Tie My Heartstring's ❦

poison

Hudson

After exchanging the usual repetitive greetings with my colleagues at the firm, my attention drifted back to Katie. She never failed to be the most captivating woman in the room, and tonight was no exception.

It was hard to keep us a secret, especially in a place like this. I could see the way the other men in the restaurant looked at her, their gazes lingering longer than I'd like. My jaw clenched in response. She is mine. I wanted to claim her right here and now, but I knew I couldn't. Not in front of all these people. Not yet. I had to wait.

As I settled into my chair, I took in the details of Katie's outfit—elegant and form-fitting, perfectly accentuating her tiny physique. She pulled out the chair next to me and sat down, looking up at me with that sweet smile and those beautiful, innocent eyes.

I had no suspicions or worries about Evan's casual disregard for the seating arrangement as he decided to sit across the table, diving into a conversation with some of the other men.

"Are you okay there, sweetheart?" Evan called out to Katie, and a surge of irritation twisted in my gut just as I was about to speak to her. A young waiter approached our table, his gaze immediately finding Katie. Of course, it lingered too long for my liking. I glared at the boy who dared to admire what was mine.

The possessive side of me flared up, and I clenched my jaw, willing myself to stay calm. Katie looked up, smiling at him. "Hi, can I get a Coke, please?" she asked in that sweet, melodic voice that, for some reason, this idiot took as an invitation to flirt. Or was it? No, she wouldn't do that. Not with me sitting right next to her.

"Of course! Anything else I can help you with, darling?" he replied, flashing her a grin that made my blood boil.

She fucking blushed. I was livid. Enough was enough. This conversation was going on for far too long, with him mesmerized by her charm. "Look, kid," I interjected, my tone sharper than I intended, "we appreciate your offering, but she's fine. Don't you have other tables to attend to?"

The young waiter's expression morphed from playful to shocked, and he nodded quickly, retreating to the other side of the table. Katie turned to me, her voice low but firm. "Hudson, why do you always have to step in for me? He was just a nice waiter." The nerve of this girl. How could she not see why I was mad? The fact that she was questioning me only fueled my frustration.

"Because, Katie," I said, my voice steady despite the tumult of emotions inside me, "I don't like anyone looking at you like that. You're not just 'anyone's' to flirt with." She met my gaze, a mix of confusion and defiance in her beautiful eyes. "I can handle myself, you know."

"I know you can," I replied, my tone softening slightly. "But I'm not here to just watch someone else admire you. I need you to remember that."

Her cheeks flushed again, and I caught the flicker of something deeper in her eyes—an acknowledgment, a spark of understanding. I wanted to pull her close and erase all doubts, but I had to keep it together, at least for tonight.

The tension lingered, heavy in the air, but I could feel a shift between us. The thrill of the evening was still alive, and I was determined to make it ours, no matter the distractions.

"Let's just enjoy the night," I said finally, my gaze softening as I took her hand. "I'll make sure no one bothers you again."  She smiled, a hint of annoyance in her eyes. "You can't control that Hudson."

Anger is growing throughout my veins at the thought of another boy laying his eyes on what's mine. "Quit. It." I tug at the bottom hem of her dress under the table. When I realized that no one was paying attention, and Evan was too engaged in the conversation on the other side of the big table I shove my hand between Katie's thighs.