinner is ready. You weren’t leaving, were you?”
“No.” I sound more defensive than I meant to with that one-word answer.
“Good. Good.” Mother nods her head, and then because it’s her birthday and her parents are dead, she starts crying. Wiping at her face, she tries to hide her tears.
I step up closer, wrapping my arms around her. “It’s okay, Mom. It’s okay.”
“I miss them. Do you wish it were me instead?”
“No,” I say automatically. “What?”
“You always wanted to be with them. Never me.” She’s not wrong, but it’s not in the way she’s thinking. My grandparents simply got me in a way my mother never has.
“I love you, Mom. Come on, let’s have a good night, shall we?” I pull back, smiling at her. “It’s your birthday.”
She nods.
And I try to keep my smile on my face for as long as I can, so she knows I do want to be here celebrating with her tonight.
Marcus is still there, his car’s parked in the same spot. I almost missed it, but as I pull up, I sit in my car and wait. He has to come out soon, and when he does, I want to know why. Why he walked out on me. Opening my cell phone, I lock my car from the inside, turn it off, and crack a window slightly to let some of the cool night air in.
I sit there for a few minutes before a knock on my window startles me. Turning, Marcus’ dark eyes are staring right at me. The green is gone from them under the night’s sky and they look darker, almost black.
“Did you not hear the part where I said I would ruin you, pretty girl?”
I shrug.
Marcus leans down, and I wind my window down farther, so I can see him better.
“What do you want?”
“Why did you leave?”
“You aren’t ready for someone like me. I know it, so it was easier that way.” His words make me shake my head.
I reach for my keys, taking them out of the ignition, and push on the door to open it. Marcus’ hand holds it, so I can’t push it open all the way.
“You aren’t this stupid. Tell me you aren’t this stupid?” He steps back, letting me open my door. As I get out, I slide my keys into my pocket, then lean against my car.
“I’m allowed to be stupid this week.”
“It’s been over a week.”
“Okay, I’m allowed to be stupid when I damn well choose.”
Marcus shakes his head at my words.
“I wanted to see you,” I tell him, the words falling from my lips as easily as a lie. Except these aren’t lies. I do want to see him. So badly in fact, I can’t seem to stay away.
One hand goes to reach for him. He looks at it when I cling to his shirt. Stepping forward so my hands are now both on his chest, I look up at him and he’s watching me with intent.
“I’m working,” is all he says.
“I can watch you work.”
Marcus’ head drops to the side. “You think that’s smart? I work in there.” His head nods to the side, indicating the crematorium. A shiver runs through me from the last time I was in there and what I saw.
“I want to watch you work.”
Marcus leans down until his lips almost touch mine. “Would you like me to fuck you on the table too, with a cold, dead body touching yours?” His breath is hot and it sends shivers all over me. “Would that turn you on?”
It doesn’t, not at all. But he does. So, I think it’s best I don’t answer his question.
“I want to watch you,” I breathe, as my eyes stare at his lips, waiting in anticipation for them to touch mine.
They never do.
Marcus pulls away, the distance between us is not something I’m fond of. My fingers twitch with an urge to pull him back down to me.
Marcus cocks his head to the side. “Maybe this will keep you away.” He starts walking, and my feet step one in front of the other as they follow him back inside the crematorium.
It’s dark when we enter. He touches the switch, and once everything is illuminated, I can see everything. There’s a dead body covered by a white sheet in the room that he walks into. He holds the door open for me and waits for me to cross the threshold. My hands start sweating and I wonder if I should turn and run. It would probably be the smart thing to do.
Marcus is not what I usually go for in a man. I prefer a man who likes to talk. Usually the beach boy look, with tanned skin, blue eyes, and blond hair.
Marcus is the exact opposite of everything I am normally attracted to. Maybe that’s why I’m so captivated by him, or maybe I have issues? I haven’t quite worked that one out yet. But right now, the draw I have to this man is undeniable.
Irrefutable.
Unequivocal.
I just want a taste.
But Marcus keeps leaving me at every turn.
“Pretty girl?” he questions.
My heels click on the white marble floor as I follow him. He shuts the door behind me, locking us in, and walks over to the dead body.
I watch as he puts on an apron, followed by a face mask which is clear as well as gloves. And then there’s a gasp so loud that I don’t think it comes from me, but I’m sure it does, when he looks up at me with a saw in his hand.