Page 49 of His to Possess
I shook my head, still marveling at the absurdity of the situation. "I never thought I'd see you looking so… domestic."
"Don't get used to it," he warned, but there was no real heat behind his words. "Now, what can I get you to eat?"
I thought for a moment, considering his insistence. "Toast would be fine," I finally said, hoping he would accept the compromise.
He frowned, his brow furrowing. "That's not enough. You need proper nutrition to recover."
To my surprise, he turned back to the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. I watched, bemused, as he set about gathering ingredients and cookware. It dawned on me that he was preparing to make an omelet.
"You really don't need to cook," I protested. Part of me was stunned by what I saw, but the rest of me was aware we were playing a dangerous game. If I saw him like this, so human, so normal, all kinds of thoughts could start to run through my mind uncontrollably. I'd even begin to wonder if he had a softer side I could reach. "I can manage with something simple."
He ignored my objection, cracking eggs into a bowl. I found myself studying him intently, fascinated by this unexpected domestic side of him.
Rex glanced up, catching my gaze. "What's that look for?" he asked, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.
I shrugged, offering a small smile. "I'm just trying to understand you. That's all."
My words made him pause, his hand stilling over the bowl. He set down the whisk and turned to face me fully, his expression unreadable.
"Don't try to understand me. There is nothing to understand, and I don't need a shrink."
"Because you already have one?" I blinked, taken aback by the intensity of his response. The look in his eyes told me enough. Dr. Bowman more than likely wasn't his therapist. "I didn't mean it like that. I just… I've never seen this side of you before."
"This isn't a side of me. It's a necessity. You need to eat, so I'm making sure you do." I couldn't help but notice a hardness creeping into his voice.
"But why?" I pressed, unable to help myself. "Why go to all this trouble?"
He turned back to the stove, his shoulders tense. "Because it's my responsibility to ensure you're taken care of. That's part of our agreement."
I frowned, mulling over his words. "Our agreement was about work. Not… this."
He cracked another egg into the bowl, perhaps with more force than necessary. "Our agreement covers whatever I deem necessary for your well-being while you're under my employ."
"Under your employ?" I repeated, feeling a spark of irritation. I shook my head, frustrated. "I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."
"Clearly not," he retorted, gesturing to my still-pale complexion. "Or else, you wouldn't have ended up in this state."
We stared at each other for a long moment, the air between us charged with tension. Finally, I sighed, deflating slightly.
"As I said… I appreciate your concern, but you don't have to do all this."
His expression softened almost imperceptibly. "I know I don't have to. I want to."
His admission hung in the air, surprising us both. Before I could respond, he turned back to the stove, focusing intently on the omelet he was preparing. The moment was broken by the distant ring of my phone in my bag by the door. I quickly moved to retrieve it, muttering, "It must be my boss, wondering where I am at this hour." But when I grabbed the phone, I saw it wasn't my boss at all. It was my landlord. Frowning, I answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Bowers? This is your landlord, Mr. Reeves. We have a situation at your apartment."
My stomach dropped. "What kind of situation?"
"A man came by this morning, asking where you were. He was insistent. Banged on your door until other tenants called the police. He left just before they arrived."
I felt the blood drain from my face. "Did you see him? Did anyone get a good look at him?"
"I'm afraid not. The tenants were too scared to get a clear view. But he did some damage to your door. I was wondering if you could come by when you have time to check if everything's alright inside and let me know if the lock or door needs replacing."
I swallowed hard. "Of course, I'll… I'll come by as soon as I can."
