20
Marcus paced his living room. Why was Knox’s debrief taking so fucking long? It had been hours and hours since they’d left him downstairs. At least Kennedy had finally knocked on Marcus’s door and asked if she could wait with him after Sola had left her apartment earlier.
They hadn’t really talked about anything of consequence and it was driving him insane not knowing where they stood.
“Hey.” Kennedy reached out and snagged Marcus’s hand on his next lap past where she was curled up on the couch. “Why don’t you come sit with me?”
“Because I’m not sure where the lines are right now and I don’t think I’ll be able to put distance between us if that’s what you want.”
“Is that whatyouwant?” Kennedy tipped her head.
“Of course not. But now that this is over and you have Knox back, I fully understand that you might not need me anymore.” Marcus couldn’t believe how much lighter he felt when he let that horrible thought escape his heart and fly out of his mouth.
“You can’t seriously think that.” Kennedy started to laugh, but stopped when she realized he wasn’t joining her. “Oh my God, you do.”
She stood and put her arms around him, squeezing him tight before going onto her tiptoes to frame his face with her hands. She held it so that he was forced to stare into her eyes when she said, “Marcus, I love you. I have for a long time now. I was just too chicken shit to admit it to either of us.”
Then she kissed him slowly, gently, no need to rush or wait until they were so desperate they might explode if they didn’t vent some of their longing. This was something peaceful and enduring. Something he would prize having forever.
Kennedy pulled back a hairsbreadth, just enough to whisper, “Apparently, when I fall for someone, I love them for life. So I hope you’re okay with that and with the fact that I still want Knox too.”
“That makes two of us.” Marcus clenched his eyes shut, remembering the instant he’d seen Knox’s boot sticking out from behind that reinforced door. He’d been terrified of what he was going to find when he uncovered the other man. They’d gotten so damn lucky.
Kennedy’s smile was wide and dazzling. “We’ll have to convince Jordan we need him on the team.”
“I don’t think that’ll be very hard.” Marcus shook his head and breathed out a faint laugh. “He singlehandedly took out a cartel today, risking his own life to shut it down. But I thought you didn’t like the thought of sleeping with your coworkers.”
He would quit Shields if he had to, but Marcus hoped it didn’t come to that. What they did might be gruesome, but after that day he was more sure than ever that someone had to do it.
“I think I realized today that being partners on and off the field has its benefits too. We’re able to read each other, respond and bring another level of dedication to protecting each other. Knox wasn’t the only one saving lives today. You did too.”
“You always do.” Marcus ran his hand from her shoulders down to her fingers, linking theirs together. “I admire that about you, Kennedy. Even in the midst of destruction, you’re putting things back together. Let me be the person who does that for you. And for Knox.”
Kennedy took a deep breath and then nodded before looping her arms around his neck and kissing him again, deeper this time.
They might have gotten carried away if there hadn’t been a rap on the door right then.
“It’s me. Can I come in?” Knox asked.
Marcus made sure Kennedy was steady before he released her and jogged to let Knox inside. He had no shirt on and he was covered in…plastic wrap? “I know you’re a snack, but why are you dressed like a sandwich?”
Kennedy cracked up at that, making Marcus’s heart soar. Maybe, just maybe, things were going to be okay. Better than.
Knox came into the living room, taking one of each of their hands in his. He squeezed, then said, “Because I wanted both of you to know how fucking serious I am when I say that although I’m sure I don’t deserve you, I want you both and I plan to do anything and everything it takes to show you that someday I might figure out how to be the kind of man you can be proud of.”
Marcus glanced at Kennedy when her breath hitched, in time to see a single tear track down her porcelain skin. She murmured, “Does that mean you’re staying?”
“Well, I hope you don’t mind if I do because otherwise, this is going to be a pain in my ass to laser off.” Knox turned around then. “It’s just the outline. That’s all she could do today because of the position of the burns on my back and given how big it is. But it’s a start. A jumping off point for more progress. Kind of like me. I wanted both of you to know how serious I am about this. About us.”
Marcus couldn’t help himself. He stalked forward and wrapped his hand around the front of Knox’s throat to hold him in place. Kennedy raced to his side and together they examined the tattoo that covered Knox’s entire back. It was easy to see how the massive piece would fully obscure the viper slithering around his spine with a shield. Outlines of decorative elements that would keep it from being a single blob of blackness on his back showed the promise in the piece.
“Blakely did this, didn’t she?” Marcus asked.
“Yeah. James hooked me up. I guess the Powertools are working on a studio for her right down the street from here. She’s really cool.” Knox swallowed hard. “Do you like it?”
“It’s perfect.” Kennedy placed a kiss on the edge of the protective film. “And I appreciate knowing you’re planning on sticking around this time.”
“As long as you’ll have me, I’m not going anywhere.” Knox turned and kissed her before eyeing Marcus. “Is that okay with you?”