Chapter 33

Leila POV

"No"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to"

"But it's not like we have anything else to do" Marshall shrugs.

"I'm not doing that with you"

He bites his lip and leans in closer "Please?"

"Are you seriously begging for it right now?"

He nods "Don't be such a stiff, come on, you'll like it"

"I'm not touching you" I say shaking my head.

"But my back is killing me, and I said I'm gonna return the favour" He says and wiggles his eyebrows "I got magic fingers, I got you, you know what they can do"

I roll my eyes "This is a cabin not a beauty parlour, I'm not massaging you"

He sits back and huffs "Boring ass"

"You want someone to rub your back you should have kept your girlfriend" I said with a raised eyebrow.

His playful facial expression disappeared and was replaced by a stone cold stare in almost an instant, the comfortable atmosphere suddenly being sucked out of the room.

He opened his mouth and went to say something but then closed it again.

There was a thick awkward tension floating in the air and it weighed down unusually heavily on my shoulders.

I realised at that moment that maybe he still had feelings for Stella, and I felt an involuntary wave of envy.

It was out of pocket what I said I'm sure.

Ignoring to weird sudden emotion that I wasn't use to feeling, I stood, walling to the door, pulling my coat on, remembering I had something in the car.

I feel Marshall's presence behind me, taking a glimpse of his face, he still had an unreadable expression on his face.

The sudden mood change made me feel awkward knowing it was my fault.

"Where you going? Have you seen the weather? You're insane"

I opened the front door, him grabbing it behind me and standing in the doorway now frowning as I walked through the strong cold sharp winds to my car and opening the door.

Getting the item I came for, I closed the door, turning, just making his silhouette still watching me in the doorway through the curtain of snow.

Walking back towards the cabin I grab the railing to steady myself to walk up the stairs, slipping on an ice patch on the stairs, falling backward landing on my ass, with a sharp hard thud.

"Leila, you ok?!" I hear Marshall's panicked voice, as I see him charge towards me, slipping as he gets to me and landing with a thud next to me.

Here we were, both sitting on the snow-covered stone walkway out the front, wet, cold and being abused by the wind.

We looked at each other for a moment and then without warning bust out laughing.

Marshall standing up, holding his hand out to help me up, I grabbed it and stood, ignoring the numb pain that I felt because of the cols and we both went inside, limping like a couple of geriatrics.

"Are you ok?"

Marshall nods "Yeah, I'll be ok, what about you? Yours limping pretty bad, and you landed pretty hard"

I winced as I touched the side of my ass cheek, feeling the familiar heat under my skin, u buttoning and pulling down my jeans, revealing a rather large instant red and purple bruise forming.

I groan as the adrenaline wears off and the throbbing pain begins.

"That's gonna be impressive" Marshall said, sympathetic but the tone still laced with amusement "What the hell were you doing anyway?"

I reach into my parka jacket pocket and pull out a candy bar, handing it to him "I was out of pocket with the last comment, it's a peace offering"

Marshall chuckled taking the candy bar "Sit down you crazy bitch, so you got spare clothes? We're wet"

"Yeah but they're like leggings and yoga pants"

"Nah you gonna hurt" He said shaking his head and disappearing into the room he chose, returning moments later in grey sweats and a white t-shirt with an unzipped black hoodie, holding another jumper and a pair of grey sweats in his hand "Here, they'll be baggy as fuck on you"

"Um... Thanks" I said taking the clothing from, unsure of what else to say, running and heading to the room, and closing the door.

I stripped down, picking up the sweats first and pulling them on then the jumper.

I don't know what it was but I had an urge and I bought the jumper to my face, inhaling it, the familiar smell hitting me in the senses like a freight train

"You know, my shit looks damn good on you baby girl" He slurred, fingers tracing on my bare leg.

I shook my head.

Nope.

Now is not the time.

I pull the jumper on and put my hair into a by, and walk back out into the living room of the cabin.

I see Marshall sitting on the sofa, scribbling away on his rhyme book, quietly rapping words.

"Girl, I got racks you gotta rackHow you got all that back and nobody fatI'm in awe with that"

I sat down next to him, catching his attention.

"Can I ask you something?"

I nod as I reach for the glass of wine in front of me, hoping it would numb the pain I could find any pain killers.

"Out of all the concerts you've been to, which is your favourite? Of you had to choose one"

"The Recovery tour, Comerica Park in 2010, your first concert in Detroit after returning from your hiatus after becoming sober"

He looked at me in shock "Really?"

I nodded slowly "Yes"

"You've followed me my whole career, been to many of my concerts, why that one?"

"I like you better sober, you were a mess on the drugs" I said with a shrug.

"How do you know what I was like?"

"Anyways, it was a great concert, as a past fan I can tell you how relieving it is to see you sober" I continued, sipping my wine, ignoring his question as he eyed me "Christian made sure we had tickets"

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Curious one ain't you"

He chuckled and then held up his hands "That night I came to you're after you were attacked, have you got any other war wounds?"

At least he was moving away from any more questions about the past.

"Well... I have a few, I use to be a cop ao its part of the territory, unfortunately, I've been stabbed, beaten and shot at" I said pointing to body parts as I went, watching him as he seemed strangely over interested "And you,"

"None of mine are interesting, most were injuries when I was fucked up, and this" he said lifting his wrist, faint silver scar above the "Slit Me" tattoo.

"Suicide right?"

He nods "before I met Dre, times were dark and things weren't looking up"

"I get that" I sighed "Before the boys and I met Christian, life really was hell, I mean Tommy and Alec did their best, but we struggled, we were street kids with a fucked up home life, I'm surprised I survived"

"I can't see you as anything but a survivor if I'm being honest, I mean shit, you won't even take my shit"

I laugh.

"Well there are many life-altering moments that have made me this way"

"Tell me why we fight so much? We're so alike"

I stare at him.

The outline of his chiselled jaw hiding underneath his kept beard, blue eyes dark but still managed to spark and always speak a thousand words even when he wouldn't let his facial expression say a word.

"That's the problem, we are"

He leans in closer, body leaning into mine "You think that's a bad thing?"

My breath caught in my throat as he hovered, lips inches from mine.

"I- ye... No"

"Then why not?"

We sat there for a moment, his eyes studying mine, after a moment he sat back still staring at me as if he was trying to read me.

"I'm gonna figure you out, and that's a promise Baby"

-----

There was an annoying tapping on my leg. Gently shaking me.

I squinted, only to see the entire living area was light.

I raise my eyes only to come in contact with Alec's amused ones.

I frown at him "What"

"Didn't mean to disturb your cute little moment but we arrived 10 minutes ago and the rest aren't far off " He said, a smug smirk sitting on his lips, pointing at me, Monica standing next to him with an excited expression.

I was confused and went to stretch when I realised.

We had fallen asleep together at some point.

And I was currently being Spooned by a sleeping Marshall on the sofa, his arm wrapped around my waist from behind firmly.