Marcus Madness Pt. 2

In the haze of pulsing lights and a fog of surreal energy that made everything feel just a bit too soft, a bit too sparkly, you find yourself leaning into Marcus as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Every small movement and gesture feels amplified, like you’re practically dancing with every tilt of your head, every flutter of your lashes. And he’s watching you. His expression is open, the tiniest bit guarded but clearly softening under the charm that practically pours from you like honey.

Marcus raises his glass, watching you over the rim, his blue eyes catching the wild colors swirling across the club. He takes a sip, and you match him, a playful smirk on your face.

“Someone this charming surely has better places to be,” he says, a subtle compliment in his tone.

You grin, feeling Luna kick in, the words flowing as you lean just a bit closer, letting the energy between you shift. “Well, maybe I do. But maybe I’m right where I want to be.”

A light blush colors his cheeks, and you notice how he shifts slightly, clearly intrigued but maybe a little unsure. It’s enough to make you bolder, the playful glint in his eyes telling you you’re inching toward what you need. This has to be sealed; you can’t have come all this way, gotten this close, only for the night to end with nothing but small talk. You need a way to keep him tethered to you, even after the night ends.

You feign casualness as you place a hand on his arm, fingers brushing the sleeve of his shirt, the contact making him look at you fully, his attention now entirely yours. “Hey, Marcus… Why don’t we keep in touch? I mean, who knows when we might run into each other again?”

He hesitates, but there’s a subtle spark in his eyes as he takes another sip of his drink, contemplating your request. “You’re just… really forward, aren’t you?” He laughs softly, the tension in his expression fading further.

You can feel the subtle resistance—he’s interested, but he’s holding back, whether because of Victoria or maybe just the slight hesitance of dealing with someone new. But you press on, Luna infusing every word with an irresistibility that feels like silk on his mind.

“Come on, Marcus,” you say with a soft pout, leaning even closer, letting him feel the warmth and confidence radiating from you. “I promise I won’t blow up your phone with selfies or bad jokes.” You grin, letting a hand rest lightly on his shoulder, feeling the nervous thrill of being so close.

Marcus shakes his head, biting his lip in thought before finally sighing. “Alright, alright… But I better not regret this.” He pulls his phone out, tapping a few buttons before passing it to you, a small smile playing on his lips. “Go ahead.”

You can’t resist a little grin as you type in your number, listing it under a slightly cheeky nickname, and then send a quick “hi” to yourself to make sure it sticks. “There,” you say, handing it back to him with a triumphant little smirk. “Now you’ve got my number—and if you ever need a partner in crime, you know who to call.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “A partner in crime, huh? Well, you seem like trouble. The fun kind, though.”

You lean back, taking a slow sip of your drink, your hand lingering on his arm as the conversation flows back to easy, playful banter. His gaze keeps shifting to you, drawn in by the magnetic blend of familiarity and flirtation you’re exuding with every smile, every tilt of your head.

You can see the glimmer of something in his eyes—a pull, a faint glow of interest. It’s exactly the foothold you needed, and it settles a sense of relief through you, even as the relentless beat of the music and the wild energy of the party swirls on around you.

The night is still young, and as Marcus leans in closer to hear you better over the music, you know the opportunity to bring him even closer is still there.

The conversation was smooth, an easy back-and-forth laced with flirtation and warmth that made everything in the booth feel… intimate. You leaned in, just enough to keep Marcus’s attention, and he was hooked—drawn in, even if he wasn’t fully aware. But then, a subtle shift in his gaze pulls you both out of the bubble, his focus drifting to something just beyond your shoulder.

Following his line of sight, you turn and see her—Victoria Worthington, standing a few feet from the booth, adjusting the strap of her dress. Her hair was slightly askew, her lipstick smudged, a faint flush across her cheeks. She looked… well, you wouldn’t call it disheveled, but there was a sort of frenzied wildness to her expression, like someone who had just come from some kind of heated whirlwind. And it did not go unnoticed.

“Victoria,” Marcus calls, his brow furrowing as he watches her stumble slightly, tugging her hair back into place. “Are you… where did you go? What happened?”

Victoria’s eyes flick to Marcus, and then back to adjusting herself, smoothing down her dress as if to hide any evidence of whatever chaos she’d just come from. “Oh, I was just… I got a little lost, had a bit of a spill, nothing to worry about.”

Before Marcus can ask anything further, Liam suddenly appears beside her, hands in his pockets, grinning from ear to ear. You make eye contact with him, and his mischievous smile only widens when he glances over at Marcus and Victoria.

Then, in one fluid, completely absurd movement, Liam slips an arm around Victoria’s waist, pulling her closer, just enough to look like they’d been cozying up somewhere. Victoria stiffens at the contact, startled, but doesn’t push him away immediately, and for a fraction of a second, her focus flickers between Marcus and you before she realizes what’s going on. “Oh, excuse me—” She shrugs Liam’s arm off, rolling her eyes at him, but the damage is already done. The hint of proximity, the lingering flush in her cheeks, the way she’d had to fix her dress—it paints a vivid picture that needs no explanation.

You see Marcus’s eyes narrow slightly as he takes in the scene, clearly catching the same implication you just did. He looks between Liam and Victoria, his confusion and disbelief obvious. “Wait… is everything… okay?”

Victoria’s jaw tightens, and she looks ready to launch into some excuse, something about how she was just on her way back to the booth, but she catches the look on Marcus’s face—one of curiosity mixed with just a touch of something darker, something she probably hasn’t seen in him before.

Liam leans a little too comfortably against the edge of the booth, his smirk lazy and satisfied, like he’s having the time of his life watching all of this unfold. He raises his eyebrows at you, a knowing glint in his eyes as if to say, Checkmate.

Marcus clears his throat, clearly trying to shake off whatever conclusion he was reaching. “Victoria… You, uh, you look like you’ve… had a bit of a wild night already.” He tries to keep his tone light, but there’s a pointed curiosity in his gaze as he studies her.

Victoria’s expression sharpens, her lips pressing together into a thin line. “Marcus, it’s just the party—it's a madhouse out there,” she says, chuckling in a tone that sounds too tight to be genuine. “You know how it is.”

You can feel Luna stirring, her instincts kicking in to keep the attention on you and away from whatever mess is unfolding between Victoria and Marcus. You reach out and touch Marcus’s arm lightly, leaning in with a soft, knowing smile. “It’s wild in here tonight. You can’t really blame anyone for getting a little lost in the chaos.”

Marcus’s gaze returns to you, the warmth in his expression returning as he glances back at Victoria. “Yeah… I guess you’re right,” he murmurs, but his brows still furrow slightly as he glances back at Liam, who stands there, not even trying to mask his amusement.

Victoria, looking ready to explode, shoots Liam a scathing glare, though he meets her gaze with an infuriatingly calm smile. “Thanks for the tour,” he says, barely masking the mischievous tone in his voice. Then, with a wink to you, he steps back, giving Victoria one last look before sauntering off, leaving a trail of unanswered questions in his wake.

As you turn back to Marcus, you notice his lingering tension, his confusion only deepening, but his focus is now fully on you. Whatever suspicions he might have had a moment ago are fading, caught in the glow of your presence.

Marcus gives a shaky sigh, scratching his head as he mutters, “I’m, uh… I’m gonna grab a drink.” It sounds almost like he’s saying it to himself rather than you or Victoria, who stands there, visibly irritated by Liam’s disappearing act. Immediately, she jumps in, reaching for his arm, voice soothing and sweet.

“Babe, I’ll grab it for you—just relax here, okay?” she says, putting on her best girlfriend voice, but Marcus shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll go with Luna so we can both grab something.”

Marcus’s expression is distracted, clouded over with something heavy as he stares past you, barely nodding as you both slip out of the booth.

At the bar, Marcus orders a simple whiskey neat. You glance at him, sensing the tension radiating off him, a cocktail of frustration and curiosity that Luna is instinctively quick to pick up on. His fingers drum the counter in an idle rhythm as he stares down at the amber liquid, eyebrows pulled into a thoughtful knot.

You clear your throat softly, leaning in just a bit to murmur, “It was… a little strange, wasn’t it?”

Marcus looks up, his eyes meeting yours. He hesitates, like he’s been waiting for someone to validate what he just witnessed, but he still seems cautious. “Yeah… yeah, it was,” he finally admits. “I mean, I know this place is… well, wild.” He waves his hand vaguely, taking in the psychedelic lights, the intense colors, the haze hanging over everything like a veil. “But that? Just… seeing her like that, with him?”

You nod, keeping your expression sympathetic and your tone soft, understanding. “It really did look like… like they had a moment. Just the way she came back—hair out of place, fixing her dress… I mean, that’s not something you just ignore.”

He sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “It’s just so… unlike her, you know?” There’s a **** edge to his voice, and you can feel the shift, the small opening he’s giving you, a sliver of trust slipping through the wall of doubt he’s trying to keep up.

You tilt your head, letting your hand rest on his shoulder in what you hope is a reassuring way. “Sometimes, even the people we think we know best can surprise us.” The words are loaded, delicate, hinting at more without saying too much. Marcus looks at you, and Luna leans a bit closer, her gaze soft and warm. “If you ever want to talk about it… I’m here.”

He nods, eyes flicking down as he bites his lip thoughtfully. “Thanks. That actually… it means a lot.”

The moment feels fragile, and you feel a strange tension build between you two. In the background, the heavy beat of the music thrums through the bar, the psychedelic swirl of lights playing off Marcus’s face, highlighting the soft vulnerability there. And that’s when Luna steps in, pushing herself closer, and before you know what’s happening, she’s leaning in, pressing a gentle, sultry kiss against Marcus’s cheek.

There’s a fleeting softness to it, her lips brushing over the warmth of his skin. You can feel his breath catch, the faintest shift in his posture as he freezes under the gentle pressure, the closeness. And then, Luna takes it further.

She doesn’t pull away, lingering there, letting the tension grow as her lips hover near his, a whisper of space between them. She hesitates just enough for Marcus to realize it, to lean in just a fraction of an inch, and Luna closes the gap, her lips pressing against his with a slow, deliberate softness.

Your senses go haywire, a chaotic mix of sensations overwhelming you as Luna holds the kiss, savoring the warmth of his mouth against hers. The taste of whiskey mingles with his natural warmth, rich and intoxicating in a way you’d never experienced. The feel of his breath, slow and a little hesitant at first, sends a ripple of heat down her spine that you can’t ignore, no matter how much you try. Her hand finds his chest, fingers splaying over his heartbeat, steady yet a little faster than before, and she presses closer, deepening the kiss as Marcus reciprocates, his hand finding her waist in a loose, uncertain grip.

Internally, you’re screaming. Every nerve, every muscle, feels like it’s on fire, like you’re being dragged into a whirlwind you can’t escape. This was Marcus Chase—Hollywood's latest heartthrob, and an actual guy, and yet here you were, caught in a kiss that’s somehow exhilarating to Luna and utterly nauseating to you.

But Luna feels none of it. She revels in it, her body warm and loose, her breath mingling with his as her hands slide to the nape of his neck, fingers threading into his hair. The softness of her touch, the gentle sway of her hips as she leans closer, all of it tailored to draw him in further, to hold his attention entirely. She kisses him with a quiet, teasing hunger, as if this moment could stretch on forever.

When she finally pulls back, there’s a lingering heat, a soft smile playing on her lips as she meets his gaze. Marcus’s eyes are wide, slightly glazed, caught off guard, yet… willing. A blush has crept up his cheeks, and he looks at her, at you, with a mixture of wonder and confusion, as if he’s trying to understand what just happened, but he can’t bring himself to look away.

You swallow hard, the taste of his kiss lingering as you **** a small smile, feeling like you’ve crossed into a dangerous new territory.