Chapter 20 PLAYING BY HIS GAME
—IN THE FITTING ROOM—
“What do you think?” I had asked, seeking his opinion about the new dress I was wearing.
It was the fourth dress I had tried on as he had been against the previous dresses I had chosen.
He sat up, crossing one of his legs over the other while folding a single hand then his right hand went under his chin, gently stroking it with his finger.
His eyes were squinted as if he was solving some terrible mathematical problem in his head.
“Is it not to your liking?” I asked again as he was taking too long to give a comment.
“Not quite.” He responded with a negative nod.
I sighed, losing my cool already as I thought I wouldn't be getting any dress from that store because he had a thing or two to say against each dress I had been trying on.
What dress could probably appease him to think of it as perfect?
“You look good in every dress you've been trying on, this is inclusive, but… they expose your cleavage a little too much, Nessa.”
What?
“And why is that a problem?” I shrugged, looking down at my chest then back at him.
It was just the right amount of decent, I would say, but Rafael had thought otherwise.
“I wouldn't want that.”
“Huh?” I huffed, not believing my ears. A man like him still exists in this era? Indecisive about the choice of cloth a woman wears?
“It is my body!” I protested.
“And you are my woman and this will make every man from that party covert you— just like Marco had tried to do.”
“I am not your woman!” I reminded him defiantly.
“Yet.” He added with a grin on his lips.
I fumbled at this. He always had the last words to tetter me off balance.
Annoyed, I balled my first and settled for a frown then mounted down the display panel I had been standing on, heading back into the changing room while also stomping my feet so he could realize he had annoyed me.
Even without looking back at him, I knew he would be grinning. He really did enjoy watching me grow mad at him.
—
“My walk-in closet…” I said, striking a conversation with him as the fashion consultants did the necessary fitting of my next choice of dress for me in the fitting room.
Rafael was still sitting outside, waiting for each time the curtain was drawn for him to take a look at my choice of dress and give his own opinion again.
I had tried two more dresses since the last bant we had and he had not been in approval of them yet again.
The last I had seen of him before going into the fitting room for the seventh time, he had grabbed a magazine to read that I thought he was bored by waiting, but rather, he was checking out for other custom dresses I could try on if none was fitting to my taste.
“Did you like it?” His voice echoed into the fitting room that I felt he was behind the curtains already.
I stepped out again, the dress I had on this time was similar to the one I had on front home. The side slits were intact, but the beadings and overall material were different.
“They don't look bad.” I agreed with him and he gave me the warmest smile.
“I knew you would love it.”
I was bewildered at his comment. What did he mean by that?
“What do you mean?” I asked curiously, an eyebrow raised at his response.
“Did you think I just bursted into a random church to steal a bride? I've been watching you for years, Vanessa. I've always had my eyes on you.”
My mouth could have dropped, but I composed myself.
For how long has this man been planning to have me at the center of his world?
For how long has the strings of our fate been set in motion by him?
I looked to the side, not sure what I was looking for, but I knew I had to find something.
On the small magazine table, there were some materials on it; a small pair of scissors and some ticking pencils in a stainless designer holding cup and I reached out for the scissors, storming towards the sofa Rafael had been sitting on.
It was like I had been trained for that moment. I was swift and fast, pinning him back into the sofa while I pointed the scissor at his throat in a deadly pin.
My right knee, which was free due to the slit from my dress, took its position between Rafael's wide spread legs just a few inches away from his crotch.
The fashion assistants that were in the room with us all gasped at my callous attitude, not believing a woman could pull such a dangerous move on a man and not just any man, it was the infamous Santiano Rafael Devereaux.
As if accepting defeat, Rafael immediately raised his hands, making me feel like I was carrying out an arrest on him.
His men tried to break into the moment in order to protect their boss from me. They all pulled out their guns from under their suits, pointing it at me that I had no room for escape if they were to fire their shots.
I looked at them briefly, the look they had in their eyes was unforgiving and they wouldn't hesitate to shoot at me if I dared to hurt Rafael in any way.
They really have been trained for this. Their master's life comes first over everything, not even on matters concerning the woman he claims to love.
“Put your guns away.” Rafael said to them with a command.
At first they hesitated as they were expecting me to drop the weapon I had pinned against Rafael's throat.
“I said put your guns away!” He said again, and this time, they all listened. “And don't you dare point your guns at Vanessa again. She lords over you all as well.”
They all bowed, still agitated as they couldn't trust me.
I wouldn't trust myself in that situation either.
I finally got his attention back to myself and I watched his lips move as he said,
“Easy now, princess.” The tone of his voice clearly stated I had gotten him excited and he wanted more.