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To kings & queens.
It’s not that I don’t feel, it’s that I find it hard, even impossible, to show those feelings.
Her eyes meet mine, and she freezes. The colour of her irises are blue, a deep dark one like the undiscovered bottoms of oceans. A mischievous smile pulls at her lips as she places an index finger to them. I wink at her and her grin widens before her sister drags her out of sight.
Only one thing matters: my family. So why the fuck have I been thinking about Aurora ever since this ominous feeling gripped me? She’s not family. Far from it. Still, I spend more time with her than I ever did with Aiden and Levi. Her face is the only one I wake up to every day and fall asleep staring at every night.
The more I see, the more I want. The more I dig my fingers into her, the deeper I want to go. It might have started with her body, but it’s her mind that I want to invade and conquer.
Aurora Harper sold her soul to the devil. It goes without saying that she’ll never be able to escape me.
But here’s the thing, she’s not allowed to hide anything from me, including her demons.
Fuck me. Even unconscious, this woman has the strength of a warrior. She can protect herself, and she can do it so well. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to take all the pain away so no one dares come near her again.
The fact that she’s been a loner her entire life is so similar to me. The only difference is that I used it to rise up, while she had to run. She’s had to suffer in silence, including during her sleep. Soon enough, I’ll make all her nightmares vanish, even if it’s the last thing I do.
Aurora is mine, and I’ll bring chaos to the world to protect what’s fucking mine.
Jonathan runs his fingers through my hair, stroking it back, and I almost want to purr like a kitten.
Seeing Jonathan’s gentle side always strikes me deep. It’s like witnessing a passing unicorn and I need to soak it in. Maybe next time, I can film it and watch it secretly or something.
Not that I’ve ever gotten used to being touched, but since he barged into my world, I’ve started to take it as a given. It feels weird that he’s beside me, his woodsy, spicy masculine scent enveloping me, but he’s not touching me. I want to grab his hand and place it on my face again, or go back to sleep with that same hand around my waist.
“Is there anyone you consider a human instead of something you buy?” I don’t know why I asked the question when my main focus should be to get him the hell out of here. “You.” The word, although calmly spoken, sets every part of me on fire.
“You already bought me,” I murmur. “That’s what I thought, too. Turns out, it’s far from the truth.”
He stands, but instead of leaving, he leans over and brushes his lips against my forehead. A shock wave grips my limbs and it takes everything in me not to melt.
My breathing hitches as I meet Jonathan’s raging grey eyes. “Fascinating, Aurora. Fascinating indeed.”
I hate him. I hate him so much, not only because of what happened to Alicia, but because I was about to instil my trust in him. I was fucking falling for him, and for what? For this betrayal. For this…desolation.
His cool voice drifts around me like a lullaby. What? A lullaby? Jonathan? This must be the lack of sleep talking. Jonathan and lullabies are as far apart as they could be.
He scoffs. Jonathan scoffs. The entire motion is so weird that I take some time to commit it to memory.
He then kneels and I’m momentarily stunned by the fact that Jonathan is willingly kneeling at my feet. It’s a sight I never thought I’d witness in my lifetime.
He faces me as he removes his jacket and tie, hangs them on the towel hanger, and rolls the sleeves of his shirt to above his elbows. He’s barely showing any skin, but watching him revealing his arms is like a porn show all on its own.
The scratch Aurora left on my neck. It was like a cornered kitten trying to find a way out.
“Jonathan, this is Kyle.” Tristan motions at him. “An old associate of mine.”
Kyle is the type who speaks with complete nonchalance, appearing almost bored, but he knows exactly what he’s doing.
I barely slept last night. Every time I closed my eyes, her vulnerable fainted state came to mind. It doesn’t help that my bed feels empty without her. It shouldn’t, but it fucking does.
“Perfect. Looking forward to this.” He heads to the balcony. “And here I thought England was boring.” “There’s a door,” Tristan says in a semi-exasperated, semi-resigned tone. “Doors are dull.” And with that, Kyle jumps from the balcony.
“I’ll hurt you.” “Do it.” “I really will.” “Fucking do it then.” She pushes the shard against my throat and I see the widening of her eyes before I feel the sting of the cut. Then my blood flows to her face.
Jonathan pushes off me, sitting on the bed, groaning. That manages to finally jerk me out of my daze. Oh my God. I did that to Jonathan. I…I sliced his throat.
He tastes of cognac and coffee. I love this taste on him so much. The fact that it’s mixed with his woodsy, spicy scent feels as if I’m diving deep into him.
“Don’t cry again.” His voice is hard yet tender at the same time. “Those eyes aren’t made for tears.”
“Fuck.” His head peeks up from between my legs. “You’re the best thing I’ve tasted.”
I never knew I had a thing for men in suits until Jonathan came along. Or more accurately, he’s the only man in a suit that I have a thing for.
Maybes are too cruel.
“You won’t fall like she did.” “What makes you think that?” He hesitates. It’s the first time I’ve witnessed Aiden hesitating. “Jonathan never looked at her the way he looks at you.”
“He doesn’t hate you.” She bites her lower lip. “I mean, you’re the woman who tamed Jonathan King. Anyone would respect you for that — Aiden included.”
“You brought colours to his previously bleak world. I can feel it.”
“Told you. You’re the colours in his life.”
“Aiden is so lucky to have you in his life, Elsa.” “And Jonathan is lucky to have you in his.”
“Because you’re mine.” His hoarse whisper against the shell of my ear drives me over the edge.
I’m addicted to his lips, to the way he kisses, savage and all-consuming. Like he intends to fuse us together.
“What if I disappear?” “Then I’ll burn the world that forced you to disappear and resurrect you from its ashes.”
“You don’t seem to understand what it means to be mine. It’s not only about how you belong to me, or that I’ll cut off the dick of any bastard who looks your way and shove it up his arse. It’s also about how I’ll protect you from the world and yourself if I have to. It’s about burning your obstacles so you can leave the shadows and shine like you were always meant to. You can provoke or test me or even give me that fucking attitude, but you do not get to run away from me.”
For a moment, we stare at each other in silence, but my heartbeat thuds louder, thrumming faster against my ribcage. It’s almost as if it wants to leave and go to him — the man whose undivided attention is on me.
I’m caught in the path of his natural disaster, in how he makes me feel whole without even trying to. He only has to be himself with his controlling, unapologetic, and oddly protective self. Just him.
Aurora kicks me under the table. Hard. The pointy part of her heel digs into my calf and remains there, but a smile plasters on her face for everyone to see. Fuck me. This woman has a fire in her, and she’s not afraid of showing it whenever she deems necessary.
I haven’t missed the way she calls my house a home now, either. For someone who never actually belonged anywhere, it’s a huge deal that she’s picking my place as her home.
“Your obsession is showing, Jonathan.” Aiden focuses on me for a second, smirks, then slides his attention back to the board. “Can you blame him?” Levi waggles his brows.
“If there’s need for outside help that’s exactly what will happen.” I take another sip of my cognac. “Why didn’t you do it with her, then?” Aiden motions his head in Aurora’s direction. “She would throw a tantrum.” Levi chuckles. “Whoa. Has the great Jonathan King finally met his match?” “Looks like it.” Aiden gives me an undecipherable glance.
She’s far enough away that her apple scent is barely noticeable. That scent, which I’ve never paid attention to before, has become a fucking addiction. Smelling it means she’s there, close, and all mine for the taking. Having it all over my bed means she’s beside me, holding on to me with her dainty hands as if she needs me.
