Mantis

31. Shopping

I have never seen a guy so excited about shopping. Victor quickly took care of his own errands and then, with sparkling eyes, he wandered among the shelves of women's clothing, constantly handing me outfits as if I were a life-sized Barbie doll.

I tried on probably five times more outfits than I needed, and Victor dragged me from one store to another, never showing any sign of getting bored. Only Marcel, who trailed behind us like a shadow and rolled his eyes ostentatiously, ruined the carefree mood. When I stepped out of the last fitting room and Victor went to the cashier, Marcel got up from the pouf where he had been sitting, staring at his phone, and stood in front of me.

– Where's Victor? – I asked, looking around for his face.

– He's paying for your purchases – Marcel muttered, emphasizing the word „your".

A small, sour expression immediately appeared on his face, but I just smiled slightly to myself. I decided that indifference would be the best tactic against this grouch, so I headed toward the cashier, but Marcel blocked my way. I tried to carefully sidestep him, but he clearly had a different plan. He again obstructed my path and gave me an unpleasant look.

– Can I help you with something? – I asked, striving for a carefree tone.

– Can you stop? – he snarled, giving me a look full of anger, and I looked at him as if he were an alien.

– I don't understand – I replied, struggling not to yell at him because my patience for this circus he was putting on was running out.

Marcel looked at me as if I were something particularly unnecessary and ugly that had stuck to his clothes, but since I said nothing, he just huffed loudly and started talking.

– I told you he needs to be completely focused, and you're constantly distracting him.

I frowned and looked at Marcel reproachfully. I was distracting him? Me? He was the one who almost drove him to a nervous breakdown yesterday and was completely blind to his fears and anxieties, and I was the one comforting him. Who was having a worse influence on him?

– Distracting? Me? – I stammered, raising my eyebrows in astonishment. – Me?

– Don't play dumb – Marcel hissed venomously. – Do you think I don't know what you're up to? You've found yourself a sponsor, and it's convenient, but you can always find someone richer, right?

– Sponsor? Have you lost your mind?

– You think you can fool me like you fooled Victor? – he growled menacingly. – I took an interest in you, Paulina Temper. I found out who your father is, who knows Rafael Perez. You don't keep in touch with daddy. You don't have his money anymore. Do you miss it? – He looked at me as if expecting some response from me, but I couldn't say anything, so he continued. – I've been watching you. Guys like you, don't they? Not just Victor. Perez senior, junior... And Perez is lonely and wealthy...

I squinted at him and gave him a cold look. Now he had really gone too far.

– Victor and I are friends – I spat out in an icy tone, fighting the urge to smack him in his stupid head. – No Perez is my type, and I don't need their money. Or Victor's money. Or my...– I paused because the word wouldn't come out of my mouth – father's money – I finally said. – You might gather information faster than a squirrel collects nuts, but you have no idea why I don't keep in touch with that man. And Victor is not five years old anymore and doesn't need constant supervision. He'll do what's best for him.

– You're wrong! – Marcel hissed sharply, pointing an accusatory finger at me. – Victor is a delicate construction, dependent on what his dick wants, and it just so happens that now it wants you. He'll do whatever you tell him just to sleep with you again, so if you have to be here, be useful and put your nighttime plans on hold.