Chapter 3 Uncomfortable Warmth
856 Words
Caught in a mix of gratitude and embarrassment, Yasmine struggled with her feelings toward Xavier.
Meanwhile, he had already brought the soup to her side.
He offered a spoonful with a gentle, "Here, have some."
Xavier's proximity was unsettling. Though he hadn't made direct contact, the heat from his muscular physique seemed to fill the air between them, briefly scorching her skin with its intensity.
"I've got it," Yasmine asserted. She straightened up to take the bowl from him. In her haste, she forgot about the blanket that was her only cover, letting it slide down as she moved.
As a result, her bouncy boobs jumped out, and her n*****s stood like two defending soldiers.
"Oh, no!" In a panic to cover up, she inadvertently sloshed the soup, thankfully not on herself.
Because Xavier's quick reflexes prevented it.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I..." Her face flamed with embarrassment over the mishap.
"Don't move." His grip on her shoulder was firm as he gave a clear command to stay put and readjusted the blanket to protect her modesty.
He then proceeded to feed her.
"Open up," he coaxed with his voice slightly deeper than before.
Paralyzed, Yasmine found the mundane instruction oddly charged in this context, as if he intended to feed her more than just soup...
"Be good, will you?" he urged gently.
Giving up on any struggle for the bowl and spoon, Yasmine acquiesced, fearing further embarrassment.
She obediently took the soup.
Its flavors of cheese, cream, parsley, and rosemary sparked her hunger.
The rush to satisfy it led to a dribble escaping her lips, which she instinctively licked.
This fleeting moment visibly affected Xavier, pausing him mid-motion as his breathing deepened. Yet, his exceptional self-control was swiftly regained, and the feeding continued.
The bowl emptied quickly in the cozy warmth of the room, banishing the cold that had seeped into her bones. Yasmine relaxed. A content sigh escaped her.
"Thanks. That was delicious." She offered, a genuine note of appreciation in her voice.
"Don't mention it. Considering you almost called me 'uncle,' it's only right I look after you," Xavier quipped, stressing "uncle" teasingly while playfully tapping her nose, treating her with a lighthearted jest.
Yasmine caught on to his playful mockery but turned away, a silent refusal to engage in his game.
With the spoon back in the bowl, Xavier shifted the conversation to more pressing issues, ready to address the reality she was facing.
"So, what's the story? What exactly went down today, or better yet, what did Hayden pull?"
Xavier's probing question sent a chill through Yasmine, conjuring the storm's grim scenes.
She was caught in the crossfire of gang rivalries, left defenseless by her husband at the enemies' mercy, an unfortunate pawn in their game.
But she hesitated to show her wounds to Xavier, especially since it involved the messy affairs between the Yanceys and the Hendersons, conflicts she preferred not to drag another party into.
"It's nothing." Her voice wavered. Her regained composure faded fast, turning her pale again. "Just the usual gang squabbles."
Xavier saw through her avoidance yet mistakenly believed it was her attempt to shield Hayden. He thought she still couldn't find it in her to speak ill of Hayden.
A wave of anger washed over Xavier, though he managed to keep his composure, not wanting to scare her. He carefully placed the bowl aside, his tone even, giving nothing away.
"Nothing?" He gestured toward her bruises. "Take a good look at these marks. Remember how they came to be!"
Yasmine gripped the blanket tighter as if clinging to the last vestiges of her dignity.
"Please, stop!" Her initial flare of defiance quickly faded, replaced by a softer plea, acknowledging his earlier kindness. "Please, let me be."
"Still protecting him?" Xavier's response was icy, ignoring her plea for clemency.
"If you're not going to say it, I will. Hayden has betrayed you and exploited you. He doesn't deserve you."
The shiver that ran through Yasmine was less about the chill in the air and more about the storm within her heart.
The proximity, coupled with Xavier's blunt condemnation, struck a nerve.
No one had ever acknowledged her suffering, yet here was someone who seemed to grasp her plight.
But what could she possibly do? She had walked into the marriage with Hayden by choice, and now, she couldn't change her status as his wife.
Her mistake shouldn't be the catalyst for a feud.
"This is an internal family matter. It doesn't involve you." She insisted, albeit faintly.
"Doesn't involve me?" Xavier's laugh was sharp, filled with disbelief. "Given my close ties to Logan, the Yancey family head, and Hayden being my nephew, how can it not be?"
He softly brushed a stray hair behind her ear.
"When my nephew errs to the point of endangering his wife, shouldn't I, as his uncle, step in?"
"We'll handle it," Yasmine stated, her voice hollow, though deep down, she knew the marriage was irreparable.
"Why shield a man who's hurt you, Yasmine? Did your family really teach you to be this way?"
Xavier's tone was frosty, echoing with disappointment.
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