Page 45 of All’s Fair In Love & War (The Bulgari Cartel #2)

Thank You for This Food

Felicity

It had been a week since the pill incident, and Khalil hadn’t let me sleep alone since.

Not once.

Not even for five minutes.

I couldn’t shower without someone posted outside the door.

Couldn’t step onto the balcony without his voice in my ear or one of his men tracking my every move.

If he wasn’t shadowing me like a bodyguard, he was assigning surveillance as if I were a flight risk.

Maybe I was, and maybe he knew it, but that didn’t mean I wanted to feel it every time I turned my head.

God, I couldn’t breathe without bumping into him. He claimed it was for my good. That he was only trying to help. But to me, it seemed like he was trying to control something that wasn’t his to control.

Yawning, I slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom with my assigned babysitter following right behind. All I wanted to do was brush my teeth, wash my face, and pee, but I couldn’t even do that in peace. I understand Khalik didn’t trust me after what happened, but damn.

“Did you really have to follow me to the bathroom?” I questioned, shooting a glare at the guard who had positioned himself by the door. “There’s nothing in here but hygiene products. I promise I won’t try to sniff any of this shit.” I lifted the toothpaste and sanitizer to emphasize my point.

The guard was as motionless as a statue, his gaze fixed on the wall above my head. When he neither spoke nor glanced my way, I realized engaging him in conversation was pointless, so I just turned away from him and tried my best to disregard his presence.

I tried to ignore him. I really did, but his heavy breathing made it impossible to ignore.

His breath came out with the ferocity of a dragon, loud, dramatic, and just shy of setting my edges on fire.

How the hell was I supposed to pretend he wasn’t there when he sounded like he couldn’t even breathe properly?

After I finished brushing my teeth, I rinsed my mouth and glanced over my shoulder at the guard. “Can you give me a minute?” I asked. “I need to pee. Alone. Like a normal fucking human being.”

“No,” he replied, firmly. “I was told not to let you out of my sight.”

I turned, water still dripping at the corners of my mouth, and glared at him through the mirror. “Seriously? You’re gonna watch me take a piss now?”

He shrugged. “Orders are orders, but I’ll turn my back if that’ll make you feel better.”

“Oh, how generous of you,” I sneered, snatching my towel off the counter to wipe my mouth.

When he turned away from me, I snatched the plastic cup I used to rinse with and dropped my panties.

I grabbed the plastic cup I usually used for rinsing, quickly lowered my panties.

Sitting down, I relieved myself directly into the cup, nearly filling it to the top.

Once finished, I cleaned up, stood, and held the warm cup as if it were a live grenade.

“You can turn around now,” I said, sweet as honey, and as soon as he did, I let it fly.

The cup hit my babysitter dead in the center of his chest, drenching his shirt, face, and neck in a spray of piss. He retched violently, his body convulsing as he staggered backward, arms flailing like I’d doused him with acid.

“What the—What the fuck is wrong with you?” he roared, his entire body trembling with rage as he frantically bounced in place, shaking his hands like a toddler mid-tantrum.

I sucked my teeth. “Nothing is wrong with me. What the hell is wrong with you?” I replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

“Didn’t I say I needed a minute? Had even asked you nicely to get the fuck out, and you thought turning around made it okay to stay in the restroom with me while I used the toilet.

” I shouted, feeling myself getting heated all over again.

“Nah, fuck that! My pussy was out! I don’t care what Khalil told you. I’m a woman, and this is my body. It doesn’t belong to you, him, or this goddamn house! If I don’t want anyone to see it, then everyone should respect that!”

“I didn’t even see it!” He shouted as if he missed my point.

Finished with this pointless conversation, I stepped past the guard, headed to the door. “Next time, get the hell out when I ask for privacy.”

“It won’t be a next time because I quit.” He ripped off his shirt, face scrunched in fury and disgust. “Crazy ass bitch!” he spat, and hearing him call me out of my name made my skin crawl.

My steps faltered instantly, my chest rising in rapid breaths. “What… did… you… just… call… me?”

“A crazy ass bitch!” he repeated, louder this time, as he lunged at me.

I didn’t move a muthafuckin’ inch. “Try me,” I said through gritted teeth. “Touch me, and I’ll throw something nastier. Believe that.”

I was referring to my right hook. It was weak, but I’d give it all I had. We could really rumble in here.

“Bitch, I’ll break yo’ muthafuckin’ neck if you do,” he roared, having completely lost his shit.

Still, he pulled back after having thought about what would happen if he laid a hand on me.

“Do it then, bitch ass nigga! I dare you!” I taunted, balling my fists, ready to tussle with his big ass.

The guard had at least a foot over me, but I didn’t give a damn. I was upset and ready to rock out with any and everyone about my respect. I was one hundred percent sure I would get my ass beat, but he’d know I was there because I planned to fight dirty as hell.

The yelling must’ve rattled the whole wing, because the sound of footsteps came toward us fast and heavy.

Moments later, the door flung open, and Khalil was standing there shirtless with sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

Wearing a frown, he entered the bathroom and stood between the guard and me as we faced off.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” he asked, his eyes traveling between us.

“She threw piss on me!” the guard shouted, eyes wild. “All I did was follow your orders, and this crazy bi—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Khalil’s hands wrapped around his neck, and he slammed the guard into the wall.

Held him up by the throat with one hand, his expression cool as a glacier.

Using all his strength, he squeezed, muffling the guy’s windpipe until his words turned into fishy gasps.

The guard's eyes widened, and his face turned a deep shade of purple, while Khalil remained effortlessly composed.

Damn, that was so sexy, I almost had to fan myself because my body had overheated. My skin prickled with something between rage and awe, and the seat of my panties became soaked. Khalil was choking someone out for me, and I liked it.

“If I ever hear you call my fiancée a bitch, the next time you speak, it’ll be through a feeding tube. I don’t give a fuck how disrespected she made you feel,” he warned before releasing the guard’s neck.

He hit the floor like dead weight, and lay there, gasping and wheezing, his hands clutching his throat as if trying to restore the air that had been so violently taken.

Khalil didn’t look down to check on him.

He just turned to me slowly, eyes dragging over my body like he was trying to decide whether to strangle me next or fuck the defiance out of me.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked, his brows drawn together as he glared at me.

I crossed my arms. “I was thinking I shouldn’t have to piss under surveillance like I’m in prison.”

“You assaulted my staff.”

“And your staff violated my boundaries,” I shot back. “If I say I want to pee alone, that shouldn’t be a debate.”

“You could’ve called me or asked for someone else.”

“Or he could’ve just gotten the hell out like I’d asked,” I snapped. “Your people don’t listen.”

His jaw clenched. “He did listen—to what I told him.”

“I don’t give a damn. He should’ve shown some common sense, and some fucking respect.” My voice clapped like thunder and echoed.

“I’ve been patient with you,” Khalil said, his voice dropping an octave. “I’ve forgiven you for the drugs, I’ve ignored the bullshit games, and I’ve tried to make this easier.”

“Forgiven me?” I scoffed, choosing to focus on that part of his statement. “I don’t remember asking for your forgiveness. Last I checked, this is my body. Whatever I want to do with it or put in it is my business. All you got to do is let me go, and all of this shit will be over.”

“You think I wanted this fucked-up arrangement?” Khalil snapped, his voice rising with real anger now.

“I was forced into this shit just like you, but I’m trying.

I’m doing this for my family and for the sake of peace .

Something you clearly don’t give a damn about.

” He pinched his nose. “You might not care about your people, but I do.”

“I care about my people, too!”

“I can’t tell. Instead of making this engagement bearable, you’re doing everything in your power to make me miserable.”

“You should’ve left me where I was, then,” I sneered, chin tilted. “But you didn’t, so here we are.”

He stared at me for a long, cold beat. Then he exhaled through his nose and ran a hand over his face like he was counting backward from ten.

“Get your shit together,” he said, stepping back. “Clean yourself up, fix your attitude, and prepare yourself for our engagement dinner.”

My brows lifted. “Excuse me?”

He looked me dead in the eye. “We’re announcing the engagement tonight at the family dinner. It’s time to get this wedding over with. We can’t keep stalling.”

I opened my mouth, but he raised a hand to silence me.

“You want to play the part?” he said. “Then play it well. Or don’t—just make sure you don’t make me regret not leaving you locked in that basement.”

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving me standing there with a mouth full of rage and a body still humming from the storm he dragged in.