His Adopted Obession

Chapter Three

I nearly jumped out of my skin when a deep voice suddenly spoke right behind me. Whirling around, I found myself face-to-face with Rouge, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down at me with an infuriating smirk.

He stared me down, his eyes slowly dragging up and down my form in a way that made my skin crawl.

"What are you doing down here?" he asked, finally meeting my gaze again. But there was no mistaking the smug look in his eyes as they lingered on my bare legs and tank top - as if he was savoring making me uncomfortable.

I crossed my own arms tightly, suddenly feeling too exposed under his predatory stare. "Why did you bring your friends here without telling me first?" I snapped back, hoping my glare could mask the unease churning in my stomach.

"And what are you wearing?" he countered, ignoring my question entirely.

I bristled at his audacity. "What do you care? I'm asking you first - why did you bring your friends over without telling me?" I demanded, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

"We live together now, so some courtesy would be nice."

He just smirked in response, clearly not taking me seriously. But there was no way I was going to let him get away with this kind of behavior any longer. It wasn't just about my comfort anymore, it was about respect and boundaries that he seemed determined to ignore at every turn.

"Tell me now. How am I supposed to get back upstairs with your friends here—" I started, but was cut off by one of his buddies calling out from the living room.

"Bro, what's taking you so long in there?"

Rouge glanced over his shoulder before turning back to me with a wicked grin. "Looks like my friend is getting impatient," he said, voice dripping with mock concern. "I should probably get back before they come looking for me."

But then, he took a step closer, invading my personal space as he leaned down to murmur in my ear. "But don't worry - I'll make sure none of them see you scurrying up to your room like the little mouse you are." His breath was hot against my skin and I shuddered involuntarily.

I clenched my fists at my sides, hating how powerless I felt in that moment. But before I could retort, Rouge straightened up and winked at me before sauntering out of the kitchen without a backward glance.

So that was it? He was just going to leave me stranded down here with no way out? Of course he would - why should I expect anything else from him at this point?

I rubbed my temples, trying to think through the haze of frustration. There had to be a way out of this mess, but what? I couldn't exactly march out there in front of his friends dressed like this.

Maybe...maybe if I waited until they were all distracted by something, I could make a run for it upstairs. But even then, the risk of being seen was still too high. Damn Rouge and his inconsiderate behavior!

I leaned against the counter, squeezing my eyes shut as I tried to calm the storm of emotions raging inside me. I was going to kill him - slowly and painfully. That asshole had some nerve leaving me in this predicament.

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to think rationally. Getting worked up wouldn't solve anything right now. I needed a plan - and fast.

Peeking out into the living room again, I assessed the situation. Rouge and his friends were all engrossed in whatever they were doing on their phones or tablets.

Just as I was contemplating my next move, I caught Rouge's gaze from across the room. He wasn't even trying to be subtle about it - just blatantly staring at me while his friend droned on beside him.

The audacity of this guy! I was so annoyed that I flipped him off without thinking. Take that, you jerk!

But as soon as I did it, I realized my mistake. His grin only widened and he gave me a mock tilt head in response before turning back to his friend.

This was too much! I wanted nothing more than to march out there and punch that smug look right off Rouge's face. The urge was so strong, my hands were practically itching with the need for violence.

But of course, I couldn't do that - not with his friends here. No matter how satisfying it would be to see him sprawled on the floor in shock, it would only make things worse for me in the long run.

I was just about to lean against the wall in defeat when I heard footsteps approaching here. My heart leapt into my throat as I peeked out and saw one of Rouge's friends heading straight for the kitchen.

Oh God, this couldn't be happening! If he found me here like this, there would be no explaining it away. Panic rising in my chest, I looked around frantically for somewhere - anywhere - to hide.

I didn't have time to think - I just reacted, diving under the counter and curling up into a ball. Hugging my knees to my chest, I held my breath and prayed he wouldn't notice me.

"Man, I'm hungry," his voice called out from somewhere above me. "Is there any food here?"

Please please go away, I silently begged. Just leave and don't look under here!

For a moment that felt like an eternity, all was silent except for the pounding of my own heart in my ears. Then finally, mercifully, I heard him rummaging through the cabinets before muttering something about not finding anything good.

"There's nothing here, get out," Rouge's voice suddenly barked from the doorway. It was deep and commanding, almost like he was warning his friend away.

"Damn, really? There's no food at all?" his buddy replied, sounding disappointed.

I held my breath as I waited for him to leave - but instead of footsteps retreating, I heard him move closer to the counter where I was hiding.

"Wait a minute, why do I smell something so sweet?" he added, and my heart nearly stopped. Oh God, he must have caught the scent of my perfume. I quickly covered my mouth with both hands to stifle any noise.

"Did you bake cookies or something, man?" he asked Rouge incredulously.

I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed that Rouge would lie convincingly - or better yet, that his friend would just drop it and leave.

"Sweet, huh?" Rouge mused aloud, before addressing his friend directly. "There's nothing here, Cladin. I didn't restock the kitchen, so just get out already."

I heard the kitchen door close as his friend finally left. Letting out a long, shaky breath, I allowed myself a moment of relief.

But it was short-lived. Without warning, Rouge's face suddenly appeared above me, peering under the counter with a wicked grin. I nearly screamed in shock before slapping a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound.

"Well well, what do we have here?" he chuckled, clearly enjoying having caught me off guard. I shot him the dirtiest look I could muster, heart still racing.

I came out from under the counter, still shaking with adrenaline and annoyance. Pushing Rouge hard in the chest, I glared up at him.

"You're being too much, Rouge," I snapped, my voice trembling slightly. "Do you really want to play games with me? Because I swear to God..."

My threat trailed off as he just smirked down at me, clearly amused by my outburst. The nerve of this guy! He had no idea how close he was to pushing me over the edge.

I stared him down, my annoyance growing by the second. Unable to stand his smug face any longer, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the kitchen.

But I didn't get far before he grabbed my wrist in a vise-like grip, yanking me back into the kitchen with enough force to make me stumble.

"What the f**k are you doing?" he demanded, voice low and dangerous as he pulled me close.

I tried to wrench my arm free, but his hold was too strong. "Let go of me!" I snapped back, hating how breathless I sounded.

"Shut it, Madeline," he growled, giving me a little shake for emphasis. "Do you really think you can march out there looking like that?"

His eyes raked over me slowly from head to toe, and I suddenly felt very exposed. Crossing my arms self-consciously, I glared up at him.

"Just stay put," he ordered. "I'll get rid of them." And with that, he released me and strode out of the kitchen, leaving me reeling in confusion.

What the hell was that about? One minute he was tormenting me, the next he was...helping? He's insane.