Marcus blanched as his eyes zeroed in on the photos in Kayleigh's hand as she stood shaking in front of him.

"What are these, Marcus?" Kayleigh repeated with tears in her eyes.

He stood up slowly and took a tentative step forward. His hand reached out and Kayleigh thought he was going for the photos, but he took her arm instead. Attempting to shake him off, the envelope fell from her hand and the photos spilt on the floor like blood.

The image of her kissing Marcus, or him kissing her, in his car, just in front of Kilton's House of Fashion, where Abi and Jack were standing across the road burned her eyes.

How was it possible?

She remembered the moment as a mere brush of their lips. It was almost accidental. And yet, the photo showed them locked in a passionate kiss that would have no end.

"Kay Kay, it's not what you think. Please, look at me," he said, his voice soft and steady.

Following his command, Kayleigh tore her eyes away and focused on the hazel of Marcus's irises until the fear and fire in them pierced through her. 

"Why do you have these photos, Marcus? Where did they come from?" she challenged.

The man stood frozen in front of her. His lips tightened and his jaw hardened, but he did not speak.

"Are you blackmailing me?" She wiped her angry tears before they could slip down her cheeks and prayed that her trembling legs wouldn't give way.

"What? Are you joking? Do you really think I'd blackmail you?"

"I don't know," Kayleigh answered weakly.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Marcus asked shaking her slightly. Then his hands cupped her face. "You know me. You've known me all your life!"

His tone was equal parts anger and hurt but his words only filled Kayleigh with more doubt.

"Do I?" she countered breaking free from his grasp. 

Marcus pressed the bridge of his nose, a disbelieving smile appearing on his lips. He ran his fingers through his hair and turned around as though looking for the answers to her question in the stars above them.

"Don't turn away from me," Kayleigh shouted in frustration. "Tell me why you have these photos!"

"I bought them," he growled through his clenched jaw before facing her again. 

She couldn't figure out his expression now. It was a mixture of fear and anger, frustration... and something she couldn't identify.

"What?"

"I knew that photo couldn't have been the only one. Don't tell me it didn't cross your mind, Kay. You and I both know there were more interesting moments to capture that day. So I made some calls and tracked down the photographer. I bought the master copies and the publishing rights. Abi and Monroe aren't the only ones who have friends."

Kayleigh stared back at him, wondering who the man in front of her was and whether she could trust him. The V between his brows, the sadness in his eyes and the depth of his frown told her he wasn't lying. But her brain was still spinning.

"How do you know there aren't any more copies of them? Maybe they'd already sold them to the magazine. For all we know, they might have sold them to other magazines..." Kay's voice drifted off as her fingers played with the hems of Abi's sleeves.

"Even if they did, they can't publish them," he shrugged. "Any existing copies are completely worthless."

"What if they use them to blackmail us?"

"What is it with you and blackmail?"

"I don't know! I'm scared, Marcus!" Kayleigh crossed her arms across her chest and started pacing.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you. Look, it's sorted. You have nothing to worry about..." But Marcus stopped suddenly seeing the flash of anger in her eyes.

"You didn't want to tell me?" she repeated in a low but dangerous voice. "You were going to keep this from me?"

Marcus opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish.

"How can you not tell me? This is my life, Marcus!"

"I got the photos three hours ago, okay? So, technically, I didn't hide-"

"You just said that you weren't going to tell me!"

"No, because I knew you'd just worry-"

"I don't care!" Kayleigh screamed back at him. "How many times do I have to tell you? I am not a little girl anymore! It's not your job to protect me-"

"Like hell it's not!"

"No, it's not! You don't own me! You don't owe me anything! I can take care of myself!"

"I never said anything to the contrary, Kay Kay, but that doesn't mean I'm going to look the other way when you need me!" Marcus replied, his voice rising for the first time.

"Oh wow! Bravo!" Kay yelled back, clapping her hands in mock applause. "So, I was right after all. I don't know you. Because the Marcus I remember had no problem looking the other way no matter how much I needed him."

"Oh my God! You don't know anything do you?"

"Know what?"

But Marcus didn't reply. He shut his mouth, glaring at the girl in front of him, forcing himself to calm down.

"Nothing," he said finally. He closed his eyes and drew his hand down his face.

Only Kayleigh wasn't ready for the argument to be over. She was too upset, the negative energy flooding her tiny body.

"That's right. Shut me out," she spat, the disappointment all too familiar to her. "Walk away from me again."

His eyes snapped to hers, hard and dark. Kayleigh knew he was on the verge of either exploding or running away but she held his gaze steadily. She was fed up with their ridiculous dance, and in that moment, she felt she had nothing left to lose. He had to understand. He had to know he couldn't play around with her anymore.

After what felt like an eternity, Marcus's face softened and his eyes dropped to the photos on the floor. Slowly, his shoulders drooped as he exhaled all his pent-up thoughts which she so desperately wanted to hear. He crouched down and picked up each photo with great care. He placed them carefully back into the envelope and when he stood up, he was so close to Kayleigh that his breath fanned her face. He looked into her eyes; no, into her soul; and pushed the envelope into her hand.

"What am I supposed to do with them?" she croaked, standing her ground.

"Whatever you want," he murmured. "They're yours."

Kayleigh didn't dare move, afraid that if she did they would make contact, or worse, he would disappear. But even though she remained still as a statue, even though she held her breath, Marcus finally tore his eyes away and walked up towards the room.

"Where are you going?" she called after him, the despair making its way back to her core.

"Out," he replied before slamming the door behind him.

#

A few hours later, Marcus Burrows unlocked the metal door to find his room empty. The lights were still on and the mugs still in the sink. His heart sped as though fired through a slingshot and his brain went into instant overdrive.

"Kay Kay?" he called up the staircase hoping she was in the bathroom.

He swore when there was no reply.

If she left in the middle of the night, if something happened to her because of his stupid temper, he would never forgive himself. He tried so hard for so long to keep his emotions to himself, not wanting to scare her, not wanting her to feel what he felt whenever he thought of her. But tonight, he failed. He was too close, for too long and her scent, her pleading eyes were too much for him.

She may never want to talk to him again, and hell it would serve him right for not being man enough to talk to her. But please let her be safe.

He rushed out to the garden and the relief washed through him like a river when he saw her sound asleep on the hammock. He exhaled steadily and sunk to the floor beside her, looking at her tear-stained face. Her fingers clutched the photos to her chest, the one at the front displaying an intimacy between them as they walked in Regent's Park that could never be matched in words.

Did she see it too? Did she feel it?

Even in her sleep, her expression looked worried. Marcus pushed her brown hair away from her face, his fingers lingering on her skin, trying to smooth out her knitted brow. She moved gently until her hand found his, and she nestled it comfortably against her face. Marcus's heart turned to butter as he held her tiny fingers and he rested his back against the nearest trunk.

"I don't look out for you because I think it's my job," he whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him. "I look out for you because you're all I can think about."

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I should have named this chapter 50 Shades of Marcus ;) Tell me, what do you think about our tamed Tarzan?