I looked around at everyone. Thea was watching the scene with wide eyes, next to Cassius, who was doing a terrible job of trying to stifle back a smile. Meanwhile, Ally and Marla’s eyes were bouncing between Haden and I like this was the best thing they had ever witnessed.
“Della,” Haden warned. His deep voice instantly made my stomach clench.
“Shut up. Sam is trying to talk to me.” I looked away from him and looked at Sam, who now looked genuinely terrified, and did not move a muscle. I really didn’t care to hear his story, but Haden was being ridiculous. There was a tense moment of Haden staring at the side of my face, but I did not look at him, thinking he would stop.
I was wrong.
Haden stood up, his chair scraping across the floor, and made me look up. I gawked at him as he walked around the table to where I was seated. He grabbed the back of my chair, tilting it back slightly, and began dragging me to his side of the table. My mouth fell open as everyone watched him act like an ogre,claiming me. Haden slid the chair to the table before grabbing his and setting it next to me.
My chest was heaving with anger and lust.
Now it was me who glared at the side of his face. Haden didn’t look at me, but his hand came and gripped my thigh so that I couldn’t stand up.
“Continue with the story, Sam, but do not look at her again,” Haden warned.
“Haden,” I hissed. “You are acting like a psycho." He turned to me. The challenge in his void eyes let me know he wanted me to make a scene. Sam started stuttering out the rest of his story. Haden leaned over to me, so his mouth was next to my ear.
“You can pretend to be angry with me, but I can recognize the lust in your eyes right now. You like that I will not let anyone look at you.”
“You’ve lost your mind.” I turned to Sam and watched him as he talked, smiling at him because I felt bad that he was getting Haden’s attitude.
“Keep it up, Della, and you’ll force me to get more drastic with claiming what is mine,” he whispered.
“What does that even mean?”
He smiled as his hand on my thigh slowly pulled the fabric up, and he slid his fingers on my bare skin. His hand slid to the inside of my thigh and squeezed in a very possessive way. No one could see, but my cheeks flushed.
“Keep encouraging him to watch you. Keep smiling at him, and I will bend you over the table and fuck you in front of him so that it is very clear who you actually want.”
My nostrils flared as I exhaled.
“Oh, Storm, you look like you might want me to do that regardless.” His gravelly chuckle in my ear sent goosebumps over my skin. I tried not to listen to him. He was just trying to get a reaction from me, and I was not going to give him one.
Marla was smiling at Haden and I as her hand draped across Ally’s shoulders. Her bright blonde hair reminded me of the sun, and Ally’s hair was the midnight sky. They looked perfect for oneanother. Thea leaned over and gave Cassius a kiss on the cheek. When I glanced at Haden, he was watching me curiously. His eyes were still void.
“Why are you void?” I asked quietly.
“You bring out the monster in me, Della.”
“I’m assuming that is not a compliment.” I frowned. “Don’t worry, after this dinner we will go our separate ways, and you can keep your monster contained.”
“You know that I did not mean it as an insult,” he said matter-of-factly. “Does your monster want to come out and play with mine, Storm?” he whispered. “Has it missed me as much as I’ve missed it?”
I looked away from him and saw that everyone was staring at us. I pretended not to notice, but it was difficult.
“You’re looking at him again,” he said in warning.
“And I’m not going to stop because you are being possessive over someone who does not belong to you anymore.” I meant to say it quietly, but I realized Sam had stopped talking, and it was silent. Haden’s eyes darkened.
His jaw clenched. The fingers on my thigh tightened. Haden stood without saying a word to me. He looked around at everyone.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner, but I have something to do.”
Where the fuck was he going?
Haden then turned to me and yanked me up, tossing me over his shoulder.
“For the love of the damn stars, put me down,” I demanded as everyone watched him take me away, smiling at us. Haden walked outside and into the dark forest.
