Chapter 275: Tangled Hearts
Easter~
The shopping mall’s fluorescent lights still buzzed in my mind as Jacob’s hand enveloped mine, his grip firm yet achingly gentle, guiding me through the parking lot. My heart thundered, each beat a frantic drum against my ribcage, stirred by the way he’d sent Brandon scurrying with that bone-crushing handshake. Jacob’s face now was a mask of calm, but his brown eyes—those deep, ancient pools—held a storm I couldn’t quite decipher. Was it anger? Jealousy? Something else entirely? I clutched the mango juice tighter, its cold sweat slick against my palm, and tried to ignore the flutter in my belly—partly the baby, partly something far more dangerous.
"Easter," Jacob’s voice shattered my thoughts, low and edged with something raw laced in it. He stopped by his nice black car, turning to face me. His tousled silky hair caught the early afternoon sun, and for a moment, he looked like a painting—too perfect, too untouchable. "You okay?"
I nodded, my throat tight. "Yeah. Just... shaken up, I guess." My voice wavered, betraying the chaos inside me. Brandon’s lingering touch on my cheek still burned, but it was Jacob’s presence that set my skin ablaze.
His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking beneath his sharp cheekbone. "That guy... Brandon." He spat the name like it tasted foul. "He’s got no business touching you like that." His eyes flicked to my face, then to my belly, where my hand rested protectively. "You don’t need people like him sniffing around you."
I blinked, startled by the possessive edge in his tone. "He’s just a classmate," I said, my voice small. "He didn’t mean anything by it."
Jacob’s laugh was sharp, humorless. "Didn’t mean anything? Easter, the way he looked at you..." He stepped closer, his body heat wrapping around me like a cloak. "I know what men like him want. And you—" His voice softened, but his eyes darkened, fierce and unmoving. "You deserve better."
My breath hitched. The very air between us crackled, thickening with an unspoken energy. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that I wasn’t worth anyone’s devotion, least of all his. But the words died in my throat as he opened the car door for me, his gaze never leaving mine.
What the hell was happening?!