Aiden's POV The first light of the morning broke through the gap in-between the curtains and rested on rested on my face. I rubbed my eyes and reached out for Artemis, but my hands caught just the pillow. It was then that I realized I had not been awake all night.I shrugged and turned over to meet the empty space with the pillow that had long lost her warmth. I sighed. She must have been such an early bird to have left the bed before me.I crept out of bed and yawned while I looked into the day through the gap between the curtains. The estate was calm, and the garden’s seemed to have new visitors: birds and insects. I just hope hornets are not part of the visitors.I searched my pockets for my phone, and just then, I realized I left it downstairs last night before I carried Artemis to bed. “Good lord,” I sighed and walked out of the room. The house was calm, but the but the aroma of something delicious had filled it to the brim.Artemis was definitely making something delicious in
Artemis's PovSalty: that’s the best way to describe the taste of Aiden’s tadpoles in my mouth. I swallowed them after I picked every drop of his spill on the table but he didn’t stay to see me gulp them.He surely knew I wouldn’t spill his cum into the sink after I picked them with my tongue, but I wanted him to see me swallow every drop of it.I fixed my cloth and returned to the pot on the stove. The chicken soup was ready to be served. The bread in the oven was long done and I had turned off the oven before I went for the soup earlier.I turned off the stove and scooped the soup into a large plate, but just then, Aiden’s voice rippled into the kitchen. He was in an argument with someone in his phone.I shrugged and continued with the scoop till there was nothing left in the pot. I then took the pot to the sink and washed it clean before I made for the bread in the oven.***The dining was set by the hall’s massive window. Laid down the dish and shifted the curtains whish hid the m
Author's PovTheir ride was smooth as Aiden had devised a different route for the trip to escape any supposed ambush at the popular routes they could have used on a good day. Meanwhile, for Artemis, the trip was another silent one, and the only thing that ever felt good was the strong scent of Aiden in the fact that he offered her much warmth when he kept squeezing her hands in his.They arrived at the Creeks’ estate, the dwelling place of Don Carlos, and drove straight to the heart of the estate, but a man in white suit and white groves stopped them and ushered them to the parking lot they wished to avoid.“Who’s that man?” Artemis asked curiously.“Uncle Benny,” Aiden said with a smirk. “No one says no to Benny, unless you want to be stalked till you finally say yes to his ass.”The guards opened the door and they both alighted and walked together to the man in white suit, their retinue of guards assembled behind them while Benny watched without words.“Good morning, Benny,” Aiden
Artemis’ Pov“Don’t you think it’s time you come here and stand by me like your husband to be,” Aiden’s father gestured at me, and patted Aiden by the shoulder.Everyone turned to me. Their eyes felt like a crust of sand on my skin. My slowly broke my face into a warm smile and walked up to him. He took my hand, kissed it and hugged me.“My wife is not home and Aiden, your man, has no sisters here, so, permit me to play both the father-in-law’s role and the mother-in-law’s role, too.” He hollered.Everyone laughed, including Aiden. I smiled as his father freed me from the hug and raised his hands above his shoulders with a warm smile on his face.“Aiden has finally made his mind to become the man we all dreamt of—” he said, his eyes on Aiden and on me. “We’ll toast to him!”***The Hall of the Creeks was a large one with massive slabs of marbles which formed the word ‘Creek’ on the wall. It had pillars that looked like they were carved in the eighteenth century and the floor was smoot
Artemis’ PovEverything seized to exist for a moment. Silence stole the noise that had swallowed the room earlier and the hall seemed to melt into oblivion. It seemed it had not been recorded anything time in history that the massive door of the Creeks’ Hall was busted open amidst meeting.At this point, I could see the men with their cups raised were merely startled and expectant of whom it was that had dared to interrupt their meeting with such rascal attitude. But there was nothing to see as the door remained open and without trace of anyone.“Maybe, it’s the wind,” Aiden’s father brought the hall back to life with a mischievous smile on his face. But someone snapped from the distance and cleared his throat.“It’s definitely not the wind, sire,” Benny announced on his feet. We all turned to him, and like he liked the attention he’d dragged to himself, he tugged at his suit and pointed towards the door with a proud smile on his face. “It’s another son of the Creeks.”Everyone turne
Aiden’s PovI looked Artemis in the eyes. she was anxious—anxious to leave the hall and have her peace in a secluded room that is void of the sea of eyes settled on us. I could tell she’s most irritated by Kane’s presence, but the big bad thing is we can’t decline my father’s order.I took my hand off her waist, and with a reassuring smile, I took her hand and led her into the center of the hall. The hall formed a circle around us and watched us as we danced. I did my best to guide Artemis’ steps in the dance.She’s not fond of such classic dance as we ought to do, to entertain father and his old friends who wished to have us entertain the hall the way they did in their own days.I didn’t loot for the smile on their faces while we danced, I was focused on Artemis’ face. She seemed not to believe she’s the one in the center of the hall, our bodies stretched out in a dance that looked easy but required energy.“Come on, call in the ladies!” father ordered and the internal exit door popp
Author’s PovThe day broke gracefully with the two lovers cuddled over each other in the massive bed of the chamber. Aiden’s eyes slowly popped open. He took a long breath and yawned with his left hand placed over his lips. Artemis on the other hand clung tightly to his chest, but Aiden slowly freed himself of her arms and rolled out of bed. the curtains in the room were big and thick enough to keep the son out for good and the grandfather clock in the room was at a distant corner.Aiden made to the window and pulled at the curtain but it was heavier than the regular ones he’s had to pull in other places he’d visited so far.He returned to the bedside and picked the remote on the bed drawer.“Good morning, darling.” Artemis greeted sleepily, her voice almost stuck withing her throat. She wriggled over and smiled a week smile at Aiden who answered her greetings with a grin and a nod. “Come back to bed—”Aiden chuckled and pressed the remote. The curtains shrugged to the other end of t
Aiden’s PovI could tell she wanted to have a word with me, maybe to threaten me of what stunt she would pull up next, but to me, it was a close chance to pin her to the wall and snare into her face.I felt Kane’s eyes follow me as I left, but I was crafty enough to choose the south door, so no one would suspect I had gone to meet with Kane’s masked lady when I had mine.The south door was the one that led to the restroom, but he had a link to the north, a quick link at that. I charged through the link.Maybe finally, I’ll get my hands on that sickly whore. I was sure she was the one that dared dance with me last night in the mad party.Yes, she wasn’t the one I saw when we arrived at the mansion and saw Kane by his car. She might have switched with the second lady, or she was probably hidden in the car by the devil that brought her as one of his demons.Her footsteps echoed through the hall way, not just hers, though. That of the servants who used the same walkway did the same, but i
(Artemis' POV)I curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest. The room was silent, but my mind was anything but. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it—Daymon stepping in front of me, his body jerking as the bullet tore through him. I heard the sound of it, felt the warmth of his blood on my skin. I was tired. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally—down to my very soul. Every breath felt heavy, every step a burden. The weight of Daymon’s death sat on my chest like a stone, suffocating me.I gasped, shoving my face into my hands. This is my fault.If I had trusted Aiden, if I hadn’t followed Kane like a fool, Daymon would still be alive. I let my guard down, and now I was paying the price.A knock on the door made me tense.“Artemis.” Aiden’s voice was soft, careful.I stared at the door, heart pounding. I didn’t answer.A sigh. Then, “I know you’re awake.”I swallowed, forcing the lump in my throat down. “What do you want?”“To talk.”“I don’t want to talk
Aiden’s POVMy fists clenched at my sides. I was seeing red. Daymon was gone. Killed. And the man responsible was still breathing. Kane murdered him, and I was supposed to just let it go? I wanted nothing more than to make him pay, to make him suffer for what he did.But then my father called me into his office that afternoon, ruining my trail of thoughts.I had spent hours thinking of how to deal with Kane, of how to make him regret ever trying to hard to destroy my life. I walked into the room, barely masking the storm raging inside me.“Good day, Dad,” I greeted, though the words felt empty.“Good day, son.” His expression was unreadable, but I could see the weight of everything pressing on him too.“I called you in to tell you not to do what you're thinking.”I stiffened. “No, Dad. I will kill Kane. I promise you. He must die, he has to pay for what he did to Daymon.”“You will not touch Kane, Aiden.”“I must.” My voice came out harsher than I intended. “He took a brother from me.
Artemis’ POVI drove like a madwoman.The wind cried out against the car, but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the ringing in my ears. The gunshot replayed over and over, splitting my mind in two.Daymon was gone. I couldn't believe it. The only man after Aiden to show me love in ways I didn't expect—died right in front of me and I couldn't do anything to help. I only watched it happen and sped off like the coward I was. I didn't deserve the love he showed me and I wish he hadn't come to my rescue then he'd still be alive right now.I gripped the steering wheel, my fingers aching from how hard I squeezed. My vision blurred, but I kept going, pushing the car past its limit. I didn't know where I was heading, but I knew one thing—I couldn’t stop. If I did, I’d have to face the truth.Daymon was dead because of me.My chest tightened, a choked sob ripping through my throat.I should have stayed. I should have fought with him. But I ran.I was an idiot, a fool.The car skidded as I turn
Artemis' POVThe silence of the forest had become familiar, almost comforting, but tonight, something felt different. A strange tension hung in the air, making my skin crawl. I shifted on the small couch in the cabin, my gaze flickering to the door where Daymon stood, his posture rigid as he peered out the window.We had been here for weeks now, surviving off canned food and whatever small game Daymon could catch. Every night, we’d take turns keeping watch. Every night, we had a quiet understanding—stay hidden, stay alive.But tonight, something was off. It felt strange, I could not pinpoint to why it felt that way, buh it did.I hugged my knees to my chest. “What is it?”Daymon didn’t answer at first. His sharp eyes scanned the darkness outside. Then, without looking at me, he murmured, “They’ve found us.”My stomach dropped, my jaw dropped too. I was lost, I didn't know if I should cry or run for my life. I have never been this scared. The fear overwhelmed me that I find my teeth hi
Artemis' POVThe days in the old cabin had elongated into weeks, each one mindlessly running into the next, making it feel like we were losing track of time. The dense forest that surrounded us became both a sanctuary and a prison, offering protection from Kane's relentless pursuit while isolating us from the world we once knew, after all the life hack and the steady look out for Kane and his men, how can one remember what the real world actually looks like. In this enforced solitude, Daymon and I developed a routine, a delicate dance of survival and companionship.Each morning, the first light of dawn or will I say the first sun rays hits the cabin, which will obviously hit us so had forcing sleep out of our eyes, we had to wake up, nothing much to do just the survival routine but the direct sun rays won't let us get back to sleep. We would rise early. Daymon took it upon himself to teach me the essentials of survival. We'd venture into the forest, where he demonstrated how to identi
Artemis' POVThe forest had a way of amplifying solitude. Each rustling leaf, every distant sign of wildlife, served as a reminder of our isolation, of how disconnected from the world we are. Daymon and I had been hiding in the cabin for what felt like an eternity, and it didn't seem to end. The days blending into nights in a continuous never seem to end cycle which was already draining me both mentally and physically even Daymond noticed . The constant threat of Kane's men loomed over us, turning even the simplest tasks into exercises done with absolute care and vigilance.One particularly cold evening, the wind bleed outside, rattling the windows and blowing through the cracks in the wooden walls. I sat by the fireplace, its warmth doing little to chase away the chill that had settled deep within me. The weight of our predicament pressed heavily on my shoulders, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over me, total and general weakness flushed me, both weakness from the dail
Artemis' POVThe days in the cabin blurred together, each one marked by a cycle of survival. These cycles never seemed to end, the time there was just static. Daymon and I fell into an unspoken rhythm, gathering firewood, rationing our limited supplies, and maintaining the routine of sleepless nights, for any signs of Kane's men. The forest felt so isolated. This isolation felt like both a blessing and a curse; it shielded us from immediate danger but also confined us to each other's company, which was not helping the unspoken tension between us.One evening, the sun was hitting on a different level , casting long shadows through the trees, I found myself sitting by the fireplace, the flickering flames offering the feeling of warmth and uncertain cozyness. Daymon was outside, ensuring our tracks remained concealed. The weight of our situation pressed heavily on my shoulders, and my thoughts drifted to Aiden. Guilt filled me like an empty vessel for doubting him, for allowing Kane to
Artemis & Daymon’s POVArtemis' POVThe darkness of the forest swallowed us whole as Daymon drove deeper into the unknown, the headlights barely cutting through the thick trees. My heart was still hammering in my chest, my breath uneven. Every nerve in my body remained on high alert, expecting gunshots to ring out at any moment, expecting Kane’s men to appear from the shadows and drag me back to that nightmare, shit hole!I stole a glance at Daymon. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw locked in determination. The way he maneuvered the car, every calculated turn, every sharp swerve, spoke volumes about his skill. I must admit, at this point I was beyond impressed. He had always been Aiden’s most trusted bodyguard, and now, he was my only chance at survival.“You okay?” His voice was rough, edged with concern, but he didn’t take his eyes off the road.I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t even know where we are.”Daymon pressed his foo
Artemis povAfter crying myself to sleep, I decided that I can't be living like this, from frying pan to fire , I can't be running round in circles and getting hurt. Kane is an animal, he is a wicked person. I thought I ran to safety and comfort ,not knowing I ran into my own early death. I wholeheartedly entered the lions darn.Now Jesus won't even think of saving my butt like he did with Daniel in the Bible. I am such a fool, and I can't reach Aiden, I need saving.Now all this event has occurred thanks toe, the guards are more on guard, silently and stylishly following me every where I go like I am in some sort of prison or something.If I run out , before I can even make it to the gate , I might get shot or I might be captured and this time around restricted to my room only, maybe with chain also. Kane made it clear ! If he can't have me, then no one can. It's either him or I die. I am cooked. I thought of all these so deeply and tears rolled down my cheeks, I am all alone again