You Don't Know Me

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thanks again to all that have written reviews. As I have said before, I appreciate criticism as well as praise. That being said, I just ask that if you are going to criticize my writing, please make it constructive. Telling me that my story is getting boring doesn\'t really help me work through writer\'s block. Writing \"Your story is getting boring because...\" does. Am I focusing too much on Michelle\'s self-esteem issues? Not enough on other character arcs? Do I need to add a drug relapse? More sex? An actual affair? Guns, bombs, midgets, a musical number, David Hasselhoff? Please, I really do value suggestions.

But once again, I do appreciate everyone taking the time to review. I write because I enjoy it, and I post because I like getting feedback. But I do have to do this around a full time job, a fiancé and a dog. And just so you know, I thought the last few chapters were fairly lame, but I was getting a major case of writer’s block. Now, an idea has struck me that I really want to go with, but I have to tie up some loose ends from the last few chapters first.

Thanks again to those who stuck with me and especially those that review!

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you,” Marcus told Michelle softly. They were sitting on his bed the following evening, and Michelle had just told Marcus everything she had figured out with Sean the night before. Using all her courage, she had been completely honest – about her fears of Marcus replacing her, about her attraction to Seamus, about everything.

Knowing her face was tearstained and blotchy, Michelle looked down at her hands. “What do you mean?” she asked nervously.

Reaching over, Marcus slid one hand under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “I mean that I don’t know how to help you get past all these issues,” he sounded frustrated but caring. “I tell you all the time that I love you, that I want to only be with you, that I’m the lucky one in the relationship. I just don’t know what else to say or do to make you believe me.”

Shaking her head, Michelle’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “You know, I actually think I’m feeling a lot better now that we’ve talked. I think I just needed to get all of this out there in the open.”

“Are you sure?” Marcus raised his eyebrows incredulously. “I don’t want you to just say that to make me feel better.”

“No,” Michelle replied honestly. “I do feel better. And I’m sorry for being so crazy throughout everything. I know how much you have going on in your life, and I don’t want to cause more problems for you.”

Smiling mischievously, Marcus reached for her waist and pulled her into his lap straddling him. “Well, I am feeling a little threatened,” he teased, eliciting a grin from Michelle. Sliding his hands below the hem of her shirt, he looked into her eyes. “I mean, how do I know that some random Irish guy isn’t going to sweep you off your feet and steal you away from me?” His hands grazed over her waist and up to her ribcage.

Biting her lip, Michelle gave Marcus a grin. “Well,” she joked back, sliding her hands down from his shoulders, over his arms, and back up. “Is there any way I can prove it to you? Prove that you’re the only one I want?”

“I might be able to think of something,” Marcus told her as his hands slid over the fabric of her bra, causing Michelle to close her eyes and let out a soft sigh. Quickly, she felt Marcus slide her shirt over her head and then reach behind her to unhook her bra. His mouth dropped to her breast, and Michelle leaned her head back while she buried her hands in his hair.

The passion between them was as raw as it had been the other night, but it was also honest now. Marcus ran his tongue over Michelle’s nipple, scraping lightly with his teeth until she let out a small moan. He felt her reach for his shirt, tugging it off him before letting her fingers trace down his chest. Michelle’s mouth met his hungrily, her lips parting almost immediately, demanding to feel the pressure of his tongue against hers. As Marcus slid his arms around her waist and ran his hands over her back, he felt Michelle begin grinding against him. He almost whimpered when she jumped from his lap, taking him by surprise.

Smiling at Marcus before her, Michelle shrugged out of her jeans and underwear, leaving her completely nude. She pressed back on Marcus’s shoulders, causing him to lay back and allowing her to help liberate him from the rest of his clothes as well. Climbing back across his hips, Michelle leaned down and kissed him deeply again. Her mouth wandered down slowly over his jaw, his throat, his collarbone. She left moist trails across his chest with her lips and felt him slide his hand into her hair as she teased his nipple with the tip of her tongue. She nipped at the hardened nub, and smiled to herself when his body jerked eagerly in surprise.

Michelle’s breath was leaving a warm trail across Marcus’s body, and his erection pressed eagerly into her stomach. Grabbing her shoulders, he dragged her up to him again, kissing her lips softly. “Want to try something new for us?” he asked, and Michelle giggled at his eagerness, nodding.

Marcus guided Michelle off of his hips, but kept her on her knees. Moving behind her, his hands rested on her waist and slowly slid up her sides, causing her to shiver. He slid his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, taking her wrists in his hands. Leading her hands to the headboard, he kissed her neck, pressing his chest to her back and his erection against her firm ass.

It felt wonderful for Michelle to feel Marcus behind her, his lips tickling her skin, his hands sliding back down her body, his fingertips touching all the places that made her most aroused. She felt him slide his hand behind her and lead himself to her. As her moist body welcomed him, Michelle let out a soft moan.

Letting his hand slide over Michelle’s hip and in front of her, Marcus ran his fingers softly over her as his body slid into hers from behind. Her back arched at his touch, and began running his lips and tongue softly over Michelle’s shoulders. As he started playing with her more with his fingers, teasing her clit with one hand and massaging her breast with the other, Michelle began pressing back against Marcus and letting out low moans. Thrilled that she seemed to be enjoying this, Marcus let his cock sink into her harder and faster. His teeth bit gently into her shoulder, one hand pinched carefully at a tender hard nipple. Every part of Marcus felt connected with Michelle as he closed his eyes and focused on the intense pleasure he was feeling.

Pressing back hard against Marcus and holding onto the headboard so tight that her knuckles turned white, Michelle was letting out small whimpers. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. The slight pain that was caused by Marcus scraping his teeth over her skin was gratifyingly torturous. The way it felt when Marcus pinched at her nipple was somewhere on the edge of pain and pleasure. His fingers pressing against her clit knowingly sent waves through her body, begging for release. And his cock inside her, feeling different than any other position they had been in together, stretched her, filled her, brought her body closer and closer.

Michelle was bucking back against him so hard, Marcus had to remove his hand from her breast and hold onto the headboard. She was calling out his name, pressing her body down into his hand and than back to be filled deeper by him. He buried his cock in her as deep as he could, over and over. Finally, when he didn’t think he could hold himself back any longer, he heard her let out a soft cry, her muscles contracted around him and her body shuddered long and hard. His body immediately surrendered, allowing him to feel the intense release as he came, his cock emptying his hot liquid inside Michelle.

Immediately, Marcus felt Michelle’s body go limp and collapse towards the bed, bringing him with her. “Umph,” she grunted as his body fell on hers.

“Sorry,” Marcus chuckled, sliding himself from Michelle and moving onto his side. He reached for her, pulling her back to his chest and holding her close. “So are you convinced now?”

“Hey, I thought I was convincing you,” Michelle teased, still out of breath.

Kissing her neck softly, tasting the salty sweat that was a result of their passion together, Marcus grinned. “Oh, yeah,” he said happily. “Well, I think you did it.”

Turning her head a little, Michelle’s eyelids were beginning to droop. “I do love you,” she said softly.

“And I love you,” Marcus said pointedly. “Now get some rest. We’re going to have to get up early if I’m going to come by your work tomorrow to… I don’t know, make myself known?”

“You’re not going to mark your territory, are you?” Michelle teased. “Come in and pee around my desk?”

“You don’t have a desk,” Marcus reminded her with a laugh.

“Well, good thing,” Michelle replied with a giggle. They quickly grew silent, and within minutes, Michelle could hear Marcus breathing evenly in her ear. She cuddled back against him, feeling much more secure about their relationship than she had the day before.

-----

As he always did, Marcus charmed everyone at the home. Lena had commented several times to Michelle about how gorgeous he was. Mike and the other therapists had found him funny and charismatic. The residents all thought he was such a ‘sweet boy’, perfect for ‘their’ Michelle – especially Patty. Marcus had felt immediately at ease with the older woman, laughing openly at her jokes and stories. He had a quick, witty reply for all of her comments, and when they were leaving, she had actually said the phrase, “If I were sixty years younger…”

Walking him out to his car in the parking lot, Michelle wrapped her arms around Marcus’s neck as he slid his arms around her waist. “They all loved you,” she told him. “Almost as much as I do.”

“But I didn’t get to meet this Seamus character,” Marcus raised his eyebrows. “Should I come back another day?”

Leaning up to press her lips to Marcus’s, Michelle felt him melt against her. His mouth was soft and tender, and she regretted having to pull back. “You are welcome to come here anytime,” Michelle told him. “Everyone would love to see you – especially Patty. But don’t come for any other reason except to visit, because there isn’t any other reason to come. I can handle flirty Irishmen and their sexy ways.”

“He’s sexy?” Marcus teased. “You never told me he’s sexy. Maybe I should wait to meet him…”

Slapping his shoulder lightly, Michelle laughed. “I have to go. Call me tonight.”

A few hours later, Michelle was talking to the daughter of one of the residents, discussing whether or not taking the resident on a family vacation was a good idea. She looked up and saw Seamus across the room, grinning knowingly at her. With a happy heart, she gave him a wide smile and almost laughed when she saw it take him off guard.

“Hello, love,” Seamus walked up behind her a few minutes later, when she was alone. “My Gram says that you brought your fella round here today. It’s a shame I didn’t get to meet him,” he sounded sure of himself. Michelle knew he thought that she wouldn’t want Marcus to meet Seamus.

“It is a shame,” she spun around and gave him a big grin. “So maybe I’ll bring him by Finnegan’s one night. I mean, the two of us don’t drink, but we can still pop by to say hello. After all, you are new to America, and it might be good for you to make some guy friends. As far as I can tell, you’ve met your quota for females already!”

Seamus looked shocked, and Michelle turned and walked away feeling great. He watched her head down the hallway, and shook his head. Something was different. He had missed his chance with her somehow. Still, she seemed like an interesting person, and he hoped he would get to know her – and her fella, if he had to – better.

-----

There was only one afternoon a week that Marcus and Michelle saw each other on campus. Michelle had about two hours between when her shift at the home ended and when her photography class began. Marcus was just the opposite; he had time after his classes were finished and before he was due at work. They always met in the café for lunch on those days, sometimes accompanied by Tony or Sean, but not often.

A couple weeks had passed since Michelle had dealt with her issues, and she and Marcus were getting along better than ever. That afternoon, Marcus kept tossing french fries at Michelle when she wasn’t looking, and finally she picked up her water bottle and squirted him, sending her into a giggling fit and leaving Marcus wet, but laughing.

“Hey.” They both looked up when they heard an uncomfortable voice. “Um, I’m sorry to interrupt your lunch,” Janette was having a hard time avoiding eye contact with both people sitting at the table, and Michelle felt bad for her. “I was just wondering if either of you has seen Sean.”

Looking at Michelle for confirmation, Marcus shook his head. “No. Why, what’s up?”

Biting her lip, Janette glanced at Marcus. “It’s Luke.”

“Sit,” Michelle commanded, making Janette jump a little, but then she gave her an appreciative smile and sat beside her. “What about Luke?”

Glancing between Marcus and Michelle, Janette looked very upset. “I got a call from him last night. He’s back in town,” she said. “It looks like the bastard is going to try to plead not guilty on the assault charges.”

“How can he think that’s even possible?” Michelle asked incredulously. “Sean had a million stitches, and there were witnesses, and everything.”

“It’s the witnesses part that he’s trying to get around,” Janette sounded close to tears. “It seems like his dickhead friends are going to say Sean fell, that Luke didn’t lay a hand on him.”

“But you were there…” Marcus couldn’t understand how Luke could expect to get around this.

“Yeah, but he’s going to claim that I’m lying.” Staring down at her hands, Janette looked completely ashamed. “See, late last summer, right after I met him, I sort of got drunk one night at a party at the beach and… I slept with him. He’s going to claim that he never called me back and that I’m trying to get even or something by saying he hit Sean.”

“He is such an asshole,” Marcus said angrily.

“He is,” Janette had tears rolling down her face. “But what if a jury believes him? Sean could have died, and the guy that did it might get off because I’m a whore.”

Putting her arm around Janette, Michelle felt her stiffen. “Don’t think this is in any way your fault,” Michelle’s voice was soothing, but Janette didn’t raise her head. “Listen, I’m going to get you some tissues,” she said to the sniffling girl, and glanced over at Marcus, who was nodding appreciatively.

“Thanks,” Janette called after Michelle as she headed towards the bathrooms. “She is really sweet,” she told Marcus.

“I think she assumed that you might be more comfortable talking to me without her being around,” Marcus explained. “Considering, you know, what happened between us.”

“She knows?” Janette’s red-rimmed eyes got wide, but then she sighed loudly in defeat. “God, I guess it doesn’t matter that she thinks I’m a slut already. Everyone on Long Island is going to know about my sexual history before this is over…”

Reaching across the table, Marcus patted her hand. “Michelle doesn’t think you’re a slut, and neither do I. Actually, I hate that word. You have never done anything to hurt anyone, Janette. You tried to help Sean the night he was attacked. I’m just so sorry that Luke is trying to hurt you, especially after what he did to Sean. Luke and his asshole friends are the only ones that have anything to feel bad about.”

“Here you are,” Michelle returned to the table and handed Michelle a wad of paper. “Sorry, they didn’t have tissues in the bathroom. I had to get you toilet paper.”

Smiling wanly, Janette looked at Michelle as she sat back down. “Thank you,” she said softly, looking like she wanted to say something more, but she didn’t. Instead, she just patted her tear-stained cheeks with the toilet paper.

“Well, I guess we should try to contact Sean,” Michelle broke the silence. “He needs to know, and he will probably want to tell the DA what Luke said to you.”

Nodding, Janette agreed. She watched as Michelle called Sean on his cell phone, glancing over at Marcus to see him staring adoringly at Michelle. While she had to admit that being rejected by Marcus had hurt, there was no denying that he was a good person and a good friend. And from the looks of Michelle, he had found someone worthy of him. She couldn’t begrudge them the love they obviously shared.

“Janette, Sean wants to talk to you,” Michelle held out the phone to the girl. As Janette took it and started explaining everything from the beginning, Michelle looked at Marcus with concern in her eyes. What if Luke could do this? What if he could get away with what he did to Sean?

-----

The following week, Michelle was waiting outside the home around five. Her car had been making a weird clunking sound since the previous weekend, so she had brought it in at the mechanic that morning. Her mother had dropped her off at work, and Marcus had offered to pick her up that evening, since he had off work that night.

“Car trouble, miss?” Seamus came out of the home. He had been visiting Patty for a couple hours before he had to go to the pub for his shift.

Giving him a smirk, Michelle nodded. “Yeah, and if you say anything about ‘checking under my hood’ or ‘doing body work’, I will hit you.”

Laughing, Seamus leaned against a nearby car and crossed his arms. While he was sorry he had missed the opportunity to pursue anything more than friendship with Michelle, he wasn’t sorry that he had met her. She was a lot of fun to talk to. “So you need a ride somewhere?” he asked genuinely.

Just at that moment, Marcus pulled into the parking lot and swung into a visitor space. “No thanks,” Michelle grinned. “That’s my boyfriend, Marcus. You want to meet him?”

Raising his eyebrows, Seamus pretended to think about it. “I guess I should. What’s the phrase they always say, know your enemy? I guess I should meet the guy who stole the best girl in New York before I even got a chance.”

Rolling her eyes, Michelle smiled. Seamus flirted shamelessly, but she could tell he didn’t intend to cross any lines with her anymore. He now accepted that they were destined to just be friends. “Come on then,” she nodded her head towards Marcus’s car, where he had just gotten out.

“Hey,” Michelle greeted Marcus with a soft kiss. “Marcus, I wanted you to meet Seamus. Seamus, this is my boyfriend, Marcus.”

“Good to meet you, mate,” Seamus put out his hand.

“You too,” Marcus shook the Irishman’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“All lies,” Seamus joked. “Anyway, sorry to run so quick, but I have to get to work. You know, Marcus, I keep inviting your girl to the pub where I work, but she never wants to come. I don’t suppose I could convince the two of you to stop by sometime?”

Looking a little uncomfortable, Marcus shrugged. “Well, I don’t really drink-”

“You don’t have to,” Seamus interrupted. “We’re a restaurant, too. We’ve got a full Irish kitchen – fish and chips, bangers and mash, steak pie, stew. In fact, if you haven’t got dinner plans yet, you should stop by tonight.”

Shrugging and exchanging a glance with Michelle, Marcus agreed. “Okay, we’ll see you in a little while then.”

“Brilliant,” Seamus grinned. “And if you have any lovely single lady friends, be sure to bring them along, too.”

Marcus got into the car and looked over at Michelle in the passenger seat. “He seems nice,” he told her. “And I’m glad that you chose me over him without any big scenes. That guy is huge! He would kill me in a fight.”

Laughing, Michelle reached for his hand. “Yeah, good thing for you I like the scrawny types.” She heard her phone ring and answered it. “Hi Sean… Oh, Marcus and I are just going to grab something to eat… No, we’d love it if you and Tony came.” She told him where Finnegan’s was while smiling over at Marcus. “Okay, see you in twenty minutes.”

“So Sean and Tony are meeting us?” Marcus asked as he started the car. “That’s great.”

“Yeah,” Michelle agreed, although her voice had lost some of its enthusiasm. “Sean has just been so out of joint since all this Luke stuff came back up to the surface.”

“We’ll all help him through,” Marcus promised, glancing at Michelle before easing into traffic. “He’s got Tony, his family, and bunch of friends to support him. Everything will turn out okay in the end.”

“You’re right,” Michelle said, almost as much to herself as to Marcus. “We’ll see him through anything.”

-----

Marcus and Michelle were seated at Finnegan’s waiting for Tony and Sean when a group of four or five giggling girls tumbled in. Immediately, Michelle noticed that Janette was among the group and waved her over while the rest of the girls took seats at the bar.

“What are you doing here?” Michelle asked, giving Janette a kind smile. She could tell the girl was still uncomfortable around her, but she wanted to ease her concerns.

“Oh, I work at a gym down the street part-time,” she said, taking a seat. “A bunch of us go for happy hour sometimes. I’ve never been here before, though. What are you guys doing here?”

“I’m friends with the bartender,” Michelle tilted her head towards Seamus.

“Wow,” Janette couldn’t hide her impression when she saw the huge sandy-haired man. She blushed as she looked back at Marcus and Michelle. “I meant… oh.”

Laughing, Marcus shook his head. “And he’s Irish. Accents are a plus to girls, right? Here, let’s introduce the two of you.” Before Janette could object, Marcus waived Seamus over. “Hey, Seamus. I want you to meet our friend Janette.”

Looking approvingly at the girl, Seamus smiled wide. “Well, Marcus, it seems a bit unfair that you’ve got all the most beautiful women in Long Island fawning over you.” Seeing everyone look a little uncomfortable at that statement, Seamus quickly changed tactics. “Well, it is lovely to meet you, Janette. Any chance you would come over to the bar and let me buy you a drink?”

Blushing, Janette glanced over at Michelle and saw her nodding encouragingly. “That sounds good,” she said, rising. “And I’ll come back and talk some more to you guys a little later.”

Watching them walk towards the bar, Michelle gave Marcus a knowing smile. “That was pretty sly of you,” she said in a teasing voice.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Marcus denied any ulterior motives. “I just thought that Seamus and Janette might get along.”

Glancing over at the two of them talking animatedly at the bar while Janette’s friends looked on jealously, Michelle laughed. “Looks like you were right,” she grinned. “Oh, here are Tony and Sean.”

-----

“Hello?” Janette answered her phone, hoping it was Seamus. She had only met him that one time, a few nights ago, but he had already called her twice. She was hoping he was calling again, this time to make plans to go out.

“Janette?” a familiar voice came through the phone. “Janette, I know that you know this is.”

“Luke,” Janette replied coldly. “What do you want?”

“Janette, I’m only calling you as a friend,” Luke said in a cool voice. “I just want to give you a chance to recant your statement before my lawyers start bringing your past to the press. After all, you haven’t ever been exactly the most discretionary person in the world…”

The way Luke spoke, it was as if he thought Janette’s phone was tapped. He wasn’t saying anything incriminating. “Luke, I’m hanging up now…”

“Don’t,” Luke commanded authoritatively. “Janette, I’m just calling to warn you, against my lawyer’s recommendation. I think you’re an alright girl, and I don’t want you to be getting into some weird situation just because I unfairly used you.”

“We had sex, Luke,” Janette said coldly into the phone. “And I regretted it the first minute I woke up, hungover, afterwards. Not because I didn’t think you would call me. I regretted it because, even then, I knew you were a bad person. It wasn’t until the night I saw you hit Sean and almost kill him did I know how right my original instincts were.”

“You didn’t see anything of the sort,” Luke replied angrily. “You’re just a whore out with a vengeance against a guy that fucked you and left you behind. Like so many other guys, isn’t that right, Janette?” His voice was dark and hurtful.

“Whoever I was when I slept with you,” Janette forced the sob back in her throat. “I’m not that person anymore. And you are going to pay for what you did to Sean.”

“I don’t think so,” Luke’s voice was so calm and collected it sent a chill down Janette’s spine. “I think that, before you ever have a chance to say something against me, you’ll remember why you were originally attracted to me.”

“Jack Daniels,” Janette tried to interject sarcastically, but the words caught in her throat.

“No,” Luke replied evenly. “Because you know I’m smarter than you Janette – smarter, stronger and better. So take one long last look at what you’re about to do. Because, I promise you, you’re life is going to be fucked up way worse than mine will be if you push this any further.”

“I’m hanging up,” Janette repeated, this time unable to hide the fear in her voice. “And I hope they throw the book at you, Luke.”

“Don’t be so angry, Janette,” Luke’s voice was patronizing. “You should live by my motto – don’t get angry, get even.”

Before Janette could reply, the line went dead. She forced herself to hold back the sob that built in her chest. She wouldn’t be intimidated by Luke into doing anything to hurt Sean’s case. She wouldn’t be intimated by Luke at all, she promised herself.