Mal Meets the Rebel

Chapter 106: His Object of Affection for a Day [Part 2]

Both Big Ed and Pete had already knew. Nevertheless nothing had prepared them for this as they both witnessed it before hand with their own eyes. In the past Mal's growing attraction towards Roxanne was no secret to them, but regardless they both choose to keep that information to themselves, not wanting to get involved in their boss's affairs. Big Ed agreed with Pete that it would be wise to keep their mouths closed on that particular subject and on a regular basis both pretended not to notice by turning their heads the other way. But now it was like a different story altogether. They were now faced with it when Mal was practically stumbling and gushing over himself like a love-struck preteen in front of them with his affections clearly visible towards Roxanne. Straightaway Pete could see that Mal was attempting to cover it all up by putting his poker mask back on; voiding himself of all emotions in order to hide what he didn't want others to see.

After catching the distraught look on Mal's face, Pete's eyes locked onto Roxanne's, she immediately shifted gaze elsewhere, but he didn't miss that unmistakable hint of red glow stinging her cheeks. If he had to guess, she wasn't merely just eluding his glances out of what he just walked into just now, but more likely what he, himself and Big Ed heard going on earlier that morning.

Unable to take the silence much longer, Mal finally snapped.

"What are you two fools gawking at? You act like you've never seen me play with my slave girl before." Mal scoffed while eyeing them both with a challenging look.

At that last comment, Roxanne gave him a piercingly heated reproaching stare that spoke more words than most.

Without saying a word both Pete and Big Ed exchange looks that clearly said without needed to be spoken "right, whatever you say boss" before Pete finally spoke up for the both of them in their defense.

"My apologizes boss, I didn't realize you were...eh...busy at the moment." Pete awkwardly stated as he then bent over to retrieve the fallen drinks.

Seeing Ed with the trays still in his hands and the sheepish-averted look still plastered on his face, Mal took another second to scrutinize the situation. He needed to speak up and address this before it got way out of hand.

Without warning Roxanne was abruptly jolted out of her muddled and reeling emotionally thoughts when Mal suddenly grabbed her head, placing his hands over her ears and muffling the sound of their voices; causing a stir of reproaching looks from both of the bigger guys before him. Baffling as it was to her, Roxanne didn't know how to respond to it as she felt him pulling her head closer to him forcing her to lean in, obscuring her view of the situation at hand.

If they were alone, this probably wouldn't be as nervously awkward feeling or unnaturally embarrassing either. Ironically enough, she could tell that she wasn't the only self conscious one there at stake. With her face pressed up against his chest, she could feel his heart beating a mile a minute. And she was pretty sure that fear was not the cause of it which only made her cheeks glow even more.

"Look," Mal voiced firmly to both of them with a hint of unease in his demanding tone, "I know you both know about my little secret. There's no hiding it at this point, but telling her is off limits, and I don't think I need to explain to you why."

They both nodded in unison with dread in their expressions.

He paused to observed their confirming looks of comprehension and then added, "So I trust that the both of you can hold your tongues since you are wise enough to know better than some."

"Yeah, but Steve already knows about it though." Ed pointed out after finding his voice with a queasy look on his face like the thought ailed him.