Free The Marked One (The Marked Series Book 1) by Chevoque

place. “The dad is really kind of not bad even for his age, so the son must not be either?” She looked at Aaliyah, clearly craving details.
    Aaliyah smiled. “He is kind, made me feel okay about who I am, and I felt comfortable around him. It is so strange.”
    “You think? Since I’ve known you, you’ve barely dated and when you do, the assholes always had issues with…has he seen your special mark?” Madeline looked a little more concerned.
    “Yes, he said I shouldn’t hide.” The words sounded unreal.
    “My fuck, who would’ve thought it would take a rich man to see true beauty?” Aaliyah shook her head, “Buddy, this is amazing.”
    “I’m really not liking the subject. Let’s move on to the one of me being yours,” she said, rummaging through the fridge for something to drink.
    “Momentarily.” Madeline thought for a moment. “Do you guys have a date?”
    “Yes, Friday, now please—”
    “You haven’t told me about your job?” Madeline persisted and showed that she wanted the red instead of the white wine. “Glasses?” she asked and grabbed two glasses from the locker, after Aaliyah showed her which.
    “I’m starting tomorrow as a lab technician for the Gerardo Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory at the marina, close to the aquarium and zoo.”
    “That is amazing. Hell, you are getting it all,” Madeline chirped.
    “I am getting nothing yet. And maybe Mr. Gerardo isn’t as kind as he’s seemed so far.” Aaliyah couldn’t trust too easily. It was one thing about herself that made her miss many things in life, but it was all part of protecting herself from pain.
    “I’m sure if you are having a date you can call him by his name,” Madeline teased as she took over pouring the wine when Aaliyah clearly took too long in doing so.
    “It might not even be a date. It might just be dinner. He asked to have dinner,” she defended.
    “Exactly, it’s a date,” Madeline said as she put the wine away. “He’d ask for lunch if he wanted it to be casual business.”
    “That is a stereotype. People can have dinner casually and lunch intimately.”
    A mishevious gleam came to Madeline’s eye. “Have you thought of him intimately?”
    “Maddy!” She immediately felt an awkward warmth of embarrassment cover her entire body while Madeline held her head back in laughter.
    “What? In my imagination, a man with Italian anything is fucking fantasy land.” They moved to the couch and slumped down onto it in synchronicity, just like how it was when they’d lived together. Both took a sip of wine and admired the view.
    “Can we just get to the paintings?” Aaliyah asked. “Now, or not quite yet?”
    “Fine, but is this place reachable for pizza? I’m hungry…for Italian.” Madeline’s suggestive tone and brow wiggle made Aaliyah chuckle. Sometimes Madeline was a bit of a handful, but she kept everything enjoyable. She went to grab their favourite pizza place’s menu off the refrigerator and tossed it in Madeline’s direction. “Yay, at least I can also have some Italian then.”
    “Maddy, please, stop. This is going to kill me if you go on.” It was a pure whine.
    “Fine, fine, but can I Google him?” She looked like a child asking for a treat before dinner.
    It caused Aaliyah to almost choke on the sip of wine she had in her mouth, “Are you insane? That's like stalking. I’m sure some dictionary would agree with me.”
    “How else are you going to find out more about him?” Madeline asked, more serious than what Aaliyah found usual and also just a bit weird.
    “By getting to know him…the normal way. The human way. The pre-Internet way,” Aaliyah said with a frown, feeling a bit disgusted by the idea if the tables had been turned.
    “At least just tell me his name so I can do it later,” Madeline pried.
    “If you do it here, I’ll kill you. This serial killer zone doesn’t have place for loonies the likes of you.”
    “I won’t. I promise. I’ll go home and