Chapter 45
My arms clutch his neck gently as he sits back against the hospital bed. The feeling of his warm, tattooed skin grazing and encircling my waist pools my eyes with tears. His arms form into fists around me, securing me in his protectively possessive hold. I've missed this. So, so much.
"I was so scared you wouldn't wake up, A.
" I express through tremors and tighten my grip as if to prevent him from evaporating.
It sounds silly, but the sleepless nights I spent clenching his shirt in my fist while he was gone, extended my agitation into a paranoia, the very one swirling my mind as I hold him against me for the first time in a month.
"You're never getting rid of me that easily, baby." He rumbles, hoarse words swiftly dismissing mine. "It'll take so much fucking more to keep me away from you. And even then, I wouldn't promise you'd find peace from me."
For the first time in weeks, my lips pull into a genuine smile, "I missed hearing you say that word."
Aiden shifts his head back, resting against the orthopedic pillow for support. Emerald eyes study my face with adoration. He always looks at me like that and like always, it makes my stomach flutter and my cheeks heat. "I missed you."
"I missed you more." I whisper back, an aching pit of guilt forming in the middle of my chest. Hesitantly, I graze my thumb down his cheekbone, the sharp feature much more prominent than before.
Does he remember what I told him before he blacked out?
The query's been ceaseless, one I've been asking silently everyday, always promising myself to love him the way he deserves when he comes back to me, a tactic to make myself feel better.
Might sound selfish, but Rose told me to never lose hope and somehow, I had to find strength in order to believe.
After all, nothing was final, and now, I get to lay next to my man and blurt out all I've been keeping from him in one, very loosening breath.
"And I love you. So much, Aiden. And I'm sorry for not coming to terms with my feelings and hiding them from you when I finally did-I was just scared it'd be our high before we took the fall-not that I ever plan on breaking up with you, 'cause you're stuck with me forever, dude, and sorry for thinking that we'd break up-I was just really insecure of myself and I'm really sorry if I ever made you feel insecure in either of us and I'm sorry for not telling you that I love you, and-"
"Again," nonchalant demand and smiling eyes cut in.
"What?" My hand lays frozen atop his cheek, a wildfire burns to it's finishing-line;my face and blazes me with the realization of that I've been word-vomiting all over him.
"Say it again." He says, urgency dripping off his every word, face matching the one of a child on Christmas morning.
"I love you." I repeat, fighting the strong urge to pout.
Joy expands my heart leisurely, afraid that this moment somehow might be one I'm dreaming.
The blinding sunlight persuades that it's not; A's really hearing me say the words we've both secretly anticipated under delightful circumstances and I couldn't be happier.
"Again," lips curl into a goofy smile, triggering mine to expand.
"I love you. I love you. I love you."
"I love you too, my love." Happiness drowns all sorrows at the sound of his following snicker. Chaste kissing the side of my face, he tugs me hard with a strangled groan, making me fall right on top of him.
"Don't do that, Aiden!" I scold immediately, worried about his wounds causing him pain or worsening, slowly and carefully sliding down so I'm laying on my side, tucked into his bare and scarred one.
It reminds me of when we're spooning at home and he's too lazy to turn sideways.
Or too invested into sniffing my hair and groping my butt and boobs to the point of hand imprints through my clothes. I like both the same.
Correction, love; the cuddles. And the groping.
No surprise when his IV injected palm, grasps the flesh of my behind viciously in true Aiden fashion.
Chuckles turn into a passionate kiss of longing. It's unlike any other kiss we've shared. Deep with feathery strokes yet careful, apprehensive of the dangerous reality we're in. As if to not provoke what we just got back.
I part from him, a sudden wave of anger mixed with fear makes me discern that I just got him back. That Aiden is here. Talking and kissing and touching me. Alive.
"Please don't do something like that again." I whisper and open my eyelids, only to find him already gazing down at me. No mention of what I'm talking about is needed, my wretched whisper and grief-stricken expression apprise enough.
Aiden's striking emeralds lose all playfulness, fingers brush brown strands behind my ears.
"Don't do something like what, protect you?
" He challenges, lids screwed shut as he shakes his head dismissively.
"I will protect you, Ry. For as long as I'm able to.
Don't ask me of something like that when we both know fucking well that you'd do the same for me.
" He finalizes in a hard voice, eyes penetrating mine, "this isn't one sided, baby.
In any way. Something bad is about to happen to you, I prevent it no matter the cost. When I saw the laser sight targeting you," Cutting himself off, his glare digs through the white wall furiously.
"Fuck, la mia vita è balenta davanti ai miei occhi, amore mio. "
( my life flashed before my eyes, my love. )
"You're right." I nod in agreement, realizing the truth his affirmation holds.
"I'd do the same a thousand times over if it meant you'd be alright.
But seeing you lay in this bed, with a fifty percent chance of survival, broke me Aiden, I've never felt as empty as I did the past month.
" I explain as simply as I can with quivers slicing my voice.
His rough, calloused thumb wipes under my moist eyes, caressing a track down my chin where he clasps it between his long fingers and tender hold to pull me closer.
"I'm so incredibly sorry you had to be without me for so long.
I'd go fucking berserk had you been in my place, princess.
" Aiden plants an apologising kiss to my lips.
"I promise to never leave you again, like I promised to never leave you alone.
And even if I do, I'll always come back to you. "
"Yeah?" I smile satisfied at hearing him say that. He's never broken a promise. It's like a vow that I get to keep him with me forever.
"Yeah," Aiden confirms, bobbing his head. "We still got lots of things to do together baby. I haven't had the chance to marry you yet, see you in a white dress as you become mine for all entirety." He pecks the corner of my lips, thumb tracing circles on my cheek. The fire on my face heightens.
"...Or given you the big house with a library." His loving kiss inches toward the center of my mouth.
"...Or put our babies in you." The sound of my giggles resonates off the vacant walls. My nerves spiking up at the sound. It makes all of our dreams feel the much more real. The word our, is dreamy enough on it's own.
"Or put our five babies in me." I correct, entirely aflame. Taking in the ghostly smirk printed on his paler face, I can't help but grin. He's so pretty and so mine.
"Five, huh?"
I roll my eyes at the cockiness on his face, shrugging one shoulder innocently. "You said it first, I'm just agreeing to your proposal."
"The same way you'll agree to my marriage proposal?" Aiden raises an eyebrow, amused chuckles rumbling deep in his chest, where I hide my burning face. Pretty sure my skin feels fevered against his.
"Yes."
"That's exactly what I want you to say, baby. On more than one occasion." He hints me with a playful wink, drawing me a headshake.
"You're relentless." I mumble disbelievingly against his skin and turn to my cheek once I feel my body temperature decrease, staring right back at those gleaming emeralds. Slowly raising my hand, I trace the shape of his collarbones, an urge I've been shutting down since I came in here.
The night he got shot, my bloodied hands left stains on his skin and the horrific image has been unforgettable ever since. It hasn't been a few times where it stirred me awake, kept me up with the fear of him leaving forever within those nightly hours.
I shut my eyes to rid of the memory and re-position my head, wave after ignored wave of exhaustion finally rippling through me.
Fingers thread through my hair, tracking a path down my neck where Aiden massages lightly.
"You haven't been sleeping, have you?" The concern lacing his question doesn't go unnotified.
I reply with a headshake. "It was really hard sleeping without you, A.
" Mentally, I remind myself to tell him that we basically don't even live in the same house anymore, but that's a conversation for another time.
There isn't an easy way to tell him that we don't live in the same place anymore, at least not any I can think of at the moment.
Moving back with my brothers, made me realise how much things have changed the past few months.
Situations. How much situations have changed.
The handful of occasions they convinced me for social interactions within the house, we spent together, re-building the fallen pieces of our relationship back up.
They were the greatest support the past weeks, and although I'm more than grateful things have settled between us, there's still a part of me tied to the back, dark corner of my brain at the thought of not being with Aiden on the daily once he's out of here.
To clear it out, I don't want to move back with my brothers.
The temporary forty-six days I've been staying with my boyfriend-not that I counted or anything- have easily been the best forty-six days of my life.
We grew together as mush as we grew separately.
A routine of cuddles and nightly talks is hard to separate from, as is the home I found in him.
The topic of college decides to pop up in my mind right this instant and I couldn't be more grateful of him speaking. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm here now, though, so you can sleep if you want." It'd be ridiculous to think of the last part was a suggestion.
Teeth trap the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. I've missed demanding and possessive Aiden. "What if your doctor comes in?" I challenge.
"He'll be right out. You need sleep. Or else you'll be the one in a hospital because of sleep deprivation."
A giggle shoots off my lips and I throw an innocent grin at his frowning face. He's kind of cute when he creases his eyebrows like that, makes his lips pucker a little.
He pushes my head back down on his chest, fingers sliding down my eyelids to signal me asleep. And I do so with a small smile, my heart and soul finally at peace.
"Thank you," My words are faint minutes into the silence.
"For what, baby?"
"Not leaving me."
For some reason, we're whispering. Our hushed exchange of words unnecessary but somehow adorably personal. "I love you. So fucking much. My obsession with you would kill me if left you. Ever."
"I love you so much, too, A. Always."
.......
When I wake up, the first thing I see is Aiden looming over me, the smallest tilt to his lips. The room is darker than before, a nightlight sustaining the navy blue sky outside. It makes me wonder how long I've been sleeping for.
With a hand splayed across my belly, he keeps me stuffed into his side, the same way he did before my immense lack of sleep finally made it's grand appearance and swiveled me under the most peaceful nap I've had in weeks.
"Hey, sleeping beauty." The groggy voice almost makes me shut my eyes again, the low rumble doing otherworldly things to my ovaries. Five, they mouth at me. Aiden pecks my nose with an affection only he owns, shutting my lady parts up momentarily.
Five, definitely five.
"Hi," I whisper up at him and snuggle closer, not that there's a lot of space to cover-this hospital bed is barely compressing us both-but I can always tuck myself a little bit deeper into his arms. "I missed this. Sleeping next to you. " I admit, melting when his lips capture mine in a slow kiss.
He parts with a peck, resting his forehead on mine, thumb caressing my cheek. "Yeah?"
I hum an agreeing answer, my digits twisting the few hair strands on the crook of his neck.
Cracking his lids open, I can tell he's happy hearing me say the words. "Good thing you won't sleep by yourself then."
"Great thing." I smile, not knowing whether to cringe or laugh at what I'm about to say next. Most likely both."It goes well with my plans."
"What plans?" Fingers pull my chin up, interested eyes scanning my face before lips collide with every inch of it, providing me with pure enjoyment as my eyes squint shut, my body bubbling with laughter.
"The ones where I'll be clinging onto you like a monkey." I said it. Dig me a hole, please.
Aiden pauses the innocent assault to my face.
"As in hanging off me? Like twenty-four seven?
" He gasps dramatically at the sight of my nod, burying his face into the column of my throat.
Throaty chuckle stirs up shivers on the tender skin of my neck.
"Fuck, I'm definitely fine with that." He hums lowly, "I would get to have your tits pressed against me the entire time. Not bad at fucking all."
Tilting my head to the side, I ask, "what about my ass?"
A cocky smirk makes it's appearance across his gorgeous face.
His hands slide down my waist and I fight the strong urge to bite my lip.
Aiden pecks my nose, hands groping my butt hard, face inching closer to mine and I know he's about to begin a wild make-out session the second his lips touch mine.
In a hospital room. The very room where Aiden spent the past month of his face unconscious in.
The reminder should be my rationality to not start something we both know won't have an end, but my excitement dominates.
"Baby your ass is my fucking favourite-" he lands a small slap on my behind the same moment the door opens, cutting all air circulation off my lungs when my eyes snap to the six figures standing there.
Aiden does a take over his shoulder and stares back at my terrified face, smiling innocently as he whispers his next words next to my ear. "After your boobs though."
"All of you just witnessed my childhood terminating.
" Zach winces, enhancing the rosiness on my cheeks.
I take the torturous heat as my sign to get up from bed.
Aiden catches my hand when he notices, holding it securely in his while I stand next to him.
It reminds me of the last time we were all in the same room.
"Shut up, I ship them." Parker cuts in, Ashton smiling tremendously big at us.
"Hi," I manage above an awkward whisper, staring between my three older brothers, who all wear the same stoic expression.
Although, we managed to repair our relationship the few times I came out of my room, their feelings toward mine and A's relationship remain unknown.
The closest we've gotten to the topic is their apologies of how they've behaved toward us.
And when Tristan mentioned the betrayal and distrust he felt toward Aiden.
In conclusion, the information I received wasn't enough for a conclusion.
"Hey," Hunter is the first to reply, nervously scratching the back of his neck. "I uhh, how are yo-"
"For fuck's sake. You didn't come here for beauty-parlor chitchat," Zach slices his glare over to Tristan and Xavier, "or to stay mute in the corner. Spill the shit you want to say to Aiden so we can get into the hot stuff."
"What hot stuff?" Ashton asks confused.
"The informative talk of what being in a relationship with Avery Marchetti entails." Parker's hard expression melts, a genuinely sweet smile directed at Aiden who's half-smiling back before mirroring the other three.
"Shut up." Hunter rolls his eyes, "how you holding up?" He nods at the IV sticking out of the back of Aiden's palm.
"Good, barely feeling anything." He answers monotonously, fingers tapping against mine. I look down at his communicating eyes, all words he wants to tell me written right there.
"I'll go get something to eat, you guys should come with me.
" I nod for my little brothers to follow me out, earning eyerolls of pure annoyance.
I'm sure the only thing they're annoyed about is the fact that they won't be hearing any gossip-worthy tea for later.
I stroke Aiden's hair back, "do you want me to bring you anything? "
"No, baby, I'm good." He sends me a convincing nod. "I love you."
"I love you, A, I'll be back in twenty or something." I whisper to him and place a kiss to his forehead. Grabbing my purse off the wooden bedside table, I walk toward the door when Xavier brushes his hand past my forearm, seeking my attention. He licks his lips at the questionable look on my face.
"You should go to the second cafeteria, there's someone waiting for you there."
......
Summer has been an estranged person in my life for a long time, the same way I've been to hers.
It's emotionally painful. Everything we knew of each other before blew up in our faces, and the best friend status turned into an acquaintance.
It hurts, especially knowing that both of us are too much into our heads to take the first step into the path of solution and prioritising our decade long friendship.
For the past, long-period of time, Ethan's been the only source of communication between us, always initiating the conversations and digging deeper, tugging the words out of us, like a mom. Or just a matured adult.
Following Aiden's stay here, our contact decreased to an extent, which I found myself appreciative of.
Both of them gave me the space and time I needed alone, respecting my limits and being there for me whenever or if I needed, which made me realise that I can't afford to continue this way with my childhood best friend or Ethan for the matter.
Because as much as it affects Summer and I, it affects him two.
Constantly thrown in the middle section of the issue.
Fervent heartbeat in throat, my eyes search around the large room.
Even the cafeteria smells like bleach and citrus, which I find sickening.
My little brothers insisted on staying outside Aiden's hospital room, too hyped up for the 'hot stuff', to eat with me.
Behind the large sliding doors, Summer stands by the patio-railing, back to me as her front faces the skyline of the city.
I tread toward her, dismissing my original thought of getting food in my rumbling belly. When she turns at the sound of my steps, I feel my heart jump. My nervousness isn't completely irrational. Everything I was planning to tell her, ask her, leaves my mind when our eyes lock.
One second, we're standing in front of each other and the next, Summer has her arms linked over my shoulders, hugging me. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry." She whispers, shame lacing her words.
"Can we talk about everything?" I suggest questionably, palm rubbing her back. Pulling away, she grabs my hand and leads me to the rail, standing with her shoulders brushing mine.
We stand in silence, overlooking the lights. I try to form the bundle of words into questions I want answers to, but it seems impossible, my thoughts too jumbled to express. "I didn't mean to hide it from you." Summer mumbles first.
"You did though." I don't mean for my words to sound so harsh. "Why?"
Silence.
My eyebrows shoot to my hairline at her lack of a response. I twist myself in her direction, ready to repeat myself.
"I was scared of your reaction," Summer meets my gaze, "you'll find it dumb.
But I though that since you expected Xav to get mad at you and Aiden for getting together, that you'd get mad at him and I for getting together and then we'd all turn up against each other, which pretty much is what happened.
.." She trails off and squeezes her lids shut.
"Nothing between us was exclusive anyway.
It seemed unnecessary to hurl you into our shit when neither of us even knew what outcome to expect.
" Her words cut through my mind like a deja-vu.
The outcome. Xavier had told me the exact same thing when we'd spoken weeks ago.
And when I asked him of the present outcome, at the time, he smiled. "Do you know what to expect now?"
Crazy? Good description of what I am for feeling relieved when her reaction matches her boyfriends.
"So what now?"
"Now? I have no idea. I feel cheated on, Summer, still. Xav knows it too, but I can see past it. I did pretty much the sam-" Headshake of flinging red slices my sentence in half.
"You didn't hide it from me, Aves. Your reasons to keep it from the guys were sensible. Mine to hide everything from you were just baseless." Her attention drifts across the towering buildings around us and back to me. Peering insecurely through her long lashes, "have I lost you?"
Friendships aren't meant to be smooth rides, are they? No, as long as the bumpy ride doesn't drain you of the energy you've stored for once you reach the top, because even the top has it's sharpness and you remain there only if you're energised and stable enough to.
"No.I told you, I can see past everything if you give me some time. I can't just pretend everything didn't happen, Summer."
Her eyes gleam, a smile pulling on the corners of her blushed lips. "Thank you."
I latch myself to her, tightly embracing her taller figure. "Now you have to tell me everything from the start, without any disturbing details."
Eight pairs of eyes follow my girl out the door. Fuck, she's too beautiful. And she loves me. It seems surreal. I don't deserve her love, so I'll take care of it like it's the most vulnerable piece of china I own, because it is sensitive, and nothing I will ever allow myself take for granted.
The smooth shutting of the door ushers us into a pit of silence and tension. It's been like this every time we've met up. But conversation usually began within the first three seconds back then and it's been well over ten we've been staring at each other like this.
Half sitting- half laying on a hospital bed, wires and needles piercing through my skin and clad in nothing except a hospital gown with a reverse décolleté down my back, makes me feel vulnerable. I fucking despise it.
One thing is certain; had it been people other than the three fuckers in front of my bed, they'd be out of my sight before they even entered it.
"You love her." Hunter states, his hard voice slices through the rigidity in the room. My eyes cut to his, as does the others'. Tristan stares at him with mostly disbelief. I suppose he wasn't meant to admit that.
My head bobs immediately, no hesitation housed in the movement. "Of course, I fucking do."
Xavier swallows stiffly, gaze shooting around the bland walls before connecting to mine. "We fucking trusted you." He spits with distaste.
I clench my jaw, agonizing rage vibrating through my veins, "don't you think I'm aware?
I fucked up bad, but it was beyond my control and if you think my intention was to land us here, then you're all a fuckton more irrational than I made you out to be.
" The majority of the rage is directed at myself.
Seeing my girl hurting, shot me a glimpse into the bigger picture; how her brothers must feel after the way I failed them.
Because that's exactly what I did, failed the faith they had in me. It persists to be nothing I regret. I'd repeat the same mistake a thousand times over if it meant I'd get Avery every time.
"Irrational?" Tristan repeats surprised, "you were hooking up with our sister behind closed doors and looked us unblinking in the eyes, lied, for fucking months like nothing was going on."
"Avery wanted to fucking wait before we told you.
Until we both knew that being with each other was what we truly wanted.
And thank fuck I listened to her because God knows you'd respond the same or worse had you found out back then.
" I retort honestly, letting my words sink in before I continue.
"Nevertheless of the time you'd find out, you would've had every right to react the way you did toward me.
But to Avery? I think the fuck not. You fucking disowned her that's fucking irrational.
Nothing can excuse the way you treated her. "
The last of my nearly shouting words pull his cold glare to the tiled floor. "I'm going to be begging for her forgiveness for the rest of my life, but screw me if I don't want to punch you again, De Rossi."
"Likewise." All three of us mumble at the same time, referring to different parts of his sentence, I'm sure.
"Look," I sigh, "I'm sorry for lying and betraying your trust, but I'm not sorry for loving your sister, or for getting with her. And I'll prove myself every damn day if that's what it takes to earn your trust again."
The layer of silence resurfaces until Hunter speaks up, hand weaving through his thick mass of hair, timidly. "Look, man. I appreciate your apology, I just need time to accept everything... accept that... " he chokes around, trying to express himself correctly. "Come to terms that you and..."
"Come to terms with your relationship." Tristan shoots him an impatient eyeroll, "I feel like I have to apologise too, I shouldn't dismiss the fact that you make her happy and be so dead-set on doubting your feelings for her."
Pursing my lips, I shake my head appreciatively. He scratches his arms, rolling around on his heels. Apologising to each other is too fucking awkward for all of us to handle.
I want my girl. Ry would take the awkwardness away.
Xavier meets my eyes and thankfu-ckingly smoothly changes the subject.
"We found out who fired that night, I'll send you over the documents.
Just know that the piece of shit is still alive, I would handle him myself but I thought that maybe you'd want to see him.
" Venom spits through his lips as he mentions the man who targeted Ry.
The soft knock on the door prevents me from asking for his identity.
"Hey," I'm surprised to see Summer following Avery into the room. By the looks of it, they've made up and it makes me feel less mad at her. The red headed girl that's been annoying me for the bigger part of my life comes over, hugging me gently.
"I'm sorry I hurt her, Aiden."
"Not me you should be apologising to." I rub down her back and peck her temple.
It's true, if Avery forgives her best friend, then I'll just follow along, doesn't mean that the tiny portion of anger directed at the red-headed idiot standing next to my girl has vanished completely.
I'd warned her when I first found out, but she only shot my words right back.
"Okay since you've all exchanged your soppy ass apologies, it's my turn. Hurt-" Zach begins his empty threat but gets interrupted by my doctor and nurse walking in.
"We're sorry to interrupt, but it's not healthy to have so many people in one room, sir. I'd ask for all of you to leave as we have some tests to run, please.
.......
Three days later, she's avoiding me.
I know it, I can fucking tell. And I have an idea of what her outrageous attitude might be based on.
Sitting cross-legged in front of our couch, her attention keeps skipping over the unfinished stack of assignments, spread over the coffee table, to the open romance book she started yesterday, to the dumb tv-commercials playing on the flat-screen.
A repeating and never ending cycle that's been activated after I first walked downstairs.
Shades of pink wash over skyscrapers, painting a beautiful view outside the massive glass-walls of our living room. Golden streak of sunlight casts through the windows, radiating off the marbled flooring and emanating sheer tranquility around us.
Inside my mind though? A fucking whirlwind of confusion.
The first thing my eyes fell on when we entered the threshold of our bedroom together, was our seemingly untouched bed.
I'd bet my fucking ass that the taut, white sheets were a result of my girlfriend's amazing arrangement skills, but I knew better, than she thought I did.
Know better than she knows.
I later on walked inside the closet she'd been trying to convince me away from and found half of her side vacant of anything.
The big fucking question is why she yet has to mention her stay with her brothers while I was gone, and most importantly, why she's been fucking avoiding me for the last twenty-or-so minutes.
She can't possibly think I'll get mad at her for not staying in our place does she?
Honestly, what I'm feeling is quite the opposite.
I feel grateful that she wasn't alone during such a hard time.
That people who love her where there to look out and take care of her when she was unable to do so herself.
"Baby?" I call out from where I stand behind the kitchen island. Her posture straightens visibly at the sound of my voice.
"Yeah?" There's no hiding that her gentle response is just a facade to what's going on inside her.
"Come here." I watch attentively as she stands up from the floor, straitening my huge shirt over her stiff shoulders before ambling her way over to where I'm standing.
An innocent smile that makes me fucking melt is sent my way when she sits down on the stool before me.
I inch closer to her. Fingers pulling her silky hair back before I kiss her full lips, willing her to relax.
"There was a lot of space in the closet." I start of, noticing how her hands start fiddling as soon as the words are past my mouth. Grabbing ahold of them, I place the small palms on my chest, stroking the back of her skin as comfortingly as I can.
Avery sighs, dropping her gaze from mine. "I know, I was meaning to tell you about that long ago."
"Then why didn't you?" It makes no fucking sense at all. It isn't that hard to tell me she's been staying over. I think.
Big doe eyes, overflowing with the colour of a luscious forest green, peer up at me through thick, black lashes.
Too fucking pretty for her own good. "I didn't want this to be over.
" She swivels her head around the kitchen, transforming my previous whirlwind into a damn tornado.
"I came to stay here temporarily," she nods for me to understand, and bites back her smile when she notices I don't.
What was temporary, because I'm slowly getting the hang of something I unquestionably won't appreciate.
"I didn't move in with you permanently, A.
I came here to stay until we got along with the guys again.
But now, I don't want it to be like that, and by putting off on telling you that I moved back in with them, my temporary stay here wouldn't be over so fast, because I don't want it to be over and I don't want to stay here temporarily.
" She babbles on, the same way she did at the hospital, which I find adorable.
Funny she thought that, actually.
"And I just word-vomited on you for the second time in three days." Ry mumbles to herself with an eyeroll.
Fuck, I love her.
"Nothing, is ever temporary when it comes to you, my love. Ever." I scan her insecure peek. "I want to live with you, and if it wasn't official enough the first time, then I'm telling you now to move in with me. Permanently."
Arranging clothes by colour is as exhausting as it sounds. First separating them into each colour-group avaible and then struggling to make out which one is the darker out of two shades alike.
That's why I gave up on trying to become aesthetic. Also, why I'm currently failing, to an extent, at making pancakes for dinner. The kitchen is a mess, one big, wild, floury mess. And Aiden's amazing cooking skills aren't here to help me out.
Nooo, he had to take them to a meeting.
Tower of small, flat cakes, piled on top of each other, the colour of carbon, are probably the reason why Hunter has repeatedly scolded me about reading books while cooking. Attempting to cook, would be the most accurate term to use.
Letting out a loud huff, I slump down on a stool, head supported by my fist as I goggle at the gorgeous mess I'll have to clean up. I know for a fact that neither of us would be interested in eating here later.
"Wow," The lone word makes me jump. Arsenio stands in the doorway, mouth agape and eyes scanning me over.
I probably forgot to mention that the floury mess, is outright literal.
The bag of powder slipped out of my hands and I successfully managed to save half of it.
The other seventeen ounces fell over my face when I tripped over my own two feet.
"Hi," I give him a little wave and stand up, not liking the silence that's about to be induced between us. Two weeks have gone since Aiden got discharged and a day since his bedrest came to an end. All fifteen days, we've been by ourselves, no security and no Arsenio, at least within the penthouse.
So I haven't seen much of my bodyguard, which honestly feels relieving. The last time I was alone with him, his gestures made me uncomfortable. Though, they're nothing I've allowed myself to dwell much on.
"Do you need help in here?" Comes his deep voice behind me. My movements are rushed as I wipe down the counter, feeling but trying hard to ignore his overwhelming presence so close behind me.
"Oh no," Free hand waving in the air, "you don't get paid enough to clean up messes like this." Laughing awkwardly, I turn around to grab the bowl from the island, coming face to face with an employee that's been assigned for my safety.
I'd put the word last, had there been a list of how I'm feeling right now.
"It's alright, I offered after all didn't I?" Slowly, he lifts his hand, thumb wiping a clean path through the flour on my cheek down to my bottom lip. It takes me a moment to come to my senses, shocked by the boldness of his motion.
"Don't touch me like that." I whip out of his unfamiliar grip, backing myself into the counter.
He snatches his hand into his side, as if my words burned him into reality. With a shake of his head, he meets my frowning face. "You've been acting so distant lately, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
I purse my lips. Heart in throat. When is Aiden coming back? "You did though. I want you to go wait downstairs." My voice is commanding, hard and final. An art Aiden taught me well.
"Why, pasticcino?" That damned nickname makes flinch, in both fear and anger. "Is it because he's back? You've been acting so distant lately. You were fine with me touching you last time." Words make me freeze.
"What are you talking about? I've done nothing but be polite to you!" I snap, eyes wide with horror.
"Polite?" Black eyebrows shoot up, an act of surprise. "You call it politeness when you were rubbing into my dick? Was it sheer politeness letting me kiss your hair... or hug you when your little boyfriend wasn't there to?" He urges on and on, yelling at me.
My heart thrashes wildly inside my chest as Aiden's worries turn justified.
Without any warning sound, Arsenio's body is pinned to the floor, a fuming Aiden straddling him.
It doesn't even last a second. The assault on my bodyguards face.
A single punch, all it takes to drain his body of any consciousness.
Lips parted, my eyes track Aiden standing up, dusting off his pants and pacing in my direction. Hard emeralds search me of possible wounds, settling on mine when they come up empty. I remain silent, unable to do anything but breathe out as he barks Italian orders into his phone.
......
Pouring water washes down my clean body, steam heating up around me. I don't want to know what happened to him, I try to convince myself, but a small part of me can't help but wonder if he's still alive.
Aiden didn't tell me much earlier. Just that he loved me before ordering me to take a shower. I left him to take care of everything, the way he wanted to. Anxiety carries my chest. Is he mad at me? For not listening to him from the beginning?
The glass door opens and he casually strolls inside.
Running water and silence is all I'm met with.
No words, just a small glance. He grabs the showerhead from my hand, soaking himself.
I bite my lip, hand measuredly reaching for his rigid shoulders.
"I didn't do anything, he just hugged me the night I came here with Xav, I thou-"
Aiden turns to face me, lips mildly touching the tip of my nose. "I know, baby. I trust you. Xavier told me about it anyway. He's gone. I promise." The look on his face is tender, "did he touch you?"
He blows out at the wordless shake of my head. "Words, Ry. I need to hear it."
"No. Not the way you're thinking. He pulled his thumb over my face and that's when the shouting began." I sense myself trembling a little.
"It's the same fucking thing. You never gave him your consent to touch you." Seething words re-emerge anger. "I'm so fucking sorry, it happened, baby."
"I'm okay, I promise, it just made me uncomfortable." Shooting him a small smile, I grab the shampoo, eager for the conversation to end. I just wish to forget about it. Noticing my ignorance, A bends his head allowing me to lather him in.
"I love you, I'm sorry for not-" Sentence takes another direction at the look on my face and I'm grateful. "-being here to make you pancakes. They seemed... a little burned but I'm proud of you for trying."
I giggle, a little lighthearted. "Did you clean the kitchen?"
"Yeah," An eyeroll responds to the raise of my eyebrow, "I did some of it, until the housekeeper came. That's it."
"She's gone home now, hasn't she?" Cautious words, inquired lowly. The negative shake of his head, prolongs my flush by a little. The crimson only coating me whole when his lips suck my neck and hands map my body with sin.
.......