29. CHAPTER 29
ARIA
T he tube was stifling. It didn’t help that it was now July and the heat in London was unbearable. I felt like I couldn’t breathe with the number of bodies that were packed in like sardines. The number of people that they seemed to squeeze onto the underground should be illegal.
The tube jolted, sending me straight into the man next to me.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, gripping the rail tighter.
He pressed his lips together and looked away.
Londoners were so antisocial at times.
Finally, Canary Wharf. I apologised as I squeezed through everyone to reach the doors and get off.
Freedom.
My heels clicked along the reception floor as I hurried along.
“Aria.” I stopped, turning to see Sebastian. “Why are you so late?”
“Oh, the tube was delayed.”
He rose, straightening his cuffs. “You’ll stay with me instead.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, taking a step closer. “What? There’s nothing wrong with where I live.”
“I’m not arguing about it.”
“Sebastian, you can’t just tell me what to do,” I snapped at him.
He snorted. “I can, and I just did. Are you coming, or are you working down here today?”
I screwed up my face, rolling my eyes behind his back as I followed him to his private lift. There was no way I was going to make a scene at work about it, so I’d let it slide for now.
We stepped in. He leaned against the back, and I stood a little in front as the doors closed.
“Seb—” Before I could get his name out, his arms wrapped around my waist.
“Take your knickers off,” he whispered in my ear.
Butterflies started in my stomach, heat pouring from between my legs. I turned to face him.
“What?”
He leaned over, pressing the stop button on the lift, and it jolted, freezing in place.
“Don’t make me ask again.”
I swallowed hard, hitching my skirt up slightly and pulling my knickers down, stepping out of them, then bending to retrieve them. His hands found my arse, squeezing it as he let out a growl. I straightened, and he plucked them from my hand, inhaling my arousal.
“They’re wet.”
Of course they were—this man only had to look at me and I was gone for him.
He ran his hands over my waist, reaching the end of my skirt, pulling it up. He rested one hand on my lower stomach, pulling me back into him so I could feel how hard he was against my arse. His other hand found my pussy, and my knees buckled, but he held me steady against him.
He thrust two fingers in, and I rose to my tip-toes, catching my breath. I wrapped my arm around his neck, gripping the back of his hair, forcing a groan from his lips, everything on fire as he pushed his fingers in and out, circling my pulsing clit with his thumb.
“You’re mine, Nyx,” he growled in my ear.
“I’m yours,” I managed to get out between my moans. “Please don’t stop.”
His lips curled against my neck. “Come all over those fingers.” His fingers went faster, deeper, as my body started to reach that high.
My breathing got heavier, my moans louder, and my heart was racing against my chest. My cheeks were flushed, the heat unbearable between us until I finally let go, my orgasm hitting me.
His hand pressed hard against my stomach, keeping me steady, and a low growl vibrated through my ear. Complete bliss ran through every part of my body; it was like fireworks going off all at once. Stars clouded my eyes. I had never come this hard before.
He slowly withdrew from my body and turned me, his eyes fixed on mine as he licked up every drop of the mess I had made on his fingers. I bit my lips, so turned on by him I already wanted another.
My breathing started to steady, but he soon pushed me against the wall.
“I need more.” He groaned, getting to his knees.
His tongue soon found what he wanted, my body rising again from his touch, his hands gripping my hips to hold me in place.
He teased me with the tip of his tongue, then sucked my clit, sending sparks through my body. I bit my lip, leaning my head against the wall. Stars had started to form in my eyes again.
The lift started moving.
I glanced down at Sebastian as he ran his tongue over me one last time before rising.
His hands found my skirt, pulling it back down, just as the lift pinged and the doors opened, forcing us to spring apart.
“Clearly the lift wasn’t stuck.” Logan smirked.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
Sebastian straightened his cuffs, tucked my knickers into his pocket, then stepped out, patting Logan on his chest.
Fuck.
I threw my keys on the table next to the letter I had left unopened.
Sebastian wanted me to stay at his, but I liked my little flat.
It wasn’t much, and it wasn’t forever, but it was my fresh start.
My new beginning. Even if I hadn’t fully unpacked yet.
I’d agreed to stay the night, but there was one thing I needed to face first.
I took a deep breath and opened the letter.
You will always be mine.
My fingers loosened, and the paper slowly fluttered to the floor.
I’d heard those words so many times, they were burned into my mind.
My heart started racing as my stomach tied itself in knots.
I knew it had something to do with Jason, but I didn’t know how.
There should have been a restriction in place whilst he was on remand. My mind couldn’t make sense of it all.
I needed to get out and give my head some space to process what was going on. I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to move. I grabbed my phone and keys and walked out of my flat.
An hour and a combination of different tubes later, I stood there looking up at Serfina and Hayden’s house on Bishops Avenue.
It was a vast contrast to my small flat in Woolwich.
The pillars holding the house stood tall, shining as the moonlight reflected onto them.
I knew Serfina was born from wealth, and she had mentioned that Hayden was in the intelligence field, but I didn’t even realise a place like this existed in London.
The pebbles in the drive crunched with each step I took closer to the front door, leaving an eerie silence behind.
As I reached the door, the porch light came on, forcing me to put my hand up to block some of the light out.
I took a deep breath as I pressed the doorbell.
Minutes later, the door opened to a slightly surprised smile on Serfina’s face.
“Aria! To what do I owe this surprise?” she chirped.
“I … I just needed a change of scenery.”
I stepped into a grand foyer, looking around, and she gestured for me to follow her through into the kitchen. It was vast compared to mine. The floor was covered with white tiles, and the kitchen counters … well, they were some sort of grey marble that glistened in the spotlights.
She grabbed some glasses from a cabinet. “You look like you need a drink.”
I needed more than one. I sat on the stool at the kitchen counter, and Serfina placed the glasses down and retrieved a bottle of wine.
“Who was at the door?” Hayden asked, strolling into the kitchen.
Serfina finished pouring the glasses and looked over at him as his eyes met mine with a smile.
“Aria, what are you doing here?” he asked, making his way over.
“Does she need a reason?” Serfina asked playfully.
He raised his brow, then sat on the stool opposite me. Serfina grabbed a small glass and the bottle of rum for Hayden. I guessed he wasn’t a wine drinker.
“Is everything ok?” Serfina asked, sitting next to him, her eyes bouncing between mine.
I ran my finger over the rim of my glass. “I just needed some air.”
She leaned forward, resting her arms on the counter. “There’s more to it, isn’t there?”
My eyes flickered to her, then Hayden, and back to my glass as I raised it to take a gulp. I wanted to tell her everything that was happening between Sebastian and me, as well as the letters I was receiving, but I couldn’t get the words out properly.
Except one.
“Sebastian,” I whispered.
“What has he done now?” Frustration ran through her voice as she tapped Hayden in the stomach. “Give me my phone, Hayden. I’m going to have words with him.”
Hayden rolled his eyes. Serfina frowned at him, then turned back to me with a smile.
“He hasn’t done anything; I’m just so confused by it all.”
“What do you mean?” Hayden asked.
I started to feel flustered, and I think Serfina realised.
“Hayden, I think I can hear your phone ringing in the other room.”
Confusion covered his face. “It’s in my pocket.” He pulled it out.
“Get out of the kitchen,” she ordered.
He looked at her, then at me, then back to her. “Oh. Yeah, that’s my cue.”
She rolled her eyes as he walked out.
“That man could never take a hint.” She giggled. “Now, tell me.”
I took a deep breath, trying to gather the right words in my head. “Things have happened between us.”
“Things?” She topped up my glass, and I took another gulp, nodding.
“Ohhh.” Her eyes widened, her mouth turning into a smile. “Those things.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Look, Aria, if you two like each other, then go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Rejection? Him not feeling the same? Being another man’s property again and losing my freedom? The list was endless, really.
“There's more to this, isn’t there? It’s not just Sebastian,” she pushed.
There was more—everything with Jason, the flowers, the letter—but how could I tell her that? If I did, it would become real, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face it just yet. I took a sip of my wine. I should tell her—maybe not everything, but maybe I’d feel better after letting some of this go.
“I’ve … I’ve had a few flowers and letters sent. It’s probably nothing.” I tried to brush it off.
“From who?”
“I don’t know,” I lied.
Serfina took hold of my hand as she looked at me. “You need to tell Sebastian.”
I couldn’t. I didn’t want him to look at me any differently.
If I told him about the flowers and letters, then I would have to tell him everything.