All I Need

Chapter 4 - Natalie

Kaia

Elias and I waited in line for a couple of minutes before arriving in front of the cashier. He placed the clothes down, and I thanked him for holding them. The name tag read Stella, and we stood there patiently as she scanned my items.

Pulling out my wallet, I tapped my credit card on the machine. Stella began looking at the till weird until she asked me to try again. So I did and tried once more, but nothing was working.

"Your card was declined. Do you want to try another one?"

Well, that's embarrassing. Next, I pulled out my debit card. Tapping again, Stella informed me. "That one has declined as well."

What the fuck? The last time I checked, I wasn't broke. This has never happened, my cards worked every time. Frustration started to rise, and I could feel Elias's gaze on my back, which made matters worse.

"Let me look for another one-"

My words cut off when Elias reached forward, tapping his card on the machine. That wasn't my intention, I didn't want him to pay. I didn't want him to think I was using him, even though I was, but not for money.

He then grabbed the two bags of clothing and exited the store, I had no choice but to follow. After loading the trunk, Elias joined me in the front seat, starting the car.

"You didn't have to do that,'' I told him, clicking my seatbelt as he pulled away from the sidewalk and drove down the road.

"And what was I supposed to do?" he questioned, running a hand through his dark silky hair. "Let you run around my hotel naked for the next week?"

I scoffed, fiddling with one of my braids. I didn't want him to think I didn't have money, because I did. "Of course not. I just-"

"A thank you would suffice." his tone was deeper as if he already wished to end my rambling.

"Thank you," I responded. And believe it or not, I was thankful.

As we drove on, neither of us spoke. My thoughts were consumed by the current situation, and what the hell happened to my card. After considering everything, I came to the only possible solution. That my father cut me off.

He controlled all the money I had, along with my whole life in general. Nathaniel was a very inconvenient man, he wanted things done too quickly, even if it was physically impossible.

Why would he do that? I hadn't done anything wrong, and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours since I last talked to him. What else did he want from me? I've already given up everything for him. My morals, my personal needs, my desires, all of it.

I prayed every day for a person, just one person, that I could share myself with. The ones I had before were either dead or wanted me dead. That wasn't easy to get used to.

Elias seemed to notice my distress, as I caught him a couple of times looking over. But he didn't say a word. And that was fine because it wasn't his job to check on me. It wasn't even his job to drive me into town, yet he did. The guilt racked my brain. He would never forgive me for what I was doing.

Not that I expected him to anyway. I didn't expect it from Bianca, Raphael, Leonardo, or anyone from the Vitale family on that matter. If only I had more time to explain, to apologize...

Reality hit when Elias stopped the car in front of the hotel. We both got out. He carried one bag while I carried the other. We walked past Rachel, who gave me a rude glare. What was that for? I didn't know, and I didnt care, so I ignored it and continued to the elevator.