Chapter 51

Leila POV

I sat half listening to the conversation as my target droned on in front of me.

I was distracted.

Something that I wasn't use to while working, I had always had an unbreakable focus, but I had a fee thing weighing down on my mind lately.

One was Alec, which Monica was helping me with, that I was grateful for, but Alec and I had been fighting like cats and dogs because I wanted him to get out of the game entirely and just focus on music, I knee both Christian and Marshall had the connections to find him a cushy producer job that kept him off the streets and out of harm's way.

But not Alec.

It seems you can take the boy out of the hood but you can't take the hood out of the boy.

My nagging was getting m nowhere.

I was petrified of losing the only real family I had left and it was slowly driving me crazy because I feared Alec would have the same outcome as Tommy one day.

The other distinction, was, of course, Marshall.

He was currently in New York.

I had never been much for thinking of other people but myself, but something was urging me to pick up the phone and constantly text or call him, which I had been forcing myself not to.

I thought about all the women that most likely were surrounding him, throwing their bodies at him.

A pang of jealousy ran through me.

"Earth to Leila, you there?" Marc's voice rang through the earpiece.

I zoned back into the man in front of me, now agitated because the thoughts of other woman began to bother me.

"Would you like to take this to the room? I happen to be staying upstairs, I also have some very expensive champagne"

I nod, placing my best flirtatious smile on my lips, internally dry retching.

I wondered how often Marshall pulled those kinda moves?.

When he first came across me he pretty much laid it all out on the table, propositioning me then and there, so it was clear he was comfortable doing that kinda thing.

Snapping out of my thoughts as I felt the Target's hand on my ass, gently squeezing it.

My skin crawled as I smiled at him as we stood in the elevator.

Fighting the urge to simultaneously roll my eyes and vomit in my mouth.

---

"You ok?" Marc asked as we drove back to my house.

"Yes, why?"

"Well, let's just say you're lucky you're attractive and that's all the target seemed to be interested in because you were checked out of the situation completely, I could see it across the room" He said and gave me a raised eyebrow "Alec doin' ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine, obnoxious and pig-headed but he's fine," said checking my phone again, I texted an hour ago "I'm sorry, I know I'm distracted lately, so much going on"

"Gonna tell me what's up?"

Marc was one of those people I knew I could trust, over our time working together in the force, supporting him through his divorce and then starting the company together, we had become close friends and colleges.

"Well, I've starts to see someone, and as you know, I'm not seasoned in the whole dating someone on an emotional level"

He nods "I figured because you've been checking your phone like crazy"

"Really?"

"Like a teenager" He says with a chuckle "So, you're officially having an adult relationship and now feeling insecure?"

"I'm not sure, all I know is that he out of town for the week and I've been thinking about him and other women like crazy"

"Has he said anything to trigger that thought pattern?"

"Well no, he has a womanising past, and he's sure popular with the ladies now..."

"And? A man can be popular with the ladies and still be faithful, not all men are cheating scum, most, but not all of us, maybe give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"I would expect we have a bit of a past and I'm not sure what to expect, I don't even know what we are, to be honest, not that we have labelled it or anything"

"Then don't" He said turning into my driveway "No expectations means no disappointments, of course that doesn't go without saying make sure he does more than the bare minimum"

"I guess..."

"And if he doesn't turn out to be a genuine man, have Alec dump him in a shallow grave in the middle of nowhere for a while"

I shake my head and snort "That's a terrible torture, he would definitely enjoy doing that to anyone I'm romantic with"

"I wouldn't think too much into it, take my advice as a man, he's not thinking too much into it either, trust me"

I nod and slid out of the car, heading towards my front door, waving to Marc as he pulled away as I went inside.

"Honey I'm home" I yelled, Alec walking out of the bathroom as I closed the front door.

"Yo" He said with a grunted lazily "Something came for you, it's in the kitchen"

I raise my eyebrows and make a beeline got the kitchen, placing my bag down on the table and stopping in front of the box.

I picked up the card and opened it.

"Lala,

For the long nights without me, something to keep you company until I get back.

M"

I opened the box and moved the tissue paper, rolling my eyes when I saw a stuffed Goat, with a collar that said Marshall around its neck.

I bite my lip as a rush flows through my body.

Why.

I reach over to my handbag and pull out my phone leaning against the counter, my fingers finding their way to his name and covering over the message symbol.

"Just fuckin' message him" Alec's voice came from in front of me "You've been agonizing over it for days, stop being so proud"

Snapping my head up startled, because I had completely forgotten I was no longer in my house alone, I see Alec pick up the goat to study it.

I snatch it back out of his hand shoving it back in the box and closing it "Mind your own goddamn business"

"I get it" He said with an amused smirk, holding his hands up "Don't touch your goat"

I glared at him, suddenly having to remind myself that he in fact already had an injury.

"Don't you have Monica here to bother?"

"Damn Lala, you're a bitch when Marshalls MIA, and soon, she's on her way over" He said casually, before cackling to himself and sauntering out of the kitchen.

I huffed to myself, snatching the box and card off the counter and went to my bedroom, placing it on my bed and sitting down, pulling my phone out again.

Fuck it.

As I was about to hit send on the text I had just typed, Marshall's name popped up on face time.