My boxing Angel

Chapter 9

~Jasmine~

After the plane landed we got settled into the house just like we usually do, but this time Elias suggested taking a look around Los Angeles just for the fun of it and then eating at a restaurant. We all agreed and changed clothes. I wore my hair in a high ponytail, a white crop top with ruffles at the shoulder, ripped jeans, and my new platform shoes.

We have been walking for an hour now, window shopping and looking at tourist attractions. I’m enjoying my time here since it’s the first I have been to Los Angeles… well that is until my feet start to hurt like hell.

I wince when I take another step, I have started to fall behind the brothers, because I decided to look cute, instead of thinking about comfort. Vincenzo turns around at the sound of another discomfort whine from me. He looks at me in question and I give him a weary smile, he rolls his eyes at me, and I have to contain myself from flipping him off.

Vincenzo slows down his pace on purpose, and I manage to catch up to him. He looks at my wimpy walk and smirks. “New shoes?” he asks with a raised brow, and I scowl at him.

“Shut up” I hiss out at him, he laughs at my comment, but when he feels my eyes on him, he closes himself off, preventing me from seeing his more tender side.

“And you decided to break them in today, my angel?”

“What did you just say?” I question him, forgetting all about what he actually asked me and focusing on that nickname…

Vincenzo becomes stiff, and before I could ask him if he was okay, he jogged away and towards his brothers, who hadn’t even noticed we weren’t next to them. Vincenzo stops them and whispers something, they all turn around to look at me, and I frown at their eyes on me. The three younger brothers start to walk again, I start to follow but Vincenzo wraps his hand on my elbow and gently pulls me back gently.

“Not you” he says with a gruff and I furrow my eyebrows at him. “We are going to get you a new pair of shoes.”

“What?” I ask with a scoff. “No!” I fuss at him, but Vincenzo doesn’t seem fazed by my reaction.

“We can either walk towards that store,” he says calmly and points to a shoe store that is near us. “Or I can carry you there” he bends himself down a little so that we could be at eye level.

I narrow my eyes at his ultimatum and cross my arms in front of my chest. Vincenzo does the same, he scoffs after a few seconds and breaks the eye contact. I smile to myself, thinking that I have just won this battle against him.

Suddenly I feel a pair of hands snake around my waist and lift me up. The next thing I know, I’m draped over Vincenzo’s shoulder and looking at the world upside down.

“Vincenzo put me down!” I exclaim to him as I start to quick my feet. Vincenzo places a hand on my legs and pushes them down.

“Then stop being stubborn” he fires back, and I huff out, my stubbornness is one of my favorite qualities. I hear the bell of the store ding above us and finally, Vincenzo places me gently on the floor. “Look around” he orders, and I roll my eyes at him. “And stop pouting” he calls out when I start to look around the store.

I pick up a cute pair of green boots with just a little of heel, I turn around to show Vincenzo, but he is already standing behind me—a little too close for comfort if you ask me.

“Those have a heel.”

“Yes, I know” I roll my eyes at his obvious observation. “But they should be good for walking” I inform him, and he shrugs off the information and takes the boot, and walks to the front counter.

I sit down on the nearest chair and start to undo my right shoe. Vincenzo’s black sneakers come into view, and I lift my gaze to meet with his, and a tease comes into mind.

“Weren’t you boosting the other night at the club that you are such a chivalrous guy? Come and help me,” I tell him with a smile and I see one of his own creeping into his face.

“Fine, just this once,” he tells me as he kneels in front of me and holds out his hand for my foot. But the sight in front of me makes me freeze, my mind going to a place where Vincenzo is kneeling once again in front of me but with a ring in his hand.

Oh my God, what the hell is wrong with me?!

Not in a million years—no scratch that not in this lifetime or in the next one.

“They look nice on you,” Vincenzo says, still kneeling in front of me.

“You like them?” I ask, going to stand up but Vincenzo extends his hand for me to take, and I do. He helps me get up and lets me walk around for a bit.

“Yeah, I like them, they are my favorite color,” he says with a smirk, and I can’t help the blush that creeps into my cheeks. “Let's get them.”

“Sure,” I tell him, walking back to my purse and looking for my credit card.

“It’s on me angel,” he tells me, placing a hand on my lower back. I automatically straighten as my breath catches in my throat. The contact is there as quickly as it’s gone, but the thing is that I don’t know on which to focus.

The fact that my body reacted instantly and a good damn way to Vincenzo touching me or the fact that he keeps using that nickname.

“You- you can’t” God damn it could I sound any more pathetic? Really Jasmine? Stuttering?

“It was my idea to buy you a new pair of shoes, I’m buying.”

“But it was my idea to not dress appropriately.”

“Don’t fight on this with me Jasmine, you won't win” he gives me a wink and walks away taking the shoe box with him. I frown at his back and roll my eyes at him. “Don’t be a bad sport Jasmine” I scoff at his words. Does this dude have eyes on the back of his head?