Chapter Thirteen
~ Almost Normal ~
Kit
The SUV glides smoothly along the highway, Jeremy driving with that calm, professional steadiness he always has.
I still can’t quite believe this is happening…
Soren actually stopped his work. And now here I am, sitting in the back of his custom-built SUV, heart hammering for an entirely different reason than fear.
I can’t bring myself to look at him. Any scrap of confidence I had back in his study has completely evaporated the moment he climbed into the car.
He’s wearing one of his perfectly tailored black suits, jacket open just enough to show the crisp white shirt underneath.
His dark hair is styled back, a few strands still loose over his forehead.
His tanned skin looks unfairly flawless under the tinted windows, and that gold watch on his wrist catches the light every time he moves.
His tattooed fingers are thick and strong, wrapped around his phone.
I tried to sneak one glance earlier, just one. He caught me immediately and gave me this tiny, knowing grin that made my face burn so hot I thought I might combust. I looked away so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.
Selina and Armen sit opposite us in the facing seats, the spacious cabin easily fitting six.
There’s still an empty middle seat between Soren and me, like some invisible barrier.
Wherever Soren goes, they go too. I guess they’re right below Ray in the hierarchy.
Ray had already been sent off to handle something else.
Thankfully, Selina and Armen are talking quietly between themselves and don’t seem to have noticed my embarrassing blushes.
The SUV indicates off the highway onto a wide, tree-lined road I’ve never seen before.
It leads to a massive, sleek shopping complex that looks more like a luxury resort than a mall.
Glass and marble everywhere, perfectly manicured landscaping, and not a single chain store in sight.
I grew up in this city, and I’ve never even heard of this place.
I frown and look at Selina. “Where are we?”
She smiles warmly. “Kitty, this is the only place the boss will shop. You don’t think he’d be caught dead in a common mall in the middle of the city, do you?”
I let out a weak laugh. “So… what, this is a mall for the rich?”
Armen winks at me. “He gets it.”
I tense a little. “Wait… you’re joking, right?”
Soren lets out a low huff of a laugh beside me and glances over. “Two hours, tops. I’ve got shit to do.”
I nod quickly. “Yep.”
Selina leans forward a bit, her voice gentle. “I’m proud of you for trying again. We can leave whenever you want, okay?”
I manage a small, genuine smile. “Thanks. But how could anything go wrong with Mr. Sinclair by my side?”
Armen starts to laugh, but it cuts off when Soren lets out a low, possessive growl from deep in his chest. Maybe he liked hearing me call him that. Suddenly his large hand grabs my jaw, firm but not painful. He leans across the seat and drags his tongue in one slow, claiming stripe up my cheek.
“Behave,” he grunts against my skin. “Stay where I can see you.”
Selina bursts out laughing. Armen mutters, “Jesus Christ.”
I shiver hard, heat flooding my entire face.
I didn’t even notice we’d pulled into the parking lot until Jeremy turns the engine off.
When I climb out, the sheer scale of it hits me.
The parking spots are ridiculously spacious, clearly designed for the kind of cars lined up around us…
sleek Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, custom Mercedes. Everything screams money.
I look down at myself and quickly tuck Soren’s big black button-down properly into my jeans, leaving just the front hem slightly untucked for that deliberately stylish look. I hope it looks purposeful and not like I’m drowning in my… well, in Soren’s shirt.
My heart is still racing as I stand here, the warm afternoon sun on my face, surrounded by luxury I’ve never been this close to before.
And Soren is right behind me. I can feel his presence like a shadow, tall, imposing, and strangely protective. I don’t know whether I want to run back to the car or lean into him.
As we walk toward the grand glass entrance, a frustrated mutter cuts through the quiet luxury of the parking lot. “Come on, for the love of…”
A man is struggling beside a sleek black car parked in a disabled space, trying to wrestle a folded wheelchair out of the trunk. He’s clearly having a hard time of it.
The others keep walking, but I stop and tap Selina’s arm. She hums and glances down at me. “What’s up, Kitty?”
I point toward the man. “Shouldn’t we help him?”
Selina looks over, hesitating. “Oh… uh…”
She glances at Soren, who rolls his eyes with a sigh. “Be quick,” he says, voice low.
Selina jogs over immediately and helps the young man pull the wheelchair free, unfolding it for him with ease. He thanks her profusely and shakes her hand, looking genuinely relieved.
When she comes back, she nudges my shoulder with a fond smile. “Happy now, little knight?”
I smile shyly. “I just know I’d want someone to help me.”
“You’re so cute,” she says, nudging me again.
I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning as we continue walking toward the entrance.
I glance over my shoulder one last time at the man’s car.
Frowning, I notice there’s no one else inside.
Whatever… he’s probably picking someone up.
But just as I’m about to turn away, the man lifts his gaze and meets mine.
He gives me a small, strange little grin that doesn’t reach his eyes.
A cold shiver runs down my spine. What a strange man.
I turn around quickly and shake the uneasy feeling off as we push through the heavy glass doors into the mall.
“Wow…” The word slips out before I can stop it.
This place is nothing like any mall I’ve ever seen.
Everything is hushed, elegant, and overwhelmingly expensive.
Men in tailored suits speak quietly into earpieces.
Women with perfect hair and sky-high heels click across marble floors, designer bags dangling from their wrists like trophies.
Security guards in crisp black suits stand at strategic points, eyes sharp.
The air smells faintly of expensive perfume and fresh flowers.
Selina squeezes my hand. “So… where do you wanna go first?”
“I… um…”
I look around, feeling completely out of my depth. This isn’t the kind of shopping I’m used to. This feels like stepping into another world.
Selina grins. “Come on, let’s start with the Apple Store.”
I frown. “They have an Apple Store? That seems a bit out of place next to Harrods and Louis Vuitton.”
She laughs brightly and grabs my hand properly this time. “Oh, this isn’t like any Apple Store you see on the high street, Kitty.”
I glance up at Soren, silently asking for permission. He gives me a small nod, allowing it. Selina pulls me along excitedly while Soren and Armen fall into step behind us, their presence heavy and protective at my back.
◆◆◆
I can’t believe how huge this Apple Store is.
It’s not ridiculously oversized like some futuristic showroom, but it’s still the biggest one I’ve ever seen…
sleek, modern, and almost blindingly white.
Everything is arranged on clean, minimalist stands: rows of iPhones glowing under soft lighting, iPads propped at perfect angles, MacBooks open and ready, even the newest watches and accessories.
Every single device is securely locked down with discreet cables and sensors so no one can just walk off with anything.
A handful of well-dressed customers are scattered around, gently tapping and swiping on the demo units like they’re testing luxury cars.
There are quiet seating areas with low white sofas, elegant staff desks, and a few tall, lush green plants that are probably fake but look expensive anyway. The whole place smells faintly of new electronics and expensive cologne.
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry.
Selina gently pulls me toward the iPad section. “You want one, Kitty?”
I’m speechless. The overwhelm hits me like a wave…
too many choices, too many eyes, too much everything.
My chest tightens and my palms start to sweat.
I really don’t want to embarrass myself here, especially not in front of Soren.
The thought that he might look at me differently if he sees how broken and anxious I am, makes my stomach twist. I don’t even know why I suddenly care so much about what he thinks.
A well-groomed man in a crisp, perfectly pressed uniform strolls over with a polite smile. His outfit looks nicer than anything I’m wearing. “Good morning. Is there anything in particular I can assist you with today?”
Selina answers for me, smooth and confident. “This is Christopher. He needs a new iPad.”
She says it so casually, like I already own one and it’s just time for an upgrade.
The man turns to me and offers his hand. “Hi there, Christopher. I’m Benjamin. It’d be a pleasure to help you today.”
I stare at his hand for a beat too long, then slowly reach out and shake it. “Thanks,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.
With my other, I squeeze Selina’s hand tighter as anxiety starts crawling up my spine.
Benjamin begins explaining the newest generation, talking about processors, displays, battery life.
I understand the words, I’m not stupid, but they’re coming at me too fast. My brain feels like it’s short-circuiting.
I start getting upset with myself, embarrassment burning hot in my cheeks.
This was a bad idea; I shouldn’t have come.
Selina suddenly steps away. I frown, confused and a little panicked, until a large, familiar hand settles warmly on my lower back. Soren leans down, his breath brushing my ear as he presses his deep red handkerchief, the one that was neatly folded in his suit pocket, into my hand.
“If you want to leave,” he murmurs, low enough that only I can hear, “just say the word.”
I dab at my forehead quickly and shake my head. I don’t want to run.
Clearing my throat, I point at one of the iPad Air models on display. “Can I get that in the pastel blue colour?”
Benjamin smiles kindly. “Of course. However, there are different options for screen size, storage, Wi-Fi…”
Soren interrupts in that deep, commanding voice of his. “Give him the biggest size. Give him the most storage. Give him Wi-Fi and cellular…”
I look up at him, not really hearing the rest of the words, just feeling grateful for the interruption. All those options definitely would have sent me spiralling.
“How much is it?” I ask quietly, turning back to Benjamin.
He answers smoothly, “That would be $1,499.”
I look up at Soren, eyes wide, and whisper in shock, “For a tablet?”
Soren nods once. “We’ll take it.”
He turns to Selina and Armen. “Go with him. Deal with the payment.”
They both nod and follow Benjamin as Soren gently guides me out of the store with his hand still resting on my lower back. He leads me to a marble bench in the middle of the wide walkway, next to a pillar, and sits down. I follow and sit beside him, feeling small.
Soren drapes his arm around my shoulders and asks quietly, “You good, kid?”
I sigh and lean into him a little. “Mhmm.”
I’m not good… I feel bad for wasting his time. “Sorry,” I mumble.
Soren grumbles under his breath. “I told you I don’t do comfort, Kit. So just… don’t apologise, you’re doing just fine, and get whatever the hell you want.”
I nod, surprised by how comforting those gruff words actually feel.
Then the realisation of what just happened sinks in. I grin, a little dazed. “Thank you for the tablet.”
Soren just nods and grunts, but his arm stays around me.
◆◆◆
An hour later I’m walking through the polished marble halls with a ridiculously overpriced milkshake in my hand, the cold cup already sweating against my palm.
It’s strawberry and vanilla, thick and sweet, and honestly one of the best things I’ve tasted in a long time.
I wouldn’t normally spend this much on a drink, but after the last shop we went into, I needed something to cool me down.
We were in one of the menswear stores when Armen decided to be a complete menace. He’d managed to find a pair of bright pink boxers with the words “Handle with Care” printed across the ass in bold letters and was holding them up like a trophy.
Soren, standing right beside me, barely glanced over at me before saying, loud enough for half the damn shop to hear… “You need some more underwear. Preferably ones that are easier for me to rip off.”
I made a mortified squeak that came out way too loud. An older woman two racks away actually froze mid-reach for a tie, her eyes darting between Soren’s towering frame and my much smaller one with blatant curiosity. Clearly trying to figure out how that would even work.
Selina, thankfully, wasn’t nearby, but Armen lost it completely, laughing so hard he had to brace himself on a display table, tears forming in his eyes.
My face went nuclear; I wanted the marble floor to open up and swallow me whole.
Soren, of course, looked completely unbothered, like casually commenting on how easy it should be to rip my underwear off in public was totally acceptable.
Social anxiety should be afraid of him instead of the other way around.
So yeah… I was sweating after that. Selina had taken pity on me and steered us to a quiet little café inside the mall for a proper sit-down and a cold drink.
Now the place is busier. People keep shoving past me like I don’t exist, shoulders bumping mine, bags swinging too close. It feels pretty shit, honestly, invisible in the worst way.
Soren’s a couple of steps ahead of me, listening to whatever Armen is saying, his broad back cutting through the crowd like it’s nothing.
Then a man with earbuds in jogs past and shoulder-checks me hard. I gasp, nearly dropping the cup, and instinctively reach out with my free hand for Soren’s bigger one. I don’t even think about it, I just do it. I’ve never held his hand before, not once.
Soren stops mid-sentence and looks down at our hands…
my small, slightly shaky one wrapped around his large, tattooed one like a child seeking safety.
I expect him to let go, to ask what the hell I’m doing, maybe even pull away.
Instead, he does the opposite. He loosens his fingers just enough to slide them between mine, properly intertwining them.
His much larger hand engulfs mine completely, warm and steady.
He stares at our joined hands for a second, his expression composed, almost unreadable.
Then he gives my hand one firm, reassuring squeeze before carrying on his conversation with Armen like nothing happened.
My heart does something complicated in my chest. I keep walking, milkshake in one hand, Soren’s hand in the other, feeling small and safe and completely out of my depth all at once.