“They don’t. But they do have it in yours,” he shares, looking down at me.
“Okay?” I say like a question, raising an eyebrow.
He leans in close, lowering his voice to a husky whisper. “Say, ‘Yes, Xander, I’ll let you buy me that set.’”
“What? I—” I start, but he silences me, pressing his thumb gently against my lips. When I shut up, he traces my bottom lip with his thumb.
“Say it,” he insists, his gaze locked onto my lips.
My breath catches in my throat. “Yes,” is all I manage to whisper, feeling dizzy.
I will do anything this man asks me to.
“Good girl,” he murmurs, placing a kiss on my temple. He then picks up the lingerie set in my size and heads to the register.
“Damn,” Sophia comments from behind me, making me jump.
I whirl around, my cheeks flaming, feeling like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t. “I?—”
“He’s really bringing his A-game today.” She chuckles, cutting me off with a smirk. “Let’s go… I’m hungry.”
Xander isin line for a burger place at the mall, getting fries for us.
We decided to eat something small here before going home to watch movies and cook since I want to make sure Chiara and Leo get something to eat too.
Sophia and I are sitting at a four-person table when two guys take the empty seats next to us. I can’t help but feel a sense of unease creeping over me.
“Is this seat taken?” one of them asks, his eyes fixed on Sophia.
They look to be in their mid-twenties.
“Actually, yes. Sorry,” she responds politely, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Come on, don’t be like that. Want a milkshake?” The other guy leans in a bit closer, a playful grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
“No thanks. Our friend will be back any minute,” she states, trying to politely put an end to this conversation.
“What’s your name? Wanna see a movie later?” The guy beside her doesn’t get the hint and persists, not taking no for an answer.
“Thanks, but I’m not interested,” she replies, leaning away to get some space between them.
A cocky smile plays on the lips of the other guy as he joins in, trying to win her over with humor. “I’ll be there too,” he teases, punctuating his words with a sly wink.
They only have eyes for Sophia, and it doesn’t surprise me, but the way they’re acting makes me increasingly uncomfortable for her.
The one sitting next to her puts his arm around her.
That’s it.
Unable to sit still and say nothing, I finally speak up, my voice carrying a steely edge. “She said no.”
He doesn’t budge an inch, his arm still draped over Sophia’s shoulder, a smug grin on his face. “The pretty ones always playhard to get.” Then, he reaches to grab the back of her neck, making her cringe.
“Take your hands off her,” I snap, ready to punch the guy, my protective instincts flaring up.
“Or what?” He smirks at me when he sizes me up.
“I’ll break them,” Xander warns from behind him, setting down the tray of fries and crossing his arms over his broad chest.
