Chapter 9 Spoil You Silly

Rylan's POV

"We may have a problem, Rylan."

Thane murmured, keeping a straight face as usual.

He was now back in the apartment after throwing tantrums like a child about my contract with Alessia, better put, the enemy's daughter.

Sticking out my cigar, I lit it and dragged it, thinking through my words.

"Is her father giving you a hard time?"

"I wish." He tsked. "It's Sir Karios, your father."

Hearing his name out of the blue, I adjusted my butt in my wheelchair, feeling a bit anxious.

"What is it, Thane?"

My words were a fine mix of thick white smoke.

"I am not sure yet, but a report from an insider says he has canceled all of his trips."

"That's. That's weird." I stuttered and cleared my throat.

"Terrible, if you ask me." He gave his unsolicited two cents. "Rumor says he's having rough times with clients."

"He kicks them out if they're not serious." I butter out. "This is father's template, what's the fuss about?"

Slightly turning, he looked at me. "He would have if he had much of a choice."

"Why do I feel this is about me?" I grew impatient with each passing second.

"Because it is." He affirmed. "Not everyone is taking the news of your marriage to their ally's enemy in good fate."

Exhaling loudly, I sighed and crushed the cigar, exhausted. "Can they make their drama about something else?"

"It's valid. I think you should divorce her and-"

"Enough." I cut him off his words. "Let me know when father gets into town."

Knowing when to keep quiet, he nods.

"How is."

He stopped to get his act right, fixing his face that once had an irritated glare.

"How is marriage?"

"Lessi is such a sweetheart."

"Oh please." He cut the chase. "You don't get to play pretense with me."

Defeated, I hummed. "Well, she gets to sulk all day, makes us a cute pair." I chuckled.

"And you think that's funny?"

Hunching my shoulders, I didn't break the stare. "That's retribution, and that's good enough."

He shook his head.

"Rylan, can we go already?!"

Alessia's frail voice blasted from her side of the room.

"You're just as slow as a slough."

I forced a smile and rubbed my forehead with my palm.

"It's-"

She halted abruptly when she barged in after knocking once and met Thane.

I watched her go still with confusion, as she smiled too tightly.

"It's." She juggled her words. "It's a nice shirt you have on."

In need of a means to mock my decision, Thane burst into laughter.

"Man, watch it." I groaned a warning.

"What? You have your freaking overused shirt."

"It's nice still," Alessia defended her silly act. "Right, honey?"

I didn't say another word.

"I'll leave you both to admire your clothes." Thane mocked us again before leaving.

"I'm sorry." Alessia pouted. "I had no idea you had company."

"It could have been worse," I stated, remembering the news of my father making his way to town. "This should be the last."

Repentant, she nodded.

Dressed in a simple pink dress that stopped at her knees, and her hair tied in a bun, with her red lipstick to perfection, she looked stunning.

"I'm ready."

Moving the tires, I motioned for her to lead the way. Jackson was the last person to go to for fashion advice. All the dresses he bought for Alessia, we had to return almost all of them.

Without dodging my responsibility, I'm now forced to take her shopping myself.

"Do you have a fashion house in mind?"

I asked once we started the ride.

Oddly, she shook her head, focusing on the road.

"You're joking, right?"

"No. Why would I for something so trivial?"

She got defensive.

"Fashion isn't," I argued. "And for a lady of your class, it's like basics."

"Well, father didn't ship me out to his friends until last month. I guess there was no pressure to impress anyone."

Interesting. I mumbled in my head. "So, how do you get your stuff?"

"Drop by any boutique with anything that catches my fancy, steal a few from Ruby."

Jeez. I puffed.

"There are so many things you need to learn if you must be my Donna."

She faced me for the first time since the ride.

"Lady Jackson will put you through when she returns from her journey."

"Can I skip?"

"Not a chance."

She hissed and faced the window once more.

It didn't take long before we arrived at a popular fashion house my mother always shopped at before her demise.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched Alessia gawk in satisfaction.

It's baffling how one of her class acts so commonly.

"Longest time, Mr. Rylan."

Lucy, the manager of the house, hastily rushed out to welcome me. She reached for the back of my chair, but I stuck my hand out, objecting to her offer.

Her buttons were down beyond her cleavage, and she pushed forward a bit too much.

"Hi, Mrs. Russo."

She forced a smile and waved at Alessia, who waved back. Once upon a time, she wished she was Alessia, so obsessed with me. Even though I was a Casanova, I never messed with her.

Well, I guess she would be glad to dodge the bullet.

"My Donna needs something befitting. An entire change of wardrobe."

"Follow me." She waved for us to come in, leading us through the glass door.

The place was as beautiful as ever, only got better, with perfect chandeliers and works of art. The decor was top-notch.

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"Impress her."

I answered on Alessia's behalf.

Cat-walking with her too-tight suit skirt, she stopped at a session.

"These are size 8, your lady's perfect sizes." She ran her hands through the line of rich fabrics.

I looked up at Alessia. She just smiled, not having a taste for whatsoever was on the line.

"Can she try it on?"

"Of course." Lucy was swift to respond.

She silently ordered her staff to drag the line to the changing room.

"Please, follow me."

Wheeling down the big house for about five minutes, we eventually arrived at the changing room.

"You can call my attention if you need anything."

She pulled down the thick curtain.

"Sir Rylan, would you care for a cup of coffee?"

"Ask my lady." I demeaned her.

She forced a smile and looked at Alessia, and she objected to Lucy's offer with a gentle shake of her head and a bitter smile.

My mouth opened to question her, to be sure I wasn't forcing her to be in this house instead of a random boutique, but swallowed my words.

Leaving us alone, Alessia waited for her footsteps to completely quieten.

"Are you going to stay there and gawk?"

Alessia quarried.

"Don't flatter yourself," I sighed.

"Your eyes are hungry like a predator. You can't fool me." She blurted out.

I suppressed a laugh. She was one of those who loved to rant before thinking.

"Would you want me to devour you?" Loving to ruffle her feather, my tone deepened, thickly laced with dirty desires. "I would be gentle and quick."

She threw her purse in my face and I giggled.

"Besides, we're a couple, remember?"

Staying for long seconds and contemplating whether to just walk away, or take all the clothes without actually trying them on, she started to undo the buttons of her dress until the very last of them came off.

Slowly, she shrugged off the dress, revealing her delicate curves trapped in a lacy lingerie. The fine lines of the thong accentuated every hip dip, and her bra was a little too small for her bust size. The pores were quite big enough to reveal the dark pink teats.

Hastily, she pulled a baggy dress from the lots and wrapped it around herself like a towel, causing me to chuckle.

Letting her take her time, she went through every dress, selecting and returning the ones she hated back to the hangar. Being petty, she snubbed my choices and went for everything that could pass off for a religious dress. Big, simple, bland.

She sure knew how to get on my nerves.

"See you some other time, Sir Rylan."

Lucy brushed her fingers against my hand as she handed me my platinum card.

Her staff helped with the dozens of bags, stuffing them in the trunk, before we got in, and started our journey back home.

"Do you like her?"

Alessia asked out of the blue.

"Who?"

"The lady, of course, stop fooling around." She grumbled. "She likes you and is disrespectful to throw her shameless fling even in my face."

Her cheeks were red with anger.

"Are you jealous?"

I teased her and she scoffed.

"I just don't want anything to mess with my role." She grunted.

"Sure that's all?" I teased further.

Ignoring me completely, she faced the window.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

It was a message from Thane. Unlocking it, I read each word with anxiety pricking my lungs.

'Padre is in town.'