Page 19 of Wicked Throne

"Fuck you to buddy!" I hollered back.

Once they had finally passed me, I had to laugh to myself. The laughter became too much and I almost wrecked. I hadn't been on a bike since I was thirteen years old. If the girls could see me know they would scream with fits of laughter too.

The tiny village that Sophia had explained to me about came into view. I believe she had called it Piccola. As I leaned the bike against a wall of a building I'd spotted a pharmacy across the street. I had about a hundred dollars in cash in my wallet and hoped that would be enough. Would they even take American money?

A bell chimed over the door and a few people turned to look. They began to talk in hushed tones but I just straightened my coat around me and went in search of underwear. Clothes would have to wait. There was no way I'd be able to buy clothing and ride a bike back up the hill to the villa.

Strolling through the isles of the pharmacy, my fingers dancing over products, I got the feeling I was being watched. Glancing around I found no one was even paying attention to me. Eventually, I found a women's section.

"If I was home in Georgia...they would definitely say these were bloomers....good lord these are huge!"

A pack of underwear.

There were four pairs of different colored women's underwear inside of the plastic container. My face had pinched itself into a frown and I decided that this needed to happen. As I was marching to the counter to pay the sensation came over me again that I was being watched.

Standing by the door was Thierry himself.

"Good morning, wife," a smile forced itself onto his face.

He pushed away from the wall and came over to me. With each stride that he took, my stomach tightened; my eyes threatened to become blurry with embarrassment. Thierry was going to see the giant panties I needed to purchase. It was enough that the clerk was going to see them.

The plastic began to sweat in my hands and it caused me to shoved them on the counter. A young man who was behind the counter moved with the speed of a sloth. While he bumbled around I fiddled for the wallet.

"Tesoro...are you okay."

My eyes snapped to meet his. "What? What does that even mean...Tesoro?"

He smiled as our eyes clashed. How the clerk hadn't rung the underwear up yet, I'd never know.

"You came to the pharmacy. I was just finishing up breakfast with someone when I saw you dip in here..."

Thierry's eyes turned to the counter and snatched the underwear off. "I thought you might be feeling ill from all the champagne you drank on the flight here..."

His words trailed off and before I knew it he was laughing at me.

Thierry Scarpetta had discovered the giant panties that could have been used to sail a ship to the America's and I wanted to die. I was fucking mortified.

Finally, he sobered, and the clerk had turned scarlet. I snatched them from him and put them back on the counter to be paid for.

"Let me," my husband said and slapped a credit card down on the counter.

This cashier had to have been in a training phase because he was one of the slowest people I'd ever met. Quietly, he bagged my purchase and handed it over.

We walked out together and I was about to head over to the bike waiting across the street but Thierry stopped me. "Ride back with me. I have a surprise waiting for you."

"Fuck you and your surprises," I murmured still embarrassed.

"Only if you promise to wear those for me one night," he smiled again.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to get any if someone hadn't kidnapped me. Damn it, Thierry, I"m ready to go home. This isn't funny anymore."

There was an urge to cry.

I wanted to be at home watching Sophia, Dorothy, Rose, and my favorite southern belle, Blanche on my tv in my oversized bed. I wanted to be surrounded by my pretty things in my cute little house. I didn't want to be married to an asshole that would force my hand to the point I had to buy giant cotton underwear. I wore goddamn silk underwear.

Thierry slipped his finger under my chin. "Hey...you're going to want to see this surprise. I promise. Now get in the car."

My eyes darted to his.