~Alexander's POV~
"Actually," Alis said, his voice smooth and cold as silk. He finally looked at Clara, his eyes sharp. "Alex and I have a lot to discuss. Private things. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be the third wheel in a conversation about our marriage, would you?"
Clara's smile didn't falter, but her eyes hardened. "I'm sure I can stay out of the way, Alistair. I'm very good at being invisible when I need to be."
"I'm sure you are," Alis retorted.
I knew I had to end this before it escalated. "Clara, look—"
"Alex," she interrupted, her voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone. "Please? Just this once?"
I looked at my husband, feeling like a coward. "Babe... is it okay? We'll just make it a quick trip?"
Alis let out a short, hollow breath. He slowly let go of my hand, his arm falling to his side. The loss of his touch felt like a physical wound.
"Do whatever you want, Alex," he said quietly. He didn't look at me. He didn't look at Clara. He just walked toward the front door and pushed it open, stepping out into the morning air without waiting for us.
"You see?" my mother said, a note of satisfaction in her voice. "He doesn't mind. Go on, then."
I followed Alis out, Clara trailing close behind me like a shadow. As I unlocked the car, Alis climbed into the passenger seat and immediately put on his sunglasses, staring straight ahead. Clara climbed into the back, settling in as if she owned the place.
I got into the driver's seat and started the engine, the silence in the car so heavy I could barely breathe. I reached over to put my hand on Alis's knee, but he shifted his leg away, pretending to adjust his seatbelt.
"So, Alex," Clara chirped from the back, leaning her head right between our seats, her presence invading our space. "Tell me, what exactly are you getting? Are you planning something special?"
I opened my mouth to reply, trying to find a way to be polite without being encouraging, but Alis beat me to it. His voice was like a shard of ice.
"That is none of your business, Clara. Keep your—"
"Alis," I whispered urgently, reaching over to grab his knee to stop him before he said something he'd regret.
The moment my hand touched him, he reacted. He didn't just move away; he grabbed my wrist and threw my hand off him with a sharp, stinging force. He went silent, but the message was loud and clear: Don't touch me while you're taking her side.
In the rearview mirror, I saw Clara's smug expression falter. she sat back properly, looking out the window as a heavy, suffocating silence filled the car. Alis stared fixedly out his own window, refusing to look at me for the rest of the drive.
When I finally pulled into the store parking lot and shut off the engine, Alis reached for the door at once, clearly eager to get out. I reacted on instinct, moving faster and catching his hand before he could open it.
"Clara," I said, my voice firm as I looked at her in the back. "Step out first. Give us a second."
She looked like she wanted to argue, but seeing the tension in my shoulders, she simply opened the door and stepped out onto the pavement. The moment the door clicked shut, I turned to my husband.
"Baby, please look at me," I said quietly, my voice calm. I could see his pulse racing beneath his skin. "I'm so sorry. I know exactly why you're upset, and you have every right to be. Just… please, hold on a little longer. Once they're gone, this will be over. I'm trying to manage this from the middle."
Alis didn't soften. He removed his sunglasses slowly, his eyes sharp and distant as they locked onto mine. "When exactly are they leaving, Alex?" he asked.
"Babe—"
"Don't 'babe' me," he snapped. "Your mother is a busy woman, Alex. Since when does she have the time to just 'hang around' for days unless she's intentionally planning this to make my life hell? She's trying to push me out of my own marriage, and you're..."
"Shh, babe, it's okay. I understand," I murmured, reaching out to cup his face. This time, he let me. "I promise you, she won't stay much longer. I'm going to do something about it, okay? Just trust me. Focus on me, not her."
"Make sure you do," Alis muttered, though the edge in his voice had dulled slightly.
"You know I hate us being this way," I said, leaning closer until our foreheads touched. "It kills me when you're mad at me."
"I can't help it," he whispered back, his breath hitching. "It hurts, Alex."
"I know. I'm so sorry, okay? I'm so sorry." I leaned in and pressed a deep, apologetic kiss to his lips. To let him know I was still entirely his, I reached down and gave his cock a firm, possessive squeeze through his trousers.
I met his eyes, my voice dropping softly. "Don't be angry with your husband, okay? I'm on your side."
Alis finally gave a short, reluctant nod. "You love only me… right?" he asked quietly.
I nodded without hesitation. "Yes, baby. Only you."
A faint smile curved his lips, and the tension in his body eased just enough for him to lean into my touch. I pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, a silent promise to protect him, before we both stepped out of the car.
As we entered the store, Alistair clung to me. He made it physically impossible for me to even glance in Clara's direction, keeping my focus entirely anchored on him.
Every time Clara opened her mouth to ask me a question, Alis was faster, interjecting with a question of his own about the soup or the groceries. He was a master of redirection, effectively building a wall around us that she couldn't penetrate.
Eventually, looking defeated, Clara wandered off, leaving us alone to finish our shopping in peace.
When we emerged from the store with the bags, we found Clara standing by the car, looking bored and out of place.
Suddenly, my husband turned on the charm, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Oh, Clara! You're out here? Alex and I were looking everywhere for you inside. We had no idea you'd finished so soon. Right, baby?"
I caught on immediately, suppressing a grin. "Yes, love. We were worried."
Alis tilted his head, his eyes sparkling with dangerous mischief. "Why are your hands empty? I thought Mom said you had things to get. Did they not have what you were looking for, or did you change your mind?"
Clara looked completely drained, her shoulders slumping. "Both," she muttered.
"Oh, what a pity," Alis said, though there was no real sympathy in his voice. "I might have asked my husband to take us somewhere else so you could find it, but I'm finished with my shopping. And, unfortunately, my husband can't drive you anywhere else, because you're not me."
He smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. I'll have the driver take you wherever you need once we get home."
Clara's mouth fell open, her eyes wide as she searched for a comeback, but Alis didn't give her the chance. He turned his back on her as if she were invisible, walking toward the passenger door.
"Oh, I can't seem to open this," he said, his voice reaching a sweet, helpless pitch. "I should probably ask my husband to help me."
I watched him, unable to hide my smile. He was laying it on thick, and I loved every second of it.
"Babe?" he called out.
"Yes, love?" I answered, stepping toward him.
"Come open the door for your baby."
I did it immediately, bowing slightly as I held the door open for him like he was royalty. Once he was settled, I walked around to the driver's side. Clara climbed into the back, her movements stiff and silent. I could practically feel her regret radiating from the leather seats; she was realizing that "tagging along" was the biggest mistake she could have made.
I thought the performance was over. I was about to turn the key in the ignition when Alis turned to me, his gaze intense.
"Kiss me, baby."
I didn't hesitate. I leaned over and captured his lips in a deep, possessive kiss, making sure Clara had a front-row seat to the intimacy she was trying so hard to disrupt. When we finally pulled apart, Alis breathed out my name.
"I love you so much, Alexander."
"And I love you with every breath in me, Alistair," I said quietly, letting the words settle between us.
A loud, sharp scoff erupted from the backseat.
I didn't even look in the rearview mirror. I just started the engine and…