Dirty Money (Bad Money #2) by Ali Parker

time, but it was enough to force her to become more docile and far needier.
    She needed Jon.
    Standing, she picked up her drink and finished it. "We're done here. Get me home?"
    Marcus turned and glanced over his shoulder. "Was that all a show for Jon?"
    "Something like that." She glanced toward Victor. "Leave him alone for good now."
    Victor turned and lifted his glass in the air. "Anything for you. Come to me again soon. Alone. I want to finish what you've started. I'll burn until we do."
    Kate turned and walked toward the door as she fixed her skirt. She and Victor would make a dangerous pair, the two of them able to feed off of the other no matter the situation or circumstance. She had known good and damn well that the meeting that night was all about getting rid of Jon. The trip was a valid reason to bring them all in, but Victor wanted to psychologically kick the cop from their lives and he had.
    Now to force down the need to call Jon and apologize for all she had done. It would do neither of them good and if she knew herself, she would end up naked and sweaty beneath him, needing him to let his aggression out on her body.
    Just one more time.

CHAPTER TWELVE
    Marcus
     
     
     
    Marcus walked her to the car, his thoughts lost on who the fuck it was he was standing next to. Kate wasn't acting anything like the girl he knew. Was she drugged again? How dare she let Victor put his damn hands on her like she was some sort of whore? A soft growl left him as he moved from her and walked around the car.
    He needed to punch something, to put his hand through a wall or two. He didn't dare look at her over the top of the car, though he could feel her eyes on him. Not happening. He was too close to snapping and letting her take the brunt of the emotions that beat against him.
    Getting into the car, he sat back and closed his eyes, wanting so bad to scream into the emptiness, to scream at her. He didn't like the cop too much himself, but Kate's actions had been vile - horribly cruel. It was something he would have done to some bitch in his younger years to remind her she wasn't anything but an occasional fuck. Kate would never have acted so heinously.
    A soft sob left her as he turned on the car and pulled out of the driveway. Marcus glanced over as her hands pressed to her face. The scream that filled the car shook him to his core.
    "Thank God. I honestly thought the fucking world was flipping upside down." He reached over and slid his hand behind her back as she sobbed loudly. Something deep inside of him softened and he tugged the wheel, pulling the car onto the side of the road beside a long row of large houses.
    "Come here." Marcus tugged at her arms until she moved toward him. He leaned over into her seat as best he could and wrapped his arms around her. She pressed her face against his shoulder and bled her heart out. It wasn't her at all in Victor's arms, but some hardened version of herself. Had he forced her to do that? To make a fool of herself in front of them? Nothing could have been more demeaning for Kate.
    "I hate myself," she whispered and tightened her hold on him.
    "No you don't. You had to do what you had to do, Kate. We're not given the luxury of sweetly sending messages to people to back up. You had to stab Jon in the heart good, right?" Marcus moved back a little, needing her to validate his thoughts. She wasn't the heartless cunt he thought her to be a moment ago. She was still Katie, still his girl.
    She moved back into her seat and let out a shaky breath as she wiped at her eyes. Mascara smeared across her cheeks and damn if he didn't want to get out of the car and take away any of the worries he could for her. He needed to rein himself in. She didn't belong to Jon or Victor and she sure as fuck didn't belong to him.
    He wanted her too. It had been too many years he found himself wanting her. He would have to push back a little or he would find himself on his knees in front of her, begging her to love