Chapter 3: Mine to protect

Concern filled his face immediately when he saw her expression. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“You walked out.”

“You were busy.”

Understanding flashed briefly in his eyes.

Then something almost amused crossed his face.

“Angel,” he said softly, stepping closer. “Are you upset because of Sofia?”

“No.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

Evie looked away instantly.

“Look at me, angel.”

Evie refused to listen to him.

Aiden sighed quietly before lifting her chin gently between his fingers.“I have told you countless times baby, not to look away from me whenever I'm talking to you.”

“She means nothing to me.”

Evie swallowed hard. “You dated her.”

“For two weeks.”

“That still counts.”

Aiden stared at her for a moment before laughing softly under his breath. “You really are jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” she argued weakly.

“Mhm.”

His thumb brushed lightly against her jaw before he realised what he was doing and slowly pulled his hand away.

The silence between them was awkward.

“Come on,” he said, breaking the silence. “Let’s go home.”

********

The ride home was quieter than usual. Not awkward, just filled with too many thoughts neither of them wanted to say aloud.

Rain tapped softly against the windows of the Rolls-Royce as Manhattan blurred past in streaks of gold and grey. Evie sat curled slightly against the passenger seat, staring outside while replaying the scene at the restaurant over and over again in her head.

“She means nothing to me.”

The words should not have mattered this much.

But they did.

Aiden rested one hand on the steering wheel while loosening his tie with the other. Even after a long day, he still looked attractive. His dark hair was slightly messy now, making him look less like the terrifying billionaire CEO the world feared and more like the man only Evie got to see. Soft, protective and warm.

Her eyes drifted toward him before quickly looking away again.

Unfortunately, Aiden caught it immediately.

“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes.”

Evie almost choked. “I have not.”

“You have.”

“I was looking out the window.”

“There’s traffic on the other side.”

She froze.

Aiden smirked faintly without looking away from the road.

“You’re easy to read when you’re nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Mhm.”

Evie crossed her arms and leaned farther against the door dramatically. “You’re annoying.”

“And you’re spoiled.”

Evie glared at him while he chuckled under his breath.

Moments like this were dangerous because they felt too natural. Like they existed in a world where things between them were normal.

But nothing about the way Evie felt around Aiden was normal.

The car finally pulled into the massive gates of the Scott estate twenty minutes later.

The mansion stood on top of a hill overlooking the city, glowing warmly beneath the rainy evening sky. It looked less like a home and more like something out of an old movie. Tall windows. Black iron gates.

Marble staircases. Luxury dripping from every corner.

Aiden stepped out first before walking around to open Evie’s door himself.

“You know normal people let chauffeurs do this,” she teased softly.

“You know I don’t care.”

His voice was calm, but the way his hand rested against her waist while helping her out sent warmth rushing through her instantly.

The rain has gotten heavier now.

Without hesitation, Aiden removed his expensive coat and draped it over her shoulders.

“What about you?” she asked.

“I’m fine.”

“You’ll get soaked.”

Aiden looked at her like the answer was obvious.

“I’d rather you stay warm.”

She swooned happily at the way Aiden said those words.

Inside the mansion, the warmth immediately wrapped around them. A maid greeted them politely.

“Dinner will be ready soon, sir.”

“We already ate,” Aiden replied.

Evie slipped off his coat slowly, but before she could hand it back, Aiden noticed something. Evie saw that he was looking at her wrist and tried to hide it but Aiden caught her wrist before she could pull away.

There, just beneath the sleeve of her sweater, was a faint red mark.

It wasn't dramatic. Most people wouldn't have noticed it but Aiden did. The warmth disappeared from his face.

"How did this happen?"

Evie followed his gaze and immediately regretted it. Damien. When he had grabbed her arm outside the lecture hall.

"It's nothing," she said lightly.

Aiden's thumb brushed over the mark once.

His expression darkened. "Evie." That tone.

The one that made board members nervous and competitors lose sleep.

"I said it's nothing."

His eyes lifted to hers."You don't get to decide that for me.”

“It was probably Damien earlier.”

Cold silence fell between them. The kind that made people nervous around Aiden Scott.

Her stomach dropped slightly. “Aiden.. “

“He grabbed you hard enough to leave marks?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me.”

Evie swallowed hard. Sometimes she forgot how possessive Aiden could become over her.

Not in a romantic way.

At least that was what she tried to convince herself.

But in a way that felt consuming. Like he genuinely couldn’t stand the idea of anyone hurting her.

Aiden released her wrist carefully before pulling his phone from his pocket.

Evie immediately recognised that expression.

“Aiden, don’t.”

He ignored her completely. “Marcus,” he said once the call connected. “I want everything on Damien Cole.”

Evie’s eyes widened. “Aiden!”

Aiden barely glanced at her. “Family connections, finances, history, everything.”

“Aiden, that’s insane!”

“Call me back within the hour.” Then he ended the call calmly like he hadn’t just launched an investigation over a wrist mark.

Evie stared at him in disbelief. “You cannot investigate every man who talks to me.”

“Yes, I can.”

“No, you can’t!”

“Watch me.”

She threw her hands up dramatically. “You’re unbelievable.”

Aiden removed his watch slowly before placing it on the table near the entrance. “He left marks on you.”

“It wasn’t intentional.”

“He touched you.”

“Aiden…”

His eyes darkened slightly. “You trust people too easily.”

“I do not.”

“You do.” He stepped closer. “You don’t see the way men look at you.”

The intensity in his voice made her heart beat unevenly.

“And how do they look at me?” she asked quietly.

Aiden’s jaw tightened.

“Like they want something from you, like they want to fuck you!”

She gasped. It's the first time Aiden has ever shouted at her.

Evie walked away from him, she was so furious that Aiden shouted at her and that was not the only reason, she couldn't place her hand on any other reason she was angry.

“Angel come back here, I'm not done talking to you.”

Evie did not give him a listening ear, she went inside her room and locked the door.

Aiden knocked at her door but Evie refused to open it. Aiden realised that he had fucked up big time.

“Angel, I'm so sorry, open the door,I want to see your face. Pretty please.” Aiden told her gently.

After a few minutes, Evie opened the door thinking that Aiden had left but saw him sitting at her door.

Aiden immediately stood up, “Can I come inside?”

“Yes.”

Aiden stepped inside and sat on her queen-size bed close to her, holding her hands. None of them said anything until Evie decided to speak.

“Why did you shout at me?” she asked him with a shaky voice, giving him those puppy eyes.

“I'm sorry princess, I just don't like the way men look at you, it makes me want to hide you from this world.” “I know I'm being overprotective but I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Aiden nothing you think will happen to me, I'm not even interested in any of them.”

“Good. Not that you will date anyone until you are forty years old.” Aiden chuckled under his breath.

Evie did not respond to him. If only you knew the thoughts I have in my mind about you. She thought to herself.

Aiden wanted to say something else but Vivian Scott walked into Evie’s room. Cold as always.

“Aiden.” She greeted him. She turned to Evie.

“You spend too much time attached to your brother.”

“Nothing is wrong about it,” Aiden told her.

Vivian raised a brow. “I wasn’t criticising her.”

“Sounded like it.”

Evie glanced between them quietly.

The relationship between Aiden and their mother had always been strained. Especially whenever it involved her.

“Anyways, there’s a charity gala tomorrow night,” she said to Aiden. “The Hawthorne family will be attending.”

“And?”

“They’re interested in partnering with the Scott Empire.”

Aiden looked uninterested already.

Vivian’s eyes flickered toward Evie briefly before returning to him. “And their daughter Isabella recently became single.”

Evie’s chest tightened immediately.

Aiden’s expression darkened. “No.”

“You haven’t even thought about it.”

“I already said no.”

Vivian sighed impatiently. “Aiden, you’re thirty-one. At some point, you need to stop acting like the entire world revolves around your sister.”

The words hit harder than they should have. Evie looked down instantly.

Aiden’s voice turned dangerously calm. “Careful.”

Their mother held his stare for a moment before shaking her head.

“You spoil her too much.”

“And?”

“She’s too dependent on you.”

Aiden didn’t hesitate. “She’s my responsibility.”

Something painful twisted inside Evie’s chest at those words. Of course that was all she was to him.

Vivian eventually left after muttering something under her breath about stubborn children.

The second she disappeared upstairs, silence filled the hallway again.

Evie forced a smile quickly.

“I want to sleep,” she said softly.

“Okay, good night baby.” Aiden tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead.

“Good night Aiden.”, Evie told him before he left for his room.