Chapter 27 - CLARA -

I got dressed in a pair of jeans and a crop top Delilah had given me. I'd wanted to wear a gown, but none of Delilah's would fit; we're evidently different sizes. Even the jeans were tight, but it was that or Damon's boxers! I admired myself in the mirror, frowning. I'm not usually insecure about my body—I know I have a good figure—but my stomach was starting to poke out, making me rethink the crop top.

"You are beautiful and you're sexy," I murmured, then nodded confidently before putting on a pair of Delilah's sneakers (luckily, we're the same shoe size). The baby blue crop top, with puff sleeves, looked so cute. I let my hair down, securing it with a blue clip. "Looking cute!" I squealed before leaving the room.

Damon was waiting impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. "Sorry for keeping you waiting," I murmured. He glanced up, frowning, which made me frown too. Was it my stomach? Oh my god, I was getting insecure.

"You don't like the outfit?" I asked, standing before him.

"I don't care. Let's go," he muttered, walking away. I frowned and rushed upstairs to change. It was better to wear something comfortable. I threw on one of Damon's shirts before rushing out.

He was standing by the car. "Let's go," I murmured with a smile, but his frown remained. What now? Was it the jeans? Did I look too fat?

Without speaking, he got into the car. I was tempted to change, but I didn't want to waste his time, so I climbed in. "Where are we headed?" I asked as he started the car, but he ignored me.

We arrived at a huge building—clearly expensive. "Why can't we just go to the mall, or somewhere cheaper?" I asked as the car stopped.

"This is my family's private shopping mall. Why would my wife want anything cheap? Get your ass down before I kick it out," he muttered, getting out. I rolled my eyes and followed.

The cool air conditioning and the luxurious smell hit me immediately. A woman approached, smiling brightly at Damon. "Alpha Damon, it's so nice to finally meet you. Usually, you send Beta Luca; it's an honor to have you here," she said. My eyes widened. He'd never been here before?

"I'm here for my wife. Show me the women's section," he said. The woman nodded and led us further into the building. When Damon called it a mall, I didn't expect this—it had every section imaginable: bags, jewelry, shoes, phones, even food courts. The food smelled amazing.

"Here we are, Alpha," the woman said as we entered the clothing section. I gasped at its size. I reached for a dress, almost choking on my saliva when I saw the price: twenty thousand dollars! Was it made by a goddess?

"Excuse us," Damon said to the woman before approaching me.

"Damon, I know you have the money, but this is ridiculous," I murmured, but he ignored me and started scanning the racks, throwing clothes at me. I had to catch them—I couldn't let something so expensive hit the floor.

"Why are you picking out clothes for me?" I asked. He paused, turning to me.

"I've said it before, Clara. You have the fashion sense of a five-year-old. And that's me being nice," he muttered, returning to the racks. I wasn't complaining; I loved the gowns he'd picked out for me before.

He paused, then picked out a top—almost identical to the crop top I'd worn earlier, just a different color and minor design changes. He threw it at me.

"I thought you didn't like it on me earlier," I murmured. He tilted his head.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you had a disapproving look on your face," I said. He chuckled, turning away. "Do you care what I think?" he asked.

"Because you're my husband, so I should care," I murmured. He paused, then chuckled. "I loved it on you. I just didn't like the idea of other men seeing you the way I saw you in it," he said, walking away, leaving me stunned.

A slow smile spread across my face as I caught up with him. "So you don't think my stomach rolls are ugly?" I asked. He threw another garment at me.

"Shut up and go try those on," he muttered, snapping his fingers. Several women appeared to help me to the changing room. As I walked away, I couldn't help smiling. His words made me wonder how he'd seen me in that crop top. An image of Damon shirtless popped into my head, making my cheeks burn. I was such a pervert