"I haven't thought of it like that," Cora said with the rub of her chin. "But would that even work, I mean you and Marcus have kissed in front of Kinsley several times," Cora said, her tone skeptical. "I doubt she'd break up with him if you two kissed again."
"Not to mention Marcus plans on keeping his distance from you," Cora explained further. "I just don't see how this could work."
Kira smirked knowingly. "I think you're forgetting one crucial detail." She said with a giggle as she pointed towards herself. "Marcus admitted that I make him feel good, he said he loved it."
"All I need to do is rile him up a bit, make myself irresistible to him, to the point where he's practically begging for my attention." Kira continued. "Then, I take him to a secluded spot, and have sex with him."
Kira smirked as her eyes sparkled with excitement. "And not just any sex, but the kind where he compares me to Kinsley if we can get him to bad mouth her, while having sex with her best friend, not only will she dump him, but she'll never look in his direction again."
Cora frowned but nodded along. "Ok, but with getting the footage to Kinsley, how are we going to do that without raising the suspicion of organizing this debacle."
Luna sighed as she spoke up once more. "The only way I see this working is if Kira takes the fall with Marcus." She said with a frown. "You can say she had suspicions of them sharing secret relations, and decided to investigate."
Cora nodded. "That could work, though Kinsley would never forgive you, Kira, your friendship with her would be done."
Kira sighed as she crossed her arms, there was a moment of silence from her, with her expression becoming accepting. "I'm prepared to make that sacrifice." She replied honestly, "I can't say I've been the greatest friend to her anyway."
Cora sighed as she crossed her arms, tapping a finger on her arm. "We have a few days to pull this off before Marcus Leaves for work, I at least want one video of him cheating before he leaves, though I'd prefer more, just in case Kinsley has any doubts."
Kira nodded. "I can promise you one video before Marcus has to leave, but it'll take time to seduce him properly, I can't just kiss him like usual."
Cora nodded. "I won't pretend I know how any of that works, just get me videos of Marcus cheating."
Kira nodded. "Yes."
— — —
The next morning Marcus awoke to Kinsley gently massaging his cheek. "You look so cute when you sleep," Kinsley said with a chuckle. Her eyes filled with an overwhelming warmth and tenderness.
Marcus frowned as he swatted at her hand, gently slapping it. "Now you're scaring me." He said with a sleepy chuckle.
Kinsley chuckled as she grew closer to Marcus. "Can you blame me?" She asked, "I'm happy Marcus, it feels like I can rest and enjoy our relationship now."
Marcus smirked, he didn't know what Kinsley meant by that, but he was happy to be with her.
Maybe doubling down was the right choice after all, because of that incident with Kira, he felt cornered enough to actually commit to Kinsley out of spite.
And because of it, Kinsley seemed like a whole new woman. She wasn't as reserved, or stern, or even angry.
Marcus then chuckled as he pulled Kinsley closer, wrapping his arms around her back and waist. "Just stay like this," Marcus said, his tone soft and filled with care. "Don't go back to hitting and shouting alright?"
Kinsley rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "As long as you keep loving me, and only me, then that can be arranged." She teased, half-serious.
"Deal," Marcus replied.
Just then there was a soft knock on the door.
"W-who's there?" Kinsley asked, rising out of bed with a curious expression.
"It's Kira, I'm bringing Luna back from last night."
Kinsley smiled as she breathed a sigh of relief, she approached the door with a yawn as she outstretched her arms. "Coming." She called out.
As she approached the door Marcus rose out of bed, only to realize he was still wrapped in just a towel. "Shit." He hissed as he quickly ran towards the bathroom.
Kinsley looked back with a chuckle, "I was wondering if you'd noticed that." She said will stopping at the door, placing her hand on the knob.
Marcus chuckled as he closed the bathroom door behind himself.
Kinsley then opened the door with a smile. She was greeted by Kira, who was dressed in a simple blue gown with her hair let down, and Luna who looked slightly distressed.
Kinsley immediately focused her attention on Luna. "Hey, are you alright?" She asked worriedly. "What's wrong with her?" She asked Kira.
Kira sighed as she placed a hand on Luna's head. "She had a rough time being separated from Marcus." She answered, "Even though they aren't actual siblings, Luna still misses her big brother."
Kira then turned to look down at Luna with a smile. "Isn't that right cutie?" She asked playfully.
Luna looked up to Kira with pain radiating from her eyes. "Y-yes." She stammered.
Kira then ruffled Luna's hair. "Anyway, where's Marcus?" She asked curiously.
Kinsley smirked triumphantly as she crossed her arms. "Ahh, wouldn't you like to know?" She asked, "he's in the bathroom, but there's something you should know."
Kira raised an eyebrow, "oh, and what's that?"
"Marcus confessed his love to me!" She said excitedly, pulling Kira into the room and closing the door.
Kira raises an eyebrow. "D-did he now?" She asked in disbelief and curiosity.
Kinsley nodded vigorously. "That's right!" She said with a pat on her chest. "I guess that means I won, you can't steal him from me now, can you?"
"You've barely been dating three months." She said in shock, "There's no way…" Suddenly she fell silent, and a wave of realization washed over her. "Did he confess yesterday?" She asked.
Kinsley nodded.
A smile then crossed Kira's lips. "Congratulations." She said with a giggle. "I guess that means I can't steal any more kisses can I?"
"Yeah, that's exactly what that means," Kinsley replied with conviction. "So you try anything else like that, I'll make sure you regret it, with the business end of my foot."
Kira giggled as she placed her hand over her mouth. "You're so violent, but I get your message, I will never cross you again…" she said with a deceitful glint in her eye.
Kinsley rolled her eyes, clearly missing the undertones in Kira's words. "Mhmm, I'll hold you to that." She said firmly, clearly feeling victorious over her once rival for Marcus.
Just then Marcus arrived from the bathroom in a pair of underwear. He glanced at the girls standing in the center of the room, his attention lingering on Kira. "You're a bold one." He said with a knowing look.
Kira shrugged, "what are you talking about?" She asked curiously gesturing towards Luna, "I'm just bringing back your sister."
Marcus inwardly sighed. He knew he couldn't berate Kira in front of Kinsley, especially with everything she knew, it would be a disaster.
He'd have to catch Kira alone most likely, and make sure the message for her to stay away from him Kinsley stuck.
With a forced smile, Marcus turned his attention to Luna. "Did you miss me?" Marcus asked with his hand outstretched.
Luna nodded as she accepted his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I did." She replied as she got closer to him, "I missed you a lot."
Marcus smiled as he picked Luna up in his arms.
"I missed you too." He said with a kiss on her cheek.
Kinsley smiled at the interaction between the two, before eventually turning back to Kira. "Is there anything else you need?" She asked.
"Do you have any plans today?" Kira asked in response. "If not I was thinking we could head to the café after your football practice."
Kinsley smiled triumphantly again, "Oh… sorry I have a date planned with Marcus after that."
Kira nodded as she crossed her arms. "I see, so what will you do during her practice, Marcus?" Kira asked him.
Marcus frowned. "I'll be in the gym blowing off some steam." He answered coldly.
Kinsley looked back to Marcus with another satisfied nod. "Well, I guess we're all going to be busy, maybe you should go out on the town and prey on single men, I'm sure there's a lot who are interested in you."
Kira giggled in response, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm sure some poor soul would take pity on me, but no, I think I'll focus on my fashion work for today, I'll be seeing you." She said with a smile, turning on her heel to exit the room.
Once she was gone, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how long he could have survived the building tension.
But what he did know, was that he had to confront Kira and ensure she wouldn't become a threat to him. She knew too much and was too manipulative to trust.
Kinsley smiled as she raised her hands in the air. "What a wonderful day!" She exclaimed excitedly, turning to make her way toward the bathroom, and closing the door behind herself.
Marcus felt a shiver run down his spine, he turned his attention to Luna, who quietly sat in his embrace. "I can't shake the feeling something is coming for me," Marcus whispered to her.
Luna looked back at Marcus with a smile, though her eyes showed a faintly different emotion. "I'm sure it's nothing." She replied, "I think you're just a little paranoid."
Marcus nodded. That could be the case, with everything that's happened he could possibly just be forming a narrative that wasn't there. "Yeah, maybe you're right."
— — —
Later that day, while Marcus was in the gym running on a treadmill. He and Luna were having a chat about Blake.
"So how long have you known Blake?" Luna asked curiously.
"I met him yesterday," Marcus answered. "I think he's a cool guy, he was a little skeptical of me at first, but after I broke a punching bag, he warmed up to me."
Luna smiled. "And so now you're flowing the workout plan of a man you just met?" She asked playfully. Walking around the treadmill as she looked Marcus up and down, admiring him.
Marcus shrugged. "I don't get much else to do at the moment." He replied, "I don't want to think about work, and Kinsley won't be out of practice for the next few hours."
Luna nodded, momentarily lost in an unreadable expression. She then frowned subtly, "Marcus, do you actually love Kinsley?" She asked curiously.
Marcus chuckled, "Of course I do, wouldn't have said it otherwise." He said with a chuckle.
Luna's expression remained unchanged. "I'm serious Marcus, do you love Kinsley?" She asked again.
There was a moment of silence, with the sounds of the surrounding gym fading into quiet background noise. Marcus and Luna stared at each other, their eyes locking.
Marcus finally sighed as he turned his gaze towards the ceiling. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "I think I do, I like her as a person." He then frowned, "but, does it really matter if I love her or not?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Luna asked back.
"She is a normal girl without any crazy secrets or agendas," Marcus replied. "With everything I lost, all I crave is that normalcy she provides."
Marcus then began to slow down on the treadmill. "So whether I love her or not doesn't matter." He sighed. "Because I'm staying with her, that's why I said I loved her, so I'd be forced to stay with her, to stop riding the fence." He explained.
"I see," Luna replied softly.
"I know it's wrong what I did." Marcus said softly. "especially since it wasn't genuine, but that doesn't mean it can't become genuine, if I just triple down and stick with her, I'm sure something good would come of it."
Luna nodded. "Thank you, Marcus, for being honest with me." She said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It makes me feel better."
"Better about what?" Marcus asked curiously.
"About myself." Luna answered, "Sometimes I wonder if I really love you, if I act like I love you, I mean."
"And do you?" Marcus asked.
"I hope so," Luna replied.