I felt as bile rose in my throat, and I forced myself to put the phone away. Normally, I would fire back a series of sharp texts, but I was under strict orders from my attorney not to respond. Jacob got off on getting a rise out of people, especially me, and I’d vowed never to take the bait again.
Besides, I had more important things to deal with at the moment.
I thought calling Marcus had been the most nerve-racking thing I’d ever had to do, until I found myself sitting at the table, waiting for him to arrive. When I’d left his penthouse the morning after our wild night, and after he hadn’t called me back, I’d made a solemn vow to move on.
And I had.
We weren’t right for each other.
True, he was intelligent, sophisticated, charismatic, and probably even the most handsome man I’d ever seen. But I knew his reputation, and I didn’t want to be known as Marcus Willingham’s latest conquest. He’d been linked with numerous women over the years. I didn’t intend to be one of them. Not to mention he’d been associated with a shady MC gang. No, thanks. I didn’t need that in my life.
Seeing him again was the last thing I wanted to do, but my hands were tied. I had no choice.
If Jacob hadn’t demanded sole custody of Nylah, I wouldn’t even have entertained the idea of telling Marcus he was my daughter’s father.
Sadly, I was right.
The nice-guy act had been a mask—a façade that I’d foolishly fallen for. I had been so focused on my need for the “perfect” family that I’d ignored the red flags. The subtle jabs at my career or interests, the gaslighting, the isolation from my friends…
“I don’t know why you hang out with her, she’s strange.”
“You’re baking again? Are you going to eat it? You were just complaining about your weight.”
“You want to start your own business? Hmm. Are you sure?”
“Nothing’s going on. You’re just tired.”
“Oh, come on, it was a joke. Why are you being so sensitive?”
After two years, I’d had enough.
And one day while he was at work, I’d packed my stuff and left. Too bad the battle was still raging.
From the other end of the restaurant, I heard a familiar deep laugh, and it sent a ripple of pleasure through my body. Suddenly Jacob didn’t exist anymore, and all I could think about was the man I was about to see. It had been so long I’d forgotten what Marcus’s voice could do to me.
He turned from the podium, and his eyes danced across the room until they landed on me. It felt like the first time we’d met. His eyes found mine across a crowded room, and suddenly, no one else existed. I was almost in shock seeing him again. He walked toward the table with sure, purposeful steps, never taking his hard gaze off mine. I caught myself staring and immediately glanced at my menu, as if his mere presence didn’t throw me for a loop.
He’s looking better than I remember, I realized, noticing how much broader his chest seemed.
It made me wonder what he looked like shirtless now. He’d been gorgeous before when I’d seen him naked. I couldn’t even fathom how good he must look after all this time.
Marcus took the seat across from me. “Hello, Eleanor.”
“Ella,” I corrected him, glancing up to meet his gaze. “I hate being called Eleanor.” I sucked in a breath when his blue eyes locked directly on mine.
“I remember.”
I took in his appearance, admiring the way he filled out his tailored three-piece suit. I hadn’t expected to see him in a suit, but to my amazement, he wasn’t any less attractive. By the look of it, it was something he wore daily, but he still held that same ruggedness beneath it all—the bad boy I recognized. His dark hair had grown out some since we’d last seen each other. It fell in messy waves and curled slightly around his ears. His lips were full and expressive, constantly twitching into a smirk or expanding into a wide smile. There was stubble along his jawline and in all the right places—a sexy five o’clock shadow I was sure he purposely left unshaved—but I could still see the distinct dimple in his chin.
The one Nylah had inherited.
“Thank you for meeting me for lunch.” I tried to keep my voice steady and confident. “I really appreciate it.”
“I’m sure you do.” Marcus crossed his arms and rested them on the table.
I tilted my head to the side and frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Marcus shrugged casually as he continued to smirk. “I remember the night we met. You appreciated me then, too.”
I had forgotten how smug he could be. To be fair, he’d definitely earned it, but that didn’t make it any less annoying. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that crossed my face. When Marcus teased me, it didn’t feel as if there was malice behind it, or that he was just trying to get a rise out of me.
It was surreal to be sitting in a restaurant with him. Yet, there was an underlying ease between us I hadn’t anticipated. I felt calmed by his presence, and he seemed easy in mine as well.
Marcus leaned forward with a slight grin playing on his lips. “Did you want to see me just so you could stare?”
I couldn’t help but smile again. I could feel a blush rising in my cheeks, and I cleared my throat in an attempt to bring myself back to reality. “No, I didn’t.” I set my menu down. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. I wanted to catch up and see how you were doing.”
The expression on his face changed from playful to serious. “Did the cops ever find the bastards who attacked you?”
I shook my head. “No, they didn’t. At least not to my knowledge.”
Marcus nodded.
“Who were those men, anyway? Did you know them by any chance?” I took a sip of my water, wondering if he would answer.
“I didn’t.” He shrugged. “Back then, I thought they might be part of a rival biker gang because they seemed to recognize the MC gang emblem on my jacket.”
I set my water on the table because I’d started fidgeting. “Are you still with them? I mean, part of the gang.”
“No.” His answer was definitive, and I believed him.
Marcus regarded me with amusement again, his smirk widening. “Did you miss me, Eleanor?”
Another thing I’d forgotten was how much he liked to push my buttons and how good at it he was. I could feel myself falling into those eyes again and made it a point to glance away every now and then. “I was thinking about you and decided it would be nice to reconnect.”
It wasn’t a total lie. I had been thinking about him and our night together a lot lately. But, it had more to do with the outcome than nostalgia.
“We certainly had a good time connecting before.” Marcus didn’t even blink.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It was all right.”
Marcus’s brows shot to his hairline. “I’d say it was more than all right.”
“I’m glad you thought so.”
I had to admit, I was a little bit proud of myself for playing it cool. Regardless of the fact that he was the best lover I’d ever had, he didn’t need to know it. Why add to his already-inflated ego?
Marcus leaned back in his seat. “If it was just ‘all right,’ you wouldn’t be here right now.”