Hunted for Halloween

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

AURORA

I munch on my sandwich, tilting my head backwards to stare at the dress I'm sketching on my sketch board. I remove the darker charcoal pencil that's holding my hair together, using it to thicken the edges of the side slit.

I huff, frustrated. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes take in the ruffled sketch papers lying carelessly in my room. The space looks like it was run over by a truck carrying art supplies.

I couldn't find another way to vent. Once I figured out that I could pour out my distorted emotions on a sketchpad, I haven't stopped to catch my breath. I figured that it's useless trying to convince a man who's not ready to see things my way. I'd rather spend that time sketching dresses.

As I take a huge bite from my sandwich again, tears well up in my eyes, blurring the design in front of me. The knock at my door interrupts me, eliciting a deep frown from me because I clearly told Harriet that I didn't want to be disturbed.

“Not now, Harriet!” I yell with a croaky voice. Still, the knock persists, grating on my last nerves. “Are you deaf?!” I growl, whirling around.

The door opens at the same time, revealing the familiar muscular frame. The rest of my words die on the tip of my tongue, a gasp emitting from me. The tears I was trying to hold back trickle down my face furiously.

“Christian?”

My voice is barely above a whisper.

“Hey, Pumpkin.” The corners of his lips tilt in a smile, those whiskey eyes oozing with softness as they roam my face.

I jump off my stool, dashing towards him. He closed the distance between us before I can get to him, scooping me in his arms.

“Oh, my God, you are here.” I cup his face, choking out a sob as I press my forehead against his.

He laughs. “Of course, I am. You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?”

I don't hesitate to claim his lips in a kiss. I need to feel him again, to feel his lips on mine, and God, it destroys me as much as every cell in my body comes alive.

I moan, allowing him to slip his tongue into my mouth and take what's his unapologetically. He devours my lips like I'm his lifeline, wrapping my legs around his huge frame as he angles his head to the side to take my lips in dominant strokes.

“Fuck,” he groans when I detangle myself from the kiss.

I stare at him through hooded eyes, soaking in the sight of him like he's going to vanish into thin air if I look away from him. It's hard to believe that he's right here in my room, holding me, kissing me.

“Wait,” I whisper. “The guards—how did you get in? How did you get past this security? Oh, my God…my Dad, did you see him?” I ramble, wiggling against him to get out of his grip but he effortlessly holds me in place with his muscular arms.

“Breathe,” he murmurs soothingly.

I stare at him like has grown two heads, but my body becomes less tense when his gaze lingers on me. I draw in a breath, slowly puffing out at my pace.

“Good girl,” my pussy throbs at those words, but I try to shake my mind of that sensation because I have more pressing issues to worry about. “Before I answer that, there's something I have to tell you first.”

“What is it?” I ask softly, my eyes not leaving his.

“I love you, Aurora.” My breath catches in my lungs, my eyes widening on impulse.

I'm sure he can feel my body growing tense against him because he leads us to the edge of my bed, propping me against him until I'm sitting right on his crotch.

There's no doubt that I feel the same way about him. I'm in love with Christian, but I just didn't think he'd reciprocate it. Surely, he cares about me, but I didn't think it runs this deep.

My throat closes up. “W-what?”

“I love you. I'm so sorry it took me this long to say it to you. I have loved you since the very moment I laid my eyes on you. I just didn't know it yet. You are the only woman who has seen past the mask I have put on for the world, and you still didn't shy away. There's no one else out there for me. It's just you. It's always been you, baby.” His voice is soft, thick with adoration.

My eyes are glassy and I'm struggling to push back the sobs lodging in my throat. “I love you too, Christian. I love you so much.”

He kisses me, long and hard. “Say it again.”

“I love you.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “There's only you too, Christian. Just you. You are the only man I want. I want all of you. All your demons. All your scars. Every inch of you, baby.” I keep my eyes on him so that he can know that I mean every single word I'm saying.

“Fuck, baby. You have ruined me for every other woman.” He cups my ass, his voice coming out husky.

“Is that such a bad thing?” I bite down on my lip, my eyes lingering on his full, sensual lips.

Damnit, I can't get enough of this man. I can feel him growing hard beneath my ass, so I grind against him teasingly.

“Never,” his lips collide with mine. But, I have barely reciprocated when the knock interrupts us. He wrenches his lips off mine, breathing heavily.

“Cockblocker,” he cusses, fighting back a smile. “That must be your Dad.” He answers, the question weighing heavily on my chest.

I reel back in shock. “My Dad? Does he know you are here?”

Christian responds with a smile. “You can come in, Jonathan.”

“Do you have a death wish?!” I scoot off his lap like it burns my ass.

The door to my room creaks open, and my Dad lets himself in. I open my mouth to speak but the look on his face disarms me, slackening my jaw. My Dad practically drags his frame towards me, rubbing his nape with a worried, embarrassed look in his eyes.

“Dad? What's going on?” I look back and forth between my Dad and Christian, whose gaze softens.

“I’ll be right out.” Christian kisses my cheek and exits the room, leaving me with my Dad.

I wrap my arms around myself, dumping my frame on the bed.

“Christian and I spoke yesterday…” He trails off, masking his worried expression with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. He stares at the space beside me like he's asking for permission to sit beside me, and I nod my head.

A rush of guilt sweeps through me when I remember the horrible things I said to him at dinner. My chest twists with a burning sensation.

The space beside me dips, an awkward silence filling the room for a moment before he continues.

“I messed things up and took things too far, Angel. For that, I'm deeply sorry. It took speaking to Christian to realize how wrong I was with the way I handled things. You didn't deserve to be treated like that.” He reaches for my hands, squeezing them softly with a smile lingering on his face.

“Dad…”

“Please, just let me get it off my chest, Angel.” He pleads. I swallow, nodding my head and urging him to continue.

“I was mad at your actions, but the truth is, I was just terrified of losing you to him—to anyone. I didn't realize how selfish that was. I was convinced that you'd start forgetting about me, pulling away from me and I didn't want to be alone. You are the only piece of your mom I have left and it just felt like I was losing you.” His voice is shaky, laced with sadness.

I don't blink back the tears stinging the corner of my eyes, I let the warring emotions within me overwhelm me, tears trickling down my face.

“I'm so sorry, Angel. I shouldn't have stood in the way of your happiness. I know better now.” He has barely finished his sentence when I throw myself in his arms, breaking down in tears.

He wraps his arms around me, cocooning me in his embrace. I didn't know how much I missed him until he held me in his arms again. I felt like his little girl all over again and I knew it wasn't a feeling I wanted to trade for anything else.

“I love you so much, Dad. I love you.” I croak. “I'm sorry for hurting you, and for the hurtful things I said. I didn't mean them.” I shake my head, detangling from the hug so that he can see the sincerity brimming in my eyes.

“There's nothing to forgive, Angel.” He smiles, his thumb reaching for my face to wipe my tears. “I'm sure if your mother could see you right now, she'd be proud of you.”

I choke back a sob. “Does that mean you approve of Christian and I?”

“Go get your man.” He grins at me, urging me to go join him outside.

I smile through my tears, hugging him. “I love you so much. No one's ever going to replace you in my heart.” I whisper into his ear, kissing his cheek.

It feels like a weight has been rolled off my chest, my body thrumming with excitement as a wide grin blooms on my face.

Christian has his back turned to me where he's standing in the middle of the hallway with his phone to his ear. As though he senses my presence, he turns around. Those whiskey eyes bore into my body, seared with heat and raw emotions that remind me of the reason I fell for him in the first place.

My legs feel light in the air because I'm striding towards him in no time, crashing against his chest and he lifts me against him like a Porcelain doll.

“I love you.” I murmur softly.

“I'll never get tired of hearing that.” He groans, claiming my lips in a kiss.

I respond with equal fervor because he's the only man to have me wrapped around his fingers and make every part of me ache for him at the same time.

With him, everything falls perfectly into place.