23. Heath

Chapter 23

Heath

A gentle hand on my arm squeezes.

“Heath? You should wake up, ljubavi .”

Blinking open my eyes to the sound of Marko’s voice, I groan.

“Fuck me, my head is about to pop off. How much did I drink?”

Marko chuckles and it’s like a bomb going off.

“Not much, but homebrew packs a punch. I should’ve warned you how it sneaks up. Croatians take their homemade wine and brandy seriously.”

Marko sets a glass of water and two ibuprofen on the bedside table as I sit up.

“What did I do? I think I remember everything.” I swallow the pills and raise a finger. “Until here. I don’t remember us getting here.”

Marko’s lips tilt in a sexy grin. “No? You don’t remember calling me your ‘Croatian Sensation’ as we walked home…loud enough for everyone to hear?”

“Well, no. But it’s not wrong. You are sensational.”

He laughs as he sits beside me.

“Then you promised you’d ‘ride my dick like a real cowboy’ and passed out while I was in the bathroom. You’ve been asleep ever since. ”

“That sounds like something I might say. Sorry.”

Marko takes my hand in his and threads our fingers together.

“Don’t be. There’s lots of time for that, and I will most definitely take you up on the offer.” He kisses my hand while locking his gaze with mine. “My father will be here to visit baka shortly.” Marko’s voice is soft and hesitant. “Do you think you could join me?”

“Of course. It’s just a little hangover.” He rubs his thumb along mine.

“Thank you for standing up to him like you did. That wasn’t the alcohol. I know you would have done it sober.”

“You’re welcome and you’re right. I’ll always do that, you know. I know how he made you feel, and you don’t deserve that. You’re such a good man, Marko. You know that, right?”

His throat bobs with a swallow as he nods.

“I do, but sometimes I don’t feel like it. I broke the law for his approval, Heath. While I’ve made amends as best as I could, sometimes it’s hard to move on from.”

The paper-thin walls in the house announce doors opening and closing, along with a male voice. His father, no doubt, by the way he squeezes my hand.

“I know how you feel, but I’m here. Give me a signal if you want me to punch him or something.”

“No violence needed. Just be there.”

“I can do that.”

But I still want to punch the guy.

** *

When we enter the tiny kitchen, Marko’s father and grandmother are in a heated discussion. It’s all in Croatian, and Marko frowns as he walks to the stove to remove the boiling kettle.

His father stops speaking and snaps his head in our direction.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d join us. You’ve always preferred to hide.”

Marko stiffens as he makes a mug of tea and passes it to me. I hadn’t even noticed he made it the way I like it before he pours one of his own.

“Don’t speak to him like that, Ivica. You’re in my house.”

His baka may be tiny, but she’s fierce and his father presses his lips together.

“Why are you here?” Marko’s voice is so quiet I’m not sure his dad even hears him until he answers.

“To see my mother. I didn’t know you would be here.”

“Where have you been since you got out?” Marko doesn’t take a seat at the table with them, so I don’t either. Call it a sense, but my gut says we won’t be here long, and his making tea is just something to do while he collects himself.

His dad shrugs. “Here and there.”

“Are you working at anything?”

“Nobody wants to hire someone with a criminal record. You’d know that if you hadn’t sold me out.”

The guy is itching to lash out and fight with anybody, but Marko doesn’t take the bait .

Marko hums and sips his tea. “Some do. I guess you haven’t found the right place yet.”

His father mutters in Croatian and Marko laughs without humour.

“Listen, Dad. I’m not about to sit here and let you make me feel guilty anymore. I’ve spent the last fifteen years running and hiding because of what you did. I worshipped you!” His hand trembles as he sets his mug down. “Hell, I wanted to be like you, and you betrayed my trust in a way no parent ever should.” Marko runs a hand through his hair and his fingers curl, pulling at the strands. “You didn’t just fuck up your life; it was mine, too. That’s not fair.”

His dad remains silent as his baka watches. This is the first time he’s actually spoken to his father in fifteen years, and I have to admit I’m impressed with his calmness.

“So you’re right. I hid. Not because I was a coward who used his family like you did, but because losing everyone I once held close was too painful to allow again. People viewed me as another version of you and I’m not. I didn’t want that.”

Ivica's expression remains stony. There's no love for his son there, and I think Marko knows it.

“I wanted to give you the world, Jura. You always wanted something. Ever since your mother died, you pulled into your shell. This kid who only wanted to paint and draw. I needed to prepare you for the reality of life!”

“By having me do illegal things for you?!” Marko’s voice rises and he curls his hands into fists at his side. “You could have played with me. Or maybe sat with me to read a story. Dinner together. Anything, Dad. Literally anything would have been better than what you did. I never wanted money and all the fancy things. I just wanted my father to be proud of me and notice me.”

His voice only wavers a little, but my heart cracks open for young Marko. Oh, how he must have been so alone. My mom wasn’t always present, but at least when she was, I knew her heart was in a good place.

“I need help,” his father says, like he didn’t listen to a word Marko just said. Just says it bluntly and Marko freezes.

“What?”

“I know about the money Mom has. I need some to start over. Just a small loan to get started.”

Baka shakes her head. “No. I can not do that, Ivica.” Her lips press into a thin line.

His father’s face turns an angry shade of red.

“You’re my mother. Part of that money is mine. I need it now.”

Baka shakes her head again and unleashes a spew of Croatian. I don’t know what she’s saying, but it must be good. Marko’s shoulders droop and he reaches for my hand. Baka falls silent, and a tear runs down her face.

“If you need food, I will feed you. If you need love, I will give you what I can, Ivica. But I cannot and will not allow you to take advantage of me. You’re my son and I love you, but I will not do that for you. You’re not entitled to anything I have. When you put your son at risk, when you betrayed all those people, you gave that up.”

Marko squeezes my hand before walking to his grandmother and placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Would you like to stay for a meal, Dad? Heath and I leave in the morning. You’re welcome to stay. ”

Oh, my heart. After being so broken by the man, he still has the courage to offer a branch of love, and I hold my breath.

His father pushes his chair back, and it grates along the kitchen floor. He stands for several moments. His gaze flicks between baka and Marko and for a brief moment I think he might apologize. “No, thank you.” He nods towards them. “I’m sorry I came.”

Ivica just… leaves. Baka stares after him and Marko remains silent as he drops into the chair next to her.

“I’m sorry, bako . He hasn’t changed, and I was willing to let him back in my life, but only on my terms. I thought dinner would be a place to start.”

“Jura, you’re a good boy. I don’t know where I went wrong with him. But like you, I hoped he was here to visit his mother and not to get money from me.” She sighs a heavy sigh. “Sometimes it’s hard to let go.”

She and Marko sit holding hands until she peers around Marko to find me still standing near the stove.

“Hal, come here. Sit.”

Doing as she asks, I pull out a chair across from her and she offers me her hand. I take it with a smile and sneak a glance at Marko. This has been a very intense evening, but he seems almost serene.

“How’s the hangover?”

I bark a laugh, even though my headache is still there, and she laughs with me.

“It’s not too terrible. I’m sure a good bowl of your chicken soup and a lot of water will make it better.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

The three of us work together in the tiny kitchen to warm up soup, and Marko finds the plate of leftover lamb for sandwiches. While I slept off my booze, the community packed up leftovers, cleaned the park, and went home. It was definitely an experience I’d love to have again.

But what I love the most is sitting here with Marko and Lucy like an actual family and eating dinner. Watching how much he dotes on her makes my heart double. He’s such a loving man. It’s a shame his father couldn’t see who Marko is.

“What are you thinking about?”

Marko pokes my foot under the table, and I look up from my empty soup bowl.

“About eating more soup.” I wink as I reach for the ladle and fill my bowl.

“That’s not it, ljubavi. Are you okay? Still want to be a part of this circus?”

Lucy pauses her eating and watches us.

“If you must know, I was thinking about how much I love sitting here like this and being part of your family. It’s a shame your dad can’t see what a genuine gift he’s missing here. In both of you.”

“Heath…”

Marko drops his head and swallows hard. His grandmother pats his shoulder.

“Hal is right. You should listen to him more often.”

“Yeah, you should.” I smile and Marko raises an eyebrow.

“Uh-huh. Something tells me listening to everything you say might not be a good idea.”

“Lucy, tell him he needs ducks for his pond.”

“If Hal says you need ducks, then maybe you should listen.”

“ Bako ! ”

She laughs, and Marko shakes his head. “You two will never be allowed to spend time alone together. You’ll gang up on me.”

They trade a few sentences and Marko slips into Croatian with her, but I don’t mind one bit. My man has had an impossible weight lifted today and I love watching him like this.

***

Marko hugs his grandmother one more time before we leave.

“I promise to come visit more.”

“I’d love to see you more, but you have a life to live, too. Especially once you get ducks.”

Marko rolls his eyes, and I laugh as I bend down for a hug.

“I’ll wear him down. Don’t worry.”

His grandmother stands on the sidewalk while we put our helmets on and mount his bike. With a last wave, we pull away and leave this tiny town behind. Marko planned to take me on a scenic tour, he said. With pretty fields and lakes and lookouts and maybe even farm animals.

The countryside rolls by and I squeeze my arms around him. Marko brings a hand back and rubs my leg before resting it there for a few moments. He may love it when I hold on tight, but I love it when he reaches back to touch me. It’s something he’s done more of, and I don’t know what it is about the gesture that does it for me. Maybe it’s seeing his tattooed hand grip me like he owns me, or maybe it’s just him touching me. Either way, I’m here for it .

When we stop at a station for fuel, he checks the weather.

“We might get wet on the way back. There’s a storm moving in and it looks like we might hit it about an hour from home. What do you want to do?”

That’s a fucking loaded question.

“Let’s get wet.”

I grin through my helmet and wiggle my eyebrows. It’s hard to flirt with this thing on. So instead, I grab his junk and his eyes widen.

“The good kind of wet.”

“Fuck, Heath. Warn a guy.”

“I thought I did?”

He shakes his head as he pulls us away and back onto the highway. But he puts his hand back on my leg and waiting to get home just might kill me.