Chapter 305 - Claimed By My Stepbrother (Cadell Security Series)

Seona’s POV

After Davis leaves, Benny wastes no time locking the door of the bakery, turning he open sign on the door to closed and pulling down the blinds to block the view into the shop from the outside.

Moving back toward me, he tugs out his phone, scrolling through a list before punching on something.

‘W . .what are you doing?’ I ask shakily, my teeth are chattering and I’m shivering, I can’t seem to stop.

‘Calling Hallick’ the soldier replies curtly, about to lift the phone to his ear as I shake my head.

‘Already done . . ‘ I stammer, ‘texted . . . him.’

Benny snaps his attention to me, studying me for a split second before shoving the cell back into his pocket and reaching out for me, wrapping one hand around my shoulders and the other under my legs, lifting me easily as though I weight nothing.

‘I . . I’m OK’ I mumble awkwardly, I don’t know why, but it feels wrong for Benny to hold me like this.

‘Getting you to a chair Seona’ the soldier grunts roughly, ‘can’t sit on the floor, you’re in shock . . need to look at your hand too.’

I nod silently, letting the man do what he wants, all my fight draining from my body until I can barely hold up my head.

Placing me carefully onto the chair he was sitting in before, Benny crouches down in front of me, taking my hand in his, removing the serviette that still covers the wound gently and mutters a curse as blood immediately wells out of the cut.

‘Stay’ he orders, standing up and heading back into the kitchen, returning seconds later with a first aid kit. ‘Wasn’t under the wash basin’ he mutters darkly, ‘whoever used it last put it in the damn pantry. Damn it, I should have just left it and come straight back, not kept looking.’ His guilt ridden gaze rises to mine as I shake my head at him.

‘It wasn’t your fault Benny’ I tell him gently, ‘I didn’t think he would try to come in here, I mean we have cameras.’ I wave my uninjured hands up toward the very prominent security cameras that are in the left and right corner of the shop.

The soldier snorts, ‘fat lot of good they are’ he huffs, ‘not on when the alarm system isn’t set so they don’t record.’

My throat seizes slightly, I’d vaguely hoped that the threat Davis has made might be on tape, that we could use it somehow to make him leave me alone.

Opening the kit, Benny removes some sterile wipes, cream and a band aid, wiping at my skin with the wipe as I hiss from the pain.

‘Sorry, I’ve got to clean it’ he mutters, gripping my finger harder so I can’t pull it away. ‘I don’t think you need stitches, the skin is so thin here it looks a lot worse than it is’ he adds, dabbing some cream onto the cut before wrapping the ban air around the cut, sealing it inside.

‘Thank you’ I murmur to him, meeting his troubled gaze as he nods again, standing up abruptly and carrying the used medical supplies to the trash can, throwing them away.

Returning to my side, Benny leans against the wall beside me, arms crossed over his chest, a troubled look in his eyes as they continuously sweep the small room we are in.

I don’t think more than ten minutes pass before I hear something outside of the locked front door. I stiffen instinctively as Benny shoves off the wall, stalking cautiously toward the entrance just as a loud banging echoes from it.

I swallow down a scream of fear, what if it’s him! Has he come back? Can Benny protect me? What if he gets hurt?

I watch the soldier lift the edge of the blind that shields us from the outside world, peeking out before his shoulders relax slightly and he turns the lock, opening the door just wide enough to speak to whoever is outside.

He greets whoever is outside in a low tone, too quiet for me to hear as my gaze falls back to the floor again, exhaustion washing through me.

I hear the heavy thud of boots on the tiled floor of the shop and, realising the newcomer has enterer, I drag my gaze back to the door. My heart lifts, as Mark comes into view and with a strangled cry, I shove out of my seat, throwing myself at the huge man as the last of my fight leaves me.

Mark catches me easily, drawing me into his body as embarrassingly I start to cry.

‘I was so scared’ I babble almost incoherently, trying to get as close to my lifeline as I can, needing his strength all around me. ‘I froze’ I admit, shame hitting me like a gut punch, all the training that Mark had given me and I still froze when faced with the monster of my nightmares.

Mark murmurs comfort to me, telling me that it’s OK, not an ounce of disappointment evident in his tone as his strong hands graze over my hair, soothing me.

He holds me until he feels me shift lightly, seeming to instinctively know that I’m now strong enough for him to pull away. He steps back but keeps his hands on my arms, which I’m thankful for, I can’t stop shivering and the warmth from his palms seeps into my skin through my sweater.

The soldier studies me, his gaze scouring my face and body with an intensity that flusters me. I reach up, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear as I dip my head shyly, startling as Mark’s grip releases my arm suddenly only to grab my hand and pull it toward him.

I feel the shift in Mark’s demeanour as he inspects the band aid closely, his hot gaze moves from me to Benny and then back again.

‘What happened?’ he demands angrily, though somehow, I know that the anger isn’t aimed at me. ‘Who did this? Was it him? Did he hurt you?’

The soldier’s fury filled words fall from his lips at the speed of bullets, as his fingers tighten around my own. Despite his overwhelming anger, the military man still treats me carefully, the grip on my hand not painful, more . . . possessive.

I can somehow feel that Mark is spiralling, and I quickly shake my head, trying to get him to focus on me.

‘No, Mark! No, it’s OK’ I try to reason with him, reaching out with my uninjured hand to cup his cheek, hoping that it will pull him back to me.

‘I’m going to make him hurt so badly he’ll wish he never ever set foot in this place’ the soldier mutters darkly, shadows flickering behind his eyes dangerously.

‘Listen to me Mark’ I try again desperately, ‘Honey?’ The word slips past my lips before I can stop it and I bite down on my lower lip as I watch his gaze snap to mine, finally concentrating on me.

Oh God, did I mess up? I haven’t told him how I really feel about him, to be honest I was scared, terrified of my own feelings but right now, in this moment, I know they run deeper than just a crush. I’m falling for the man in front of me, but I don’t know how he feels about me, not really. I know he likes me, that he has a sense of protectiveness to me and he definitely likes my body, he made that abundantly clear.

I lick my lips anxiously as heat flares through me from just how thoroughly this man showed me that he approves of my body before, even as fear keeps any words from leaving my lips.

‘Benny’ the soldier barks suddenly, ‘leave, I got her from here.’

I don’t know if the other Cadell employee is surprised by Mark’s order, as I can’t tear my eyes away from the man in front of me, but I’m aware of the click of the lock on the front door before it quietly opens and closes.

‘Stay’ Mark orders me, stepping back as my hands fall to my sides, his intense gaze pinning me in place as he walks backward to the shop entrance, reaching behind him to relock it before covering the small distance between us and backing me against a wall.

I have to tilt my head upward to keep eye contact with him, my heart thumping wildly as the silence stretches between us.

‘What did you call me?’ he asks, watching me intently, his arms either side of my head as he cages me against the brightly painted wall behind me.

‘I . . I . . ‘ I stammer, swallowing thickly as Mark’s eyes darken further, a soft growl vibrating from his chest.

‘Tell me Love, what did you call me?’ he repeats, leaning further into my space but I still don’t feel intimidated despite his large frame.

‘Honey’ I whisper finally.

‘And why did you call me that?’ the soldier pushes further, his voice a deep rumbling sound that I can feel as his chest presses into mine, a gasp leaving my lips when I realise that his torso isn’t the only part of him that’s hard.

‘Because . . ‘ I swallow again, scraping my tiny amount of newly found confidence together. I hold his gaze as I straighten slightly, a smile tilting up my lips as I see pride flash through his brown irises. ‘Because I think I’m falling in love with you’ I admit.

Mark’s weight is crushing me into the wall but I don’t care, his hand moving down from beside my head to curl around the back of my neck in a possessive grip.

‘You think?’ he asks huskily.

Staring up into his eyes, the reality hits me full force, and I shake my head, ‘I know’ I reply softly, my hands sliding up his sides and around the back of his muscular frame, gripping the fabric of his jacket tightly as I lick my lips again nervously, but determined. ‘I’m falling in love with you Mark Hallick, not because of what you've done to help me or how you protect me. .' I hesitate slightly, my smile growing, 'that's a lie, they are a few of the reasons, just not all of them' I murmur. 'You make me feel cherished, worthy . . special, things that I never really thought I deserved before, but you are also strong, brave, and the most amazingly caring man I've ever met. How could I not fall for you? any woman would struggle not to . . . I just don’t know if you feel the same way.’