• • • •

"You okay?" Marcus asked me as he sat down in my bed. I sat up slowly and nodded.

Claire had stitched me up. It hadn't hurt that bad, but Jake was raging and Terry had to focus on calming him down.

Which I guess is why Marcus was here to check on me.

"What happened?" Marcus asks and turns to me. I shrug carelessly.

"Does it matter?" I ask him harsher than I anticipated. His gaze hardened and I rolled my eyes at his reaction.

"I'm asking you what happened, answer me" He says sounding like he was demanding my answer.

I looked at him wondering why he would demand an answer this way, because of Jake? Maybe it was for him.

"Alexandra—" Marcus states warningly, using my full first name to dominate me, to make me submissive towards him, to answer to him.

"Marcus" I say in the same voice. I'm acting like a child, but I owed him no explanations.

I didn't owe him to respond by him using my name as a threat to make me talk.

"Who hurt you?" Marcus asked while leaning in closer to my face, his eyes seemed to darken as he said the words.

My heart was racing and panic started to wander in my body.

"It's handled" is the only thing I can make myself say. Marcus clenched his jaw and he brings his hand up to my face.

Grabbing my chin in his hand, making me hold the intense eye contact with him.

"Say that one more time while looking into my eyes" Marcus says in a small but fierce voice.

"It's—" I pause as I feel his eyes stripping me bare, pulling the truth out of me like I had no choice.

His eyes drilled into mine so intensely that it gave me goosebumps.

"—handled" I finally voiced the last statement.

Marcus lifted my head higher towards his, still using my chin to control me.

"Marcus—" I start but his eyes tell me to shut up.

"Who handled it then?" He asked, I felt his breath on my lips and I had to remind myself of what this really was.

A interrogation for my brother. Because he's my brothers best friend.

"Serena and I did" I say feeling more calm, I feel compelled to hold his eyes locked with mine, I didn't dare break the connection.

"Then it's not handled" Marcus concluded. The connection snapped and I tore my eyes away from his, looking down.

Only that didn't help my situation. Seeing his veiny arm gripping my thigh to hold me still didn't help me resist him at all.

I felt a blush creep up on my cheeks, his grip was tight but not tight enough to hurt me.

"Look at me" Marcus demanded. I took a deep breath before snapping my eyes back up to his.

He dipped his head down to the side of my face. "If anyone ever tries to hurt you again—in any way, call me" He says in my ear.

The hairs on my neck and arms raise and I have to stop myself from throwing myself at him.

I give him one slow nod and he keeps still by my side.

"Call or text me. Anytime, any day" He added, his hand from my chin traveled to the back of my neck, sliding his hand under my long hair.

His hand was warm and soft but also firm, he gave my neck a small squeeze as he pulled back to face me.

I couldn't stop it, I looked down at his lips. I had to know what they looked like this close.

I had to see if I was missing out on anything. My heart was his if he wanted it, he could do anything.

"Alex..." Marcus mutters and trails off. His eyes dip to my lips and I feel my breath get stuck in my throat as I await his next move.

His lips were feeling like a ghost, his lips brushed over mine so slowly and softly that I almost didn't feel it.

I froze, not knowing what to do. This wasn't a kiss, but it was damn near close to it.

His lips brushed over mine and to the side of my face where I had gotten the cut above my eyes brow stitched.

I leaned into him with a low gasp as he placed a gentle kiss to the cut.

He let his head rest on my soft skin and I leaned into his as well.

"Marcus!" That stupid voice called. The voice belonged the bitch who was at the party as well.

I pulled away quickly, because if I hadn't I would've been feeling shame, embarrassment and pure humiliation.

Marcus almost looked like he forgot who the girl calling him was, because his eyebrow furrowed in confusion, he still held me closely with his hands.

I lifted my hand and pried them off of my thigh and my neck.

I scooted out of my bed and wrapped my arms around myself. I closed my eyes to keep the tears from erupting from my eyes.

But when I opened them once again, Marcus was gone. It shouldn't have hurt.

Not this much. He wasn't mine and as he always reminded me, I'm his best friends sister.

That's all. He loves easy, wild, model girls. I'm not all of that.

I don't care about shopping expensive brands, I don't care about getting attention from guys, I don't care to be wild and partying every weekend and going around in short dresses.

I'm a calm, relaxing nerd. I need things I like, I like hanging out with my best friend and my family.

I like racing, I like the vibe, that's as wild as it gets.

I feel tears escape my eyes and I leaned my head back against the wall with a tiny bit of force to mark out my frustration as well as my sadness.

I hurried to my bed and grabbed my phone, I called Serena. But she wasn't answering.

I didn't get to try one more time, because a knock on my door interrupted me.

I froze and dried my tears away with my sleeves. "Come in" I call out as firmly as I can.

Jake sticks his head into my room and I brace myself.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Does the stitches hurt? Are they bleedin—""—They're fine. I promise" I assure him.

He breathes out in relief before bringing me into a hug I didn't know I needed.

I relaxed into his chest as he caressed my back and my hair.

"It will be okay" he cooed softly and I felt more tears come to surface.

Jake pulled back a bit before swiping his thumb over my tears. "I did something, don't get mad til I've finished speaking—okay?" Jake says.

I frown but nod at him to go on. "I think after this weekend and today, you might need some air from this, so I talked to Serena's mother, if you want to, you can stay the week out at theirs. It's not me shoving you out of here, it's me giving you an opportunity to get some air" Jake says and I nod taking his words in.

"I would like that" I say and he nods. "Good, now that that has been said. I'm gonna use this week to get Dax under control, so what happened this Saturday never happens again. Not in our home at least" Jake said and I nodded once again.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and hide my face in his chest. Hoping my big brother could help me escape my feelings and problems.

His arms wrapped back around me and I exhaled a sob in his chest.

"Pack up what you'll be needing for this week and I'll go with you there" Jake says and I nod.

I pull away from him and hurry up packing. I couldn't wait to leave. Now that Marcus had been in my room like this and his bitch of a girlfriend came, I couldn't wait to leave.