Marcus actually paled a bit. “That’s not—”
“True?” I interrupted. I stepped closer to Marcus, no longer caring about the gun in his hand. “But you lost that night, didn’t you? There was someone stronger and smarter in that room. Someone who you had absolutely no fucking control over. He laid you out for all those other guys to see and then he stole your pet and set him free.”
“Shut up!” Marcus snarled as he backhanded me. “That asshole ruined everything! You loved it, you little cock slut! You couldn’t get enough! Cock and coke, right, Jeremy? That’s what you always said. Not a real party unless there’s a cock in your ass and coke up your nose!”
I was so startled by Marcus calling me by someone else’s name that I barely reacted when he pressed the gun against my chest.
“You were nothing when you came to me! Just another junkie who sold himself to the highest bidder!”
Marcus was panting heavily and his eyes were wild. I knew he was looking straight through me and seeing someone else.
“Marcus,” I said softly, hoping to get his attention back on me and not whatever ghost he was seeing. When his eyes finally focused on me, I continued with, “Who’s Jeremy?”
“What?” he asked in confusion. He almost seemed vulnerable.
Even though the gun was still pressed to my chest, I took a chance and calmly said, “Theo, take Riley and slowly leave the room.”
There was a long beat of silence followed by some rustling behind me. As soon as Marcus shifted his eyes in that direction, I repeated my question. “Marcus, who’s Jeremy?”
I was astonished to see a wave of pain wash over Marcus’s expression. He dropped his eyes to the floor.
“Theo, go now,” I ordered quietly.
There was more rustling and then I sensed rather than saw Theo shuttling Riley out of the room. The wave of relief that went through me nearly sent me to my knees, but I knew it was too soon to claim any kind of victory because the gun aimed squarely at my heart was in the hands of someone who was now more volatile than ever.
If I said even one wrong thing…
Breathe, baby.
Jett’s comforting words drifted over me like a gentle breeze. I knew they were only in my head but I couldn’t help but feel him at my side. If I looked down, I would have seen that my hand was empty, but I could still feel the strength of Jett’s fingers as he linked them with mine.
I could do this.
I could figure this out and then I’d get to see him again. I’d get to feel his arms wrapped around me for real and I’d get to tell him how much I loved him.
I forced myself to focus on the man in front of me and for the first time in a really long time, I didn’t see the monster who’d made my life a living hell for so long. I didn’t see the lover who’d betrayed me in the worst way possible.
I saw someone who was angry and scared and confused and just really fucking… lost.
“How did you meet him?” I carefully asked.
Marcus lifted his eyes. “What?”
“How did you and Jeremy meet?”
“Jeremy?” Marcus returned. A soft smile stole over his face for the briefest of moments before his entire face contorted in pain. “He was so young, so beautiful. It was supposed to be one night. One night for less money than I made in an hour. One night became two, then three. I… I couldn’t leave him there to be… used.”
“You wanted to save him,” I suggested as I made sense of the fact that Jeremy had been a prostitute or escort.
Marcus nodded before he suddenly stepped back and put the hand he was holding the gun with against his temple. The barrel of the revolver wasn’t pointed at anything in particular, though. It was almost like he’d forgotten about the weapon entirely.
“Couldn’t,” he croaked. “I gave him everything he needed but I could still feel myself losing him. It wasn’t enough. Nothing I did was enough.” Marcus banged his fist against his head. Each strike was harder than the last. Movement to my left caught my eye. Linc was standing just inside the doorway, a shotgun in hand. He had it pointed at Marcus but the man in front of me was completely oblivious to the nurse’s presence.
Linc gave me a little nod that spoke volumes. I was in control, but he had my back. With the way he was holding the shotgun, it was clear he knew how to use it.
Marcus was still banging his hand against his head. He’d seemingly forgotten my presence entirely. It would have been easy enough to just walk away, to leave Marcus to whatever act of violence he might commit upon himself or to allow Linc to end the whole thing with a bullet. God knew I’d dreamed of having Marcus out of my life forever, and no one would blame me for walking away and leaving him to his fate.