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CHAPTER 5
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Aiden had been surprised when he’d gotten the text from Nevaeh asking him to meet her at the High Tide Gallery on north Greystone Avenue. He’d worked later than he’d planned to and then made his way across town to the gallery opening for an artist that Aiden had never heard of before, Amedeo Bellini.
He mentioned Nevaeh’s name at the door and was told to go right in. He got a glass of wine from the waiter and walked through the room stopping to study the art. He’d never taken time to appreciate this kind of thing.
His brother, Landon, collected sculptures, and their mother had an affinity for photography. But Aiden wasn’t interested in anything unless it brought him closer to his goal of bringing down Skyler Belmont.
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“Got a minute, Neve?”“Sure,” she replied, surprised to see Julian Devereaux at this event. Though he was a decent PR man, he didn’t move in the same circles she did.“Uh, first I want to say, I’m sorry you didn’t get the promotion.” Nevaeh genuinely liked Julian and with a few more years of experience, he was going to be exactly what her father needed. For now, he was smart and savvy but a little young and inexperienced.“As my father said, ‘the best man got the job’,” she said. Julian flushed.“I hope I can live up to that expectation.”“Of course, you will. So… what did you want?”“I was hoping you’d have some time in your sched
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Nevaeh was tired, cranky, and out of sorts when she left her apartment the next morning for her meeting with Julian Devereaux. And she wasn’t very well prepared. She hadn’t gone back to the office after she’d decided to quit working for her father, so she had no notes other than the things she’d kept in her head. And this might not be the best morning for a meeting because all she could think about was Aiden… his kiss… his hands… his embrace… She hated the fact that they’d both agreed to part ways. She knew it was the most sensible thing to do but she ached for him. That kiss last night had made it impossible for her to do anything other than moon over the man, toss and turn in her bed thinking about him… naked… on top of her. And that
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She chewed on her lower lip. Aiden lowered his head and brushed her mouth with his. He wanted to deepen the contact but restraint was needed now. Later when they were alone in his office…“I think I need to hide most of all from you, Aiden.”“Why is that?”“Because you see me in ways that no one else does.” The elevator doors opened before Aiden could respond and his brother stood there in the hallway waiting for them.“We’ll finish this conversation later.”“Oh… Will we?” Nevaeh asked in that sassy way of hers. She was getting herself back from the shock of seeing that photo. He was glad for it. He could deal with the ballsy woman better than the vulnerable one.“I just said we wo
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She looked at her watch.“Damn it!” Nevaeh exclaimed slowly. Nevaeh was thirty minutes late for her meeting with Julian Devereaux. She wasn’t exactly sure of what she’d agreed to in Aiden’s office but she knew they’d discuss it further when he came to her house tonight for dinner. She called her housekeeper and informed her she’d have a guest for dinner. Then she stopped in front of the ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ corporate offices. Since their earlier meeting at Starbucks had been delayed, Julian had suggested they try for lunch. He was lounging against a low railing that lined the handicap ramp leading to the entrance, cigarette in one hand, cellphone in the other. The wind blew
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Aiden was as familiar with the ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ organizational chart as he was with his own. He knew all the players in the company and the name Julian Devereaux wasn’t ringing any bells.“We’re checking him out. Seems like that picture of the two of you caused a stir, as well.” He didn’t give a crap about what people thought about him. Aiden had made himself stop caring the day his parents had moved them out of their large family home just off of Main Street and into a mobile home park. It was the same day that the local ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ announced record sales and plans to double the size of their store. But he didn’t like the fact that anyone was speculating on what was between him and Nevaeh. What he felt for her was too raw.
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Appearances were a tricky thing, Aiden thought as he watched Nevaeh move through the crowded club. Anyone seeing her now would never have guessed at the vulnerability he’d witnessed in her home earlier. He’d ached to draw her into his arms and just hold her but Aiden knew he was just as much to blame for her current troubles. She was incandescent tonight, glowing with a light from within, as she moved among her high-society friends, the groupies who followed the deejay from club to club and the paparazzi that seemed to follow her everywhere she went. Aiden leaned against the wall in the VIP section and just watched her sparkle. He still had absolutely no idea what he was going to do with her other than take her to his bed. He knew that if he wanted her there, tonight, he should be a little more sociable but nightclubs like this left him cold. And pr
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Aiden opened his car door and pocketed his keys. He escorted her into his house. As the door closed behind them, he felt a sense of rightness. Nevaeh belonged here. He could talk her into anything on his home turf. But he didn’t want to persuade her to stay. He wanted her as hot for him as he was for her. Aiden led her into the living room with the plasma screen TV on one wall and the tropical fish tank on the other. There was expensive art hanging on the wall that his decorator had purchased and the floor was made of marble he’d had imported from Italy. He didn’t want to acknowledge it but he knew that he’d been working hard his entire life for a moment like this one. And he wanted her to know that he wasn’t some poor kid who’d lost everything and lived on government sub
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Nevaeh shifted again in his arms but it was futile. She wasn’t getting closer to him until he decided she was.“I need more, Aiden… I need more of you, more of this…”“Not yet, Neve,” he countered. She realized then that he was playing her. Not in a malicious way but in a... power way. One that made her submissive to him and his desires. He’d give her what she wanted but only on his agenda. She didn’t understand what his agenda was here. But she felt that he did have one. Her heart was pounding… She stepped away and looked at Aiden. His gray eyes were cold and flat. She saw the passion in him in the flush of his skin and the erection straining against the front of his pants. But she saw that he kept a part of himself locked away fr
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Their wedding day arrived. None of them wanted to wait too long, considering that 3 days were more than enough to organize a small, private wedding just for them and their families at her father’s estate. Her father’s chauffeur-driven Mercedes arrived promptly at 7 p.m. Nevaeh nervously smoothed her hands down the lines of her white satin wedding dress that belonged to her great-grandmother and was created by a famous French designer in 1955. Her mother wore that dress too and now it was her turn. When he saw his daughter, Skyler cleared his throat and climbed out of the back of the car while Marcus, his driver, stood holding the door open. Nevaeh stood at the top of the steps looking down at her father. Their relationship was still a little awkward but h
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He brought his mouth down the mounds of her breasts and sucked in the tightened nipple. She arched her back as he continued to massage the aching nipple, reaching down to hold his head close to her body. Aiden nipped at the swollen bud and then licked over the spot, making another moan escape her body. He switched to the other side, giving her other breast equal attention, before continuing his journey down her body. How he’d missed her… He wanted to explore every single inch of her he’d missed out on over the last few days. He reached her stomach and ran his tongue over the satin skin. When Aiden got lower, towards her core, he stopped for a second and looked at her. Nevaeh was the most beautiful woman he’d ever made lov
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Nevaeh heard an insistent pounding at her door. She was back in her old condo and the only people who knew she was there were her father and Blossom since she had come over the first night she came back there. ‘Well, whoever the disturber was maybe he will go away…’ she thought and continued writing on her computer. Still, the pounding increased.“For God’s sake…” she exclaimed while climbing out of her bed and went to open the door, not bothering to put on a robe to cover up an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts. If the person was rude enough to disturb her on a Saturday night, then whoever it was could deal with her bedtime apparel. She yanked open the door.“What do you want at this…?” she snapped before looking up.
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After nearly a week at the Ritz, Nevaeh realized that her old habits were back. She was sleeping maybe two hours a night. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t get comfortable in her sleep and kept rolling over, searching for Aiden. She wished that she could calm the voices in her head. The ones that warned her that maybe she’d overreacted and that she should go back and try one more time to make Aiden see reason. Finally, she got up, wrapped herself in a robe, and went to the windows. While glancing down at the streets, everything came into the picture. She didn’t need to leave Chicago. She needed to find her place here. She realized no matter how hard she ran or how far she moved away, the past would always be with her. The pa
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Aiden went inside the Aquarium, straight to the table he’d reserved for the event, and sat down. But he was scarcely aware of anything going on around him. He knew he should be making plans. Now that Skyler Belmont knew he had enough shares to force him out there was a chance the other man would try to manipulate the stock somehow. But he couldn’t focus on that just now. Where was Nevaeh going? Why had he let her leave like that? What happened was on her too. He just wasn’t willing to give into any kind of ultimatum. It didn’t help that she tried to make him change his mind. The moment she’d entered his life, Aiden knew in his heart he couldn’t have her and the company. But he also knew he wasn’t willing to put an end to his desire of punishing her father. No matter
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How could she have been so wrong about Aiden? Nevaeh left the Shedd Aquarium and looked for a cab out front. There wasn’t any… And even if there was, she had no idea where to go now… She had no safe haven… no safety net… no man to go back to… no loving arms to hold her while crying her heart out. That afternoon when she and Aiden made love, Nevaeh could swear that there was something so overwhelming in his eyes, in his voice… something so unique… something that went over the usual love stories she read or knew about… And earlier, when Aiden said he loved her in front of her father, she felt her heart flying out of her chest. The emotion was so out of this world. No one said ‘I love you’ to her… n
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Aiden hated the way Nevaeh stood with her arm wrapped around her waist. His instincts had said letting her go off with her father had been a bad idea. He cared deeply for her but he wasn’t about to shelter her from the truth. “Tell me what exactly, Aiden?” she repeated, still waiting for his answer. “I’m not sure…” he replied. He didn’t know how much information Skyler Belmont already knew. “Let me help you, then… Something about your buying up shares in ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ and forcing the family out.” Oh, okay… Skyler’s information was complete. Aiden wondered if he had a leak in his own organization or if the boys at ‘Nevaeh’s Dresser’ had finally gotten smart. “Well, I didn’t buy up the shares. ‘Cargill Investments’ did on behalf of a consortium
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Later, while preparing, images of them making love were still running around Nevaeh's mind. Her entire body was still tingling. What happened was so… unique, so wonderful… so new. Nevaeh had the impression that, for the first time since they were together, they really, absolutely made love. Sweet, passionate, pure love. The way he talked to her, the way he touched her, the way he played with her body… Aiden never did it before. He came close, but he never went over. Like he was being pulled back by some strange, invisible force. And, that day, he finally freed himself.“Baby, are you ready?” she heard Aiden’s voice coming from downstairs. Nevaeh checked the time. There was plenty of it. Didn’t guys understand that there was more to getting ready than just
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The main door opened and closed quickly and she heard steps approaching the stairs. Finally! Her man was home! She had been waiting for him the entire day, eager to see him, to be with him. Standing in front of the window, Nevaeh tried to maintain her tranquility while waiting for him to enter the room. But she was anxious to see how he was. Aiden was working a lot lately… The last few days had been quite busy, since he and Landon were taking care of something pretty important. She would’ve loved to help him, but whatever it was, Aiden never brought it to their bedroom. This was their little slice of heaven. The outside world wasn’t allowed in here.“Baby?” Nevaeh heard his voice.“I’m up here, Aiden,” she replied and turned towards the door.&nb
