First Choice ✓

Chapter 41. T

Antonio

🥃🥃🥃

My eyes open and I immediately sense that something's not right.

Sara is not next to me. I was holding her during the night, but her side of the bed is currently cold and empty.

I sit up, looking into the bathroom, but I don't see her there. Hurriedly, I walk to the living room and I sigh when I see her standing at the fridge, grabbing something. I go to her, and she smiles at me when she notices me.

"Good morning." She tells me, putting the eggs on the island.

"Morning." When I'm behind her, I slowly put my hands on her hips. She doesn't flinch or step out of my hold. I know everyone's reaction to these things is different, and I'm not sure how Sara is going to react, so I tread carefully. "Did you sleep well?"

Stupid question, I know, but I want some confirmation that's she okay.

"Yeah, I did." She looks behind her shoulder at me, her smile looks genuine. "I'm preparing pancakes for us. It's your recipe."

"Hmm, yummy." I give her a squeeze. "You're not going into work?"

I wouldn't have let her. She's not going back to work until that guy is far, far away from her and can't reach her.

"No. I thought we'd spend today together."

"I like that plan." I plant a soft kiss on her shoulder. The marks on her neck have fainted a little. But they're still visible from up close.

For the rest of the day, we stay inside. We ate the pancakes she made, then played cards for a while. Then I made her lunch. When it was four thirty, I got dressed and went out to the balcony, where Sara is sipping her tea and reading a book.

"Sweetheart," I crouch in front of her. Her eyes aren't red, so she hasn't been crying. Her fingers aren't shaky. My eyes were on her the entire day, watching for any signs she's going to break. But she's strong. "I have a really small errand to run. I'll be back in an hour. Max."

I don't tell her what that errand is.

"Okay, I'll be here." She waves her book at me.

I cup her cheek and inch closer, just a bit.

I love you.

She closes the gap between our lips and kisses me. I keep it gentle, not thrusting my tongue inside. I pull back, deeply inhaling her scent, then I say, "I'll bring some snacks on the way back."

Her eyes lighten, and her smile widens. "Ice Cream, please."

"Anything for you." Anything.

🥃

It wasn't hard to find his car in the parking lot of the employees of this building. There was a place reserved for him with his name on a plate.

Travis Hall.

Such a douchebag-y name.

He deserves to be in jail for putting his hands on a woman without her consent.

And his friends . . . They were just sitting there, watching. They also should be in jail.

Fucking electrocuted.

I lean against the door of his 'fancy' car. He drives an electric car, pretending to care for the environment and shit when he doesn't even care for a woman's consent.

Employees start to filter out and dash for their cars. And I wait for his ugly face to show up. He was drunk yesterday, but not to the point of incoherence. So he must know, remember, what he did yesterday.

After fifteen minutes, the garage around me is empty. Most people have already gone home, and as for the owners of the cars still here, they'll probably continue working all night.

My eyes land on him as he walks to me, his head down and typing on his phone. Ten feet from me, he pockets his phone and lifts his head. His step falters but he keeps walking forward.

"Can I help you? That's my car you're leaning on."

"Oh, I know." I remove my hands from my pockets, eyeing his cheap suit. He thinks he's some hotshot attorney, wearing a suit that looks like a ten-year-old made it. He's a fucking cockroach. And he deserves to be squashed under my Louboutin shoes. Actually, no. I don't want to ruin my shoes with shit.

He takes his car keys from his pocket, but I stay rooted in my place.

I'm not sure if he remembers me or is playing dumb.

"We've already met, but I didn't have the time to properly introduce myself." I say and extend my arm to him. He furrows his brows and slowly puts his hand into mine. So he really doesn't recognize me. And here I thought I had a memorable face.

When his hand is in mine, I squeeze his knuckles as hard as I can and jerk him to me.

"I'm the boyfriend of the woman you were touching without her consent last night." I tell him, my voice calm, unlike the anger I feel inside my body. "You don't know me, but you know her. Her name's Sara."

I crush his hand harder and grab his collar, pulling his face close to mine.

"I'm going to say this once, so listen carefully." He tries to remove his hand from my grasp, but I only press harder. His eyes dart around the garage, looking for help. But there's no one here beside the two of us. And I'm not letting go of him till I say my piece.

I muster my most threatening tone and tell him, "You stay away from Sara. You don't come near her. You don't utter her name. You don't breathe the same air as her. You don't even think about her." I get closer to him, our noses almost touching, making him more uncomfortable and squirm.

Good. He'll know how uncomfortable Sara felt when he was touching her and she didn't want him to.

"What you did last night, is the last time you ever do something like that again. If I ever hear you did something even remotely close, our next encounter won't be so civil."

I look him dead in the eye, my grip so hard I'll probably break a finger or two if I press just a bit harder.

"Understood?"

He nods and tries to free his hand.

"I didn't hear." I cock my head.

"Yes. Yes. Understood." His voice comes out all squeaky and high pitched.

I ease my grip on him and pretend to remove a non-existent lint from his shoulder.

Never in my life have I wanted to bash someone's face so badly.

I side step him and mockingly gesture with my arm that he can enter his car. He stays rooted in his place. And I level him with a threatening glare before walking past him and to my car.

On the way back, I call Mia. I tell her that Sara is sick and won't come in this week. I don't know what Sara will think of me doing this, but I don't have it in me to care. I'm not letting her go to work until Travis is gone.

I didn't tell Mia the reason Sara is taking a week off. It's not my place. Even though she should know that there's a predator working for her, Sara is the one who should tell her.

Mia sounded suspicious, but she didn't argue. And I'm glad. I wasn't in the mood and I was this close to saying things I'd regret if she said no.

When I arrive at the condo, I see Sara has fallen asleep with her book on her chest. I look down at her. Her angelic face, the way her soft lips are parted, letting puffs of air escape.

She didn't deserve this. She's the sweetest fucking person on earth.

But I'll do anything in my power to make her feel loved, safe, and appreciated.

Feeling a tear glide down my cheek, I wipe it away and slowly remove the book from her chest. Then I gently scoop her in my arms and bring her to our bed.