The Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) - Kiki Clark Page 0,30
over his chest and lifted his chin, daring Kincaid to say Marcus wouldn’t be telling him anything.
Kincaid hummed and gestured at Torres to go into the living room. She smiled and winked at Robson, then stepped past him carrying a large gift bag that left the scent of incense behind. He frowned after her, not sure he liked her being so close to his sister or niece after what had happened at her shop.
“Listen, I’ll admit I was wrong about the whole mobster slash human trafficking thing,” he said, watching Torres pull something out of her bag in a little cloth baggy, “but that woman attacked me at her shop. So why should I not be kicking her out?”
Kincaid chuckled and released his hold on Marcus—finally. “Witchcraft is tricky business.”
Robson had been running his eyes over Marcus, trying to decide how to make him look like the arrogant man in the rec center again, when Kincaid’s words sunk in and he whipped his head over to him. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Slapping a hand on Robson’s shoulder, he stepped past him, apparently done with the conversation. Entering the living room, he called to the dark-haired guy still holding Robson’s niece. “Mate, give me that pup and no one gets hurt.”
“Umm.” The guy handed over his niece, then stayed pressed against Kincaid’s side, watching the baby. Reesa and Patrick were smiling widely—hell, Patrick looked downright excited to have Kincaid holding his newborn daughter. The rest of his family was either smiling in confusion or not paying attention, talking among themselves.
“I should get back,” Marcus said softly behind him, causing Robson to spin around and glare at him.
“What about my explanation?”
Marcus studied Robson’s face closely, but he didn’t know why. It seemed like he was trying to memorize his features or something. “Tonight,” he finally murmured. “I’ll meet you at the farmhouse when the sun goes down.”
He turned to go, and Robson reached out and grabbed his arm before he got more than a step. “Wait. Where are you going? You didn’t even get to hold the baby yet.”
His eyes darkening to emerald once more, Marcus eyed Robson’s hold on him, following the line of his arm up to his face and cocking his head slightly in confusion. “Back to work.”
Fuck, that should not be so adorable now that I know there’s some sort of canine instinct behind it.
Robson glanced back at his family, but only Hector was watching them, his gaze on Marcus knowing and a little wary. He knew he’d have to have a conversation with Hector at some point, but he wanted to wait until he knew things for certain, including how much he was supposed to share. Hector had seen the same thing Robson had when they’d entered the bedroom, so he wasn’t sure what he’d say if Hector demanded answers. Though his comment about things making sense definitely made it seem like he knew more than Robson did at the moment.
Nodding toward the door, Robson let his hand fall away and followed Marcus out onto the front porch.
“Promise me you’ll come tonight.” He wasn’t sure why he was pushing so hard, but something in him didn’t want Marcus to leave without an ironclad assurance Robson would see him again soon.
Marcus’s beautiful eyes flashed to their animalistic glow for half of a breath, and then it was gone and he was back to normal. It was enough to make Robson’s breath catch in his throat, though, and his pulse to speed up just a little.
Prowling forward, Marcus eyed Robson’s chest. “Are you afraid of me?”
The porch wasn’t very big, so two steps backward and Robson’s ass was pressed against the wrought-iron railing. “You could kill me with less effort than it takes me to lift a pen, couldn’t you?”
Marcus stopped with mere inches between them and nodded, his eyes fierce as they studied Robson so closely he could practically feel a physical touch.
“Then why shouldn’t I be afraid?”
Marcus’s gaze dropped to Robson’s mouth, and he couldn’t stop himself from licking his bottom lip, inordinately pleased when Marcus sucked in a breath at the sight of his tongue.
“Because,” Marcus said slowly, voice barely more than a rumble, “I would do anything to keep you safe and happy. Even if that means staying away from you.”
Without another word or waiting for Robson to figure out what the fuck that meant, Marcus leapt over the porch railing and strode toward his SUV, driving away without looking back once.