If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 52

"I will cross the ocean for you. I will go and bring you the moon. I will be your hero, your strength. Anything you need. I will be the sun in your sky. I will light your way for all time. Promise you, for you I will."

- For You I Will by Monica

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"I have a surprise for you," Payton leans over to Aubrey and whispers in her ear.

She turns to smile at him but he gives her a wolfish grin. "W-What is it?" Aubrey whispered timidly.

He nudged her leg and she made eye contact with the box in his hand under the table. "Take this, go in the bathroom, and change," he tells her.

"But—" he holds up a finger to cut her off and she shoots him a look.

"Now," he snarls.

She winced slightly before looking around the table at Payton's family. "Please, excuse me," Aubrey squeaks no louder than a mouse before leaving the dinner table.

The bathroom wasn't hard to find, but she had to stand in a short line for a stall. Everyone eyed the box that was glued to her hip. Great, now everyone thinks I'm a terrorist or something. She groans as she enters a stall.

The box was small and what was in it was even smaller. Way smaller. Aubrey held up the skimpy thing and her face twisted in disgust. "What's the point of this? I might as well not wear anything," she rolled her eyes before taking her previous thong off. She put on the one Payton gave her and sighed. Why the hell is there a bump in the crotch area?

She shakes her head from her thoughts and left the bathroom. "Hey, baby," Payton cooed when Aubrey sat back down next to him.

Her eyebrows scrunched together from uncomfortableness. "What the hell is wrong with this thong?" she whispered low to herself, but Payton heard her and snickered.

"So, Miss Aubrey..." came Mr. Hampton's clear voice. "What made you want to go into the medical field?" he wondered.

"I... umm..." she looked at Payton. "Well, I really want to go into hospitality, but I needed... umm..."

Payton stepped in. "Dad, she needed to provide for her son. She loves cooking, but had to choose medicine for money reasons. They were less fortunate and she wanted to make sure her son never wanted for anything, but now that they're with me I'll make sure all her wishes come true," he looked down to wink at her reddened face.

Payton's 20 year old sister looked Aubrey with a side eye. "Are you just with my brother for his money?" she quickly asked.

"Raina!" Mrs. Hampton hissed harshly.

Mr. Hampton gave her a long look. "Raina, apologize. That was discourteous. Aubrey is a nice, intelligent, young wo—"

"No, it's okay, Mr. Hampton. She wasn't the first and won't be the last to think that I am in it for Payton's money," Aubrey shook her head. "Listen, no disrespect, but you will not sit here and bash me because I do not make as much money as your family. I am trying and did it ever occur to you that I am still in school? Yea, it may be online but I am still working towards my degree and not one person is giving me a penny. My scholarship covers everything and I dámned sure worked hard for it. So, I will not sit here and let you insult me. Let alone insult Payton. Do you know that I've been through hell and back multiple times for this man? I am with Payton because I love him. Not because he can buy me materialistic things," she finished off in an even voice. She literally felt the need to break something... or someone.