Chapter 37- Claimed Lips.
Lips on lips. Tongue on tongue.
Gemma’s eyes widened as she froze at the door. Aurora was pressed against the wall, Leonard’s hands gripping her waist, their mouths moving together like they’d done it a thousand times before.
Her heart skipped. Was that really her daughter? The same girl who once flinched from a touch? The same girl who couldn’t stand being held without breaking down?
Gemma’s mouth fell open in disbelief. She took a shaky breath, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
Melvin had been right after all. Nothing could break whatever bond tied these two together.
She stepped back slowly, careful not to make a sound. Her heels didn’t click, her breathing stayed even.
She had come quietly, sensing something was off — she just hadn’t expected this.
Without a word, Gemma turned and slipped away, leaving as quietly as she had come.
Like she’d never been there at all.
Aurora jerked, like she’d just snapped out of a dream. Her eyes widened. She broke the kiss immediately. Their lips parted with a soft pop.
“What…”
“Shh.” Leonard hushed her, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip.
God, those lips. He’d imagined them, but the reality hit harder.
Everything he thought about her, her body, what she would taste like.
They weren't close. She's divine.
Fuck!
“Leo—Ren.” She corrected herself quickly, her breath uneven.
“Move away… What just happened?” She breathed.
“Magic.” He murmured, his grip on her waist tightening. His hands explored, tracing her curves as if they were made just for him.
Her eyes fluttered shut, breath catching. “Ren… stop…”
He only leaned in, stealing another quick kiss.
“Ren.” She whispered again, voice trembling. “What’s happening to me?”
“Me.” He said simply.
“Stop…” She repeated, weakly this time.
He lifted her suddenly, his hands firm around her waist. She gasped, but her legs instinctively wrapped around him.
For a moment, neither spoke. Their faces hovered close, breaths mingling, eyes locked. His gaze burned into her brown ones, while she drowned in his deep blue stare.
Then reality hit.
“Put me down.” She muttered. “They’ll be wondering where we are.”
He smirked. “Saying that like you didn’t just have my tongue in your mouth minutes ago.”
“Put me down, Ren.” Her eyes lowered to his tats on his right arm.
That name. Damn, it sounded too good coming from her.
“You kissed back.” He said quietly, his tone dark and claiming. “Now there’s no escape. No going back. You’re mine.”
“I’m not—”
He smacked her softly on the butt, earning a sharp gasp. She froze, remembering the time he’d carried her on his shoulder in college. He’d done the same thing then.
“Don’t do that.” She muttered.
“A little something to remember me by.” He said, his voice a low growl.
He adjusted her easily on his waist with one hand, the other sliding to tilt her chin up.
His lips brushed her neck.
He tugged her shirt slightly aside and kissed her there, slow, deep, deliberate. A bite, then a mark.
Her lips parted. A shaky breath escaped.
He pulled back, his face inches from hers, eyes locked on her trembling ones. Slowly, he set her down, steadying her by the waist.
“Now they’ll know.” He whispered.
She blinked. “Know what?”
His lips curled into a faint smirk. “That you’re not untouchable anymore.”
He traced her jaw with his thumb, his voice low, smooth, almost dangerous. “You make me lose control, Noelle. You think that’s something I can walk away from?”
Aurora stood still, breathless, pulse racing.
“Every time you breathe.” He whispered, leaning close enough for her to feel it, “remember it’s my air you’re stealing.”
Then he turned and walked out, leaving her against the wall, heart pounding, skin still tingling where he’d touched her.
GARDEN
Gemma arrived minutes ago, still lost in her thoughts about what she just witnessed.
Melvin, Desmond, and Charlene were sitting under the garden lights, flipping through old photos Gemma went to get from her room. That was when she saw Aurora and Leonard.
Amaya got up, impatient. “I’ll go find them myself.”
Gemma quickly stopped her. “No, baby. Don’t worry, they’ll be here soon. It’s a big mansion, they could be anywhere. You really want to stress yourself when they’ll still come anyway?” She said softly.
“You said you didn’t see them, so I’ll just go and find them while you all keep looking at photos,” Amaya insisted, heading toward the path.
“Maya, they’ll be here, okay? I’m sure they’re somewhere… probably fighting again. Even when Auri came over, they still fought. Remember?” Charlene said, lifting her gaze from the pictures.
“Maya, come sit here. It’s fine, okay?” Desmond said gently, stretching his hand out to her.
Amaya sighed in frustration but went to him. “He’s supposed to be spending time with me, not her. He sees her every day in college, but I haven’t seen him in weeks. So unfair.”
“Shh, relax.” Desmond soothed her.
Moments later, Leonard showed up.
Gemma’s eyes scanned him, calm, composed, as if he didn’t just have his lips all over her daughter. No lipstick stains. Aurora wasn’t even wearing any tonight.
“Leo, where have you been? And where’s Auri?” Charlene asked.
“She’s probably fixing herself up. She’ll be here soon,” Leonard replied without filter.
Gemma froze. He wasn’t even lying.
“Fixing herself up?” Charlene raised a brow.
“Yeah,” he said with a tone that ended the conversation.
No one pushed further. Leonard had always been a mystery, right from when he was a child, and for some reason, Aurora was the only key.
Amaya rushed to sit beside him. “You’re supposed to be spending time with me,” she said, pouting.
“You saw me at home,” Leonard replied flatly.
“That was weeks ago.”
“Last week.” He corrected.
“I hate you,” she muttered.
“Cute.” He said lazily.
“Give me your phone. I want to take pictures so you can make one your wallpaper,” Amaya stretched her hand toward him.
“You can’t touch my phone. There are things there your eyes can’t handle.”
“What things?” She squinted.
Before he could reply, Aurora appeared.
“Where have you been?” Charlene asked immediately. “Leo said you were fixing yourself up. What’s that supposed to mean?”
Aurora shot Leonard a sharp glare. “My shirt got stained, so I had to change.” She lied smoothly.
Charlene nodded, buying it.
Gemma just sat still, sipping her wine, her mind far from the laughter around her.
Charlene patted the seat beside her. “Auri, come sit here and look at your childhood photos with Leo.”
Aurora hesitated for a second but obeyed, sitting down beside her.
The air in the garden felt softer now, lit by the glow of warm bulbs and quiet laughter.
Charlene flipped through the album, her eyes glinting with fond memories. “You two were impossible to separate.” She said, showing one of the photos.
Melvin chuckled. “Unbreakable. Even as toddlers. The moment Leo’s parents tried to leave, Auri would start crying.”
Everyone laughed softly except Desmond, whose expression stayed flat.
“Oh my goodness!” Charlene gasped suddenly, holding up a small photo. “Look at this one!”
The picture showed little Aurora and Leonard, barely three years old, sharing a shy, innocent kiss.
Charlene squealed. “I can’t believe this! You two have been doing this since forever.”
The group burst into laughter.
Aurora’s face flushed red. Leonard’s lips twitched into a dark smirk, his gaze locking on hers, teasing, knowing, dangerous.
Gemma’s hand froze on her wine glass. Her mind wandered again, to the past she rarely allowed herself to remember. To Aurora’s twin.
She blinked hard, forcing the thought away, and pasted on a faint smile.
Leonard leaned back, eyes still fixed on Aurora, while Amaya looked at him, displeased. Desmond noticed the exchange but stayed silent, his jaw tight.
Aurora avoided Leo’s gaze, pretending to scroll through her phone.
Seconds later, her screen lit up.
Leonard: We’ve been eating each other’s mouths since childhood. You’re such a bad girl.
Aurora’s throat went dry. Her eyes snapped to him.
He didn’t look away. Just smirked.
TIFFANY'S PLACE
The doorbell rang, and Tiffany rushed to open it.
Amelia stood there in short pink pajamas, her phone in hand, looking half-asleep. “What is it this time?” She groaned, walking in without waiting for an invite. “Your parents out of town again?”
“Yes.” Tiffany pouted. “I don’t wanna be alone. What will I do in this big, boring house?”
Amelia sighed. “Fine. Let’s go upstairs. But I’m sleeping immediately. I’m not watching any movie with you. I’m so sleepy.”
She started climbing the stairs, stomping her foot with every step.
“I’m already pissed that we’re not popular anymore in college,” Amelia ranted. “All because some new girls popped up out of nowhere. Asha, Alayah, and that slutty Aurora? Ugh, I can’t stand them.”
By the time they entered Tiffany’s room, Amelia was still talking, scrolling through her phone.
Tiffany wasn’t even listening. Her eyes trailed over Amelia’s body, glowing under the soft light, the curve of her legs, the way her top rode up just a little.
She shut the door quietly.
“I’m sick of the blog.” Amelia went on. “It’s all about Aurora stepping out of Leo’s villa angrily.
She’s… she’s so hot. Wonder what she did with him in there.
And honestly, I don’t even know if I should be mad we didn’t go to that party.
It’s like our popularity’s stuck with Kim or something.
And oh, she got humiliated. Serves her right. I hate her. Tiffany!”
Amelia snapped her fingers in front of Tiffany’s face. “Focus on what I’m saying!”
Tiffany stepped closer, slow and deliberate. “Amy…”
“What?! You're getting your lesbian awakening again?” Amelia snapped.
“Oh come on. We're both bi. And you wanna pretend you don't know why I really called you here?” Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I want Leo. That dude hasn't fncked me before, and the more I think about it,the more my blood boils. I want him so bad!” Amelia groaned.
Tiffany went closer, running her fingers on Amelia's hair.
“I want him too. We all do. Very soon, we'll have him, and we'll do a threesome with him. Okay? But for now…” Tiffany pushed Amelia to the bed. Her phone fell.
“Tiffany…” Amelia gasped. Tiffany got on her, kissing her lips passionately.
While she did that, her hands went to rip off Amelia's shirt.
Amelia moaned when Tiffany pinched her nipple.
“Yeah, moan for me.” Tiffany breathed in her mouth.
“Ahh.” Another moan left Amelia's mouth as Tiffany's hand pinched her other nipple.
After taking off Amelia's shirt, Tiffany took hers off too.
She moaned out when Amelia's hard nipples touched hers.
She proceeded to take off Amelia's shorts.
She smacked Amelia's thighs apart, and in the next second, her face was buried in her kitty.
Amelia cried out as her hand went to grab Tiffany's hair in handfuls.
Tiffany quickly took her PJs off too and took her lips back to Amelia's p^$$￥.
Amelia Tiffany up and flipped them over. Now she's on Tiffany.
She kissed her forehead, eyes, nose, lips. She kissed her chin and kept going lower till she reached Tiffany's midsection too.
Immediately her tongue touched her, Tiffany's cries filled the room.
“F^ck!” She cried out.
It was nothing but sin throughout as they scissored the senses out of each other endlessly.
HENDERSON MANSION
Kimberly stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection with a mix of anger and confidence.
“Shameless? Slutty? I don’t care what they call me.” She muttered, her voice dripping with spite. “I’ll walk into that college with pride. Kimberly Henderson is scared of no one.”
She grabbed her phone to make a call, but it started ringing first. Her mom.
“You called.” Kimberly scoffed.
“You and Dad have been gone for days on some stupid business trip, and I’m here alone when I actually need you. Are you even my parents? I hate you!” she yelled before hanging up.
She immediately dialed another number. The person picked up after a few rings.
“Be here by one tomorrow. I’m done with this blonde crap. I can’t ruin my hair any further. It’s time to go back to my real color,” she said flatly and hung up before they could reply.
Her gaze fell back on her phone.
The same video again, Aurora stepping out of Leonard’s villa, with that shockingly seductive body of hers.
Kimberly’s fist clenched. Her chest rose and fell in ragged breaths.
RAVEN MANSION
The night air carried a strange heaviness as everyone gathered outside. The Grandes were getting ready to leave.
Gemma stood beside Melvin, her smile polite but distant. Melvin noticed. He’d seen her like this before, lost in thought, guarded. He made a silent note to ask her what was wrong later.
Desmond’s jaw was tight. His eyes followed Leonard, something sharp and unspoken in his gaze. Father and son had barely exchanged more than a few words all evening, and every silence between them carried years of tension.
Amaya clung to Leonard’s arm. “Do you really have to go?” She whispered, her voice small.
Leonard gave a faint smirk. “You’ll live, Maya.”
She pouted, tightening her grip. “You’re so mean.”
Charlene chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Let him go, Maya. You’ll see him soon.”
Reluctantly, Amaya let go, stepping back beside her parents.
Leonard’s mom hugged Gemma warmly. “It was lovely seeing you all again. Nothing is separating us again.” She said.
“Nothing at all.” Gemma replied softly.
After a few more polite goodbyes, Leonard’s parents and sister made their way to the car. The air turned quiet again.
Melvin and Gemma turned to Leonard. “ Drive safe.” Melvin said.
“Night.” Leonard replied simply.
They started back inside, leaving Aurora still standing there, as if waiting to give him a piece of her mind.
Leonard’s eyes found hers instantly. That dark, silent pull between them flared again. She tried to look away.
“Never cross your boundaries. Ever. Now get out. ” She muttered, brushing past him.
But his hand shot out, gripping her wrist, pulling her back hard enough for her to gasp, and before she could even speak, his lips crashed onto hers.
The kiss was quick but rough, desperate. She broke it instantly, her palm hitting his chest.
“Stop doing that.” She breathed, eyes wide.
He only smirked, that same dangerous glint in his eyes. “Couldn’t help it.”
Aurora pushed him off and hurried inside, slamming the door behind her.
For a moment, she just stood there, heart racing, breath uneven, until she heard the sound of his car driving away.
When she turned, Gemma was standing in the hallway, watching her silently. Aurora didn’t say a word. She just walked past her, up the stairs, pretending she didn’t see the look on her mother’s face.
Her phone buzzed the second she entered her room. A message from Leonard.
PSYCHOPATH: You can run inside all you want, Noelle. But that taste on your lips? It’s mine now.
Aurora’s chest rose and fell. Her fingers trembled slightly as she locked her screen.
She hated that her lips were still tingling.
F?ck him.
.
.
.
.
TBC…