“Fine, fine, I get it,” she sighs. “I’ll get dressed and be there in a moment.”
With a smile, and another quick peck to her soft lips, I get out of the bed. I toss on the first pair of sweats and a shirt that I manage to find, both in a deep shade of grey, then walk into the kitchen. It’s small, much smaller than I’d want it to be, but it does the job.
One day, when all of this is over, I’ll get the biggest and best kitchen known to mankind, so I can cook for my butterfly every single day. That woman will not have to do a single day of cooking, or cleaning in her life. Not so long as she’s with me.
After prepping the eggs, slicing the bacon as thinly as possible, and squeezing out some orange juice to her taste, I turn the stove on, tossing the eggs into the pan, and adding her favorite seasonings.
Soft, almost silent footsteps hit my ears, and a smile graces my lips when I turn around and see my pretty girl. She’s dressed in a pair of leggings, and a dark hoodie on top. It’s one of my hoodies, well, it was mine. Now, half of my wardrobe belongs to her.
Blair approaches me without saying anything, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Mmm, it smells so good in here.”
The muttered, hushed words make my chest flutter. She always compliments my cooking, and the fact that she means it every single time just makes me so much more grateful for her. Meeting Blair was a total coincidence. Seeing her in that prison, in such a vulnerable state brought out this desire to protect her and she’s been on my mind since. There’s no chance in hell that I’ll never let her slip out of it. She’s consumed me thoroughly, wholeheartedly and entirely. I exist to be hers. I breathe to serve her and ensure she’s nothing short of the happiest woman alive.
“Yeah?” I smile. “Take a seat, it’ll be done soon.”
“Okay,” she kisses my chest, and it takes all my inner strength not to bend her over the counter and have my way with her. But she’s hungry, and that comes first. Blair sits on the high chair, her feet dangling in the air while she watches me finish up her eggs. I plate it all up for her as neatly as possible, because if I’ve realized one thing about her during the time we’ve spent together, it’s that she hates her food touching on the plate. So, I make sure there’s enough room between eggs, bacon, and pancakes, just how she likes it.
“Thank you,” she beams, picking up the fork and taking a bite immediately.
“Easy there. It’s still hot.”
“It’s fine,” she shrugs, grabbing a mouthful of pancakes, chewing on it and swallowing in record time. I’m beyond happy that her appetite is slowly returning to normal, and the fact that she’s managed to gain weight in such a short amount of time, makes me feel proud of myself. It means I am doing my job right and taking care of her needs.
“Once you’re done, we’ll have to head out,” I grab my phone, checking the time. “Aria will be waiting for us, and everyone will already be seated at the table.”
“Am I sitting at the table, too?”
“Well, you could always sit on my lap if you’re uncomfortable sitting by yourself.”
A beat of silence passes, and Blair’s cheeks start to get a pink tint. She clears her throat, though the joke clearly got to her. I can’t help the smirk that forms on my face.
“That’s never happening,” she retorts, and I pout. “Be serious for a moment, would you?”
I quirk an amused brow. “I’d say you’ve earned your spot at the table a while ago, don’t you think so?”
“Maybe,” she lifts a shoulder. “But I don’t know if everyone in the inner circle would agree with that.”
A small, bitter chuckle escapes me. “Let me make something perfectly clear, Butterfly,” I walk around the counter, stopping right in front of her. Gently, I use my index finger to bring her chin upward, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “If anyone inthere disagrees with my decision, they can come to me. They’ll die on the spot because I won’t compromise on anything when it comes to you. This meeting is about your involvement in this whole ordeal, as well as the business as a whole. You’re my person, Blair. You’re there with me. If anyone rejects you, they’re rejecting me and trust me, no one’s brave enough to challenge me like that.” Making sure she hears the sincerity in my voice.
“Woah, erm. OK” she mutters. “It looks like I’m finally getting to meet the Ghost everyone’s been raving about.”
“Oh, Butterfly,” I mumble, inching a little closer. My breath fans her lips, and her eyes darken a shade at the proximity. “You don’t want to meet the Ghost. You wouldn’t like him.”
“Is that so?” She licks her bottom lip, eyes dipping down to my own. “And if I end up liking him?”
“That’ll only inflate my already enormous ego.”
“Is that even possible?” she says with a small chuckle.
I roll my eyes. “Very much, yes. No one’s stroked my ego for quite some time.”
“I apologize for neglecting your oh-so fragile ego,” she drawls out, voice filled with mockery. “But I am rather excited to meettheGhost. I’ve known who you are for a long time now, and yet… I’m yet to meet the infamous nightmare of New York City.”
“You’ll get the opportunity to meet him very, very soon. I’m just scared you won’t like what you see.” I say, a hint of insecurity creeping out between my words.
Blair cups my cheek with one palm, stroking it with her thumb in soft, circular motions. Her eyes never leave mine, and there’s no trace of uncertainty, doubt, or even dishonesty within the depth of her brown gaze.
“Never, Arlo,” she speaks, the voice reeking with confidence and certainty. “I love you for who you are. I’ve accepted you for exactly who you are. It won’t change if I see the dark side of you, Arlo. In fact, I’ll only love you more for trusting me to see it.”
