Chapter 17
NADIA.
My eyes fluttered open and I almost went into a panic when I realized the ceiling didn’t look familiar. My first thought was that my uncle had brought me to the man he wanted me to marry.
But then, the moment my body jolted up, Riley’s scent swirled around me and immediately pacified my nerves, and memories of last night and early this morning came flashing through my thoughts.
I clutched my hands against my chest and dropped my body back to the mattress, a wide smile playing on my lips as I let everything sink in.
He didn’t leave me this time. He was just at his office and he said we would eat breakfast together. My gaze went around his room looking for a clock until I spotted one by the bookshelves but instead of checking the clock, my eyes focused on a picture frame sitting beside it.
I shoved the blanket off my body and rose from the bed. I wanted to see the picture.
For some unknown reason, my heart started beating too loudly as I dragged my feet toward the bookshelves.
My intuition was right. It was Riley. This was what Riley looked like when I saw him six years ago. He was skinnier but already tall for his age. His sandy brown hair was longer, which he kept in a ponytail.
He was sitting on the steps in front of the packhouse and beside him was a younger female with wavy, hazelnut-colored hair. She looked younger than him, probably twelve or thirteen, but she was obviously beautiful.
Why do I feel like there’s something between them?
The female was beaming straight at the camera, but Riley was looking sideways, smiling at the female beside him.
Was that Andrea? Was he looking at her lovingly? I wish I could see his eyes so I would know. But despite not seeing the look in his eyes, my heart was already constricting in pain.
Is this jealousy I feel? I had never felt this way before like it was too hard to breathe and I just wanted to cry. But I couldn’t be weak. No Luna is too weak.
I tilted my head up and glanced at the photo in front of me before I took a deep breath. My hand raised from my side and reached for the frame, taking it down and laying it flat on the bookshelf.
This picture didn’t have a place in this room until I figured out who the female was and who she was to Riley. But as much as I was upset with the picture I saw in Riley’s room, I couldn’t be angry with him.
First, the female could be his sister or a relative. It just made me realize that I knew nothing about him. But then, I hadn’t even been here for 24 hours yet, so I shouldn’t have expected that he would tell me everything in his life in the time we had spent together.
Second, if that female was Andrea, should I really be upset?
Or should I be thankful that she chose another Alpha and left Riley alone, giving me a shot of having him for myself?
Because I was certain that if Adrea was still here, I’d be spending my days in the cell, or worse, back with my uncle, rejected and unmarked.
So maybe I should be celebrating that Andrea wasn’t around anymore. But I still wanted to know where she stood in his life now.
One day, I would ask him, but until then, I would try my best to just shove her off to the back of my mind. I was the one here with Riley, not her. And just as long as she wouldn’t show up here and stake a claim on him, I should be fine.
I stepped into the shower broken-hearted but came out of it with a clearer mind.
I had two months. And the odds were on my side.
While drying my hair, I was already thinking of grabbing some of his clothes again because I still had to pick up my clothes from the basement when I caught sight of my folded clothes on the couch.
I picked them up and saw a note attached to it.
They were from Riley. He was apologizing for the little brown burn stain on the back of my blouse because he tried to press it, but the fabric was too thin and it got slightly burnt. And the note ended with a reminder that he’d wait for me for breakfast.
I couldn’t help but smile as I checked the back portion. There was indeed a slight discoloration, but it was nothing obvious. Heck, he could burn it all and I would still not feel the least bit angry at him.
He was actually making me feel giddy with the thought of him pressing my clothes. I couldn’t get rid of the thoughts in my head about how sexy he must have looked, especially if he was half-naked while he did that.
Riley. He still amuses me.
If I believed the things I heard about him, I would be scared. They said he was a good Alpha, but it was hard to stand in proximity to him because his aura was too strong, and if he didn’t like you, he would not hesitate to show it.
But maybe he liked me because he had been nothing but nice to me?
I folded the note he left me and pressed a kiss on it before slipping it into the pocket of my jeans.
I then took all the clothes with me and began dressing up.
I didn’t have any make-up or anything to make me look better, so I just kept biting my lips and pinching my cheeks to add color to them.
And when I thought I was ready to face my mate, I hurriedly went to the door, casting one more glance into his room to make sure I had set everything back in its place, except for the photo frame, before walking out of the door and closing it behind me.
I walked with a fast stride down the stairs but slowed down once I reached the first-floor level. My eyes scanned the hallway for anyone, but it looked deserted.
He was probably in his office.
My heart was beating erratically as I made my way there, hoping he was alone, so I didn’t need to be scrutinized by anyone in there. And just when I was about to knock, the door opened.
Beta Dominic was standing in front of me, and his face warped into a silly smile before he shook his head and moved to the side to give me the way. “Now I know why I was kicked out of the room all of a sudden.”
My eyebrows hiked up as I stepped inside the room and stopped just beside him.
I heard someone chuckling from the inside and knew immediately that it was my mate. “You talked too much. Get away from here.”
Beta Dominic winked at me before leaning a bit forward as he whispered something. “If you’re not here, I’m sure his exact words would be FUCK OFF. So thanks for taming him down a bit.” And then he was gone.
He closed the door behind him as he left, leaving me alone with my mate, who was already staring at me from his chair. He raked me up and down, and instead of being conscious, I actually liked that his eyes were on me, and it made me straighten my posture more as I flashed him a warm smile.
“Good morning… Sorry I slept too much.” I greeted him.
“Come here.” His deep baritone voice was too sexy and I had to catch myself to keep myself from faltering in my steps as I approached him, stopping in front of his table.
“Closer.” His eyes were boring deep into mine, and they were starting a fire inside of me. He could say anything right now, and I would immediately do it.
I swallowed as I rounded his desk and stood just beside his chair.
His hand raised to my arm and he started brushing them softly. His calloused, hard palm skimming against the skin of my arm was giving me too many sparks, and I knew my pussy was starting to get wet already.
He needed to stop caressing my skin.
“Riley…”
“Hmmm…”
“What are you doing?”
His hand jolted away from my arm and he let out a deep sigh before leaning his back against his chair and closing his eyes. “I’m sorry…”
“I’m not angry… it’s just…”
He snapped his eyes open and looked at me, his brow raised. “It’ just…”
“It’s too many sparks…”
“You don’t like the sparks…” He concluded.
I bit my bottom lip as I stared at the small desk on his side, just so I didn’t have to look at him. “I like them, but it’s making me wet too… And I’m afraid someone will come in and smell my arousal. “
There I said it.
A growl rumbled from his chest as he leaned his elbow on his desk and covered his face with his hands. “Nadia… What will I do with you?”
I giggled to cover my embarrassment for being too upfront. “We can eat breakfast if you haven’t eaten yet.”
He slid his hands up to his forehead and tilted his head in my direction. I could see his eyes were still black, but they were slowly returning to their ocean blue color. “I think that’s a good idea before you give me a full erection.”
I gasped at his words before he laughed at my reaction. He stood up from his chair and coiled an arm around my waist. He pulled me closer to him and my hands immediately went up to his chest, stopping me from slamming my face into his hard torso.
“What games are you exactly playing at, little mate?” His head was leaning down at me, a teasing smile tugging at his mouth.
I suppressed a grin from forming on my lips as I shook my head. My gaze was fixed on him, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful he was.
He was so close and I could clearly see his perfectly chiseled nose, the rough stubble on his chin that made him look tougher and sexier, and then, those plump lips.
I swallowed as my eyes focused on his slightly parted lips, and I suddenly felt so thirsty. I was still contemplating whether I should attempt to kiss him, but I remembered that last night, he broke it up almost immediately.
My eyes widened as his face leaned closer. My heart skipped a beat as his lips were closing in on me, and I immediately closed my eyes, bracing for impact.
And it was like magic. A collision of senses.
His lips brushed against mine, and my arms automatically wrapped around his neck as I clung tightly to him like he was my saving grace.
Oh, Goddess, yes, he is indeed my saving grace.
A low growl erupted from his chest as his hold on my body tightened as he started to kiss me deeper and harder. He was trying to part my lips, and when I finally did, he didn’t waste time in plunging his tongue into mine.
He was kissing me hard and deeply, but passionately, and I was drowning in it.
We were still lost in each other’s kisses when I felt something start to rumble in my stomach that immediately pushed him away.
I was embarrassed that it would growl loudly again like yesterday.
His eyes flitted with confusion as he stared at me, his lips still glistening wet from our kisses.
“I’m sorry…” He closed his eyes and turned to the side before brushing a hand over his hair.
“No. Wait… It’s not what you think.”
“I know. You were just teasing. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
He let out a sigh before he looked at me, confusion written on his face.
“My stomach was starting to rumble, and I don’t want you to hear it growling again, like last time. It’s embarrassing.”
He raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything.
“Fine, if you don’t want to believe me, it’s up to you.” I sighed in desperation as I turned around and walked away from him. “I’m going to eat.”
I didn’t feel any movement behind me, and I knew I would be disappointed if he didn’t join me for breakfast.
I turned my head and looked at him. “Have you had breakfast?”
He just shook his head.
“Come, eat with me.” I extended my hand for him to hold. “And I promise you, I’ll give you tons of kisses afterward.”
“But I want a downpayment now.” He was still not moving from his place and his face was showing no emotions at all.
I wasn’t sure then if that was a joke or not. I stared at him for a long time as I crossed my arms against my chest, waiting for him to say he was joking or something.
But he wasn’t moving. He was just staring at me with a stoic expression.
Stubborn Alpha. He always wanted to have the upper hand.
I rolled my eyes before walking back to where he was and grabbing his face with my hands and pulling it closer to mine before kissing him passionately, letting my lips devour his plump lips. As much as I was doing this so we could eat breakfast already, I wouldn’t deny that I was enjoying this.
And Goddess, I could get used to this.
After a while, I pulled away from kissing him and just stared at him.
A smile formed on his lips as he cupped my cheeks and rested his forehead on mine. “Nadia...”
“Hmmm...” I mumbled, enjoying the way my name was rolling off his tongue.
“You’re beautiful... I hope you know that.”
My heart fluttered at his statement. I have been called beautiful before but it sounded more real and sincere coming from him. He was indeed making me feel beautiful.
And while I was thinking of how I should reply to his compliment, my annoying stomach growled in hunger again, drawing his attention.
“Beautiful... And always hungry.” He added, chuckling, before he withdrew his forehead and coiled an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his side as he guided and walked us towards the door.