Stolen by the wrong brother

ChapterFive

My mind raced as Damian drove. Every plan I had kept falling apart under his calm stare. He watched the road with a hand loose on the wheel, but his eyes rolled to me every few seconds.

We pulled into the shopping mart’s parking lot. It was the first time in five days I had seen this many people. Kids were running around the parking lot and their parents were trying to get them before they went too far. ”Stay close,” Damian said. “Don’t wander.”

I forced out a laugh. “You don’t trust me to pick a dress?”

He glanced at me. “I don’t trust anyone else around you.”

When did control become so hot? I mused. “You’re going to watch me pick underwear next?”

He didn’t even smile. “If I have to.”

I pushed the car door open. The cold air snapped at my face. I stepped out and walked to the entry like it was my first day on planet earth. I kept my head down, whilst still planning my escape in my mind.

Inside the mart, the crowd was a lot. Damian moved beside me like he was my shadow. He didn’t hold my hand, or make any obvious move. But his presence just lingered around me.

We walked aisle after aisle. He picked up some things from the shelves. Some chips, coffee, and a new blanket. He put them into the cart. I tried to watch the people, the couples, the laughing friends. I tried to pretend everything was normal, like I wasn’t being held hostage.

When we passed the cosmetics section, a woman smiled at me. “You look tired, love,” she said. “Big night?”

My throat tightened. I nodded. “You have no idea.”

Damian gave me a look, like he didn’t want me to engage in conversations. I took the hint and rolled the cart away from her.

We reached the clothing aisle. My plan was simple. I was going to break away for ten minutes, slip into a dressing room, and find the nearest exit when he wasn’t looking.

“Pick warmer clothes, it’s getting cooler these days,” he said, holding out a sweater for me to try. I moved towards the dressing room. I could see him following closely in the reflection. “Are you going to follow me into the dressing room and watch me undress?” I asked, already baffled.

“Of course not,” he said. “I will just wait by the door here.” I was infuriated. My plans wouldn’t work if he were guarding the door like a hound dog. “I guess I should just give up already,” I muttered to myself. After trying on several clothes, I had had enough and needed to just go back home. I was packing up when Damian passed a red lingerie to me. “You could try this,” he said. My cheeks flushed. “What for?” I snapped. “I have all I need, Damian. We can go now.”

“Ok then. If you say so.” We moved over to the counter to pay. A man, maybe mid-thirties, with messy blond hair and a cocky smile, leaned against the shelf as I walked past. His eyes ran down my body, slowly. “Well, hey there,” he said. “You look lost. Need some help finding something?”

I forced a polite smile. “I’m fine, thanks.”

He stepped closer. “You sure? A pretty girl like you shouldn’t shop alone.”

Before I could answer, Damian cut in. His eyes were filled with so much anger, mixed with disgust. I had never seen him like that before.

“She’s not alone,” he said.

The man raised his eyebrows, giving Damian a once-over. “Relax, buddy. I was just being friendly.” His eyes slid back to me. “You don’t look like you belong to a guy like him anyway.”

That was the last straw.

Before I knew it, Damian grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the shelf. Boxes tumbled down and everyone was watching now. “Damian!” I hissed, grabbing his arm. “Stop it!”

But his fist slammed into the man’s jaw before I could pull him back. The sound echoed, and the blond man staggered away, clutching his face.

“You ever look at her again,” Damian growled, “and I’ll break more than your jaw.”

The man stumbled away, muttering curses while holding his bleeding lip.

Everyone stared at us.

I grabbed Damian’s wrist. “Are you insane? You can’t just go around punching anyone who tries to talk to me”

His eyes burned as he turned to me. “Did you see the way he looked at you? I just couldn’t stand it.”

“That’s not how the world works!” I snapped. He leaned closer. I could feel his breath warm against my ear. “The world doesn’t matter. Only you. And no one touches what’s mine.”

Heat crawled up my neck. I couldn’t tell if I was angry or if I was impressed by what he did. He grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers through mine tightly. “We’re leaving.”

I didn’t argue. I just followed as he led me out of the store.

The ride back was silent as usual. My chest still pounded, not just from the scene, but from the way he’d looked at me after. I felt as though I wasn’t just a person to him, it felt like I meant everything to him.

And that terrified me… because part of me liked the idea of it.

When we got home, we took out the clothes and groceries from the car. As we walked towards the house, I heard him call my name. “Lena, I hope you weren’t scared today?” he asked softly. “It wasn’t my intention to scare you like that. I’m usually not quick to use my fist but you bring out something in me that I can’t explain sometimes.”

I looked away and responded. “It’s fine, you don’t have to explain to me.” “That’s the problem, Lena. I don’t have to but I find myself doing it anyway. That’s the hold you have on me.”

I rushed into the house, I couldn’t let him catch me smiling like that. Was Damian succeeding in making me fall for him?