Lover, Liar, Legend

Lover, Liar, Legend, 2

Chapter 7

Lena opened her mouth to lie, to deny but Mark’s hand clamped over her throat, not hard enough to hurt, just enough to silence her. His other hand fumbled with his belt. “You want to be a slut?” he growled, his breath hot against her cheek. “Fine. But you’re mine first.”

When he entered her, it wasn’t like before. There was no tenderness, no pretense. Just possession. Lena bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, her nails scraping the wallpaper loose as he f****d her raw.

After, Mark collapsed beside her on the floor, breathing hard. He reached out, brushing a sweaty strand of hair from her forehead. “You cry pretty,” he murmured, almost affectionate. Then he stood, zipping his jeans, and walked out without another word.

Chapter 8

Lena lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed on the coffee table. Another message from Daniel: That was fun. Let’s do it again tomorrow.

This time, she didn’t hesitate. Yes.

The morning light filtered through the cheap blinds, casting jagged stripes across Lena’s naked back as she curled into herself on the floor. Her muscles ached in ways that should’ve felt like punishment but instead thrummed with a perverse satisfaction. The torn scraps of wallpaper clung to her shoulder blades where Mark had pinned her. She picked one off absently, rolling it between her fingers before letting it fall to the carpet.

Her phone buzzed again. Not Daniel this time Mark. Don’t forget dinner at my mom’s tonight.The normality of it made her laugh, a sharp, broken sound that died in her throat. She typed back ‘OK’ and immediately opened Daniel’s thread. Come by after work,she added, then deleted. Come now,she sent instead.

Chapter 9

Daniel arrived within the hour, his knuckles rapping twice against the doorframe before letting himself in. He took one look at her hair tangled, lips bitten raw and smirked. “Rough night?” he asked, already unbuttoning his shirt. Lena didn’t answer. She grabbed his belt buckle and yanked him toward the bedroom, the taste of his sweat already on her tongue.

This time, she made him look at her while he f****d her. Made him watch the way her body arched for him, the way her thighs trembled when he pressed his thumb against her c**t. “Say my name,” Daniel demanded, gripping her hips hard enough to leave fresh bruises. Lena gasped it out, the syllables sharp between her teeth. The headboard slammed against the wall in a steady rhythm, drowning out the sound of her own voice.

After, while Daniel smoked by the window, Lena traced the fresh marks on her thighs. They overlapped with Mark’s from last night, a twisted Venn diagram of ownership. Daniel exhaled a plume of smoke, watching her through the haze. “You’re f*****g someone else too, aren’t you?” he asked, casual as if inquiring about the weather. Lena froze. Daniel just laughed, stubbing out his cigarette on her nightstand. “Relax. I don’t care. Just means you’ve got practice.”

Chapter 10

Mark’s mother’s house smelled like lemon polish and overcooked roast beef. Lena sat stiffly at the dining table, her high collared blouse itching against the fresh bites on her neck. Mark’s hand rested possessively on her knee under the table, his fingers digging in whenever she shifted. “You’re quiet tonight,” his mother remarked, passing Lena a dish of lumpy mashed potatoes. Lena forced a smile. “Just tired.”

In the bathroom, she locked the door and peeled back her blouse collar to inspect the damage in the mirror. Daniel’s teeth had broken skin this time two neat punctures that stung when she pressed them. The sink faucet dripped steadily, a metronome counting down the seconds until she’d have to return to the table. To Mark’s knowing gaze. To his mother’s polite questions about when they’d start trying for kids.

Mark cornered her in the hallway on their way out, his body caging hers against the floral wallpaper. “You reek of him,” he muttered, nostrils flaring. Lena held her breath. Mark’s hand slid up her thigh, under her skirt, his fingers rough against the silk of her underwear. “You’re still wet for him,” he observed, voice low. Then he withdrew his hand and licked his fingers clean, never breaking eye contact.

Chapter 11

The car ride home was silent. Lena stared out the window, counting streetlights. Her phone vibrated in her purse Daniel, no doubt. Mark’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he didn’t speak. When they pulled into the apartment parking lot, he finally turned to her. “Invite him over,” he said, calm as death. “I want to watch.”

Lena’s stomach lurched. She opened her mouth to refuse, but Mark was already getting out of the car, his keys jangling in his hand. She followed numbly, her legs moving on autopilot. Upstairs, she stood in the center of the living room, staring at her phone. Daniel had sent a photo himself, shirtless, his hand palming the obvious bulge in his jeans. ‘Miss u,’ read the caption.

Mark leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping a beer. “Do it,” he said, nodding toward her phone. His eyes were dark, hungry. “Call him.”

Chapter 12

Lena’s thumb hovered over the call button. The wallpaper curled mockingly at the edge of her vision. She pressed it.

The call connected on the second ring. Daniel's voice, smooth as whiskey, filled her ear. "Change your mind about tonight?" Lena's throat tightened. She could feel Mark's gaze burning into her back, the weight of his silent command pressing down on her shoulders. "Come over," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now."

Daniel arrived in twenty minutes flat. Lena heard his footsteps in the hallway confident, unhurried before the door swung open. He took in the scene with a raised eyebrow: Lena perched stiffly on the couch, Mark lounging in the armchair like a king surveying his domain. "Well," Daniel drawled, kicking the door shut behind him. "This is new."

Mark took a slow sip of his beer. "You f**k my girlfriend?" he asked, conversational.