by Lilly Wilde
“Yes,” I breathed.
He grabbed his cock, moving the head between my lips, up and down, teasing my clit with each upward stroke, and then he slid inside me.
“Shh … Aria.” His hands locked with mine as his dick eased in and out of my core.
“Oh God,” I panted. I couldn’t stand it.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” he asked. “Squeeze me.”
My pussy clamped around his length, clenching him as his cock worshipped me with long, deep strokes.
Aiden groaned. “Nothing compares to this … to being inside you,” he murmured. His mouth moved over my skin as he took his time with me, his movements slow and deliberate. He slipped his hand under my thigh and lifted my leg around his waist. “So good,” he murmured. “Too good. You feel like heaven, Aria.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing the musk of his skin. And in that moment, he changed—no longer slow and careful—he became a starved animal. His mouth crashed down on mine and I opened for him, accepting his tongue and breathing him in.
Aiden grunted, his pelvis tilting toward mine as he pushed deeper. “Tell me this pussy is mine,” he said.
“Ahh … yes, baby.”
“Tell me,” he ordered.
“It’s yours,” I said. “All yours.”
Lowering my leg, Aiden reached beneath me. His large hands clenched my ass, his fingers digging into my flesh, as he guided me into the probing jabs.
“I want you to come with me. Can you do that?” he asked.
“I can go right now.”
“No,” he said, looking down at me. “Not until I say.”
He pounded into me—over and over—harder and faster, as though he couldn’t get enough.
“Holy shit, Aiden. Slow down,” I said, between breaths.
A low groan moved over my skin as he slowed. With a tilt of his pelvis, he was pushing, pushing, pushing until he was balls-deep, his body hugged tight against mine, and my face buried in the crook of his neck. There was no space between us, our bodies had become one—his manhood entrenched in the depths of my hot, tender flesh, stroking my insides with a slow, sweet gentleness. He didn’t stop until we were both there, until we’d both arrived at the explosive end of our connection.
“Now, baby,” he urged, his breath hot and labored against my neck. “Come with me.”
*****
“You asked if that was my first time doing the candle thing,” I said.
He pressed his lips to my brow. “Yes.”
“Was it yours?”
“Does that matter?” he asked.
“It mattered to you.”
“I’m a guy,” he said. “You’re my wife. Of course, I want to be some of your sexual firsts.”
“Well, I’m a girl, and I want to be some of your firsts, too.”
He moved a hand over his chin, deciding how to answer I would imagine. “No, Aria. It was not my first time.”
“Oh,” I said, disappointed by his response.
“See. That’s why I don’t typically answer when you want to know about my past.”
“Who was it?”
He frowned. “Don’t ask me questions like that.”
I was quiet.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I wish there had been no one before me. I know it’s silly, but I hate the thought of anyone having you the way I have.”
“Sweetheart, it’s not silly.” He grasped my chin, the intensity of his green eyes burning right through me. “And no one has ever had me the way you have.”
Chapter Twelve
Awakening to the fragrance of cinnamon and ginger, I inhaled the exotic aroma of my favorite tea. “Mmm,” I moaned as the drapes glided open, allowing the bright morning sun to filter through the room. As my eyes adjusted, I reached above my head, stretching through the twinges of pain that reminded me of the previous night’s exploits.
“I was beginning to think I should wake you,” Aiden said.
I sat up, reaching for the tea he’d placed on a tray. “Why did you let me sleep so late?” I asked, and took a sip.
“After last night, you needed rest.”
“Says you.”
Aiden’s brow lifted. “So you’re ready for round two?”
I squirmed.
“I didn’t think so,” he replied, his lips pulling into a cocky grin.
Last night was … hell, I could hardly articulate it, let alone repeat it—at least not without a few days of recovery time. Every part of me ached. The soreness ran so deep that it not only manifested externally, I was certain it was on a cellular level as well. Aiden had delivered that much damage … and that much pleasure.
“Are you heading out already?” I asked, taking in his appearance. He was clean shaven and meticulously dressed in one of his perfectly-tailored suits.
“Something’s come up I need to attend to. I shouldn’t be long.”
“Why does that sound so familiar?” I asked, looking up at him with disapproval in my eyes.
“Come on, Aria. It’s just a little while longer.”
*****
As expected, work resumed its control over our lives. Aiden and I fell back into the horrid routine of fleeting glances, texts, and lonesome nights. With practiced optimism, I focused on the light at the end of the tunnel—the day when we’d be wrapped up in each other without any work-related interruptions. And that glimmer of hope somehow kept my spirits up … until Dr. Ellison called.
The handsomely paid therapist requested Aiden’s participation in Nadia’s upcoming therapy session. I dreaded those days—they always took me back to the night Aiden and I had come home and discovered Lyric had been taken from us. They also reminded me of Aiden’s guilt and his drive to mend a person who I feared was beyond repair.
My only solace stemmed from being allowed to witness the sessions for myself. Of course, my observation wasn’t strictly in line within confidentiality laws, but since Aiden owned the facility and had added me to the clinical oversight committee, I was afforded a certain degree of legal wiggle room.
To the untrained eye, Nadia appeared as though she improved more with each session. I couldn’t claim the skillset to assess anyone’s mental state, but I wasn’t buying her act—not for a second. Why? Because from day one, she was never who she appeared, and secondly, I’d seen glimpses of a Nadia who was in full control of her faculties peeping from behind the curtain. Although she quickly stepped back, concealing her true identity, I’d seen enough to warrant my suspicions. Maybe I could see it because it was the only side of her I’d ever known.
She was good. I’d give her that. From time to time, she presented a view of herself that indicated she was improving. Her changes were subtle, though, as if she was planning each one to look like a natural progression. Her hair—now a flaming red—reminded me of the old Nadia, and this week she was even wearing a hint of makeup. I didn’t think it meant she was on the road to recovery. I believed it indicated a new level of deceit; she was able to disguise the wackadoodle parts she knew would extend her stay in treatment. Regardless, I’d never trust her or her mental health, and I hoped Aiden’s guilt didn’t cloud his judgment, either.
When the session ended, Aiden spoke privately with Dr. Ellison as I waited outside her office. I wondered what he said to her behind closed doors that he couldn’t have said in front of me. I didn’t say that to him, of course. It simply wasn’t worth the argument it would undoubtedly lead to. So I said nothing, grasping Aiden’s hand as he exited the good doctor’s office and walking out in silence. We stepped away from the facility, leaving behind the memories we’d just as soon forget.
Aiden knew how much I enjoyed the idea of dating him, so a date night always occurred on our Nadia days. That’s what I’d termed them—Nadia Days. Although those evenings lessened the unease we felt after reliving the night of Lyric’s abduction, nothing would ever allow us to forget what happened … or what could have happened.
As for the date itself, I still found it exciting to date Aiden. Yes, I was still dating my husband, and I totally adored the idea of it.
*****
At the advice of the board, the Raines agreed it was time to boost the image of Raine Industries. Aiden and Connor were to come together for an event, quite similar to the one we’d co-hosted for New Year’s, but on a larger scale. The entire family was scheduled to both attend and speak to the new phase of the company’s existence. Aiden and Connor had even participated in interviews together for both television and print media. Publically, the change in the company’s leadership had actually played out better than any of us anticipated. The tension was more within the confines of the family. But Connor’s acceptance of Aiden’s plan coupled with his drive to reestablish a solid foundation with Sienna made for a transition none of us could have foreseen.
The event was held at one of the most exclusive country clubs in Boston. Aiden and I were seated with the other Raines and members from the board of directors at the table in the front center of the room. We mingled, partook of the finest cuisine, and drank expensive alcohol—all in the name of business. We were nearing the end of the evening when I excused myself and headed to the ladies room. Upon my return, Aiden was shaking hands with one of the many businessmen who wanted to broker deals with him. Once he was seated, I reached into his breast pocket.
“What did you do?” Aiden asked.
“Just a little something to encourage you to move this night along a little faster,” I said.
His brows scrunched in confusion as he reached into his pocket. When he recognized the item as my lace panties, he quickly shoved them back into his jacket.
“So, yeah,” I said, and leaned closer to him. “I took off my panties.”
“And why did you do that?” Aiden asked.
“Because Virginia expects your fingers to take a stroll. Under the table. You know … like the old days.”
“Oh, she does?”
“Mmm hmm.” The first time Aiden toyed with Virginia under a table at an event, it was without my consent. At that time, he was my intern and he was pushing every opening he could to become more.
“You would do this just before my speech,” Aiden said. “Are you trying to distract me?”
“That depends. Is it working?” I asked.
Before he could answer, Chicago Bryant, a member of the Raine Industries board, had taken the stage and announced Aiden.
Seated at the table nearest the stage, my gaze was fixed on my husband. I studied his graceful movements as he shrewdly invigorated the previously dispirited audience with his plans for Raine Industries. Occasionally his eyes met mine, and there was a momentary pause when I uncrossed and re-crossed my legs. The revealing split giving him an eyeful as he looked down at me. He winked and then there was the slightest of smiles on his lips, a gesture that was meant just for me.
Towards the end of Aiden’s speech, Nicholas, Sloan and Connor joined him on stage, a declaration of their unity on what would be a life-changing moment.
“The last time I spoke before you, I offered homage to my partner, Aria Cason. This evening it is with an immense pleasure that I introduce her as my wife, Aria Raine, whose support and encouragement were instrumental to the solidarity you see on the stage this evening.” Looking at me, he said, “Aria, please join us.”
I gave a subtle shake of my head, but in true Aiden-style, he went a step further in achieving his goal by asking the audience for a round of applause, and with their encouraged ovation, I followed their prompting to the stage.
“You’re dead meat,” I whispered to Aiden as he welcomed me with a kiss on my cheek.
“Thank you for such an enthusiastic welcome,” I said, speaking to the elite assembly of supporters. “And thank you all for joining my family as we prepare to launch business models and strategies that will not only yield higher returns on your investments and stimulate the economy, but demonstrate that nothing is stronger than the bond of family. My husband gives me far too much credit—for he is truly the catalyst to what will become one of the most significant contributions to not only our country, but to the world. And with that, I return your attention and this event to his very capable hands.”
The crowd erupted with applause.
“You’re amazing,” Aiden said as he returned to the lectern.
“Thank you,” I said, patting my palm over the pocket that held my underwear. Aiden chuckled as he turned toward the audience.
I stepped back and joined the other Raines as Aiden concluded his speech. I couldn’t help but think of how proud I was of his accomplishment, and how proud I was to be his wife.
Once we returned to our seats, we had dinner and more conversation. Just as Aiden was about to say hello to Virginia, someone interrupted. After a few of those close calls, I gave up.
“Please extend my sincerest apologies to Virginia,” Aiden whispered.
“I’ll save that pleasure for you. You can tell her later yourself. As a matter of fact, you can talk to her all night.”
“Count on it,” he said, and then directed his attention to whatever Chicago was going on about.
The evening finally came to a close, and we were headed out of the room when Aiden reached into his pocket. “Yes,” he said, answering a call.
He was listening rather intently, and then his steps slowed.
“How did that happen?” he asked the caller. “Handle it and report back to me when it’s done,” he said, and ended the conversation.
Aiden cast a glance in my direction. There was something in his eyes that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
His face was dark with concern, but he nodded and gave me a closed-lip smile. “Everything’s fine,” he said, as he grasped my hand and led me out of the room.
Well, that certainly wasn’t true, but before I could ask anything more, Aiden was tugging me alongside him and we continued toward the exit. As one of the club staff held the door, we stepped outside to a swarm of reporters who surrounded us as we walked down the steps. I eased my hand from Aiden’s and scanned the masses for the car. I spotted it across the street and made my escape. I absolutely hated speaking to the press, even more so now that it was practically an everyday occurrence. Aiden knew how much I disliked it, otherwise he never would have let my hand leave his.
“Brooklyn, make sure Scott is with Aria,” I heard Aiden say as I stepped away from him. She said something in her headpiece and then turned back to Aiden.
Some of the press, who were on the outer edge of the circle surrounding Aiden, turned their attention toward me, trapping me within their herd. I looked for an opening and saw Scott emerge from the limo across the street, so I pushed through the crowd and started in his direction.
“That’s all for now. Mr. Raine has said all he intends to for the evening,” I heard Brooklyn say.
I glanced over my shoulder at Aiden and waved. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but when the reporters started to catch up with me, I hurried in the opposite direction. Scott was making his way toward me, but he wouldn’t have made it in time to ward off the press. Not wanting to wait for him, I started across the street.
Stepping off the curb, I glanced right. The traffic light was sitting at red so there was time to cross, but I needed to hurry. I looked to my left, skimming the opposite end of the road just as a high-beam of lights flipped on—temporarily blinding me. Before I could react, the sound of tires screeching as the vehicle barreled in my direction halted my steps. My brain screamed at me to move, but it was as though my legs had shut down.
“Aria! Watch out!” Aiden was behind me suddenly. His hands were at my back, flinging me forward with a hard shove, and then I went down. My body slammed into the wet concrete, and a scream sounded as my wrist twisted beneath me.
Rolling onto my back, I cradled my arm as the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. I turned toward the car,
my eyes moving over the scene in a rush—frantic to spot Aiden.
Aiden’s eyes were on me, but mine darted to the vehicle racing his way. “No!” I screamed. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. Aiden looked behind him and took a step forward to avoid the vehicle, but it was too late—it was traveling too fast. The car collided with Aiden’s body and then he was tumbling over the hood. The car didn’t stop. It sped up and was soon out of sight.
“No!” I screamed again as I tried to lift myself. My head started to spin as soon as I sat up and I went back down, my eyes still on Aiden as his body soared through the air and landed partially atop mine, knocking the air from my lungs and pinning me beneath him.
“Aiden! Aiden!” I somehow managed to pull myself from underneath his body and for the briefest of moments, I didn’t hear anything. Shouldn’t he have been moaning or calling out? Was he…? No, that wasn’t it. That couldn’t be it.
Frantic and disoriented, I struggled to sit up, only to be hit with another wave of dizziness. The scene froze. Everything stopped and nothing made sense. My eyes roamed over Aiden’s body and then someone was beside me, asking if I was okay and assessing me for injuries. Once I confirmed I was fine, I was moved out of the way. But not Aiden, he was still on the ground, his body folded in on itself, nuzzling his pain.
“Don’t move him!” came a voice from the surrounding crowd.
“Someone call 911!” a different voice shouted.
“Mrs. Raine, are you okay?” Scott asked.
“I’m fine. It’s Aiden. Check on Aiden!” I yelled.
“Aria,” Aiden groaned. “Where’s Aria?”
Oh, thank God. He was speaking. “I’m here. I’m right here,” I said, moving closer to him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he murmured. “I’m good.”
But I knew he wasn’t. That was impossible, considering the hit he’d taken. Even in the midst of his suffering, he was trying to shield me.
Aiden groaned again. This time much louder. He was curved into the fetal position emitting low guttural sounds. Then I saw the blood, but I was unable to distinguish its source.
