Chapter 443: The Delivery

"What is it, Marcus?" Grayson demanded into his phone, his deep voice turning cold and grand. "I am in the middle of a very delicate culinary operation."

Marcus’s deadpan voice came through the speaker clearly. "Mr. Ashford, I am calling to inform you that a delivery vehicle has just arrived at the front gate of the estate."

Grayson raised a dark eyebrow, his blue eyes narrowing. "A delivery vehicle?"

"It is a courier, sir," Marcus replied flatly. "Mrs. Ashford ordered three clay plant pots and two bags of soil from the local garden store yesterday. The driver requires a signature."

Grayson gasped softly, looking utterly offended. He set his wooden spoon down on the counter and stood up to his full, towering height, adjusting his frilly pink apron with sharp, angry movements.

"A signature?" Grayson echoed, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous rumble. "A complete stranger is standing at my gates, demanding that my wife put her sacred name on a piece of paper for dirt?"

Mailah stopped wiping down the counter and turned around, staring at her husband in absolute disbelief.

"Grayson, it’s just the delivery guy from the plant nursery," Mailah said, holding back a giggle. "I ordered some pots so we can plant herbs on the back patio."

Grayson shook his head. "No unknown man approaches this house without my inspection. Marcus, hold the gate! I shall personally escort this courier off my territory!"

"He is just dropping off clay pots, Mr. Ashford," Marcus said through the speaker, sounding thoroughly exhausted. "He is wearing a yellow polo shirt and driving a small van. He is not an invading army."

"Keep the gates locked until I arrive!", Grayson barked.

Grayson hung up the phone with a sharp click. He untied his pink floral apron, tossed it over a chair, and pulled his shoulders back, looking like an ancient king preparing to march into battle.

Mailah ran forward and grabbed his broad arm. "Grayson, please do not intimidate the poor delivery driver! He gets paid ten dollars an hour!"

Grayson looked down at her, his blue eyes melting slightly at her touch, but his proud jaw remained set in a firm line. He reached out and gently patted her hand.

"Fear not, my sweet wife," Grayson whispered smoothly, leaning down to press a soft, burning kiss against her temple. "I will handle this intruder with supreme grace. You stay here where it is safe."

"It’s just dirt, Grayson!" Mailah called out as he swept out of the kitchen, his dark hair floating dramatically behind him as if a phantom breeze were following his every step.

Five minutes later, Mailah walked down the long stone driveway toward the main iron gates, unable to trust her dramatic husband alone for a single second.

When she rounded the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Standing at the open gates was a young delivery driver wearing a bright yellow cap and holding a clipboard. The poor young man was pale as a ghost, pressed flat against the side of his yellow delivery van.

Standing two feet away from him was Grayson.

Grayson had his broad hands tucked casually into the pockets of his dark trousers, towering over the driver by nearly a foot. His blue eyes were cold and sharp, staring down at the young man with the intense, heavy pressure of an ancient predator. The air around Grayson seemed to hum with faint, warm heat—not cold or scary, but heavy enough to make the driver’s knees visibly shake.

"So," Grayson was saying in a dark, raspy whisper that sounded like sliding stones. "You claim these clay vessels contain organic soil?"

"Y-yes, sir!" the young driver squeaked, clutching his clipboard like a shield. "P-pure potting soil! Top quality!"

"And who authorized you to look toward the main house?" Grayson asked softly, narrowing his eyes into icy slits.

"I was just looking for the front door, sir!" the driver gasped, practically sweating through his shirt.

Mailah rushed forward, pushing herself right between Grayson and the terrified delivery driver. "Grayson! Stop it right now!"

Grayson’s terrifying posture vanished in less than a second. His sharp jaw softened, his dark eyes instantly filling with warm, helpless affection as he looked down at Mailah.

"Mailah!" Grayson said, his voice instantly turning smooth and sweet. "Why are you out here? The ground is cold. You should be resting inside."

"I am perfectly fine," Mailah said firmly. She turned to the delivery driver with an apologetic smile. "I am so sorry about my husband. He is... very protective. Where do I sign?"

The driver quickly handed her the clipboard and a pen, his hands trembling violently. "J-just right at the bottom, ma’am! Thank you!"

Mailah signed her name quickly and handed the board back. "Thank you so much! You can just leave the boxes by the gate, we’ll carry them up."

"Have a great day, ma’am!" the driver yelled, practically throwing the cardboard boxes onto the driveway before scrambling into his van, slamming the door shut, and speeding away down the road so fast his tires squealed against the asphalt.

Mailah turned around and crossed her arms, glaring up at her handsome, ridiculously dramatic husband.

Grayson stood there, looking completely pleased with himself. He smoothed down his hair with one long hand, throwing his shoulders back in total victory.

"You see?" Grayson noted proudly. "The intruder has been successfully repelled. Your soil is safe."

"He wasn’t an intruder, Grayson!" Mailah laughed, shaking her head as she looked at the three heavy cardboard boxes sitting on the stone driveway. "He was just doing his job! And now look—we have to carry these heavy boxes all the way up to the house ourselves."

Grayson looked down at the boxes, raising a single, dark eyebrow in supreme confidence.

"Heavy?" Grayson murmured, a wicked smirk curving his lips.

He walked over to the three large boxes filled with heavy clay pots and bags of dense dirt. Without even bending his knees, he reached down with one long arm and picked up all three boxes at once, balancing them effortlessly against his broad chest as if they were filled with feathers.

He turned back to Mailah, his blue eyes sparkling with lazy, dangerous charm.

"I am an ancient demon, Mailah," Grayson rasped, his deep voice carrying a playful, low hum that made her heart skip a beat. "I have carried fallen trees and crushed granite with my bare hands. Do you truly think three bags of dirt pose a challenge to me?"

Mailah felt a sweet, warm blush creep up her neck. Even when he was being completely ridiculous, the effortless strength and absolute beauty of the man made her breath catch in her throat.

"Show-off," Mailah whispered, a shy smile breaking across her face.

Grayson grinned, stepping closer to her and looking down into her eyes with pure, unshielded warmth. "I only show off for one audience. Now, come. Since this yellow-hatted merchant failed to satisfy your gardening needs, we should go into town ourselves."

Mailah blinked. "Into town? Why?"

Grayson’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Because a stranger brought you soil, and I cannot allow another man to be the one who provided for your garden. It insults my honor. We are going to the local market, and I shall buy you every flower, seed, and tree in the county."

"Grayson, we don’t need a whole forest!" Mailah giggled, grabbing his arm as they walked back up the driveway. "We just need a few simple seeds!"

"Then I will buy the finest simple seeds in existence!" Grayson declared grandly.

Half an hour later, Grayson had changed into a tailored dark navy coat that made him look like an European prince who had accidentally wandered into a small seaside town.

He drove his sleek black sports car into the local town square, parking right in front of a charming, old-fashioned flower shop and plant nursery.

The moment Grayson stepped out of the car, half the people walking on the sidewalk stopped to look at him. But Grayson paid absolutely no attention to anyone else. He walked straight around the car, opened Mailah’s door, and held out his hand to help her down with absolute, royal care.

"Watch your step," Grayson murmured softly, his warm fingers wrapping securely around hers, refusing to let go even after she was safely standing on the sidewalk.

"Grayson, people are staring," Mailah whispered, leaning closer to his side as they walked toward the shop entrance.

"Let them stare," Grayson replied smoothly, throwing his chin up. "They are merely admiring the fact that I am holding the most beautiful woman in the world. It is a natural human reaction."

Mailah covered her face with her free hand, groaning softly at his endless confidence, though her heart fluttered wildly inside her chest.

They stepped through the wooden door of the flower shop. The air inside was cool and sweet, smelling of fresh roses, damp earth, and crushed leaves. Rows of colorful potted flowers, hanging vines, and wooden seed racks lined the cozy shop.

An enthusiastic young male florist with green canvas overalls and messy brown hair trotted out from behind the counter, smiling warmly at them.

"Good afternoon!" the florist said brightly. "Welcome to Green Thumb Nursery! My name is Leo. How can I help you folks today?"

Before Mailah could speak, Grayson stepped slightly in front of her, placing his broad frame between Mailah and the young shop assistant.

Grayson folded his arms over his chest, his dark blue eyes turning sharp and icy as he looked down at Leo.

"My wife requires seeds," Grayson stated in a low, commanding tone that made the wooden floorboards seem to vibrate. "Top-tier seeds."

Leo the florist blinked, looking slightly bewildered by Grayson’s intense, dramatic delivery. "Uh... right! Of course! What kind of plants are you looking for? Flowers? Vegetables? Herbs?"

"Herbs," Mailah said quickly, popping her head around Grayson’s shoulder with a friendly smile. "We want to plant lavender and basil in small pots for our patio."

Leo smiled back at Mailah, taking a quick step closer to point toward a wooden shelf nearby. "Oh, lavender is fantastic! It smells amazing and it’s super easy to take care of. Here, let me show you our best French lavender seeds—"

Leo reached out to hand a small seed packet toward Mailah.

Before Leo’s fingers could even approach Mailah’s hand, Grayson moved with terrifying, lightning-fast speed. He stepped straight into Leo’s personal space, taking the seed packet out of Leo’s hand with two fingers before the young man could even blink.

The temperature in the shop seemed to drop instantly.

Grayson towered over the poor florist, his blue eyes flashing with a dark, possessive intensity that made Leo freeze dead in his tracks, his eyes going wide with sudden shock.

Grayson rasped in a low, dangerous whisper that sounded like a dark threat. "Keep your distance, boy."

Leo swallowed hard, his face turning pale. He took two fast steps backward, holding his hands up in the air. "Y-yes, sir! Absolutely! Whatever you say, sir!"