CHALLENGE

An hour elapsed, and Zac’s car glided to a halt within the vast, spreading-out compound that nestled the monumental penthouse there he saw Ava putting her things in her car and then rounded the car to get behind the wheels.

“What are you doing, Tinkerbell?” Zac called out in surprise as soon he came down from his car, hastening his steps towards her.

Ava ceased her movement and looked up at his face with an annoyed expression.

“I’m leaving, Zac,” she affirmed, “And I don't want to ever come across you again,”

Zac’s eyes grew dark under the street glow. He would have probably thought that Ava was joking if she was not looking mad at that moment.

“What’s wrong, Ava?” He narrowed his eyes slightly and there was turbulence at the bottom of his eyes.

Ava then shut her car door and moved closer to him, “I can't believe you are asking me this, Zac. You left here some hours ago and promised to oppress my parents because you have some speculations that they are not my real parents,” She was flustered in her heart, and it was stuffy to the point where it became difficult for her to breathe.
Her throat choked up, so she had to stop talking and take a deep breath to get herself under control again.
“Fine. I understand that I do not attain a tremendous relationship from them but they are still my parents, Zac. And for one reason or the other, they shall always remain my parents,”
“So you're leaving because you thought that your parents were in my custody by now?” Zac scoffed out his annoyance, his two hands going into his pants pockets.
Ava blinked her thin eyelashes that cast shadows and thought about it… Has he not locked them up yet, considering her pleas?
“You know, Ava, sometimes I think perhaps that you are poisonous that had spread through my veins and has completely messed up with my fucking head,” his thick eyelashes were hanging, and formed eyeshows on his eyelids.
“Zachary Gonzalez had never considered anybody's requests and never listened to anyone before and does his things in his own ways regardless of the outcome but you…” he pushed out a sigh, averting her gaze.
“I couldn't go ahead with my usual style because I didn't want to hurt you, Ava. Believe me, if it were left to me, I would have tormented your parents until I have them spew the whole truth,”
A wave of relief rushed down her spine and then she lowered her head remorsefully.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, raising her eyes and meeting his eyes for a brief moment before she quickly broke it.
Zac huffed a muted disbelieving laugh, “If you're truly sorry, then do it properly,” his voice was a deep, masculine rumble.
Grinning bit by bit, Ava stood tiptoe and hugged his neck, trying to be cute.
“Forgive my manners, Jamal. And I can't be less glad right now to realize that you're hopelessly in love with me,”
Under the light, Ava's countenance was as glistening as Jade. When she spoke, her almond-shaped eyes were as bright as the moon.
Her beautiful voice was soft and tender and in Zac’s eyes, her beauty was totally incomparable.
“Are you mocking me now?” he pretended to be angry, his gaze roaming on every single feature of Ava’s face.
Ava swept his tongue across her lips, looking so cute which unknowingly to her caused Zac’s breathing to grow heavy and labored.
That was the beautiful thing he'd seen today.
He suddenly inclined closed, his nose running the length of her jaw, hands cinched down on her waist.
“I hope you haven't forgotten our outing tomorrow,” he closed his eyes as he spoke and continued the motion.
Ava gave a nasal sound in response, trying not to moan until she felt his teeth graze her earlobe and his tongue licked it.
“Zac,” she whispered on an exhale, throwing her head back while Zac trailed her swan-like neck with his tongue to her second ear.
************
Glancing at the mall standing tall outside of the car window, “Is this one your mall too?” Ava asked, looking back at the big man's face who only shrugged in reply.
He thereafter came down from the car and then rounded the car to the passenger’s side and opened the door for his woman.
Ava’s cheeks tinted a subtle shade of pink as she slowly emerged from the car, darting her eyes around the splendid environment.
“Am I the first woman whom you opened the car door for?” she asked curiously while Zac secured her hand in his.
Zac spared her a warm glance and answered, “No,”
No?
Instinctively, Ava squeezed his wide palm that was holding hers— the beautiful smile on her face wiping off.
“I've held out car doors for Genevieve a few times before,” Zac clarified, his eyes carrying a tinge of laughter when he looked at Ava.
“Why must you always put me in a tight spot before clarifying yourself?” Ava asked with a playful eye roll, looking everywhere but his face.
A laugh bubbled in Zac’s throat, “Forgive me, my lady,”
Several hours had passed and more than fifteen shopping trolleys were full of dresses, shoes, accessories, and a lot more.
However, Zac was still not satisfied yet even after Ava had begged him to stop shopping that she couldn't wear all the dresses finished in five years to come.
Zachary ignored her plea and told her that she could go and sit down if she was tired. And that was exactly what Ava did.
She sat on a velveteen chaise in the change room of the VIP unit, hoping that Zac would soon get it over with and they will start going home.
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when the door suddenly opened, revealing Zac who strolled toward her and handed her a pink satin dress.
“Wear this. I'll be waiting outside,” he tipped her a cute wink and walked out immediately.
Ava grumbled, stomping her feet for sometime before getting to business.
In a matter of moments, Ava came out of the room and was damn surprised to see that the whole was now empty except for the two sales girls of the shop.
She looked around and found him sitting comfortably on a couch with his elbows resting on his knees.
She glided near, biting her lips. Not wanting to fidget under his stare.
It was an off-shoulder and backless dress. Not too tight. Not even loose. The end of the dress reached just an inch above her mid-thigh.
The long-cut neckline displayed her cleavage on show while the back cut just stopped three inches from her butt, out of her comfort zone.
The smooth fabric clung to her like a second skin, manifesting every curve and dip of hers.
Blood rushed to her ears when Zac rose from the couch and closed up the little distance between them.
The storm in his eyes turned wild with his smoldering gaze touching every inch of her body, lingering longer on the neckline.
Blood surged to Ava’s cheeks and ran hot through her veins under his flaming stare. It had her squirming in place.
“Turn around,”
The dominance and huskiness of his rich Greek accent made her obey. In the next second, she felt him behind her and a low curse reached her ear followers by a sharp intake of breath.
Ava fidgeted her fingers. She couldn't pick out most of the words that came out of his mouth.
His hot breath fanned her bare shoulder, making her breath hitch. A brush of warm fingers glided down her bare back, erupting goosebumps across her skin.
By this time, the two sales reps had fled the scene, giving them their own privacy.
Ava’s heart pounded as his hand slipped to the curve of her waist, to the front of her stomach and then to her bare shoulders.
“I want you too much, Tinkerbell,” Zac made the sound from deep in his chest, dull but extraordinary firm.
“I want you too, Zac,” Ava confessed, against her better judgment.
But the idea of making out here in a shop doesn't sit well with her. “Let’s leave here, Jamal,”
The words had not left her mouth completely before someone yelled out her name in delight.
“Is that you, Ava?”
Startled, they leapt apart at the sound of a familiar voice. Their gazes traveled to the door only to see Hazel and Daniel coming over to them.
“Hazel?” Ava too was surprised as she went closer and hugged Hazel.
While a lot of hugging and talk started going on with the two ladies, Zac's shoulders had become tense. The muscle of his sharp jaw clenched and his fisted in balls.
Heaven knows that if it were to be someone else and not Hazel that had interrupted his moment, he would have already dismantled the person’s jaw by now.
Daniel, who was standing at the back of Hazel this whole time seemed to be the only one noticing the frown that had creased Zac’s brows together—dominating his forehead.
His eyes were a picture of raging blue fire and his lips were curled up in a savage snarl.
Acting on impulse, Daniel grabbed Hazel’s arm, “Let's get out of here and shop elsewhere, babe,” he muttered.
Hazel blinked her eyes as if she was offended, “Why, Daniel? The plan is to shop here in this mall then why the sudden change of mind?”
She took a glance at Ava and returned her attention back to Daniel’s face, “Or are you uncomfortable because Ava and her man are here? It's nothing to worry about, babe. We can all shop together or what do you think, Ava?”
“No, Hazel. We can't. Actually, we were about to exit this place before you guys came in,” Ava said with a polite smile and quickly grabbed Zac’s arm before Hazel’s objection.
“Have a nice time, guys,” she pecked Hazel’s cheeks, waved at Daniel and then started walking away with a scowling Zac who paid no heed to Hazel and Daniel greetings.
“Learn how to hide your anger at times, Jamal,” Ava counseled as soon as they both got into the car, waiting for the shop girls to finish offloading the shopping bags in the booth.
“I swear, your friend should be thanking her stars today that she's someone dear to you,” Zac grumbled out, his anger barely refraining.
“What would you have done? Slap her? Send her out?” Ava chuckled but Zac’s face remained devoid of any emotion.
“Come on, babe. We're going home already and then I'm all yours till day break,” Ava crawled over and whispered those words to his face, blinking cutely.
Zac’s eyes lit up immediately as he slowly rounded her waist with his arm, drawing her closer, “I won't free you until you lose your voice while screaming my name,”
Heat bloomed across Ava’s ears as she pressed her head against his, “We shall see, sweetheart,”