Chapter 105: Something With A Price Tag

Elizabeth’s POV:

We stepped into the supermarket, finding it nearly deserted save for a single clerk at the counter who was buried in a book. She offered a brief, distracted nod of acknowledgment as we entered. I reached for a shopping basket, but Jaxon’s hand closed over mine, pulling it away. He carried it for me as we moved through the aisles, shelf by shelf, while I piled it with savory chips, cookies, and various nuts.

I tried to think of what Vicky would like, and added several extra bars of chocolate to the stash before turning to face Jaxon. He was standing there like a stoic bodyguard, looming over the basket as if he were guarding a treasure chest.

“You know, junk food isn’t exactly healthy,” I said, attempting to break the heavy silence. I knew it wasn't good for me, but the craving was a constant companion I wasn't ready to shake.

“Aunt Camille would have my head if she caught me eating these,” I added with a chuckle. My laugh was cut short when he suddenly snatched the box of chocolates from my hand and placed it back on the shelf with a firm click.

“That’s right. You shouldn’t be eating this,” he said, smacking his lips. It was as if he had just remembered that my health was currently a fragile thing. I didn’t care; he wasn't Aunt Camille, and I didn't think he could actually stop me. I reached for the chocolate again, but he was faster, snatching it and placing it on the very top shelf. It was well beyond my reach. I jumped, stretching my fingers toward the box, but it was no use.

“Jax…”

I felt a sudden, heavy presence at my back. He had dropped the basket somewhere, I hadn't even heard it hit the floor, and now both of his hands were gripping the shelves on either side of me. I was trapped, boxed in by his frame.

“You eat so much junk at night, yet you don’t even gain a pound,” his deep, masculine voice hummed right against my ear. I had a sharp retort ready at the tip of my tongue, but my body felt too weak to let the words out. I could feel his breath fanning across the sensitive skin of my neck, and I forced my gaze to stay locked on the shelf in front of me.

“Jaxon…”

“Shh.” He gently brushed my hair to the side. His finger trailed slowly down the line of my neck, causing me to flinch before I involuntarily melted into his touch. Then, I felt the warmth of his lips against the nook of my neck. I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes as one of his hands left the shelf to rest firmly on my waist.

“You scare me, Elizabeth.”

My eyes snapped open. I hurried to turn around in his arms to face him, but I realized instantly it was a mistake. Our faces were so close that my pulse began to race, and for a second, I felt like I was forgetting my own name.

“What… what do you mean?” I cleared my throat, struggling to think clearly with him so close. I ducked low, slipping out from under his embrace and leaning against the opposite shelf to put some distance between us. “What do you mean I scare you? That’s impossible.”

I was Beth. People either loved me or they hated me, but with my appearance, it seemed impossible that I could actually frighten anyone—especially not the great Jaxon Sinclair, a man who made powerful men shudder just by being in the room.

“When Jade left…” I saw the flash of struggle across his features as he forced out the name. It was the first time I had ever heard him speak his sister’s name aloud.

“You don’t have to—”

“Let me, baby,” he cut me off. I simply nodded, suppressing a blush at the endearment. If he finally wanted to talk about it, I was ready to listen. I wanted to assure him that none of it was his fault, even though the details of how Jade died were still a mystery to me.

Jaxon reached up, retrieved the box of chocolate from the top shelf, and opened it. I opened my mouth to tell him we should probably pay for it first, but he had already pulled out a small bar shaped like the Eiffel Tower and taken a bite.

I stood there patiently, giving him the space he needed to navigate the parts of his life that had forged him into the man standing before me.

“If you leave, I might not survive it,” he finally blurted out. My eyes glistened at the raw honesty in his voice. I wasn't going anywhere, and I desperately hoped he knew that.

“I thought if I stayed away from you, then when you did leave… I wouldn’t be hurt as much.”

It meant everything to me that he was admitting his fears. It explained the days of avoidance; he had been trying to detach himself before the loss could happen.

“Then what changed?” I asked softly. Why hadn't he kept up the act? I knew Jaxon; if he truly wanted to ignore someone, he was more than capable of walking right past them.

“You bewitched me,” he replied, returning to that familiar, cocky tone. He took another bite of the chocolate I had intended to eat while curling up with a book later.

“If you go around telling everyone I bewitched you, they’ll start asking for my secrets. People would pay millions for that kind of information,” I joked, trying to lift the heavy mood.

“They would be stupid to believe Jaxon Sinclair could be bewitched by something with a price tag,” he countered.

I laughed and stepped forward to finally snag a piece of chocolate for myself, but he crouched slightly and kissed me instead. His lips tasted of rich cocoa. I licked his bottom lip just to steal a taste of the sweetness, and I wondered if the chocolate was laced with alcohol because the kiss left me feeling completely intoxicated.

As I expected, I woke up the next morning to find Jaxon already gone. I freshened up and sent him a quick message before heading downstairs for breakfast. Aunt Camille was there, along with Tina, who had come over to visit.

“Beth,” Aunt Camille called out from the kitchen doorway, a whisk in her hand. I walked in to find Tina perched on one of the stools, watching Miss Alice work with rapt attention.

“Good morning,” I greeted them. Aunt Camille pulled me into a warm hug, pulling back to look me over.

“How did you sleep? Vicky told me you went out late with Jaxon, so she insisted we let you rest a while.”

I had been wondering why Miss Alice hadn’t performed her usual ritual of waking me up with a cup of milk.

“Hmm, I just had a craving for snacks.”

Aunt Camille’s brow furrowed, and I mentally slapped my forehead. The words had slipped out before I could stop them. “Really, Beth? How could you eat those?”

“I didn’t!” I shook my head quickly in denial. They all gave me a look that made it clear they didn't buy it for a second. “Jaxon did.” That wasn't a total lie—he really had eaten nearly half the box of chocolates.

“He did? What kind of snacks does he like?” Aunt Camille asked, her expression shifting to one of pure excitement. She always lit up at the mention of Jaxon, eager for any crumb of information about her son’s preferences.

“Chocolates.”

“His grandmother is obsessed with those,” she laughed, returning to the bowl to whisk her mixture with renewed energy.

“Actually, Beth, I’m making some homemade biscuits. I could make chocolate ones, and we could go hand-deliver them to Jaxon at the office,” Aunt Camille suggested. I was supposed to meet with Bella, but the idea of seeing Jaxon was tempting—and I didn't want to be the one to dampen the rare, happy glow on his mother’s face.

“Why?” Vicky’s voice rang out from behind me. I turned to see her leaning against the kitchen wall, watching us. “I don’t mean to be rude, but why use Beth just to get close to your own son?”