CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ALEXANDRA JONES
AUNTIE CORALINE HAD BECOME FIXATED ON HOW much I had grown, constantly commenting on our supposed resemblance. But truth be told, we looked nothing alike. No offence to Auntie Coraline, but she was the polar opposite of me in appearance and beliefs. As we sat together, surreptitiously whispering, I couldn’t help but giggle at her candidness.
“So, they’re still into the Jesus stuff?” She inquired, nodding towards my parents, who were busy cooking the potatoes in the kitchen.
“I would hope so,” I smile. “We’re still Catholic,” I reply, trying to stifle my laughter. Auntie Coraline rolls her eyes playfully, and her nonchalant attitude toward religion always intrigued me.
“You old sobs are so boring,” she teased, leaning in closer. “Come on, talk to me... any boys in your life?”
Auntie Coraline is my favourite Aunt, mostly because she is the only one in the family who isn’t stuck up and judgy. It has nothing to do with religion, she is simply different compared to everyone else. I consider her a breath of fresh air, she had a way of cutting through the seriousness and just being herself, unapologetically. She never believed in God, questioning why a divine being would punish good people? And sometimes I would question that for myself, especially after finding out about my memory loss. Was it a consequence? For doing sinful things unmarried. Is this Gods punishment? Because it feels like one, forgetting the love of my life and having to remember them bit by bit.
However, while I understood her point of view on some levels, my Catholic upbringing made it hard for me to completely disregard my faith. Because that’s what religion is all about, faith.
She yanks my arms from under my chin to grasp my attention, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Well? Any one Miss Jones?”
I watch her watch me.
Why is she looking at me like that?
“No. I haven’t met anyone.” I rub onto my nose. Oh my god!
“Liar!” She whispers out loudly.
“I am not lying.” I rub onto my nose again.
“Yes, you are! Who is it?”
“His name is Ares.” She gasps, shooting up from her seat before clapping her hands in excitement. I had to try and calm her down before my parents begin to want to know what’s going on. “Stop, what are you doing?”
“He came back…oh…I knew he wouldn’t give up on you.” I raise a confused brow for a moment.
“Wait…what? You know about Ares?”
“I do, you used to tell me everything on the phone and I would sit there drinking champagne listening to you blabber about him and the present he got you…a butterfly necklace, he engraved it, and you wouldn’t shut up about it…”
She takes my hand.
“The way he looked at you, the way he made you smile, and the way he stood-”
I wanted her to continue, but my mother interrupted us as she set down the food onto the table. Auntie Coraline releases my hands, and we exchanged a knowing glance before resuming our composure.
“Alright, everyone, let’s dig in,” my mother announced, and we all gathered around the table for a hearty meal.
I kept my gaze fixed on my mother throughout the meal.
How could she keep something so important from me?
She looked up at me every once in a while, but I snapped out of it, trying to focus on the conversation around me before she notices something is wrong.
Ares is the next thought that came to mind.
What if I never remember what he meant to me?
What was I to him?
What did I think of him?
I thought my life was boring and uninteresting, but I was clearly mistaken. So much has happened, so much is happening. What if they were never this strict before? What if it begin the moment I had the accident? What if they used it to their advantage?
Auntie Coraline continues to talk about her trip to Africa and her wild adventures about her smoking weed with the lions. If looks could kill, Auntie Coraline would be dead by now. My mother put on her stern face, trying to be the responsible one, but I secretly enjoyed Auntie Coraline’s thrilling stories. And so did my father by the looks of it.
When dinner was finished, Mum and Dad went to bed, leaving just Aunt Caroline and I downstairs. Auntie Coraline stood next to me, arms folded over her chest, analysing me. I drop the plate back into the sink with the others, turning my head to face her. “Love is the strongest emotion in the body, it takes a toll on you…it ruins you and it makes you dangerous.”
“I love him…I love him but what if…what if I never remember who he was to me? I could only believe the words he tells me...” I murmur; my voice laced with uncertainty. “What if we had a big argument or…”
“You don’t need memories to know you are in love.”
“But what if...” I began again, my voice faltering.
Aunt Caroline gently squeezed my shoulder, offering me a reassuring smile. “Sometimes, love is about trust,” she said softly. “Trust in the feelings that reside within your heart, even when memories may falter. Do you trust him, Alexandra Jones?”
Do I trust him?
Without a bloody doubt.
“I do. Why didn’t you tell me? If you knew, why did you let this go on for two years?”
“Because... when the time is right, it will come out. And it was not my place to tell, it was his…” she explains gently.
Auntie Coraline headed off to the guest bedroom downstairs, and I decided to leave the dishes for tomorrow. My mind was too preoccupied with the disclosures of the day. I made my way to my bedroom; it is as if I was trying to piece together a puzzle without all the right clues.
I shut the door behind me, locking it before turning around.
My heart skips a beat as I find Ares sitting on my chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Ares! You scared the living shit out of me,” I whisper, placing a hand over my pounding heart.
He smirks and raises the handcuffs that I bought with Clark, causing a blush to creep up my cheeks. Ares slowly stands up and tosses the handcuffs onto the bed, his gaze locked onto mine.
“What are you doing here, Ares?”
“I want to take you out,” he declares, his voice low and seductive. I feel a shiver run down my spine as he steps closer, his hands gently grazing down my arms, sending tingles through my skin.
“Where are we going?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
“Find out,” he replies, a playful grin spreading across his face. He takes my hand and leads me out to the balcony. The cool night air brushes against my skin as he opens the car door for me, and I slip inside while he closes it behind me. With a confident grace, he takes the driver’s seat and starts the car.
As we drive, I can’t help but wonder where he’s taking me. The excitement builds within me, mixed with a hint of nervousness. But being with Ares always brings a sense of adventure, and I know this will be a night to remember. I have always said to people how much I wanted to feel the thrill in life, I remember Catherine daring me to do silly things but ever since my she took me to that tattoo shop…that’s where the real thrill began.
With Ares.
However, a question drags past my mind. If Catherine knew…, why didn’t she tell me? Why did she take me to the tattoo shop if she didn’t want me to know? Why didn’t anyone tell me? Why was everyone keeping this a secret? Didn’t I have every right to know? That I had an entire life before my head injury.
“Where are we going? I don’t like surprises.”
“To the bar, I want you to get to know my brothers…you used to love hanging out with them.”
I glance over at him, and our eyes lock for a brief moment, sending a jolt of electricity between us.
“Adonis and Atlas are characters.”
“Nothing is ever boring around them.”
I take his hand with the butterfly tattoo and graze it, “what’s your favourite tattoo?”
“I think you already know the answer, butterfly.”
We lock our gazes on each other. We need some alone time. I look down at our interlocked fingers as he slips his hands into mine. His thumb brushes against the top of my palm. He slowly lifts our hands and presses his lips against them.
“Tell me something I would have known,” I whisper.
“Hmm, okay...” He pauses for a moment, “you know why I got this tattoo?” He shows me the butterfly tattoo on his hand.
“Because you love butterflies?”
“You loved butterflies...you’d go into the fields and chase them while wearing a flower-patterned dress to feel like you were in a movie. It’s a symbol of you that I got tattooed on my hand because I promised to hold you forever.”
I felt guilty.
I could see the pain in his eyes as he watched the road, and I tightened my grip on his. “Every client I’ve ever had wanted the butterfly on my hand tattooed, but I said no...and when you said you wanted it, that’s when my hope returned.”
I smile, and slowly bring his hand to rest on my bare thigh, he looks over at me for a split second before facing the road. I undo my seatbelt, leaning over the console to reach his ear. “Stop the car Ares.” He raises a brow. “Stop the car.” He pulls the car over to the side of the road, and I grab onto his face-kissing him deeply.
He pushes his seat back before pulling me over, I couldn’t stop the laughter leaving my mouth as I straddle him. “Now we’re going to be late.” He whispers against my lips as his tongue pushes its way inside my mouth.
“Then we better be quick.” I answer him, he unbuckles his belt and unbuttons his trousers before opening the central console as he slips out a condom.
God I was soaking wet. He slides out his already hard dick and puts the wrapper near my mouth. My teeth press down onto one side, and he rips it, sliding on the condom. I lift myself up, my head touching the roof of the car as he positions himself, the tip of his cock teasing my soaked cunt.
I slide down onto it, my hand resting on the window, the fog growing as he thrusts his hip up into me. I moan, my head falling back-he rips my shirt, the buttons flying into different directions.
“Fuck….” He whispers, he pulls down my bra, my breasts spill out in front of his greedy eyes as I ride him. His lips latch onto my nipples, sucking them as if they were his favourite treat. “Ahhh…fuck…fuck…Ares!” I moan; his hands fall to my waist as he rocks my hips back and forth against him. His hand slowly slides up and grabs my neck tightly, almost stopping the air from going to my lung. I gasp for air, grabbing onto his wrist as I slide up and down the length of his cock. I begin seeing black dots blur my vision, but he continues.
Pleasure courses through my veins as he groans, his head falling back against the seat. My hands rest on the roof, the car was probably shaking. He releases his hold around my throat, and I gasp in some air.
“Just like that, ride my cock.” He whispers. “It’s all yours Angel, all of me belongs to you.”
I tighten around him, and close my eyes before I know it, I moan loudly coming all over his dick. His abdomen tenses and by the way he relaxes, I could tell he also released.
Now the car was filled with our panting breaths, a smile spreads across my face as I lean forward.
He kisses me.
Suddenly, taps on the window catches us and we both turn to see Atlas who stood with his mouth dropped open and wide eyes? My eyes widen and Ares presses my chest against his to cover me, as Atlas rushes away.
I couldn’t stop the laughter forming, and Ares kisses me once more before sliding my bra back over my breasts. He slides his shirt off and puts it over me since he ripped mine, I settle back down onto the passenger seat as he tucks himself in.
Atlas comes back this time with his eyes covered as he taps onto the window, I push the button and the window sinks down.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ares speaks, “you can look dumb ass.” He removes his hands.
“You traumatised me!” He yells, looking at the both of us. “Anyways, we were on the way to the bar when we saw your car.” I glance over at Ares who had his face covered with his hands.
“I’m going to run you over if you don’t leave.” Ares responds, I hold in my laughter and turn back to Atlas who gasps.
“I thought I was your favourite sibling!”
“At this rate, I’m going to run you all over.” He starts the engine, “well, you’ve seen enough, so you can leave now,” Ares says, trying to shoo Atlas away.
“Nope, I’m staying right here to make sure things stay PG,” Atlas quips, winking at me as he slides into the back of the car.
I laugh and shake my head. “You guys are ridiculous.”
“Tell me about it,” Ares mutters, but there’s a fondness in his voice as he looks at his brother through the rear-view mirror.
With Atlas talking about how we traumatised him, we arrived at the bar. I get out of the car, whilst Ares opens his boot to grab another shirt-sliding it over his head. A car pulls up beside us, Adonis and Adrian step out as they both give Ares and I a knowing smirk.
“Well, well, well... look who decided to join the party,” Adonis says with a teasing glint in his hazel eyes.
“I see you two have been having some fun,” Adrian adds, raising an amused eyebrow.
Ares rolls his eyes. “Can you guys just drop it already?” He slams his trunk down and takes my hand as we walk towards the entrance.
“Never!” Adonis exclaims, throwing an arm around Ares’s shoulder. “We’re here to make sure you two lovebirds don’t do anything too scandalous.”
“Oh, come on. Give us a break,” I say, laughing.
“That car was moving up and down,” Atlas whispers loudly, I groan tucking my head into Ares’ side. As we enter the bustling bar, the lively chatter and the faint hum of music fill the air.
Ares leads the way to a secluded booth at the back, and I slide in next to him, feeling the warmth of his body close to mine. I glance around, taking in the dimly lit ambiance and the eclectic decor that gives the place its unique charm.
The waitress, with a hint of flirtation in her eyes, approaches our table. “What can I get for you today sugar?” She asks, her gaze lingering on Ares.
“I’ll have a whiskey,” Ares replies, flashing her a polite smile.
“Make that two, please,” I add, trying not to let her obvious interest in Ares bother me.
As the waitress walks away to fetch our drinks, Atlas leans in, his voice low and mischievous. “She likes Ares, by the way,” he whispers into my ear.
I roll my eyes playfully and nudge him away. “You’re imagining things, Atlas. She’s just doing her job.”
He grins, clearly enjoying teasing me. “Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”
Ares’ arms slide around my waist, pulling me closer to him, and I can’t help but smile as he kisses my lips softly. The playful banter between his brothers continues, and I join in with a laugh, feeling the warmth of their company enveloping me.
“Oh, fuck me, enough!” Adonis exclaims, pretending to be exasperated.
“Don’t you see we’re all single?” Atlas adds, gesturing to himself and Ares.
“I’m actually married,” Adrian interjects, raising his hand.
“No one was talking to you,” Atlas playfully retorts, pointing at Adrian. The waiter returns, placing everyone’s drinks down, except for mine.
“If you need anything, let me know, sugar,” she says with a flirtatious smile, grazing her hand down Ares’ bicep before leaving. I feel a pang of jealousy rise within me, but I quickly push it aside, not wanting to ruin the mood.
Ares slides his drink over to me. “Here, you can have mine,” he says, offering me a reassuring smile.
I take a sip of the whiskey, relishing its warmth as it trickles down my throat. Ares’ brothers are engrossed in the hockey match playing on the TV, their attention fully occupied. I take a moment to steal a glance at Ares, admiring the way the dim lighting in the bar highlights his features.
I brush my thumb gently against his chin, turning his face towards me. I meet his eyes with a mischievous glint in mine and take another sip of the whiskey, savouring its taste.
As I look ahead, I notice the waitress observing me intently. A playful idea crosses my mind, and I decide to tease Ares a little. I lean closer to him and whisper softly, “you want some?” I offer him the glass, but before he can take it, I take another sip, ensuring that my lips touch the edge of the glass.
Ares glances down at me, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. With a daring smile, I press my lips firmly against his. The whiskey transfers into his mouth as I use my tongue to push it in. He’s taken by surprise at first, but it doesn’t take long for him to catch on. Aroused by the unexpected boldness, he grabs the back of my head, deepening the kiss. The taste of whiskey lingers on our lips as we continue the passionate exchange, losing ourselves in the moment.
Eventually, we pull away, both of us slightly breathless. Ares looks at me with a mixture of surprise and admiration.
“You’re full of surprises, Angel,” he murmurs, his voice husky.
I look back at the waiter, anger flashing through her eyes instead of flirtation.
Got you.