Kaia Blanc
I walked to where Zion sat, people speaking to him about things I didn't exactly comprehend as the conversation was both Russian and English.
The puffing of cigars created a fog around them.
I just awkwardly stood by where he was sitting.
Someone asked something in Russian and he turned, immediately smiling when he saw me.
His hand came to the back of my thigh, giving it a small squeeze.
"This is my doctor who works for me, her name is Kaia." He said in English, sitting up as he had me take a few steps forward.
His hand moved up and down the back of my right thigh.
"What kind of doctor?" A woman asked, her hand on her husbands lap.
"Trauma." I offered a kind smile.
"Ooo what's that accent? It's stunning." Another asked.
"I'm French." I said.
"Beautiful! A gorgeous language."
"Yes, thank you." I bowed my head slightly.
Zion stood, his hand moving up my thigh, grazing over my ass, onto the small of my back.
Chills. Literal butterflies and the shivers.
"Sit." He said.
"No it's alright-"
"Kaia, printsessa, sit. I'm insisting." He raised his eyebrows.
I nodded.
I sat down and he pulled a chair beside me.
The one woman smirked and said something in Russian while analyzing me.
That's... not unsettling.
He answered, folding his arms over his chest, a light smile on his face.
"Let's speak a language she can understand, she's just sitting there, cmon." The man told the woman.
"She just made a comment on how pretty you were and she knew you weren't American when she saw you. I just agreed." Zion explained.
"Why don't I believe that?" I asked.
They all laughed.
"No, I said you're fucking gorgeous and asked him if he likes you since he gave you his seat. No one sits there but him." She laughed.
I just nodded.
"Anyways, Kaia, these are some of the Russian families and some of my men. That's Kapri." He pointed at the wife and I stood as she did, giving her a handshake.
"Lovely meeting you Kaia."
"Likewise." I smiled.
"That's her husband, Ivan." He said, I saw how Zion glared at him so he bowed his head lightly in his sitting position.
"Nice meeting you." He nodded.
"You as well."
Then the people who didn't talk as much, I had some names down but not all.
"And then there's me." Alec smiled, pretending he was about to sit on Zions lap.
Zion shoved him and they both laughed.
"Well, I assume she knows then?" Kapri asked.
Alec was behind me, hands on my shoulders.
"Oh she knows." Then he said something in white washed Russian.
They all gasped.
"What?"
"Back up please?" Zion asked Alec.
"Will do." He laughed and his weight came off my shoulders.
Zion leaned over.
"He told them about you being a very good girl and sitting with me through your first... witness situation." He whispered and I hummed.
I crossed my legs, really affected by him right now. Between the physical contact and voice I think I was losing my mind.
He laid one arm on the chair behind me, his fingers playing with my hair.
I was truly going crazy.
"You alright, Printsessa?" He asked me lowly.
I swallowed firmly, standing with my sanity.
So I smiled.
"I'm fine. Do I seem otherwise?" I frowned.
His eyes raked over my entire body.
Then he just shrugged, continuing to play with my hair.
But it wasn't to make it messy. He never tangled his fingers into it, he's just gently wrap my curls around his finger until he removed it, leaving it in the shape it naturally was.
Very respectful. People desired to touch my hair so much and I don't mind but people aren't usually gentle, they scrunch or tangle it.
Especially in Washington where it was primarily cute girls with decently straight hair.
Mine isn't super curly. It's like somewhere between 3a and 3b hair.
Then he began gently scratching my scalp.
I tried to not shut my eyes and completely melt.
It was so hard though. It felt so good.
Then he stopped. Half of me was grateful, the other irritated.
His fingertips moved over my bare shoulder, to my back, the back of my neck, then to the shoulder closest to him.
He wasn't even paying attention though. That was the thing. He was talking to everyone else, laughing with them, making jokes.
They all were very mindful and spoke in English unless something involved any sort of crime I guess.
"Wanna go dance?" Kapri asked me.
His hand gripped the back of my neck softly.
"I'd love to." I nodded.
She smiled, standing, Zions grip hardening.
"It's only you two?" He asked.
"Duh." She laughed.
"I won't let anyone touch her." She promised him and there was a heavy, underlying thing between their gaze.
He released me, his hand on my back.
I stood.
"Pull the dress down." He said and I did.
"What was that?" I asked.
She just laughed, holding my hand.
"Nothing. Need any shots before?" She asked.
"Maybe one." I smiled.
So we both took a shot.
Then we danced. On one another, if someone touched, we slightly moved but it was fun.
I hadn't felt like this in a very long time and it was freeing, not feeling weighed down by being responsible.
She laughed.
"What?"
"Zions gonna lose his shit if someone bumps into you." She told me.
Her accent was looser than Zoe's or Zions.
Much better to immediately comprehend.
"I don't get it." I looked and he was standing, leaning against a wall, hands in the pockets of his dress pants.
His eyes were firm on mine.
I waved.
He smiled.
I moved my entire body to face away from him so I wasn't overthinking.
"Save me if anyone is near me." I laughed.
"Oh sweetie, I'll do my best."
"Is your husband psycho like that?" I asked.
She shrugged.
"He's not a jealous man because he knows I love him so much. He will absolutely fight for me if I'm in any situation that makes me uncomfortable. But he's not... Zion." She said.
"I don't understand. He's never been like this before." I frowned.
"Yes he has. You've just always been by him. Now you're not. It's pissing him off." She laughed.
"Yeah but we're not dating or even anything at all-"
She pulled me from the crowd and to the bathroom where she fixed up her hair.
"Honey, you may not think that, but you're something. I've known Zion since he was 13. He's had women in his bed certainly but he doesn't obsess over someone shaking your hand. He won't let anyone touch you but him." She laughed, grabbing a lipstick and mascara from her bra.
"That's not fair-"
"He forced you to watch a murder, Kaia. You have a 5 year contract because he can't let you go. He knew a bit more about you before his sister came to your hospital. When Zion likes something, he becomes obsessive over it. You're not an exception." She put on the lipstick and mascara.
"But we have to go back outside because he's gonna get irritated." She turned and smiled at me.
She fixed my hair a bit.
"Your tits are fucking fantastic." She said and I laughed.
"Thanks."
But I was uneasy.
We walked out, she kept me on her arm while walking back to the area in which they all sat.
Her husband greeted her with warmth, not worrying a smidge.
Then I turned and Zion was standing so close to me, his face emotionless and blank.
"Did you have fun?" He asked.
"I did. Except for you being a creeper and staring." I laughed.
I wanted to say something but make it come off as a joke to see his response.
I was really uneasy.
"That sucks for you."
"Why were you staring instead of talking to your friends like her husband?" I asked and he ran his hand over his jaw.
"How about you sit down and I'll grab you a drink real quick?" He gave a soft smile.
Scary, scary human.