Il Suo Zaffario (His Sapphire)

Chapter 9

I was seated on the couch, half-watching TV, when I felt the cushion dip beside me. I turned my head to see Logan, and immediately rolled my eyes.

"I finally did it. I got a vasectomy," he said casually, like he was telling me the weather. I stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" I asked, searching his face for any hint of a joke. He nodded, his expression too smooth to be trusted.

"Wanna go try it out? See if you get pregnant," he teased, leaning in close, his hand slowly trailing up my leg. I shook my head and slapped his hand away, feeling a shiver of disgust and annoyance crawl down my spine. He laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Ewww, go try that s**t out on someone else," I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

He chuckled, leaning back like he hadn't just tried to push my buttons. We were friends, or at least something like that, but every time we visited his parents' house, they assumed we were more. And I never corrected them.

"I'm just kidding. I didn't do it," he finally admitted, laughing at the expression on my face. I let out a long, relieved sigh and shook my head. "But I'm going to do it soon," he added with a smirk, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting.

"Well, I'm going to tell your mom about this—how you don't want to get Sapphy pregnant, or get married. Then I'll fake cry," I threatened, watching as his playful demeanor hardened. He balled his hands into fists, but there was something vulnerable in his eyes.

"No, don't do that. My mom would be furious. She really wants me to have at least one baby, but I don't want a kid," he admitted, his voice softer, almost like he was confiding in me. I couldn't help but laugh.

He was going to break his mother's heart.

"Do what you want to do, Logan. It's your life and your choices. I just hope you make the right one. I'll support you," I said, trying to offer some kind of comfort. He nodded, but the tension didn't leave his body.

"Anyway, let's just forget about that. Get dressed—we're going out. Look sexy and hot," he ordered, standing up as if that was the end of the conversation.

I rolled my eyes and stood up, heading for the stairs. Once I was in my room, I saw the dress laid out on my bed. It was red, tight, and barely covered anything. My eyes widened as I held it up, feeling a surge of anger rise within me.

I stormed out of my room and knocked on Logan's door. When he opened it, I marched inside, holding the dress up like it was evidence of a crime.

"I am not wearing this, Logan. It's too tight and too much skin is showing. Where are we even going?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, one eyebrow c****d in that infuriatingly smug way he had. "You are wearing that, Sapphire. Stop complaining; it's just the back part that's cut out. We're going to my parents' house," he said, as if that explained everything.

"Well, fine then," I huffed, knowing I sounded childish but too annoyed to care.

"So you're ready then?" he asked, standing up and moving towards the door. I nodded reluctantly. "Okay, let's go get something from my office first," he said, leaving the room. I followed him downstairs, my mind racing with a mix of frustration and resignation.

I sat on the couch, waiting for him to come down. If Logan hadn't introduced me as his girlfriend to his parents, I wouldn't have had to go through this charade every time we visited. But his family was kind and funny, and I couldn't help but love them.

"Let's go, Sapphire," Logan called as he put on his watch. I stood up and walked over to him, feeling a reluctant smile tug at my lips when he looked me over.

"You look beautiful, by the way," he said, his eyes lingering on me in a way that made me self-conscious.

"You look handsome too," I said, letting my eyes rake over him. He was wearing a suit, his hair slicked back as always. "And hot," I added before I could stop myself.

Logan smirked, clearly enjoying the slip-up. We left the house and got into his car, the tension between us thick but familiar.

A few minutes later, we arrived at his parents' house. They greeted us warmly at the door, and I smiled, letting them pull me into a hug. Logan wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me inside, playing the part of the doting boyfriend perfectly.

As usual, I went along with it, though I couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort every time he kissed me in front of them. It was all for show, to convince his parents that he was settled down, but sometimes, it felt too real.

The kids were asleep, and only the adults were up. Mariya and Isabella, both pregnant, were sitting on the couch, chatting away but avoiding the alcohol. As soon as we walked into the living room, Isabella turned to me with a curious smile.

"So, how is everything with you and Logan?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Everything is okay, right, honey?" Logan replied smoothly, pecking me on the lips. I blushed and nodded, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest.

"This is too good to be true. My brother Logan has settled down. I can't believe my eyes; this must be a trick!" Daniel shouted from upstairs, making Logan glare up at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed, Daniel?" Logan snapped, but Daniel just rolled his eyes and ran back up the stairs. I couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange, earning me a warning glare from Logan.

Everyone settled into the living room. I walked over to the couch then sat down, while Logan walked over to his In-law Henry.

While everyone was having a discussion my focus was on Logan. Even though he was chatting with Henry, every so often, his eyes would flicker over to me, a look of curiosity and something else—something darker—lingering there.

I watched him whispered 'excuse me' as he stepped away from Henry respectfully. He made his move over to me then sat down. "Stand up" He said and I looked at him in confusion but did as I was told. Placing his arms on my waist he pulled me down on his lap. I gasped in surprise, but he just smiled and kissed me again. It felt like a performance, one that he was getting too good at.

"Okay, who wants a drink?" Serena asked, and everyone, except Mariya, Isabella, and me, said yes.

"No thank you, I don't drink," I said when she looked at me, and she just shrugged and walked away.

"What do you mean you don't drink?" Logan whispered in my ear, and I turned to face him, smirking.

"I'll just have a bottle of water, please. Babe, I told you already that I didn't drink," I teased, tapping his chest lightly. Serena returned with bottles of liquor and my water, handing them out with a smile. Logan grabbed a bottle for himself, earning a few grumbles from the others.

"Why do you have to take a bottle for yourself?" Henry asked, but Logan just mocked him.

"You know me, Henry," he said, taking a long gulp. "Wow, that hits the spot. Baby, are you sure you don't want any?" he asked, offering me the bottle. I shook my head, laughing at his persistence.

"Someone might be pregnant," Isabella said out of nowhere, her voice light but her words heavy. I smirked, the wheels in my mind turning as I thought of a way to get back at Logan. After all, he'd been teasing me non-stop since we got here. It was only fair to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Logan's eyes snapped to mine, and I could see the shift in his expression—disbelief, then anger, and finally, an intense focus that made the air between us crackle.

"Maybe," I said, winking at Logan, who immediately stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he realized what I was about to do. I casually placed my hand on my belly for dramatic effect.

Logan choked on his drink, and everyone around us burst into laughter. I leaned in closer to him, dropping my voice to a whisper. "Or if not, it's going to be tonight," I teased, biting my lip just to drive the point home.

His face was inches from mine, his breath hot against my skin. "What are you playing at?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous.

I met his gaze, unflinching. "Just having a little fun, Logan. You know, like you always do."

His eyes darkened, and I could see the battle raging within him—between anger and something deeper, more primal. He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of teasing, especially not about something so serious.

"You don't joke about things like that," he growled, his voice barely above a whisper, but the threat in it was clear.

"Why not? You do," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm brewing in his eyes.

Logan's hand darted to my ass, pinching it hard enough to make me jump."Ouch, stop—everyone's right there," I moaned softly, knowing it would rile him up. I could feel the heat of his anger, simmering just beneath the surface.

"Well then, I'll make sure that doesn't happen," he muttered darkly, trying to play it off as a joke. The others laughed, unaware of the tension between us. Logan quickly shifted the focus, suggesting a game to distract everyone.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of games and laughter, with the girls cheering on their partners. I could feel my energy waning as the night dragged on, and before I knew it, I was dozing off against Logan's shoulder. I asked if I could crash in the guest room, but he refused, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Logan had downed an entire bottle of liquor and was more than a little drunk. His hands became bolder as the night wore on, his touch sending shivers down my spine. He brushed his lips against my neck, his fingers grazing the curve of my breast, while the others were distracted by the games. I tried to push him away, but he was relentless, his grip firm as he slapped my ass. Even in my sleep, his touch possessive and heated.

~

By the time everyone finally started to leave, Logan was too drunk to drive. I knew we had to stay the night, and that meant sharing a room. If we didn't, his family would suspect something was off.

As soon as we were alone in the room, the door clicking shut behind us, Logan's hands were on me again. He pushed me up against the wall, his breath hot against my ear. "You think you can tease me like that and get away with it?" he growled, his voice low and rough.

"You deserve it" I replied, my voice breathless as his hands roamed over my body, tugging at the tight dress.

His eyes darkened, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "You're playing a dangerous game, Sapphire." He said as leaned in, his lips brushing against mine slightly. His voice sending a shiver down my spine. He pulled me toward the bed, his movements urgent and possessive. The teasing from earlier had set something off in him, something I knew he wasn't going to let go of until he'd had his way.