~Joan~
I listened to Matthew ramble on about his mother. His mother. Calling it boring felt like an understatement. I knew I’d regret this the second I agreed, and now, halfway through the date, I was wishing I could teleport back home.
Has he always been this dull?
“…She was really surprised that night. My siblings and I were happy we were able to do that for her,” he said, taking another sip of his drink. He’d brought me to a local Chinese restaurant, which was fine-if he’d bothered to ask if I even liked it here.
His eyes flicked to my plate. The steak sat there untouched, glistening under the dim restaurant lights. I hadn’t had a chance to place my order. Matthew, in all his wisdom, had just assumed I was a steak lover.
“You’re not eating,” he said, his tone unsure. I nodded, leaning my chin on my hand.
“Well, I don’t really like steak,” I said flatly, watching as his face turned a faint shade of red. He shifted in his chair, suddenly looking like a kid caught breaking the rules.
“I-uh, I didn’t know that. I thought-” He waved his hands in an awkward gesture, clearly searching for the right words, while I just stared at him.
I was never doing this again. With him, at least.
“Not a problem. I’m not really hungry,” I muttered, brushing him off. He bit his lip and nodded, slicing into his steak like it would somehow save the evening.
“Okay. You want to leave? Go home with me?” he asked casually, like it was the most logical next step.
I straightened up, incredulous. What the hell?
“No. I’d like to stay a few more minutes before I go home,” I said sharply, emphasizing the “home” just enough to make my point. What kind of man invited a woman back to his place on the first date without even bothering to gauge her interest?
“So, Matthew, what are you looking for in a woman?” I asked, masking my annoyance as I reached for the glass of wine. It was sweet and smooth, the one saving grace of this evening.
He hesitated, his lips pursing in thought. “I don’t really know. She should be beautiful and curvy,” he chuckled nervously. “I think that’s something all men want.”
“It’s not,” I said bluntly, unimpressed. The childish answer made my stomach turn. He nodded, clearly embarrassed, before shoving another bite of steak into his mouth.
My phone buzzed in my purse. Grateful for the distraction, I fished it out and glanced at the screen. It was a text-from Aaron.
Mr. big diick: Bad date? You look awfully bored.
My breath hitched, and a shiver ran down my spine. Aaron was here. I glanced around the restaurant, trying to spot him, but I couldn’t see him anywhere.
Who said I’m bored? I’m not. I’m having a good time.
Liar. I would’ve been happier at home, curled up with a blanket and a binge-worthy show.
Mr. big diick: You’re on your phone, kitten, while your date is speaking. Nothing screams bored louder than that.
Heat flushed up my neck, and I set the phone down quickly. Matthew was frowning at me now, looking vaguely offended.
“Did you hear me?” he asked, his voice breaking through my scattered thoughts.
“Sorry. Had to handle something,” I said with a tight smile, brushing it off like it was nothing.
“I asked if you wanted to do this again sometime. It feels nice-just the two of us,” he said, his eyes gleaming as he reached out to touch my hand.
I cocked my head, staring at him. Nice? Oh, I wasn’t doing this again. Not in this lifetime.
My phone buzzed again.
Mr. big diick: You look beautiful tonight, but unfortunately, you chose that loser. You have a choice. Either I punish you for letting him touch you or I punish him for touching what’s mine. Your decision, kitten.
My stomach tightened, and I pushed my chair back abruptly. The scraping sound drew the attention of a few nearby diners.
“I’m sorry. I need to use the restroom,” I said quickly, giving Matthew a forced smile before grabbing my purse and walking away.
I asked a waitress for directions, my heels clicking against the floor as I hurried toward the restroom. The door had barely closed behind me when I heard it lock.
I turned quickly, and a gasp escaped me as my back hit the wall. Dark eyes stared into mine, inches away from my face.
“Aaron?” My voice was a mix of shock and frustration. “What the hell are you doing here? This is the women’s restroom!”
His thumb grazed my cheek before ghosting over my lips. The touch sent a shiver through me, equal parts thrill and warning.
“Let’s say no one is coming in here because I made sure of it,” he said, his voice deep and laced with that dangerous edge that both terrified and intrigued me.
“Let me go,” I said, trying to sound firm, though my voice came out breathy as his fingers tightened their hold on my arm.
“What’s your decision, kitten?” he murmured, dragging his thumb across my bottom lip.
“What are you even doing here?” I shot back, deflecting his question. His gaze dropped from my lips to my eyes.
“That’s not the answer I asked for, is it?” he said, his tone dangerously low. His hand slid down my arm, tugging at the hem of my dress.
“What would you do to him?” I asked quietly, my heart hammering in my chest.
Aaron’s eyes darkened. His cold palm traveled up my thigh as his other hand caressed my face.
“Concerned about him now, are you?” he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips before his fingers wrapped lightly around my throat. I gasped.
“I’d take his job. Maybe cut off his hand. Maybe more. You don’t need to know the rest,” he muttered, tracing the edge of my panties with his finger. My breath hitched, my body stiffening.
“And me?” I whispered.
“You’ll find out for yourself,” he said, tugging my panties slightly before pulling his hand away. “Now, you’re going to go back there, call off this date, and make sure it’s the last one.”
I frowned, trying to steady my breathing. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. If I want to go on dates, that’s exactly what I’ll do,” I snapped, glaring at him as I rubbed my neck.
He leaned in closer, his lips just inches from mine.
“Dates? That’s what you want?” His voice was soft but carried a dangerous edge.
I stayed silent, refusing to back down.
“You either call it off, or I’ll do what I’ve been wanting to do ever since I saw that fucker’s face,” he said. His words were serious, leaving no room for doubt.
I pushed past him, needing air, needing space.
“Fine. We’ll talk about this later,” I said, my voice clipped.
“There’s nothing to talk about, kitten. Get going. Time is ticking,” he said, watching me with faint amusement.
I stormed out of the bathroom, feeling every pair of eyes in the restaurant on me as I made my way back to the table.
Matthew looked up, his brow furrowing as he took me in.
“Jo, your lipstick…it’s smeared,” he said, his voice tinged with concern.
I gave him a tight smile, my mind racing.
Fucking Aaron. That man was going to be the death of me.