Marcus

Chapter Twenty Four

Marcus ~

Holding Caroline against him was the easiest fix to any problem. She soothed his restless soul and was able to calm his nerves instantly just by being near him and it was a feeling that he had forgotten he needed.

Marcus was used to carrying around his anger and grief. He was used to packing it away and holding on to it, but Caroline's presence alone lightened the load. She refused to let him carry too much and was ready and willing to share the burden, keeping his heart calm and his anger in check.

"Let's take a break from all of this heaviness." Caroline said against his chest, before lifting her head and looking into his eyes.

"Why don't we all go out and enjoy ourselves tonight, leave all this shit here and just have fun." Caroline said brightly.

That sounded great in theory, but the truth was, Marcus had all but decided to hide Caroline away in his house until they had more intel on the Fox situation. There was a possibility that Fox had leaked her identity and if he had that meant Caroline was at risk everywhere she went.

Marcus scratched the back of his head, knowing she wouldn't be fond of his response.

"I don't know Red, what if Fox already outed you? If there's someone out there who knows your real name then..."

"Then they'll be headed to Colorado, not here." She said instantly with a mischievous grin.

"What?" Marcus asked, visibly confused.

"The second you suggested that Fox might be behind all of this in Germany, I put a plan into play - with Lainey's help. Remember when you gave me Lainey's number and told me I could call her if I needed her? Well...I did."

The corner of Marcus' mouth tipped up slightly and his loud voice bellowed across the hall toward Lainey.

"Hey Lainey girl, get in here will ya?" Marcus hollered, prompting Lainey and Caleb to appear.

"What's this I hear about you and Red conspiring behind my back?" Marcus said playfully, causing Caleb to look down at her with a confused expression.

Didn't even tell Caleb? Wow.

"Well Caroline called and said that while she couldn't explain much, she needed convincing evidence that you two had returned to her home town in Colorado. I falsified records of a plane tickets, home rental, and a phone number with a Colorado area code in her name with the calls forwarded to a cell phone so she can answer. I also hired a security company to place interior and exterior motion activated cameras that will alert Caroline if there is movement at her fake home."

Caleb folded his arms across his chest and smiled down at Lainey as he beamed with pride at her quick thinking and detailed plan.

That's fucking genius.

"I told Fox that you and I were going back to Colorado because it was more secluded and relaxing. Gave him the fake phone number and everything."

"But what about your actual cell phone? Fox could still track it and see your real location." Marcus said.

"I um...disabled her phone and gave her a new one that had calls forwarded from the Colorado number. I slipped it into the side of Caleb's bag that he left at your place with medical supplies for Caroline." Lainey said with a grin as she locked eyes with Caroline.

"You little sneak." Caleb playfully grabbed at Lainey's ticklish side.

"And you two did this without any of us knowing?" Marcus asked in amazement.