fist connected with his face , and marco staggered back , his head snapping to the side with the blow . pain flared along his jaw , but it was nothing compared to the storm of emotions raging inside him . a hand raised , wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand . then , he spat the rest onto the floor , his eyes locking onto nico . fire raged in his eyes , an uncontrollable anger that had always been present throughout his life .
" you think i didn ' t try ? " marco ' s voice was raw , the emotion in it cutting through the tension like a knife . " you think i didn ' t want to find you , to let you know i was okay ? i barely got out with my life , nico ! and you ... you were just gone . " he took another step forward , his telekinetic energy flaring again , causing the rattling doors to shake even more violently . " i needed you . more than you ’ ll ever understand . "
marco ' s fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms again. " you talk about my self - absorbed bullshit , but where were you ? while i was under constant surveillance , pumped full of drugs , restrained every time i so much as twitched , where were you ? i got out and .. i looked for you , tried to reach out , but it was like you had disappeared off the face of the earth . "
he took another step closer, the anger and hurt radiating off him in waves. " maybe you ' re right . maybe i am self - absorbed . maybe i had to be , just to keep from losing my mind in that hellhole . " marco ' s voice dropped to a whisper . " but don ' t you ever tell me i didn ' t care . because every single F U C K I N G day i spent in that place , all i could think about was getting out and finding you . "