How she hadn’t expected to see Markus was beyond her. Wherever Jace was, Markus was close behind. They were best friends, but seeing him up close, within reach, was almost too much to handle. She was completely speechless around him. Even when the conversation came to her, she mumbled something and then looked down at her phone dumbly. She wasn’t one of those girls who lived on her phone, she loved to see the scenery around her, but Markus was the first break of sunlight during a beautiful sunrise over a hill and she couldn’t look directly at him.

He stunned her.

But when Avery and Jace went off to dance, leaving her with Markus, something happened that she’d never thought in her wildest dreams would ever come to pass.

“Hey.”

When she looked up, Mekena couldn’t believe Markus was talking to her. Glancing around, she noticed no one else was nearby, so she pointed to herself. “Me?”

He laughed, his eyes burning a hole in her soul as he said, “Yeah, what’s up?”

Oh, he wants ketchup. Reaching for the ketchup bottle, she handed it to him. Taking it from her in confusion, he smiled. “Thanks?”

“You didn’t want that?”

He laughed. “No, I asked what’s up.”

Looking away to hide her burning face, she moved her gaze down to the table as the clank of the glass bottle of ketchup sounded when it hit the surface. God, she was an idiot! Who just hands someone fucking ketchup?

“So, Mekena, right? You’re Skylar’s little sister?”

Swallowing hard since he was obviously talking to her and she had to talk back, she looked up and nodded. “Yeah, that’s me.”

His grin never stopped. “Cool, I think I’ve seen you around campus and at the games.”

He noticed her?!

Holy shit!

Choking on her words, she mumbled out, “Yeah, I go to watch my sister and the game because I love hockey and I love watching it. My parents make me go for my sister, but really, I go for the hockey.”

Markus’s grin grew bigger somehow. “So you like hockey?”

“I do!” she gushed, leaning on the table. Being so forward was very unusual for her, but then, no guy ever asked if she liked hockey. “Yeah, my dad and I go all the time. My favorite team is the Assassins, of course.”

“Well, duh! They’re the best.”

“Right? Do you go to their games?”

“Yup, every chance I get. I’m busy with my own schedule, though.”

She smiled as she nodded. “I know, you’re great. Though your backchecking needs some work, and you aren’t aggressive enough. You’re too busy talking trash than actually getting the puck away from the forward coming toward you.”

His eyes narrowed some. “Wow. I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be. That was what my dad said the other night, and I just remember it,” she said, a grin pulling at her lips, and he laughed.

“You almost had me!”

“Though, I do know what he means, and he is right.”

Markus’s eyes widened a bit. “Jeez, burst my ego, why don’t ya.”

She waved him off. “I’m sure your ego is well intact. My opinion doesn’t matter.”

He scoffed. “Who says?”

“Me.”

“Well, I disagree,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers, and soon a grin pulled at her lips. “You don’t look anything like Skylar.”

She brushed her hair back behind her ear. “I take after my mom. Skylar takes after my dad.”

He leaned in, and her breath caught as he whispered, “Can I tell you a secret?”

Angling toward him, she nodded. “Sure…”

“I think you’re prettier, but don’t tell her that ’cause she might kill me with her thighs,” he said cautiously, and she laughed. Not at the thigh comment but at the prettier one.

“Have you seen Skylar? She’s gorgeous.”

He shrugged. “Eh, she’s so out there. Tits, ass, all hanging out for any dude to ogle. You know? I like a little surprise, a little mystery of the unknown, and plus, I don’t want some guy ogling my girl’s bits.”

“That’s a very interesting way of looking at it,” she said breathlessly because someone thought she was prettier than her sister. That never happened!

“I know, I’m weird, but like, right now, are your tits big? I don’t know because you’ve got that huge sweater on. Your eyes, are they blue or green? I can’t tell ’cause of the reflection of the light in your glasses. So of course, I want to take them off, brush your hair out of your eyes, and look deep into them. You’re a mystery, and I like that. Skylar, she’s in your face. But you passed me the ketchup.”

She sputtered with laughter. “I’m an idiot.”

“You’re gorgeous.”

She could only blink, and from that moment on, she knew she’d never be the same.

And Lord, was she right because just a few short months later, Skylar happened and the betrayal was bone-deep. Mekena could still feel the knife in her chest, her back, and her heart. But seeing him tonight, his eyes…she saw such pain. While she couldn’t really believe it, it matched hers. He looked in as much pain as she felt. She wasn’t sure what that was about. Maybe he realized what he’d lost and he regretted it. But then, if that was the case, why cheat? They could still be together, still be in love, but nope, she talked to her cat on a regular basis because he was the only one that understood her, and Markus was probably off fucking anything with a vagina.

Cuddling deeper into the pillows, she knew she should get undressed, but she couldn’t bring herself to get up. Not now, maybe not ever. Maybe she could just hide in her cabin, turn off all the lights so people thought she wasn’t there. But that would be silly of her. Plus, she needed the money Lucy was paying her, and she wanted to see Avery. No, she’d have to grow some lady balls and do what she needed to do—which was ignore Markus and do her job.

No matter how hard it was.

She wasn’t sure what time it was, but she was almost asleep when she heard a rustling outside. Lifting her head, she looked toward her door as Mr. Right did the same. When the front door opened, she popped up quick, letting out a little cry.

The cabin killer!

Reaching for the closest thing she could find, an umbrella stashed in the corner of the room, she took off running toward the living room. It was dark, but she could see an outline of a person. She’d be damned if she was going to die tonight. She swung the umbrella, and it came in contact with the person with a loud thunk before she pulled back, hitting the person once more.