Belongs To Him

4 | Shaken hand

Alina Windsor

"I don't like people." His voice held minimal feeling; the man lacked emotion in most ways. It was like he was hiding from me.

"But Marcello is my best friend, I'd be an ass if I weren't to show. My family is the one to throw parties, I either attend or blow them off to go get drunk and think about base jumping off a cliff" Then it happens, he cracks the tiniest smile and takes a swig of his drink.

"I like a club, and I was considered a frat sweetheart until I met my ex freshman year." I smiled in remembrance of who I was before him before everything changed about me. I heard him laugh once more, this time at me.

"Frat, sweetheart?" I cringe at my confession as I can no longer look at him.

"I wasn't a whore, I promise" I glanced down at my feet, "I just liked to dance with certain men, and then I met a man," I sighed. He leaned on the couch listening to me, it was a weirder experience, most men ignored me.

"Oh yeah, what did this man do, Principessa?" I rolled my eyes at the thought of him. In reflection on what I'd been through with him and his one-sided relationship.

"I lost who I was because I decided to date the boy on the lacrosse team... I let it last until he proposed, it was a one-sided all-consuming relationship. I hated who I was with him."

"And who were you?" He kept the distance between us, not reaching for my face or giving me any sort of physical touch. I admire that about him; most men immediately get touchy within seconds of my words.

"Unrecognizable, lost, and confused. Then I let go of him." I hated the smile that grew on my lips because it was the truth. I wasn't in love; I was in love with an idea rather than the person.

"Do you regret it?" Another question that surprised me but was also freeing: Nobody had asked me these questions yet.

"Not for a second," I glanced at my nails and fidgeted with them slightly. "I didn't even hesitate to say no." I couldn't help but laugh. I thought of myself as this evil human being for breaking his heart, but he'd done nothing but corrupt mine.

"Sorry to talk about this... I haven't really even said stuff to my friends who I'm on this vacation with" He nodded in understanding.

"You aren't afraid to talk to me," he noted aloud. "It's comforting in some type of way." His eyes never left mine, no matter how many times I tried to break the contact.

"You aren't scary," I leaned back onto the couch, my words causing him to grin at me. He remained still in his position, staring at me. His eyes glazed over my dress, causing me to straighten it out.

Soon, I realized he didn't like my words from the glint in his eye. As I remained in my position, he edged forward towards me. He seemed curious, wondering why he didn't scare me. He intimated me for sure, but that was different.

I found him attractive rather than daunting. He was built bigger than most men I'd seen. I wondered what was underneath his suit, but I knew I'd probably be sinning if I thought even further than I had.

"Most men and women fear me in the higher-ups of the country." His head tilted as I crossed my legs to close off any view of my thong. His eyes traced down my legs and then back to me, slumped back.

"Do you know how to play pool?" From the tone of his words, I knew he was expecting me to say no, but I did happen to know how to play pool. My cousins had a table in their basement, and we'd play on Christmas Eve after church.

"I'll surely kick your bloody ass" Those words challenged him, and he offered his hand to me. I accepted it as he helped me up off the couch; his hand squeezed mine as he stared down at it, the smallest smile leaving him.