33. Caught in the Middle

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Leaving for a short, overnight trip tomorrow, so no updates for the next couple of days. Might have time to get in another one today, but I don't know, we'll see.

Crystal's POV

I stepped out of the bathroom, towel in hand, still drying my wet hair, to a shouting match. I paused in my task and looked toward the balcony doors, thinking it wouldn't be such a bad idea to try and climb down.

"There is no way-" Damien started to say only to get cut off by Marrek.

"Just give me what I want and be done with it."

"I'm not giving you what you want," I heard Damien say. "But I'll sure as shit give you what you deserve."

There was a deep low growl from Hunter, who was also apparently in the room.

"Good boy," I heard Marrek tell hunter.

"Call off your damn dog."

"I'd love to see you make me."

"I'm so confused," I heard Julie say in between Marrek and Damien's shouting match.

I let out a sigh, knowing full well I was going to regret this. I set the towel down back in the bathroom and walked into the living room they were all in.

"If I meant her any harm," Marrek said just as I turned the corner. "I'd have tortured and killed you for the information by now."

Damien looked at him in disbelief. "Is that supposed to get me to trust you?"

Julie, who was sitting on the chair in the corner of the room just looked between the two of them with wide eyes. But her wide eyes looked like they were from excitement rather than surprise or fear.

Noah on the other hand, looked absolutely terrified sitting on the couch, a computer in his lap, looking between the two men with wide eyes.

"What is going on?" I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest. "And more importantly why on earth is it happening in my room?"

Both Marrek and Damien turned to look at me briefly before going back to glaring at each other.

"You going to answer my question?" Marrek asked Damien.

Damien shook his head. "Not a chance in hell."

"Fine," Marrek said before turning to Hunter. He let out a sharp whistle and pointed to Damien. Hunter suddenly turned to Damien with a low growl, mouth open, teeth barred, and began barking menacingly at Damien.

Noah clapped his hands over his ears and sunk back into the couch. Julie turned me and said, "Who do you think is going to win?"

I closed my eyes and pinched at the bridge of my nose, swearing under my breath.

Jackson decided to take this opportunity to grace us with his presence and walked into the room from the hallway with two drinks in his hands. He stopped in front of the door just as it closed and looked between Marrek and Damien who were still shouting at each other to Hunter who was still barking as well.

Between the three of them, I wasn't sure how Damien and Marrek could actually hear what the other was saying.

Jackson then turned to look at me and something in his expression seemed to . . . change. It wasn't his usual smugness, it was . . . guarded almost but for only a moment. He came walking toward me, his usual smugness taking its place on his features.

"Two drinks," I questioned. "Really?"

Hunter's barking suddenly got louder and I winced and then shrugged as I looked at Jackson's drinks. "Never mind," I said. "this time I understand."

"First time for everything," Jackson said as he stood beside me. "And actually, this one is for you," He said as he held out the drink to me.

I shook my head. "No thanks," I muttered. "It's way too early."

"Babe," He said as he looked me up and down, his eyes lingering on some of the bruises and scrapes that were visible on my body. "you look like shit-"

"Well aren't you the charmer this morning," I said sarcastically.

"-and this," He said as he waved his hand around the room while still holding the drink. "is not going to let up any time soon." He once again held out the drink to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him before taking the drink from his outstretched hand. I looked down into the amber liquid. "You didn't put anything in it," I said. "right?"

Jackson just shrugged and then winked at me before bringing his own drink to his lips.

I let out a long sigh. "I really hate you, you know that?" I said as I took a tentative sip.

"If you want I could arrange to get another room," He once again looked me up and down. "one far more private."

"Storm," I said. "I really can't deal with you right now."

He shrugged. "You say that now, but after you've had a few more drinks . . ."

"My answer will still be no."

He shrugged again. "Whatever you say."

"Look," Marrek suddenly said. "you can give me Quinn's address," He told Damien. "or I'll find it on my own which might get . . . messy."

Damien closed his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. "Why do you even want her address? Why is it so important you see her?"

"I need her help with something."

"Well, that's purposefully vague."

"I'm aware."

"What makes you think I even know her address?"

"You're F, B, fucking I."

Damien rubbed a hand down his face. "How did I get mixed up in all of this?" He muttered to himself.

"I just need her help with one thing and then I'm gone," Marrek said. "She never hears from me again."

"I doubt that very much," Damien replied. "Why do you need her help? She's an artist."

"You don't know what she does for a living," Marrek questioned dryly. "Do you?"

"She's an artist."

Marrek shrugged. "Of sorts."

Damien just stared at him blankly.

Marrek swore. "Look she's the best at what she does and I need her help, alright? That's it. There are no ulterior motives."

Damien eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm not going to sic my dog on her if that's your concern."

Damien shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I'm not finding her address for you."

Marrek glared at him for a long while before turning and looking at Noah who was back to staring at his computer, oblivious to what was now going on.

Marrek took the empty seat beside him and placed his arm on the couch cushions behind Noah.

"Noah, is it?" Marrek asked him.

Noah looked fearfully at Marrek and slowly nodded his head, leaning away from him. "Uh . . . yes?"

"No, no, no, no!" Damien shouted. "Absolutely not."

"What?" Marrek questioned.

Damien glared at him. "You damn well know what."

"I'm just having a conversation with the kid," Marrek told Damien. He turned back to Noah. "You can find people's addresses, right?"

"Uh . . ." Noah started to say.

"Don't answer that," Damien interrupted.

"Now you're scaring the kid," Marrek said as he leaned toward Noah once more. "You remember Hunter, right?" Marrek said as he motioned Hunter over.

Noah nearly jumped out of his seat if not for the fact that Marrek had his hand clamped down on Noah's shoulder, keeping him in place.

"Leave him alone," Damien told Marrek, arms crossed over his chest, glaring down at Marrek sitting on the couch from where he was standing nearby.

I looked to Jackson before gesturing to Noah. "Are you going to intervene?" I questioned him.

"Are you kidding?" Jackson asked as he took another sip of his drink. "this is getting good."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at him.

"Noah," Marrek continued. "I just need an address."

"Do not give him anything."

"I can be your friend or . . ."

"Don't threaten him."

"What are you going to do about it? You have no jurisdiction here."

"I don't need jurisdiction to shoot you."

"No," Marrek agreed. "but that requires a gun, something you're currently lacking." He turned his attention back to Noah. "Find me the address, now." He snapped his fingers at Hunter and Hunter once again began growling menacingly and barring his teeth.

Noah let out a yelp and began typing away on his computer.

"Noah," Damien started. "do not-"

Noah tore a piece of paper off the hotel notepad on the coffee table in front of him, scribbled something down, and handed it to Marrek all the while avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Marrek slapped his hand on Noah's back. "Thanks, kid, I owe you one," He said as he shoved the paper into his pocket and got his feet.

Damien was staring down at Noah in bewilderment. "He didn't even give you a last name," He told Noah. "How on earth did you get an address for him?"

Noah, eyes still wide and fearful looked between his computer and Damien. "Well uh-you . . .you know her so I-I just . . ." He trailed off, looking even more fearful.

Marrek shook his head. "Don't worry kid," He said as leaned down to pet Hunter. "He can't arrest you out here."

Damien once again glared at Marrek.

"Are you going to finish that?" Jackson suddenly asked me, pointing to the drink I had forgotten was still in my hand. Before I could respond, he'd already taken it.

I shook my head. "Knock yourself out . . . literally."

Jackson waggled his eyebrows at me and shot me a flirtatious smile.

"I just-I just . . ." Noah began again. "I looked through your contacts for a Quinn and then just . . . traced the phone number."

Damien frowned down at Noah. "Looked through my contacts?"

Noah shrugged sheepishly. "I might have-sort of-well kind of-"

"Spit it out," Damien muttered.

"Hacked . . . your phone?"

Damien was now glaring at Noah rather than Marrek.

"Well," Marrek said. "Let's never do this again." He waved to me. "I'm heading out, try not to die again."

"You're not going anywhere," Damien said as he stepped in front of him.

Marrek just stared down at him since he was nearly a whole head taller than him. "You can't stop me," Marrek replied flatly. "And you should be happy I'm leaving, I'm heading back to the states. You know, where you do have jurisdiction."

He barred his teeth at Damien. "Catch me if you can." He shoved past him, Hunter trotting at his heels.

I shook my head, walking past Storm and following after Marrek. "I'll walk you out," I told him.

We didn't say a word to each other until we reached the parking lot.

"Thank you, Marrek," I said.

He shook his head. "Don't mention it, like ever." He looked over his shoulder at the resort behind him and made a face.

"Not your style?" I questioned teasingly.

"Not even close," He muttered. "Seriously, don't die again."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll do my best not to."

"You still got that stick of dynamite I gave you?"

I shook my head. "Went down with the yacht I'm afraid."

He nodded, reached into his back pocket, and handed me another one.

I let out a sigh but took it anyway. "Marrek," I started only to stop, not sure exactly what I was going to say. "This is getting out of hand. Who carries dynamite in their pockets?"

"Clearly not the people you hang out with."

I shook my head with a smile and knelt down to pet Hunter. "Can I ask you a question?"

"No," Marrek said. "but you're going to do it anyway."

"Who's Quinn?" I asked him. "I mean, you're going through an awful lot of trouble to find her and according to Damien you've been harassing her-"

"That's a little overstated," Marrek interrupted.

"Come on, Marrek," I said. "Now I may not know you as well I'd like to think but," I shrugged. "I know this is more than what you were saying in there."

He shook his head and looked over his shoulder at something in the distance. "Let's just say I was young and stupid, and," He shook his head again. "and I messed up. And I broke her heart and I swore to myself I'd stay away from her. So that she could be happy."

"So what's changed?" I asked him. "And don't say nothing. I've noticed you looking over your shoulder since we got back here last night."

Marrek just nodded. "Let's just say I'm in a little hot water, and I need her expertise at the moment. If there was anyone else I could go to, I would, but there's not."

"Damien said she's an artist," I muttered, not sure what he could possibly need an artist for.

Marrek nodded again. "Yeah, but her work is a little more than that."

I nodded slowly, deep in thought, and knowing full well that he was not going to elaborate.

Marrek jerked his head back at the resort. "You sure you want to stick around? I could get you out of here."

I shook my head as I looked at the building. "I'm seeing this through," I said and then rolled my eyes. "Whatever this is."

"Call me if you need me," Marrek said as he walked away, a set of car keys in his hand, and Hunter by his side. "And you look like shit by the way!"

"You don't look any better asshole!" I shouted back.

He flipped me off over his shoulder as he walked away.

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