Dangerous Desires

39

"I'll tell you when we get outside," I replied.

Mark raised an eyebrow at my cryptic response, but he didn't press any further. Instead, he simply nodded and followed me as I headed towards the door. "Alright, lead the way," he said, his voice tinged with curiosity and anticipation.

I continued to walk out "If Arsenio thinks he is going to sleep with that woman tonight, he thinks wrong,".

Mark chuckled as he listened to my words, following alongside me. He knew I was up to something, and he couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect. "So what are you going to do about it?" he prompted, still keeping his voice low as the two of us made our way outside.

"Antonio is going to kill her, she is a homewrecker, she made Arsenio fall out of love with me," I said softly.

Mark's eyes widened at my statement, a mixture of surprise and admiration on his face. He knew I was a force to be reckoned with, but he had to admit that my plan was ruthless. "Damn," he said quietly, shaking his head in awe. "You really don't mess around, do you?"

"Well now Arsenio won't have her to fuck around with," I smiled.

Mark chuckled again, a sly grin spreading across his face. He couldn't deny that the thought of Arsenio being put in his place was oddly amusing. "Well, that's one way to handle things," he said, shooting me a sidelong glance. "You're definitely not holding back, are you?" 

"That's the last time I'm doing something chaotic like that. I can tell how Antonio was pissed off with Arsenio anyways,".

Mark nodded in agreement, his expression sobering as he thought about Antonio. The man had always been fiercely protective of me and he had never been fond of Arsenio to begin with. "Antonio's been itching to tear into him for months now," he said quietly. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping he would finally get the chance."

The two of us continued walking, the cool evening air enveloping me in its embrace. Mark looked over at me, studying my profile for a moment before speaking again. "You know, most women would be a complete mess right now," he commented, his voice tinged with admiration. "But you...you're handling all of this like a damn expert."

"I don't want to keep crying, yes I am hurt. And I am hurting," I looked at him "But you're helping me so much, you've helped me since I was 16..."

Mark's expression softened as he looked back at me, a flicker of emotions passing over his features. He knew that I had been through a lot over the years and that I had leaned on him more than once for support. "And I'll keep helping you," he said quietly, his voice filled with fierce determination. "I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what."

He paused for a moment, searching my face. "You know that, right?" he asked, his tone gentle but firm. "You know that you can always come to me, no matter what. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll do whatever I can to help you through this crap."

"I know and I will appreciate you forever," I smiled softly.

Mark smiled back at me, his eyes softening. He could feel my gratitude and it filled him with a sense of pride and purpose. "You don't have to thank me," he said quietly, his voice filled with sincerity. "Just knowing that I can be there for you is all the thanks I need."

He glanced up at the darkening sky as we continued walking along. The night was beginning to settle in, the stars slowly becoming visible in the velvety blackness. "You've always been so strong, you know that?" he commented, his gaze returning to me. "It's one of the things I admire about you the most."

"Really?" I looked at him.

"Really." Mark nodded firmly, his gaze meeting mine with unwavering intensity. "You've gone through so much over the years, and you've always come out on top," he said, his voice filled with respect. "You've never let anything break you, and you've always found a way to keep moving forward. It's...remarkable."

He chuckled suddenly, a hint of playfulness returning to his tone. "It's also frustrating as hell," he admitted, shaking his head slightly. "I mean, how am I supposed to keep up with you if you're always so damn strong and capable?"

"Because it's possible," I looked at him gently "I shouldn't be admitting this right now but I have these feelings towards you... since these past 3 months. Arsenio wasn't giving me love but you were,".

Mark felt his heart skip a beat at my confession, the words hanging heavily between us. He had always harboured feelings for me but he had never dreamed that I might feel the same. He stopped walking, his eyes wide as he gazed at me. "You...you do?" He asked quietly, his voice filled with a mix of hope and disbelief. I nodded as I looked at him gently.

Mark's heart raced as he processed my words, a wave of emotions crashing over him. For so long he had wished and hoped for this moment, and now that it was here, he couldn't believe it was really happening. He stepped closer, taking my hands in his. "For real?" he asked again, his voice quiet and hopeful. "You...you really have feelings for me?"

"Yes," I nodded again.

Mark's eyes searched mine for any sign of dishonesty, but all he found was sincerity. The realization that I truly felt the same way he did filled him with a surge of joy and excitement. His grip on my hands tightened slightly as he drew even closer, his heart pounding in his chest. "I...I can hardly believe it," he said quietly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I've always wanted this, always wanted you."

He lifted one hand, gently resting it against my cheek. He could feel the softness of my skin against his fingertips, and the intimacy of the gesture sent a shiver down his spine.