Pure Belleza | ✔️

(52)

D A L L A S • P O V

I wasn't going to do this because Dallas and Drayton had their books. But all your comments about missing Drayton and Dallas made my heart soar. So here's a lil Easter egg for you beautiful deserving readers.

Don't forget you're reading Dallas' POV

"Are people seriously still talking about this?" Drayton walked into our bedroom where another media outlet was talking about his violent outburst at the grocery store.

I narrowed my glare at him. "Drayton, it happened less than twenty four hours ago."

He waved a dismissive hand and collapsed onto the bed. He put his hands behind his head and I continued tapping out an email to our manager from where I sat in the love seat beside the window.

"Joseph seems confident that he can control the situation at the moment. He paid for a copy of the video where you can hear what the pap is saying beside the car. Before you push his head into it," I peered up at noted his amused grin as he stared at the ceiling. "So he's pushing that video at all corners of social media to ensure that the argument isn't just one sided. He's also heard nothing of official charges from the pap."

"It really makes no difference to me," he said.

I put my phone down and stood up, staring down at my floor length satin dress while I processed how I was going to proceed with this conversation.

"Baby, this is important," I met his bored stare. "This impacts your reputation which can impact your career which ultimately impacts your life. Your public persona matters."

He stood up and started towards the en-suite as he pulled his black t shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor. "Na it really doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," I followed him but he spun around at the threshold and looked down at me with tired but fierce eyes.

"No it doesn't, Dallas. You wanna know what matters to me?" His inked skin pulled against his arm muscles as he pointed at my chest. "You matter. My children matter. I need you all to be happy. I need you to be healthy. And I need my baby girl to get better."

His voice hitched and he lowered his head. His shoulders dropped and my throat felt thick as I watched him hold on to the door frame.

"I can't lose another one, Dallas," he lifted his head and my heart shattered into a million fragments at the red in his tortured gaze. "I can't go through that again."

"I know—"

"So no. What millions of strangers think of me is nothing compared to how my family is doing. I'll protect their safety. Their mental health. Their happiness no matter what," he ran his finger down the length of my face. "And if people don't get that, if I don't get hired for public appearance shit, if the media wants to push us out of the spotlight because I'll fuck someone up who's threatening the people I love, so be it. Maybe that's for the best."

I stepped forward and cupped his jaw, feeling the short stubble beneath my fingertips as I smiled at him. "You're right," I said. "I'm sorry, Dray. I just— I want to—"

"Protect me," he grinned and placed his hand over mine, moving my palm down to his lips and placing tender kisses.

"Yes. As much as you want to protect me."

"I know. And I love you for it. But you best believe that if I ever see the paparazzi harassing you like that again, someone's going to die."

I sighed. "I believe you."