Chapter 206: The Past [12]

Her words made sense, but...

"Maybe some other time. I don’t wanna talk about it right now."

Slowly her smile dropped, and it happened so eerily that for a moment I thought maybe she had switched faces. Wait... I have seen this before, some time ago. When I said I was gonna pursue ballet.

She seemed worried and tried to talk me out of it by telling me about the challenges. But I have watched Genevieve Valmont’s performance over and over again, and fell in love with it.

I’ve always had a passion for ballet, but it was something I had to keep hidden because each time I brought it up, Annabeth advised me against it, and I understood her concerns.

But that day, I was eager... because I was starting to feel like I didn’t have something for myself, so I told her... No, I’m gonna pursue ballet, and I even got Father’s approval.

Her expression was just like this that day, but as quickly as it came, it was gone.

"I understand. You’re a big girl now, aren’t you?"

She kissed my forehead and then left my room.

~☆~

I went shopping for my kittens. Jacob accompanied me, and he tried to strike up a conversation.

"Hey, you good?"

I turned to him. "Yeah, why?"

"It’s just ever since your birthday you have been different... distant even."

"And do you know why?" I asked as we locked gazes.

Those eyes that used to make me stutter in words.

I can’t believe this is all it took for me to realize what I had for Jacob was fickle. I’ve been lying to myself all this time. I guess I didn’t wanna believe that he was Annabeth’s too.

"If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking, right?"

"Right," I murmured a reply.

I guess Annabeth didn’t tell him I found them together. I was thankful she didn’t; it would have made this more difficult, and I don’t want it to be.

Conflicts or negative emotions, I always did my best to avoid them because it was something I couldn’t handle.

"Um, there’s no need to wait here. It’s a pet shop, and it’s harmless, so how about you wait outside?"

He blinked as though he wasn’t expecting that. Neither did I. I always looked for any excuse to keep him close. But now, I felt... suffocated.

"But this is our shopping date, isn’t it? The one you mentioned at your birthday. Remember?"

"Oh, that... that was meant for a different kinda shopping. I’m here for my kittens."

"Kittens, huh. You never told me who gave you those."

"Wasn’t worth mentioning."

He nodded. "Call me if you need me, I’ll be right outside."

I watched him leave, stepping outside the glass doors as they automatically slid shut.

I sighed, going back to my shopping spree, rolling the cart as I picked anything I deemed needful.

I’ve never had a pet before, but I couldn’t ignore the excitement that came with it. They were so lovely, and I never stopped raining them with kisses at every chance.

Mary was attending to them while I was gone, and I couldn’t wait to get back to them as soon as possible.

"There..." I said when I saw something I needed.

Premium kitten food. But the damn thing was on the top shelf.

I was wearing heels, but I still couldn’t reach it. I cursed under my breath as I did my best, but a hand twice my size, and covered in tats did the honors.

"Not worth mentioning, hm? That hurts more than a bullet wound."

I turned so fast I swung my hand, but he caught my wrist, and I met with a grinning Zade.

He’s here. My heart shouldn’t have fluttered, but it did.

"Do you usually swing your hand at anyone who comes up behind you?"

"C-Can you blame me?" I reasoned. "You snuck up behind me!"

He licked his lips, and my eyes descended on them instantly.

"I’ll be sure to be less sneaky next time."

Next time? That didn’t sound like a thought but a fact. He dropped the kitten food in the cart.

The way he dressed... His biker leather jacket zipped up, paired with jeans and rugged boots, made him look as though he had ridden a bike here.

Fuck... he was a whole level of sexy right now.

"W-What are you doing here?" I found my voice.

He reached for some treats, eyes scanning as though reading the contents.

"You weren’t picking my calls or replying to my texts," he spoke as if that was the perfect explanation.

My eyes wandered over the aisles. I had ventured further into the store, but Jacob was still outside and could have seen a massive man like this walk in, so how...!

"A-Are you stalking me?"

His grin grew wider. "Guilty."

"That’s completely inappropriate!" I defended.

"Inappropriate?" he murmured as though thinking about that foreign word. "So does saddling a wounded man and taking advantage of him."

I blushed. "D-Don’t pin that on me, that was for both our survival."

"And it paid off, didn’t it?" he mused. "Found something unique."

"Don’t flatter me!" I raised a finger, trying to be tough because I had to be in this situation before I melted into a puddle. "H-How did you get my address?"

"Easy."

"Easy?"

I froze. Wait, that means he knows who my father is! That was the one thing I was so scared about him ever finding out.

"Then you know..." I said sternly. "You know who my father is and how dangerous he is."

"You mean Don Morri?"

"Yes! And there’s nothing funny about this."

He even fucking knew my father was a Don. Shouldn’t that chase him away?

Zade tilted his head, not one bit concerned, but he should be. My father was part of the mafia, and that was not something he should mess with.

"Is that why I’m your dirty secret?"

Not the only reason, but I won’t tell him that.

"Yes."

He chuckled deeply as he grabbed my chin, changing the topic. "Tell me... Did you like your present?"

When I didn’t reply, he eyed the cart almost filled up. "I think you do."

"You shouldn’t have sent them," I admitted. "Not only did you do that, but that was a statement, wasn’t it?"

"Smart girl." He leaned close until I thought he was gonna kiss me.

"You have my attention, Anastasia. Something like that is not easy to get, and once you do." I shivered as the back of his hand brushed my cheek so intimately. "I don’t let go that easily."