Chapter 38

Marshall POV

"Yeah, they are"

Standing I nod my head in the direction of the pool room, Leila stands and follows me down the corridor towards our destination, sitting on the couch next to me once we get there.

"What happened to the other?" I stared at the dog tag that sat low on her neckline "Did you bury the other with Tommy?"

"No" She said coldly, her gaze on me suddenly felt intense even though her expression was unreadable "I sent it back"

"I have one as I said, it's one of my favourite pieces after my gold rope"

She nods simply "You don't wear them?"

"Nah I do, just not as often as I use to back in the 2000s or the 2010s, I like to mix it up"

"Mine were a gift from Christian after Tommy passed, they had our nicknames on them, this is Tommy's," She said holding it up, the tag swinging as she swung it between her fingers, the tag displaying the words "Clyde" on it.

"And you sent yours back?"

"It's complicated"

"I'm getting the feeling, everything seems complicated when it comes to you" I snorted.

It wasn't a lie.

She was one of the most cryptic and complicated women I had ever met, and it was like trying to solve an elaborate puzzle that I couldn't give up.

So much was said yet so little information was pieced together and it was frustrating.

Sure she started to open up a little but everything felt like it was still in fucking riddles.

"Ain't you tired?" I say looking at the clock on the wall "It's 4 am"

She shook her head and gave a pained smile "Like you, I also have a lot on my mind late at night"

There was a silence between us for a moment as we sat side by side on the couch, only the sound of the clock ticking and the quiet buzzing of the drinks fridge running.

I looked at her from the side of my eye, she sat staring at the space in front of herself, in deep thought, playing with the dog tag.

"Yeah, that's why I'm often found writing or in the booth, I'm sure if I didn't I would lose my shit again"

"I do that with some of my target dossiers, when I was younger Tommy would force me to go to bed, he would say even if I stayed awake all night, he still knew I was safe in my bed" She then sighed "The irony is that he's the reason I was up many nights, overthinking"

"It's always the way isn't it" I say turning to her with a shrug "I know what it's like for someone to keep you awake at night, trust me"

"Thinking about Stella still keeping you awake at night?"

"No" I snort and shake my head "She's never kept me awake at night"

Leila gave me a look that I couldn't decipher, staring at me with curiosity in her eyes.

I licked my lips, leaning in towards her, placing my lips gently on hers, waiting for her to protest, but she didn't.

And I'm a simple man, I'll take it as a sign for an open invitation.

She kisses back and it gets deeper, more hungry, even borderline violent.

Her kiss was something that made my mind flip into a state of hysteria.

———

The light filling my bedroom woke me up, sitting up rubbing my eyes I slipped off my Ed, pulling on my grey sweats, while yawning and stretching as I walk to my bathroom.

After taking a piss I stood rubbing my beard, taking in my appearance, the black bags under my eyes evident that lack of sleep I had gotten.

Sure Marshall, let's add more wrinkles.

Maybe you should have thought about that before you started staying up all morning with Leila.

Maybe I should try Botox again?

The last time I did that Fifty gave me shit for weeks.

I sighed and made my way to the kitchen, wondering if Leila was awake yet.

I had zoned out thinking about the kiss we shared before going to bed separately.

Turning around I knocked a note over that was sitting on the counter.

I pick it up and start to read it.

"Superman,

Thanks for the hospitality.

Leila"

I raise my eyebrows and huff, she really snuck out.

I shrug placing the piece of paper down, grabbing a bowl of cereal and walk into my office, sitting down pulling out some paperwork that Paul had been nagging me about.

I half-ass read his post it's explaining a few things and read before I sign on the noted spaces, it's the most tedious part of a record label and I would rather drag my sack across the glass, which is why it's always overdue.

Shoving it away from me, I lean back in my chair and start stuffing my face with spoonfuls of the cereal I had bought in with me, thinking about Leila.

That's nothing new, when didn't I think of her.

I looked around, seeing the picture of Tommy and I laying on my desk.

There was a niggling feeling.

I place the bowl down in front of me and pick it up, studying it for the millionth time.

I pull out my bottom drawer where I shove everything, and I see a box.

I frown as I remember I placed it there years ago, reaching in I pull it out, placing it on the desk in front of me, and open the box, digging through it, throwing away used sharpies and dead pens I had kept from hotels, seeing something at the bottom.

Confused I picked up the tag.

My dog tag necklace had already two tags on it, not remembering where the other had come from so I put it away, replacing it with my old one.

"Bonnie" I say reading out the tag, racking my brain for the connection to my dream.

Was the woman in my dream Leila?

She was Bonnie?

I sat there staring at the tag for what felt like forever.

It made sense since the other was for Tommy and it said Clyde.

The more important question here was, why the fuck did I have her dog tag?

Did we have a past? Is that why she held me in contempt?

I groan, rubbing my hands over my face.

I needed to know what happened.

But she won't tell me.

Clearly I was an asshole at some point.

The bet is the only sure thing, but shit I'm struggling.

I was going to have to up the ante, pulling out all stops, I may need some help from the inside to get Leila the places I needed her alone.

I sigh standing and shoving the tag in my pocket before deciding what my next move was and pulling out my phone.

"Well Bonnie, let's see what our story is"