Page 140 of The Invite
How I was strong to live to see another day.
Many didn’t.
Nevertheless, admitting I was poor to Augustus, who was the heir to one of the richest families in the town, made me hesitate. I didn’t need his pity.
“Start taking better care of yourself and I’ll stop.”
I screeched to a halt. “What?”
“When was the last time you ate a decent and home-cooked meal?”
“Yesterday, actually,” I answered with a smirk. He had no idea I stayed at Ace’s place.
“By yourself,” he clarified in a clipped tone, as if he knew where my thoughts went.
This time I hesitated to answer.
His hand captured my wrist and tugged me to the bottom of the staircase. “I don’t have a charitable bone in my body, Nessa. I’m taking care of you because you’re mine. If I have to clarify that one more time, I’ll have my name tattooed on your skin so you don’t forget.”
I shut my mouth at the sort of sweet and scary threat.
Now two hours later, we’re strolling side by side along the produce section at the store. Well, he’s doing the shoppingwhile I’m a nervous wreck and afraid of getting seen with him in public. The random eyes on us feel like a microscopic glass.
Can they tell he’s my student? Do we look weird together? Do they think I’m a creep? I’m young but I’m still eight years older than Augustus.
I don’t know how to act around him when he’s not touching me or deriving pleasure from my insatiable body. When he snuggles with me in my bed.
Augustus claims to be emotionless and I have firsthand experience of his sociopathic tendencies. Yet he can’t handle it when I have a meltdown. His dormant protective instincts rise to the core.
It’s research-worthy, which is exactly what my brain wants to do.
Shaking off the urge, I gape at the overflowing shopping cart he’s lugging around, wondering how in the hell I’m going to pay for all this. There are vegetables, fresh fruits, meats, eggs, and spices I’ll require to cook.
When he caught me eyeing a few of the snacks and sweets in the bakery section, he put them in the basket even though I said no.
I gave up arguing with him after that.
How much does Augustus expect me to eat? This is way too much, even for two people. And it’s not like I have guests over.
Wait… is he shopping while keeping himself in mind?
Is he going to visit me during the day too?
We reach the frozen food aisle. Augustus stops to peer down at me, raising a curious brow. “Do you know how to cook?”
“On the scale of one to being a pro, I’d say…” I squint my eyes as I think. “Two.”
“I’ll add some frozen meals.” He turns toward the rows, inspecting them. “Which ones do you want?”
I grab his elbow and step in front of him. Pointing at our cart, I say, “I think this is more than enough.”
“What about when you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to cook?” He stretches his arm to grab a frozen pasta meal off the shelf.
I snatch it and put it back, whispering as I hide my burning cheeks, “I can’t afford all of this, Augustus.”
He tilts my chin from where I’m staring at my feet. “Who says you’re paying?”
Realization dawns and I lurch back. “You’re no—”
