I try to squirm away, but he only tightens his hold on my back as we both fall to the mattress facing each other.
He wraps his hand around my midsection and I place both palms on his chest. His heartbeat booms under my fingertips, and I instantly feel calmer.
It’s like my own custom-made lullaby.
“Just sleep,” he murmurs in that husky voice.
I shake my head.
“Why not?”
“What if they come back?” I sniff.
“I’ll be here.” He wraps a hand around my head and places it on his chest like that’s where I’ve always belonged.
Like he can’t have it any other way.
We remain like that for a few, and I’m too tired to fight anything at the moment.
“Remember when I told you that I’ll protect you?”
I nod, my eyes starting to flutter closed.
“That includes the monsters from your nightmares, Elsa.”
I make an unintelligible sound as sleep whisks me away.
Aiden will protect me from the monsters in my nightmares.
But how did he know they were monsters?
I never told him that.
Right?
Elsa
When I wake up in the morning, it’s cold and empty.
I slept cocooned in Aiden’s embrace, but he’s nowhere to be found now.
No sound comes from the bathroom either.
I sit up in bed and try to fight off the wave of disappointment that hits me out of nowhere.
Where did he go?
Did I scare him off with my nightmare yesterday?
I tell myself that Aiden isn’t the type that can be scared off, but the doubts jam into my mind anyway.
My backpack rests on a chair and my uniform is neatly tucked beside it.
If he took the time to do that, it should mean that he didn’t bail on me, right?
Tucking the sheet around my body, I stand up and glimpse out the window.
There’s no trace of his Ferrari.
My chest squeezes so hard like it’s on the verge of breaking.
Aiden stranded me in the middle of nowhere.
This feels so much like the first time we had sex; he just up and left without a word.
Back then, I gave him my virginity. Yesterday, I gave him my true, raw self.
He left after both times.
A wave of anger hits me — at myself, not him. Isn’t this what I want? What am I so disappointed about?
With a huff, I take a quick shower and change into my uniform.
I’m leaving this place and never returning.
Pressure builds behind my eyes as I glance back at the bed.
The bed in which he made me feel both pleased and safe — even if he was a dick about the first one.
He couldn’t have faked the care in his eyes. He couldn’t have pretended to hold me and soothe my nightmares after I scratched him.
It takes a special person to do that.
But he left.
I swallow the tears and exit the room. He won’t get to me. If he wants to consider this arrangement as a sex only type of thing, then so be it.
I can do that.
I can be as detached as he is.
Use then throw away.
Now, I just have to convince myself not to feel like a dirty whore.
Sounds reach me from downstairs.
Very distinctive sounds.
I stop at the top of the stairs, my cheeks heating.
Moans and grunts come from the lounge area.
My heart slams against my chest and I nearly fall to the ground.
It’s not… Silver, right? Aiden wouldn’t have brought Silver over to antagonise me.
He wouldn’t rip my heart open that way.
Not after the connection we built last night.
“Fuck, princess. You taste like sin.”
A harsh breath heaves out of me.
It’s not Aiden’s voice, but it’s a familiar one.
The moans escalate and then the air is filled with rough slaps of flesh against flesh.
I remain rooted in place with my cheeks aflame. No idea if I should disappear inside or stay here to not make a sound.
“Fuck, fuck!” The man grunts as she whimpers.
“Oh, God. Harder!”
“Harder, huh?” Slap. Slap. Slap. “How about that?”
“Aaaah! Levi!”
Levi?
Levi King?
The sounds die down as they both appear to have reached their heights. I still don’t know if I should go back inside or run out of here.
If I barge in on them now, they’d think that I’ve been hearing them all along and that would be super awkward.
And perverse.
“Oh, stop it.” Astrid — or who I assume is Astrid — scolds.
Her voice is a bit husky, but I hope it’s because she’s breathy, and not because she’s a different girl.
Please let it not be a different girl.
“You just came,” she hisses.
“I can never get enough of you, princess. Besides, I have other ways,” he grunts and soon after a giggle comes out.
Are they going at it again?
Maybe I should return to bed and pretend I’m asleep or something.
“Get a room.”
My back snaps at the signature bored voice.
Aiden.
He’s… back.
Something in my chest lifts. I don’t know if it’s joy or relief or anger.
Or all of them.
The anger at myself wins. How could I give him the remote control of my emotions this easily?
Astrid’s gasp is followed by scrambling about and a rustle of clothes.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Aiden?” Levi growls.
“This is my mother’s place.”
Wait. The Meet Up was Alicia’s place?
“Stop looking or I’ll poke your fucking eyes out,” Levi tells him.
“Looking at who?” I can almost imagine the smirk on Aiden’s face.
He’s taunting his cousin and he seems to enjoy it a bit too much.
The bastard can be so sadistic.
“Cover your arse, Lev. It’s not exactly a good sight first thing in the morning.”
“You little fucker, I’m going to —”
“I’m good,” Astrid sounds flustered, and I’m sure she is Astrid now that she’s speaking normally.
“Since when do you come over on the weekend?” Levi asks.
“Since now. Find yourself another place. Don’t you have a flat?”
“Fuck you,” Levi tells him. “I’ll be here whenever I damn well please.” A pause. “What’s that?”
“I’m making breakfast,” Aiden says. “And stop eating my groceries. Fill the fridge when you come over.”
“Wait. You are making breakfast?” Levi asks in an incredulous tone.
“Yeah.” Astrid laughs. “What gives?”