An Arranged Marriage, To Mr. Cocky Over There? [COMPLETED]

Three's a Crowd

CHAPTER 22

I woke up feeling groggy as hell the next day. My eyes struggled to adjust to the slow stream of light coming through my curtains. I groaned, stretching my sore limbs out.

"Morning Princess," a voice greeted me from the side of me. I yelped and last night's memories flooded through my mind. Rhys was actually here, next to me. Of course I didn't forgiven him just yet. It would be too easy to just let him off the hook.

I was not that girl.

"Rhys, you need to leave before anyone in my family sees you." I groaned as I tried to shove his huge figure off my bed. With no progress, he didn't even seem to budge.

"I'm sure your parents will be so happy to see me."

"Are you daft?" I asked sarcastically. "You do know in their eyes you broke their daughter's heart right?"

"Yea but the same way you forgave me, I'm sure they will too." He smiled sheepishly, the corner of his lips tugged up devilishly.

"Firstly, I haven't let you off the hook. Secondly, because of you they lost their daughter. I'm not the same person I use to be and I'm sure a piece of them blames you for it."

"Oh c'mon Kace, you-" He began but was suddenly cut off from the voice of my mother's behind my bedroom door.

"Honey! Mark is here, I'm letting him come up okay?"

Shit.

Rhys' judging face laid on mine. I bit on my lip, pleading to myself that he wouldn't put two and two together. I rushed out of the bed and tried to make myself look presentable. But it was pretty impossible me trying to fix the mess that was my face. I did spend practically the whole night crying.

"Kace, why is Mark here in your house so early?" Rhys' questioned. I already started to hear the venom leak out into it. The guy was smarter than he looked.

"Well , uh, a lot has changed since we last saw each other Rhys. You have to know that I was a mess, and well, Mark was there for me through it all."

"You better not fucking tell me you're with that dick, Kace." Yup there it was.

"Rhys, I need you to go, preferably through the window because I can't risk anyone seeing you here. Please."

"To hell I'm not going anywhere!" He sneered through clenched teeth. I looked towards him, watching the way his jaw worked back and forth. He looked like he was about to kill someone.

"Knock, knock." I listened as Mark stood outside my closed door.

"I'm going to show that fucker my fist." Rhys stated as he made the motion to get up. I rushed to block his path.

"Rhys please don't do this," I whispered only loud enough that only he could hear me, "Hide in the cupboard and I'll send him away...and then we could talk about this whole mess."

He looked at me, contemplating. "Please," I pleaded once again. His shoulders slouched and he gave me one last longing look before he retreated in the direction of my closet.

"Lacey you up?" Mark asked once again behind the door.

"Yes, I'm coming." I replied, trying my best to keep my voice steady. This whole thing was a mess and I was just waiting for it to blow up in my face. "Hey." I greeted him, once I opened the door.

"Hey." He mimicked, grabbing my face and pulled me into a kiss. A wave of guilt washed over me and I knew Rhys was seeing this through the closet louvers. I pulled away from him, trying to be discreet as possible.

"What's up?" I asked as nonchalant as I could manage.

"It's just last night you seemed bothered and I just wanted to make sure you were okay. What spooked you out so much? Like the caller was a ghost?"

I faked a laugh at his play on words. Slightly irked he was fishing for information when he knew it was Rhys who called me.

"Yea I'm okay now. I'm actually going to head by Sasha in a bit."

"That's good." He replied, but there was no sincerity in his voice only disappointment.

"Listen." He continued. I waited in agony for what he was about to say. A part of me knew I wouldn't like what was coming, or at least how I was going to deal with it. "I just want you to know, you coming back into my life is probably one of the greatest things that have ever happened in my life. I love you so much Kace, to be honest, I don't think I could see a world without you right now. I just want you to know I'll always be here for you." Fuck, Rhys is probably about to trip.

I had no idea what to say back to him. Especially with Rhys hiding in the closet. It was such a vulnerable situation and I knew it took a lot out of Mark to profess everything to me. To give me a whole piece of him I wasn't sure I was ready to take.

I wanted to tell him I felt the same. I wanted to make him the happiest girl in the world but my gut told me I would be lying. Over the past few weeks I did fall for Mark, it was a happiness I could see myself with for a long time. But that happiness would eventually fail and I would resent him. Only because I knew the person who I really wanted would have gotten away. That person was also in the room.

"Mark, I-" I was about to finish but was cut off.

Pandora's box seemed to be opened.

"Get the fuck away from my girl." Rhys' voice echoed through the walls as he submerged from hiding.

My heart seemed to drop into my stomach as I dreaded the moments to follow.

Mark's face seemed to distort in pain as he looked at me accusingly. I couldn't avoid the hurt in his eyes if I tried. I saw his heart break into tiny pieces right in front of me and it killed me knowing it was my fault.

"Why the hell is this asshole in your room Kace?" Mark shouted towards Rhys, whom had daggers basically shooting out of his eyes.

"I-" I started, trying to figure out what were the right words but before I knew it punches were flying and the only two men in my life seemed to be trying to kill each other right before me.

I had to stop it.