Chapter Four

Alex

“Are you okay?” her voice sounded stealthy but still alluring.

I pressed my hands on the steering wheel, my eyes fixed on the road without glancing over at her.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I replied dryly.

It had been a very long day and as the darkness settled on the surface, my body seemed to surrender to its course.

“You seemed off throughout the shopping and dinner,”

“I’m perfect. Thanks for asking though,” my response cuts across as sarcastic as possible. I was far from fine.

“Is this about the man from earlier? If it is…”

“No, Leslie. No. It’s fine. It’s absolutely fine!” My voice was above my usual pitch but I took a deep breath.

“Listen. It's just the first day of our union if that's what I should call it. It’d be too early for you to start acting up.”

“Are you over it already? Do you need a break? You sound like you’re doing me a favor where, in fact, I am the one doing the greatest part of the favor!”

“Excuse me? Do you think giving myself away to my boss, who I had just started working with, is easy? To just get intertwined with someone I do not have the slightest bit of feelings for? To have my face all over the media like an advertising gimmick? We could barely have dinner in peace and I could feel the intensity of stares and flashlights downing on me. So tell me, what part of that seems easy?!” she rushed the words out and I shook my head.

“Do you regret your decision now? Would you rather you never meet me? And I never proposed the two-month deal?”

My gaze was fixed on the road. I was having mixed feelings right now. A feeling of anger and maybe jealousy.

“No. I want to know why you are so mad at me!”

“Oh, please, Leslie. Don’t act clueless!”

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

She sighed, resting her face on her palm, a sign of frustration which amazes me. Why was she frustrated?

“You are impossible!” she said and I scoffed.

“You are the impossible one!”

“What did I fucking do?!” she yelled and I abruptly stepped on the brake, causing a rough jiggle in the car. She tucked her hair behind her ear before glaring at me.

I unfastened my seatbelt and turned to face her.

“You wanna know why you’re shitty? I’ll explain what you already know to you! It wasn’t enough that you were flirting with a man but you had to invite him to dinner with us? It was supposed to be about us. We were supposed to be seen out together by the media as a couple, not as polyandry bigots!”

“You knew this man!”

“A business partner. Would have introduced him to you if he was important,” Ethan was the last person I wanted to see with her.

“So, why exactly are you mad? Because I invited him to dinner as a kind gesture towards one of your acquaintances?”

“Don’t you get it? You were flirting with him.”

“I wasn’t flirting with him! Why do you even care so much if I do?”

“Because you are my woman!”

She stared at me, her eyes holding words her lips had refused to say. I was shocked as well and I had no idea why. I was not just making that confession for the first time but this time, it felt real.

She was really my woman.

I squeezed my eyes and let out a deep breath before pinching the bridge of my nose while I took the opportunity of her speechlessness to speak further.

“I don’t like sharing my woman. You are mine and mine alone.”

She let out a smile that didn't reach her eyes before nodding and turning to face the road without saying a word to me.

It felt awkward and I had no idea how to bring the tension down. So, I ignited the car and drove off the sideline. I rested my hand on her thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze but she didn't react to my touch this time.

After driving for about twenty minutes in awkward silence, she finally spoke.

“I would need to get some toiletries tonight at my place and maybe grab my other things tomorrow or anytime,” she said dryly without sparing me a glance.

“You don’t have to move in with me if you don’t feel comfortable to,” I said and only then did she glance at me.

“The contract clearly states I needed to move in,”

“You don’t have to follow everything the contract says,”

“I might as well just get paid without having to engage with you.”

“Are you mad?” I transfixed my gaze from the road to her but she wasn’t looking at me. “Look at me,” I said and she did. “Are you mad at me?”

“No. I’m not. I just feel it’s too early to have any issues with you.”

“We’re not going to have issues, okay? It’s strictly business from my end, and I know it is on yours,” I nodded, and she nodded back.

“So, we’re gonna go over to my place tonight and get your things tomorrow. We have everything you need at my place,” I assured and she nodded.

She was my responsibility and I needed to make sure she was in good shape.

I pulled up in my garage after a few more minutes of driving. The day was rough but I was glad to be able to get it all under control.

As we got down, I took the shopping bags off the back seat and walked toward the main door. As we walked in, I was greeted by Lydia, my housekeeper who looked as though she had just swallowed a bee.

Then, just across the living room, I saw Mayla standing with her back turned at me.

“Oh God. I have had a long day not to be faced with this!” I grunted. “Why the hell did you let her in, Lydia?!”

“She forced…” Lydia stopped mid-sentence.

Mayla took audacious steps, almost trotting toward Leslie and before I could stand in front of her and block her from getting to Leslie, her hand landed heavily on her cheek.