6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Aidan
I ’d barely stepped out of the shadows when Finn’s voice cut through the air, sharp and filled with anger.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he snapped, his eyes blazing with something I hadn’t expected.
I wasn’t here to cause trouble, but something about Amelia kept gnawing at me, and tonight, I couldn’t stay away.
“I just came to see my woman,” I said before I could stop myself, my hand instinctively reaching out to place a light kiss on Amelia's cheek.
“What!” Finn snapped.
The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, and I could feel the tension spike the second they left my mouth.
Amelia froze.
"Your... what?" Amelia said, her voice low and caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.
Finn’s expression shifted from anger to something darker, fists clenched, ready for a fight.
“Aidan, I… we haven’t…”
“Amelia, what is this guy even talking about?” Finn interrupted, his voice sharp.
Amelia opened her mouth to respond, then hesitated, nervously running a hand through her hair. She seemed caught between two worlds, unsure how to handle what was unfolding.
She finally turned to face me, her voice barely a whisper.
“Aidan, I… we haven’t defined anything. I never said…” She trailed off, her gaze now shifting away from both of us.
"You need to leave. Now," Finn stepped forward, blocking my view of her.
The words came out cold, final. It hit me like a punch to the chest, but I wasn’t about to back down. I wasn’t leaving until I had some answers.
“I’m not going anywhere, Finn,” I said firmly. “I came to see Amelia and I am not leaving until I have a word with her.”
Amelia, still silent, looked between us, her expression unreadable. But I could see the confusion, the struggle in her eyes. Whatever this was, it was clearly becoming more complicated by the second.
“Amelia,” I started softly, my voice gentler now as I turned back to her. “I… I don’t want to put pressure on you. I just…I thought we were figuring this out.”
Amelia’s eyes flicked toward Finn, then back at me.
Finally, she spoke, her voice small but firm.
“Aidan, I think you should go.”
I froze, the weight of her words hitting me harder than I expected. “Amelia…”
“No,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “This… this isn’t right. I need to figure things out. You both need to leave me alone for a while.”
The finality in her tone was like a slap to my face. It hurt. It really did. But I could see it in her eyes, she was struggling to make sense of everything.
Finn didn’t need any more encouragement. He shot me one last furious look before turning to Amelia. “I’ll give you some space,” he said, his voice tense. “But I’m not going to just sit back and let him interfere with whatever this is between us.”
I watched him walk away and zoom off.
The silence between us stretched, and I turned back to face Amelia. She was standing on her porch, her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes full of emotion.
“Aidan, I…” she began, her voice shaking slightly. “I don’t know what I’m doing right now. I never expected this… any of this.”
I stepped forward, wanting to reach for her, but I stopped myself. She needed space, and I wasn’t going to push her.
“I get it,” I said softly, my voice full of regret. “I didn’t mean to confuse you. I’m not good at this, Amelia. But I need you to know I want something real with ’you.’
She nodded slowly; her eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know what I want right now, Aidan. I need time.”
“Okay. Take all the time you need,” I swallowed hard, stepping back.
With one last lingering look, I turned and walked away, my heart heavy with uncertainty.
The drive home felt endless. Inside, unease took over as my thoughts kept drifting to Amelia, Finn, and Alma's haunting face.
Could Amelia be Alma? It’s too much of a coincidence that they look so much alike and have the same mannerism, I thought.
Shaking it off, I headed to my study. The dark wood walls and faint scent of leather and paper usually brought comfort, but tonight, everything felt distant, hazy.
"Julian," I called, my voice firm.
“Sir!” he answered as he rushed in.
“Any information regarding the refinery? It’s been days now and nothing”
“We have a lead. The camera of the Isomerization unit stopped working an hour before the fire. And that’s where the fire started. Someone is behind this, and the person has access to the control unit. I believe it was an internal attack sir.”
“Does Fergus know about this?”
“I haven’t told him yet; I wanted to inform you first.”
“Investigate everyone that had access to the control room this month and also check the camera footage 72 hrs. before the incident. We might find something.”
Julian gave a short nod before making his way toward the door.
"One more thing," I called out, and he turned back to face me. "I need you to look into Finn Harper. I want to know everything and most importantly, I want to know if he has any secrets."
"Understood. I’ll get on it right away."
I stared at the darkened window, trying to clear my mind, but all I saw were her eyes, Amelia’s eyes. That damn look she’d given me before I left. Confusion. Regret.
The days dragged on, and I couldn’t stay away any longer.
I drove to her house, parked down the street and rang her doorbell. Moments later, she appeared, silhouetted in the doorway.
“Aidan…” she said softly, her voice unsure.
Seeing her, my resolve crumbled. The hurt in her eyes was clear, but so was the unspoken connection between us.
“I…” I started, but she cut me off before I could finish.
“Aidan, why are you here? I told you…” Her voice faltered, and she looked away, her gaze dropping to the ground. “You need to leave. I just got back from work, and I am very exhausted.”
“I know I’m not supposed to be here,” I said, my voice low. “I told myself I’d stay away. But I can’t. I can’t keep pretending like I don’t feel this pull toward you.”
Her eyes met mine, her expression a mix of disbelief. She shook her head, her fingers twitching at her sides.
“Please, Aidan,” she whispered. “I’m not ready for this. I need time. You’re making it harder, coming here like this.”
I could hear the desperation in her voice, but the ache in my chest only deepened.
“I don’t care about the timing, Amelia. I care about you. These past few days without seeing you have been hell, and I never believed that I’d get to say this to you,” I said as my hand reached out instinctively, brushing a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering on her skin.
She closed her eyes at the touch, a shudder running through her. And before either of us could pull away, I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine.
“I’ve missed you so much” I whispered as I caressed her cheeks.
“Aidan …”
I interrupted her with a kiss and this time slower than the first. Our tongues intertwined in the ecstasy of our feelings.
I pulled back slowly, my forehead resting against hers, both of us breathless. “I don’t know where this is going,” I muttered, my voice hoarse. “But I know I can’t walk away.”
“Just shut up and kiss me,” she whispered.
I pulled her in by her waist as she let out a soft moan. I opened the door and we both entered her house.
“You drive me crazy,” I said as I pinned her to the wall and French kissed her neck.
Her hands clawed my back as she moaned softly.
We continued kissing until we both were breathless, and we paused and drowned in each other’s gaze.
"When I look at you, I see not just beauty, but the very essence of everything I’ve ever longed for—timeless, captivating, and impossible to forget," I said as I kissed her palm.
Our lips intertwined and then I carried her and placed her on the dining table as my fingers went down to her panties.
“Oh wow… you are wet. Just the way I like it.”
I then went ahead and used my index and middle finger to shift her panties and stroke her clit. I slowly increased my pace.
“Aidan…” she moaned my name.
We suddenly heard a knock on the door.
“Expecting someone?”
“Might be Sienna, my roommate. I’m guessing her shift is over.”
Amelia walked to open the door, it was Sienna, but she wasn’t alone.
The moment the front door swung open, I knew this wasn’t going to end well.
Finn stood there, breath heavy, eyes locking onto me and then Amelia. Betrayal flickered in his gaze.
“What the hell is this?” His voice was low, tight, like he was barely holding himself together.
I felt Amelia tense next to me. She shifted slightly, as if debating whether to step forward or stay put. I beat her to it.
“Finn,” I said evenly, keeping my stance firm. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Yeah? Well, imagine my surprise walking into her house and finding you here,” his laugh was sharp, humorless.
I stayed silent. Amelia's breath was steady, but I sensed her unease. She hadn’t stepped away and Aidan noticed.
“You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” Finn took a step closer, eyes burning into mine.
“I could say the same about you,” I squared my shoulders.
His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking as he exhaled sharply through his nose.
“Amelia, tell me this isn’t what it looks like.”
Amelia hesitated, but only for a second.
“Finn…”
“That’s not an answer.” His voice was sharp now, edged with something dangerously close to desperation.
“Finn, just listen to me …” Amelia stepped toward him, reaching out, but he pulled back before she could touch him.
“No,” he snapped, his eyes cutting back to me. “You don’t belong here.”
“That’s not your decision,” I clenched my jaw.
Finn took another step, close enough now that I could see the storm brewing in his eyes. “Then tell me—why are you here?”
I glanced at Amelia, who was watching me carefully. My voice was calm and deliberate.
“Because she wants me to be.”
That was it. The final straw.
Finn’s hands curled into fists. His breath came hard and uneven. For a moment, I thought he’d swing at me. Then—Amelia moved.
She stepped between us, her hand pressing lightly against Finn’s chest.
“Finn,” she said softly but firmly. “You need to leave.”
“I can’t believe you are choosing him over me.”
“I’m not choosing anyone…”
“This guy right here is not who you think he is. He is a dreadful killer, and he will ruin you, Amelia.”
“What the hell do you mean by that! How dare you call me a killer!” I snapped.
“Will you tell her who you really are Aidan, or should I do the honors?”
What does he know? I thought.
“What are you talking about?” Amelia asked as she looked at me confused.
“He is a Vampire!”
“What!” Amelia exclaimed.