Chapter 24
Aiden’s <b>POV</b>
Carol begins to rx, and we enjoy our snacks together. I can see the tension she’s carried with her all night slowly begin to slip <b>away</b>. She’s even more beautiful with her soft, natural smile on her face.
We <b>are </b>just moving on to the champagne when I hear a knock at the door. Immediately, Carol tenses up beside me. I nce in her direction.
“Do you want to see anyone right now?” Lask. She nods her head at first, but when I raise my eyebrow at her, she slowly shakes it instead. I take her hand.
“Come <b>on</b>,” I whisper, “let’s hide.”
Carol and I stifle ourughter as we slip out onto the balcony. We duck behind the balcony furniture just in time for the door to open. Whoever is checking on us seems to look around for a moment. Finding no one, they leave after a few minutes and close the door behind them.
The two of us <bugh </b>to ourselves <b>and </b>stretch out our legs. “I didn’t expect <b>such </b>a <b>secretive </b>rendezvous,” <b>Carol </b>jokes, leaning against the railing. Her hair blows in the nighttime breeze, and the lights of the city dance across her face.
I feel a fire stir inside of me. My hands drift to her waist and I press <b>against </b>her from behind, stooping slightly to <b>kiss </b>the side of her neck. Carol shivers under my touch and braces her hands against the railing.
“Why don’t we make it a real rendezvous, then?”
Carol’s POV
My heart <b>catches </b>in my <b>throat</b>. I look down at the cityscape below us, feeling oddly exposed to the world even at such a high height.
“What, on the balcony?” <b>I </b>say incredulously. Aiden’sugh rumbles low in <b>his </b>chest.
“I mean, if <b>you </b>insist,” he teases, “although I meant the bedroom.”
My face flushes. “Iyeah. The bedroom sounds <b>nice</b>,” I say breathlessly.
Despite our agreement, we don’t <b>make </b>it off the balcony before we fall into one another’s arms. Our lips lock passionately, hands roving across one another’s bodies. Aiden gently but firmly pushes me backward through the doors and toward <b>his </b>bed.
Aiden has me pinned <b>against </b>the mattress in a passionate kiss that takes my <b>breath </b>away. He loosens his tie with one hand, and my hands begin to <b>make </b>quick work of the buttons of his <b>shirt</b>.
“Someone’s eager,” I manage between intense <b>kisses</b>. Aiden breaths out augh against my neck <b>as </b>he delicately. loosens thecing of my dress.
“I <b>can’t </b>help it. You look so irresistible tonight.”
Both of us <b>are </b>careful not to take off each other’s clothes too carelessly. Both of our outfits are too expensive topletely <b>discard</b>, and <b>eventually</b>, we will have to re–enter the party. Aidenys out my dr nearby chair, <b>and </b>I treat his <b>shirt </b>with more patience than I normally do
<b>over </b>the back of <b>a</b>
Aiden <b>has </b>stripped down just to his boxers when I realize I’m notpletely bare yet. My hand flies to my neck, and I feel the cool yet <b>soothing </b><b>sensation </b>of the <b>expensive </b>ne Aiden had bought for me.
Chapter <b>21</b>
“Oh I forgot to take this off,” I say, embarrassed. I turn away from Aiden to expose the sp at the back of my neck. “Can you help me undo it?”
I hear Aiden suck in a harsh breath between his teeth. One hand slowly smooths up my body from my waist until it rests over the ne.
“Keep it on,” he growls against my shoulder. “Tim going to watch it glitter as it swings from your neck.”
My body is overwhelmed with heat as Aiden upholds his promise, Our bodies tangle in the bedsheets as we shift from position to position. Before long, Aiden is holding my hips firmly in his hands and guiding my movements with <b>passion</b>. The <b>ne </b>glitters in the lights of the cities with thrust,
Our lips connect in a passionate kiss as our trystes to a desperate end. My arms wrap around Aiden’s body <b>and </b>we slowly recover. Both of our chests heave with exertion as we enjoy the feeling of skin against skin for a long
<b>moment</b><b>.</b>
I <b>eventually </b><b>have </b>to ruefully break our embrace. “We have to get back to the party,” I whisper against <b>Aiden’s </b>lips. “People are going to start asking questions,” I start to stand up, but Aiden grabs my waist and pulls me back against
him<b>.</b>
“Let them ask <b>questions</b>,” he says yfully. “I’m the only one who gets to know what we’ve done.” Iugh and p <b>Aiden’s </b>shoulder teasingly. The <b>two </b>of us take <b>a </b>moment to clean off and get back into our clothes.
As Aiden <b>and </b>I <b>finally </b>emerge from the penthouse, we find the <b>main </b>room emptier than it was before. Some guests <b>already </b>seem to have left for the night. Despite the subdued atmosphere, the expression on Mr. Cruz’s face when he sees us is nothing less than stern.
Mr. Cruz wastes no time in crossing the room to meet <b>us </b>at the bottom of the stairs. This <b>time</b>, <b>his </b>ire is focused on Aiden.
“Where on earth <b>have </b>you been?” He <b>hisses</b>. “You are the host of this party just as your mother and I are. It’s impoliteOwned by N?velDrama.Org.
abandon <b>your </b>guests.
to:
I manage not to wince at Mr. Cruz’s words. I feel as though this is my <b>fault</b>, at least in part. As enjoyable as it was, watching Aiden be criticized like this makes me upset.
<b>Luckily</b>, Aiden is less perturbed. “Rx, father. There’s hardly a weekend where <b>these </b>people aren’t at a party just like <b>this </b>one. I’m sure they were too bored to notice my absence.”
Mr. Cruz’s eyebrow twitches with evident frustration. “You have benefited from your <b>alpha </b>status for all of your life.” he says coolly. “<b>That </b>statuses with responsibility. It is your duty to unite our pack.”
I can feel the tension in the air rising yet again. More and more, it’s bing obvious that Aiden and his father <b>will </b><b>likely </b>never see eye to eye. A silent power struggle emerges as they stare each other down at the foot of the <b>stairs</b>,
I <b>shift </b>ufortably. So much <b>has </b>already happened. At this point, I just want the night to end. Aiden seems to agree with me <b>as </b>he takes my hand.
“As an <b>alpha</b>, my duty is whatever I decide it is Aiden says firmly. He wraps an arm around my shoulder. “<b>Carol </b>and I have dealt with enough of your drama already. We’ll be leaving now.”
I follow after Aiden, eager to be free of the oppressive atmosphere. I can feel a few sets of eyes trailing us as we head <b>toward </b>the door.
“You <b>can’t </b>keep running forever,” Mr. Cruz calls after him with a powerful voice. “<b>You </b>know <b>your </b>time’s running out. All you have is one more <b>season </b>after <b>that</b>, your duty is to this <b>family</b>.”
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<b>452 </b>PM
Chapter 24
Aiden’s hand tightens on my shoulder. “Of course, father,” he says <b>over </b>his shoulder. His voice is as cold as ice..
My mind is <b>spinning </b>as Aiden whisks us out the door. One more season? I think. Does he mean a <b>season </b>of hockey? Why did Aiden agree with him? Do they have some sort of agreement? We’ve already made it back out onto the street before I <b>can </b>collect my thoughts.
We walk in silence for a few blocks as we close the distance toward Aiden’s car. I can tell that Aiden is as deep in thought as I am. I hesitate for a long moment. I <b>want </b>to ask him about everything that’s happened, but my <b>train </b>of thought is interrupted when Aiden suddenly stops in his tracks.
He takes in a shuddering <b>breath </b><b>and </b>grabs <b>my </b>hand tightly. “We’re being followed.”
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