Phonophobia

|9|

The tension in the air was tense. Andrea's eyes narrowed into angry slits at me while the guy beside her folded his arms across his chest with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Alexander?" Payne's deep voice rumbled. The man beside Andrea straightened.

"Chris?" He responded.

"Stay with her."

"Sure." Alexander answered and shuffled into the room.

Stay with me?

Payne's face trailed the back of my ear almost making me squeal. This man had no shame!

His mouth landed on my ear before he spoke.

"Baybi? I have some...thing to tend to, and I will be very, very loud." He whispered and I nodded vividly tightening my hands on his arms and he tightened his hold in response. "Just stay here with Alexander, okay? Your personalities match. A lot."

He told me and I nodded again. After placing another kiss on my ear he stood up with me in his arms before placing me in bed.

He exchanged glances with Alexander before walking out of the room with Andrea trailing behind him.

Alexander closed the double doors with a sigh and muttered undecipherable words under his breath.

He turned to me and gave me a lopsided grin.

"Hello Alexander." I smiled faintly, trying to recover from my embarrassment.

His face lit up at that and his grin widened.

"Hello Abigail." He said taking the chair Payne was seated at a few minutes ago. "I see you have been smitten with my friend."

Honestly, I tried to make myself invincible. I tried.

"He's also my friend." I mumbled picking my fingers.

Alexander's grin morphed to a smirk.

"Please let him know that." He almost laughed. "He'd be delighted."

I tried to decipher the mischievous look on his face but I couldn't, I folded my legs in the bed and situated my eyes on him.

"S-so...this is his room?" I asked.

"This is his house." Alexander answered with uttermost correction.

My eyes widen a fraction. My apartment would fit in here. I thought as my eyes scanned the whole room. How big was this house?

"It's a really big house. It's a mansion. He took all of us in." Alexander said as if hearing my thoughts.

"A mansion?" I gasp.

"A mansion." He repeated.

"He's really nice to take all of you in...um... how many did you say you were?" I asked, curious.

"I didn't say." He said but he answered anyway. "Forty. Minus his sixty bodyguards."

"There are a hundred people in total?" I squeaked, fazed.

"A hundred and one. Including you muffin chops." Alexander smiled.

I giggled shyly.

"Do I look like a muffin?" I asked in all seriousness.

"No, why?"

"Because my friend also called me 'muffin chops' yesterday." I said.

"Oh, my friend used to say that too." He said sadly.

"Who? Payne?"

"No, his dau--og. His dog." Alexander said, his eyes widening in oblivion.

"His dog?" I blurted. "His dog can say muffin chops?"