Chapter 5

Dammit,I should have just waited until their date was over. But something about her is driving me crazy, and letting her be alone with Mark was not going to happen.

"How well do you know him?" I ask, not answering her question but asking one of my own.

She shrugs. "We work together on occasion. He's based out of the county offices and I'm downtown at City Hall. He comes in sometimes and does inspections for us. I needed my house done, so I asked him for a favor." She's silent for a second and I can feel her gaze on me. "Why won't you answer my questions?"

"Because I don't want to scare you."

"Jesus, what did he do?" This time there's real fear in her voice.

"I'm the middle child with an older sister and a younger sister," I say, trying to think of a way to ease into this. "My younger sister Steph and I went to high school with Mark. He's two years younger than me," I say, as I turn down her street. "He's the same age as Steph."

"Did he go out with her?"

"I think he knew while I was around he couldn't get near her. But as soon as I graduated and went off to college, he took his chance." I park on the street in front of her house because my truck is too big for the driveway. I don't get out but unbuckle and turn to face her. "One night Steph called me crying saying that he hurt her. She begged me not to call the cops or tell our parents."

"Oh god," Ginny says and puts her hands over her mouth.

"I went and got her and took her to our older sister Lynn's house. I waited until she fell asleep and then told Lynn to look after her. Then I went and found Mark."

"What did you do?"

I shake my head and the anger still bubbles inside me. "Nothing. He knew what I'd do to him. His friends called the cops the second I pulled up. I fought them to get to Mark and I was the one taken to jail. Steph wouldn't press charges because she was afraid he'd come after her. I couldn't make her do it."

It was one of the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but Steph just wanted to forget it ever happened. She ended up graduating a year early to get away from him and then moved out of the state. It fucked with her for a long time, but she's got a good husband now who would do anything to protect her. They're raising their kids and she's put it all behind her. But I'll never forget.

"I don't know if he's done it since then or if he preys on people who won't turn his ass in. But he's not a good guy, Genevieve." I look into her pretty green eyes and see the fear mixed with relief. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you, but I just needed you to know the truth about who he is. And why you should stay away."

"I'm sick to my stomach," she says, and there's a look of disgust on her face.

Right then a car pulls up in her driveway and I'm on alert. When I see her sister, Gabi, get out with Neal, I feel relieved.

"What are they doing here?" she asks as she unbuckles and goes to get out of the truck.

"Hey," I say, stopping her. "I've got to run to the store again, so I'll just come back tomorrow to start working."

She cocks her head to the side and looks me up and down. "You're going back to find him again, aren't you?" she says, reading right through me.

"I'll see you in the morning," I say, giving her a wink. "Tell Neal and Gabi I said hey."

Ginny hops out of the truck and looks back before she closes the door. "Be careful."

It's all she says before she shuts the door and walks through her front yard to meet her sister. I wave at them before I pull out and point my truck in the direction of the restaurant. I find it funny that she didn't tell me not to go after Mark, or that I should leave him alone. Maybe I should, but some things can't remain buried.

By the time I get back to the restaurant his car is gone. I'd driven to a couple of places when I was looking for Genevieve knowing he wouldn't go too far. He was too anxious to be with her. I could see it by the way he looked her up and down.

I make a left out of the parking lot and spot his car at the gas station nearby. I pull in with the front of my truck facing his car, essentially blocking him in. He's pumping gas and looking away from me, so he doesn't see when I get out of my truck and walk around and then casually lean against his driver side door.

When he puts the pump away he walks around, and the reaction he has when he looks up and notices me standing there is almost comical.

"Hey, Mark," I say crossing my arms over my chest and standing up straight. "How's it going?"

"What do you want, Cooper?" he says, narrowing his eyes.

"Just a quick chat."

"She doesn't belong to you," he says defensively.

"You see, that's where you"re wrong." I take a step towards him and he presses his back to the car. "You keep your ass on the other side of the county where it belongs and we don't have a problem."

"Why the fuck would I do what you say?"

"Because if I see you anywhere near Ginny, or anyone else that is important to me, I'll fucking kill you," I say, leaning close to him. "The only reason I didn't finish you off a long time ago was I didn't know how not to get caught. But you better believe I won't make that mistake again." I stoop down so we're eye to eye. "I'm not saying this as a threat, Mark, this is a solemn vow. You so much as step foot on a blade of her grass and I'll fucking kill you with my bare hands."

He audibly swallows as I lean back. Just then a cop cruiser rolls up to the gas station. I give him a big smile and take a step back.

"Have a nice day, Mark." I turn around and walk towards my truck but stop when he shouts out my name.

"Tell Steph I said hi," he says just as the cop pulls up on the other side of the gas pump and begins to fill up. Mark slips in his car and gives me a wave as he drives away.

So that's how he wants to do things,I think as I get in my truck and set off in the opposite direction.