𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 | 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟷

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎

𝚂𝚘𝚏𝚒𝚊

☆═━┈┈━═☆

"You don't have to marry him if you don't want to."

Alexander was sitting across from me in the small cafe, the smell of roasted coffee beans making my headache subside momentarily, the fruit and toast I was snacking on helping the groggy feeling that settled in my body. I had just explained the events of the last 72 hours to him, his eyes widening when I said I don't have a choice, I'm just a pawn in a massive game, that's what I was born for. The sooner I accepted it, the easier it was to move amongst the sharks in my world. But Alexander came from a world of people who marry for love, not people who marry for business.

"It's not that easy," I took a long sip of the coffee in front of me, trying to not get frustrated, it wasn't his fault he didn't understand. He was raised in a family where his parents loved each other and showed him that love in return. Whereas I grew up as my fathers diamond, because he saw the potential business opportunities that came with having a daughter.

"It is that easy," Alexander leaned back in the chair, folding his arms over his chest, "you just say no."

"You don't get it," I couldn't help the exasperated sigh that left my lips, pulling my phone out of my pocket to text Steve, shooting off a simple text saying I was ready to go, "you don't get it because you weren't raised like me."

"No you're right," Alexanders voice met my irritation, "I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, you were born a billionaire," his words slashed through my emotions and I could feel the tears pricking behind my eyes, "so I don't understand why you can't just walk away when you feel like it."

"I lose everything if I walk away, my family, my security, my friends, why would I want to risk that?"

"God forbid you have to start over like a normal person," Alexanders voice softened when he saw the tears glistening in my eyes, "I'm sorry, that came out a lot ruder than I intended it to, it's just hard listening to rich people complain about things because you all have never really had to struggle, everyone's always picked up the pieces for you."

"Baby," Steve's voice appeared behind me and my shoulders instantly relaxed, turning around to see him approach me, leaning down to press his lips to mine gently, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," his thumb ran across the apple of my cheeks, eyes narrowing on Alexander when he saw the tears that formed on my lower lash line, "I'm okay I promise, I just want to go home." Steve was already pulling money out of his wallet, handing over to Alexander, my eyebrows furrowing when I looked up at him, "I don't need you to pay for me, it's okay."

"It's fine baby, what's mine is yours," Steve tugged me up, his hand tightly holding mine, "thanks Alexander for taking care of my girl, but we have to go."

I felt the smile grow at the silent claim Steve was laying on me, my eyes flashing over to Alexander who was watching me intently, Steve's hand left mine to curl around my hip, pulling me into his side tightly, "let's go baby," I nodded, letting his push me forward slightly, stepping out into the chilly morning air, Steve's arm encircled my waist once more. It was odd to feel the sense of security wrapping around me, that I looked at Steve for my safety and not as at threat anymore. Where Logan was once my security blanket, now it had become Steve. "Everyones crammed into the G-Wagon," Steve looked down at me as we crossed the parking lot to his car, "Elena and Juliana are in the back with Mickey. Logan, Curtis, and Bucky are in the middle row, you've got the passenger side."

"Are you sure?"

Steve stopped abruptly, spinning me around so I would face him, "Sofia, it's time you understand that you are mine, that means you are priority, over my friends, over my brother," Steve's hands cupped my face, making it where I had to focus on him as rain started to slowly splash around us, "if I tell you that you're sitting in the passenger seat, it's because I want you there, I want you close. Stop overthinking it," his thumbs caressing my cheeks made my eyes fall shut, the sensation comforting, "you're my little devil, keyword is my, now go get in the car."