Page 7 of My Dad's Best Friend

I weave between the racks of clothing to the discounted rack, and notice that Conner stays behind. My bodyguard lagging outside the women’s clothing. I’m a little disappointed, but when I look back at him, and see how broad he is compared to the narrow walkways between the clothes, I understand. He’d just knock everything off the hangers.

I try not to look like I’m showing him the suits I pick out as I examine them, but I am, holding them high like I’m trying to picture what they might look like, holding them over me as if somehow I’d have an idea of how they would fit.

I’m completely absorbed in the idea of going to try them on only to have the curtain push aside and find Conner standing there, hard and at attention, ready to take me right there.

Stop thinking like that, I scold myself.

“Marie.”

I cringe at the voice. I know that voice, though I haven’t heard it since the beginning of the last school year. I’ve gone out of my way to make sure I don’t hear that voice.

I turn and see Cam there, headphones around his neck, hunched forward, broad shouldered, strong and dark. His hood is up, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in days.

“Leave me alone, Cam,” I say. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you to leave me alone.”

“I just want to talk to you, Marie,” he says. “You’re so beautiful. Just talk to me.”

“No,” I say. How the hell did he know that I’d here today? I always keep an eye out for cars that look familiar to see if this guy is following me, but I didn’t see anything today on the drive here. In fact, I was so preoccupied with Conner, I completely forgot to keep an eye out at all. “You’ve followed me all through the school year and now you’re stalking me at home.”

“I just want to be with you.”

“She’s not interested,” Conner says.

I feel his presence behind me and relief washes over me. This is exactly why Conner is with me. I move out of his way as I feel his heat come closer.

“She’s mine,” he growls.

“Marie doesn’t belong to anyone,” Cam says. “I know her schedule, I know who she hangs out with. She’s free.”

“You’re not listening,” Conner growls, stepping forward.

Cam doesn’t move, though his neck seems to shrink as he looks up at the man in front of him.

Conner’s hands are balled into fists, and I can see the vein in his neck bulging as his face turns red. “That woman is not yours to look at, be near, speak to, or even think about. If I so much as get an inkling that you’re doing any one of those things, I’ll break both your wrists so you can’t jerk off. She’s mine. Not yours. Not anyone else’s. Mine. Is that very fucking clear?”

Cam nods, trying to lean back but finding himself pushed into a rack of clothes.

“Good,” Conner says. “Now, crawl in between those jackets there.”

“Wh-what?” Cam stammers.

“The rack of coats behind you? Go hide in there like the little bitch you are. Count to a thousand, come out, and transfer to a different university. Is that understood?”

“A different college?” Cam looks like he’s about to faint. His face goes pale with a touch of green. “But my degree—”

“Did I fucking stutter?” Conner barks, pushing his chest against Cam. “If this place weren’t riddled with security cameras you would be in a world of hurt right now. If you argue with me again, I’m going to forget about those cameras and shatter every tooth in your head.”

My breath is shallow, and I know I should be trying to stop this, but I can’t. Cam deserves this. If it wasn’t me he’s stalking, it’d be someone else, and he needs to have the shit scared out of him. The police won’t do anything, but Conner is.

And he said I’m his. What does that mean?

I have no idea, but it’s hot as fuck. I want to be his, to feel what it’s like, and while I should be worried about the scene before me, I’m oddly turned on by it. I cross my arms to hide my hardening nipples.

Cam nods his head, looking like he’s about to start crying. Slowly he shrinks backwards, dissolving into the wrack of clothing like he was never there.

“Let’s go,” Conner says.

I don’t need to be told twice to move. I throw the swimsuits on the rack and head for the door. I need to catch my breath after all that. I don’t look back to see if Cam is still there. I march straight into the sunlight, leaving the store behind.

I keep marching until I find a small grove of trees in the center of the parking lot. I say grove, but it’s four palms planted close together to look like an island in the desert. It’s the whole theme of the mall. We’re not in a desert, we’re on a tropical island. No one buys it. You can’t forget the dry heat in the height of the summer.

---