Page 50 of Cuffed By Your Love
Detective Fine Shyt himself. Elias.
The room changed in an instant, like the air knew who it belonged to. His broad frame filled the doorway, his badge glinting against his plain tee, his gaze zeroing in on me with that slow-burn intensity that always melted me from the inside out.
And of course—ofcourse—my siblings noticed.
“Well, damn,” Jonell whispered, fanning herself with my phone. “Speak of the devil, and he appears.”
Leila’s giggle turned into a full laugh. “Oh, bestest, you as red as a tomato, sis.”
I wanted to snap back, but my cheeks betrayed me, flaming hot.
Elias’s eyes narrowed, curious. “What’s so funny?” His voice was low, smooth, but it held that cop-tone—commanding without trying.
I formally introduced my family to Elias, and they took to him like they’d known him for years.
Jason smirked and slapped his shoulder as he passed him. “Nothing, bro. Just your girl here turning beet red ’cause we caught her slipping.”
Elias’s brows lifted. He looked at me, head tilted, like he was already piecing together the scene with his detective mind. Then, with no warning, he walked toward me, every step making my knees weaker.
As he passed by Jonell, he plucked the phone right out of her hand without looking at her. She gasped, offended. “Excuse you, new brother?”
“You don’t go through my lady’s phone,” Elias said, eyes never leaving mine. He slid it into my palm, his fingers brushing my skin on purpose. “That’s off-limits.”
And just like that, the whole room went silent.
My chest thudded. My throat felt tight. His gaze pinned me like I was the only one in the house, the only one in the whole damn world.
He leaned in, close enough for his breath to tickle my ear, and murmured, “You good, gorgeous?”
I swallowed hard and nodded, heat racing across my cheeks. “Y-yeah. I’m good.”
Behind us, Leila whispered to Jason, “See? Plug.”
Jason chuckled, pulling her into his side. “More like socket. Man got her lit up like Mama’s Christmas tree.”
Everybody laughed. Everybody but me. I was too busy trying not to combust under Elias’s stare.
He finally straightened, lips quirking in that slow, dangerous grin that always undid me. “Good. ’Cause I came to see you. Y’all can keep teasing, but I ain’t leavin’ without her.”
The way he said it? No hesitation, no apology, just fact. And my heart? My heart was already gone.
The house was still buzzing with laughter, Jason cracking jokes loudly, Leila swatting him for being extra, and Jonell trying to look innocent like she hadn’t just been airing out my phone. But when Elias stepped in, the whole vibe shifted. He was gravity itself, smooth and steady, pulling me in until the rest of the room blurred out of existence.
He leaned close to my ear, his hand sliding low against the small of my back. “C’mon, gorgeous,” he murmured, voice low and warm. “Let me steal you for a minute.”
Heat curled through me. I nodded and followed as he led me toward the kitchen, his big hand wrapping around mine like it belonged there.
The hum of laughter still echoed from the living room when Elias’s hand pressed low against the small of my back, guiding me through the hallway. His touch wasn’t heavy, but it was steady, like he knew the exact pressure needed to quiet the noise in my chest.
We slipped into the kitchen, the air cooler, calmer. The faint tick of the clock and the hum of the fridge felt loud now that mysiblings’ clowning wasn’t drowning everything out. Elias leaned back against the counter, arms folded across his chest, watching me with those cop eyes, sharp, unflinching, but soft around the edges just for me.
“You gon’ tell me why you was blushing so hard back there?” His tone was smooth, teasing, but the question carried weight.
I ducked my head, my fingers fiddling with the hem of my apron. “Maybe ’cause my siblings don’t know how to mind their business.”
He chuckled, low and dark, the sound rumbling straight through me. “Or maybe ’cause you know you mine, and it’s showing on that pretty face.”
My breath caught, sharp and shaky. His words lodged deep, setting off a warmth I couldn’t hide if I tried. I laughed lightly, trying to shake it off, but it came out too thin.
