Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) by Sarah Duncan (reading tree txt) 📕

understand what I did to Abbey to make her turn against me. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Marcus offers me a sympathetic smile. “We’ll get to the bottom of it, Lex. The most important thing right now is keeping you safe.”

I return the smile, “Thanks, Marcus.”

Marcus stands from the bed, and I sink back down as he switches off the lamp again and resettles on the floor.

“Lex.” He whispers. “Give me your hand.”

I roll over onto my side, knowing what Marcus means, and I dangle my arm over the edge of his bed, my hand finding his in the dark.

“Marcus?” I whisper.

“Yeah?” I can just make out his shadowed form.

“Thank you.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“What the fuck!”

A familiar deep voice drags me out of sleep, and I crack my eyes open looking around, only no one is there. Did I dream that? Confused, I take in Marcus’s bedroom, from the crumpled blankets on the floor where he had slept last night, to his open bedroom door.

I should sneak back to my room before Andrea or Barb find me in here. It probably won’t go down too well if they find me in Marcus’s bed, so I move to slip out of his bed but freeze when I hear a door bang down the hall, followed by shouting.

What the hell?

The next thing I know, I’m having a deer in headlights moment when Ayden drags a still dripping wet, barely covered by a towel Marcus into the bedroom.

“Wanna explain this to me?” Ayden hisses, his face turning red in fury as he points to me.

Well, fuck me. A fury faced Ayden is even hotter!

“Stop being a dick man! What the fuck is your problem?” Marcus hisses, clutching the towel to keep his junk covered.

Ayden growls, slamming Marcus up against his door, their faces mere centimetres apart.

“What the fuck do you think dickhead? Why is my girl in your fucking bed?”

Oh, Jesus. I know I shouldn’t be getting all swoony about him calling me his girl since I’m the one pushing this whole friends only thing, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it makes my tummy do a stupid little flip.

Marcus shoves Ayden back off him, barely catching his towel in time when it slips down his hips.

“Look on the floor on the other side of the bed, cockhead!”

Ayden rips his glare away from Marcus to me before he takes the few steps past the end of the bed to see the pile of blankets on the floor.

“What in the hell is going on?” Great! Barb is here to join the party!

“Ayden, what is all the yelling about?” And… there’s Andrea.

Kill. Me. Now!

“Why don’t you ask this tool? He’s the one carrying on like a dickhead.” Marcus sneers, causing his mum to glare at him.

“Stop swearing, Marcus.” She scolds with her hands firmly on her giraffe flannelette covered hips.

“Ayden?” Andrea snaps, glancing at me warily before turning her attention to her son.

Ayden’s eyes are still locked on the floor where the blankets are, and then his face twists in torment. I hate seeing it. I really just want to climb across this bed and wrap my arms around him. But I won’t, because he deserves more.

“Lexi slept in Marcus’s bed,” Ayden says quietly before looking at me in confusion.

“I can see that.” Barb’s curt tone draws my attention, and I silently wish I could shrink back into the shadows and disappear.

“Mum quit it, would you? Lexi gets nightmares, and if she’s alone, she can’t sleep. I offered her my bed because you bloody raised me to be a gentleman. I slept on the floor.” Marcus pushes past his mum to grab some clothes out of his drawers, his pale arse exposed to everyone in the room. Meanwhile, I’m still huddled in his bed with Ayden, Andrea and Barb all staring at me.

My face heats, and I feel a whole new level of humiliation. Not only am I the girl that got assaulted by her brother, manhandled by her dad, forgotten by her mum, and pushed to breaking point by Tasha, but I’m also the girl that needs to co-sleep with someone just to get some fucking shut-eye.

I throw the blankets off me, sliding out of the bed on the opposite side where Ayden stands, and turn my glare on him.

“You know, instead of going all caveman Ayden, you could have just asked me what was going on.”

Beyond embarrassed with four sets of eyes on me, I run out of Marcus’s room and back into the one that is meant to be mine, locking the door behind me. I hide under the horrid floral blankets and ignore Ayden and Marcus each time they come to the door, asking if they can come in. I stay that way until the house goes silent, and I know that the boys have left for school, and the adults have left for work.

Deciding it’s safe to come out now that the house is empty, I shower quickly, keeping my eye on the door the whole time, even though it's locked. After I’m clean, I stew over what to wear today since I don’t know what to do with myself for my first day of suspension. Deciding to go with comfort, I slip into my red trackies and my black Billie Eilish tee, tucking it up under my bra at the back.

I’ve never been suspended before. It seems weird to me that the school thinks it’s a punishment. Kids don’t even want to be at school. This is totally not a punishment to me. I guess if I had to stay alone in my house, it might be a different story.

After readying myself for the day, I make my way downstairs, only to find Andrea in the kitchen doing dishes. I thought she had left earlier when the others did, but I guess I was wrong.

“Take a seat, honey. I’ll cook you some toast.” Andrea smiles warmly, and I give her a small smile