Marcus

Chapter Twenty Three

 Marcus ~

Marcus clenched his back teeth, locking his jaw in place with so much force that he thought they might crack from the pressure as he read the transcript on the page.

Fox took Caroline...my Caroline, from me for seven fucking years and he's threatening to do it again.

The undiluted rage that crept up the side of Marcus' neck filled his veins and coursed through him faster than he could control it.

What if he's already given that monster Caroline's name? What if she's already in danger?

"You okay Mac?" Caleb's voice resonated in his ears but it sounded muffled and distant, leaving him unable to focus on it at all. 

The air in the room became thick and difficult to breathe, causing Marcus' chest to start to pump harder in an effort to take in a full breath. Fox's threat sent a surge of adrenaline through Marcus' body and he couldn't control it, he couldn't contain it which only angered him more. 

I can't let him take her from me again. Not again.

Feeling Caroline's gentle touch pulled him back to the present, but only long enough to realize how devastated he'd be if that touch was taken from him again.

"I need a minute." Marcus growled, standing with so much force his chair fell backwards, pulling every eye in the room towards him.

With his hands balled into fists and every muscle in his upper body tensed, Marcus stormed out into the break room, trying and failing to regain his composure.

"This can't be happening. I can't let this happen." Marcus said under his breath as he paced back and forth in the break room.

Marcus was too lost in his own thoughts - in his own hatred to realize that anyone else had entered the room as he slowly paced back and forth.

"Take it easy, Mac." Declan said, low and calm as he made his way into the room with Pierce and Caleb following closely behind him.

"Listen to him Marcus, you gotta calm down man." Pierce echoed.

Their words hit his ears, but they were meaningless and forgettable compared to the terror and anger that was flooding his mind at the moment.

"I can't let him hurt her. I won't." Marcus growled.

"We know that, and we're right here to help." Caleb affirmed.

Marcus wanted to feel comforted by his teammate's words, but he was too angry - he was too scared to let their words sink in deep enough to calm his raging heart.

"What if those transcripts are old? What if Fox has already given that fucking animal Caroline's identity?" Marcus mused in a low panicked voice.

"Then we'll handle it as a team, the way we always do." Declan reassured him.

"Caroline is part of this family and we protect our own." Pierce added.

Their words were genuine and their hearts were in the right place, but their words weren't sinking in. They weren't enough to calm Marcus down.

"It's not enough." Marcus growled.

Every man in the room stopped and exchanged confused glances at Marcus' words, but let him continue.

"I need to get ahead of it. If I go after Fox, it'll end before it begins." Marcus seethed, picturing how satisfying it would be to end Fox's life for what he did to them.

Pierce whistles through his teeth at the gravity of what Marcus had just suggested. Going after someone of Fox's status in the CIA would be no easy task. Not to mention the fact that chasing him overseas meant Fox would have home field advantage with ten times the resources and assistance also the rules there were just...different.