Aaron was losing what little patience he had. He couldn't help but feel angry when his friend spoke of Elena lustfully. Even though it was Joseph's joke, Granger felt nerves boiling in her mind.
The man did not usually feel jealous. He barely knew the meaning of the word. But, as always, with Elena things were different.
"You did not answer my calls, I missed you"
"I am counting," Granger said, tapping her index finger against the watch on her wrist.
Joseph laughed, pleased with his unique ability to irritate Granger. At least he was sure he wouldn't lose his own mind, or his job.
Aaron's cell phone began vibrating on the table before another joke could be made by Carter, and he answered it before even looking at the cal
"Are you busy?" the man's voice had exactly the effect Elena feared. It was as if her senses were trained to identify the sounds that Aaron's mouth uttered. Elena breathed in and out before responding because she knew the chances of stuttering were high. "Not anymore." "Then tell me. How about dinner tonight?" he pressed. "It would be nice to get out for some fresh air." "I think the same. How about Los Angeles?" "It's a beautiful city," Elena replied as the elevator's steel doors opened, and she stepped inside. "Let me rephrase. How about dinner in Los Angeles?" "Just to show me yo
Aaron walked to the balcony access doors and closed them. The truth was, he did not like places too airy. "I never lived in this house, Little Angel," he replied. "What?" "We lived in New York, and when my parents moved, I decided to stay," Aaron murmured, not very interested. He used a control to close the automatic curtains, and once again the lovely lady found herself impressed by the modernity of the house. Not that it was unusual, but she liked how every detail in the Granger mansion seemed to be well-planned. "Your life sounds interesting," Elena commented. She sat on Aaron's bed, which was covered by a blue sheet. The color was very similar to the man's eyes, and perh
"I promise by all that I am, Little Angel. When things go wrong, you won't be with me. I will be the only one to pay for the secrets I've chosen to keep," Aaron wished he wasn't so rooted in that feeling. He wished he could simply shut it off, as he had done before. He wanted to extinguish the flame in his heart, but he couldn't. It was too late not to feel, even though it was too dangerous to feel. "When you find out who I really am, I hope you've forgotten my name," the man couldn't resist. He ran his fingers through Elena's hair, unaware of how intense the touch was for her. Then, Aaron hugged her. The woman's back was pressed against his chest, and only the comforter between them prevented him from feeling her warmth. And yet, he held her against his flesh as if she were a lifeline. "You're my angel, but I don't expect to be saved in this life."
"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence," Damon quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm as Elena reached the bottom step. Without a word, Damon gestured towards the waiting car, a sleek black sedan idling at the curb, its windows tinted to obscure the view inside. Elena hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Damon and the ominous vehicle, a silent harbinger of the unknown horrors that awaited them. As Elena descended the staircase, each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of impending doom settling like a leaden cloak around her shoulders. Damon waited impatiently at the bottom, his demeanor exuding a sense of controlled menace that sent a chill down Elena's spine. "Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence," Damon
"I'm just... commenting," he was sarcastic in his response. "We are the same, Volkov, we did the same thing. If I decide to destroy you, the same happens to me. And guess what? The opposite is also true," Aaron felt that all the shots of tequila he had drunk weren't enough, so he decided to fill his glass once more. The bottle was already halfway gone when he placed it back on the table. Granger didn't even feel the burn of the drink going down his throat. "I killed Benedict, George destroyed the evidence, one of my men disposed of the body, and you kept the secret under wraps, taking over your family's company and protecting everyone, including me. Who is worse, Aaron?" Those conversations between Volkov and Granger were commonplace. They always spoke explicitly about crimes because if either of them were record
After a few seconds, Aaron tore his eyes away from the frame. He knew that all this investigation, like the ones before it, was focused on his family. He took a seat in one of the chairs opposite Spencer's desk. The environment was much more familiar than he deemed prudent. "You were present the night Benedict died," the inspector accused. Granger reclined in the uncomfortable chair. His superior posture remained unshakeable, despite being out of his comfort zone. Aaron twirled the silver ring on his middle finger before looking at Spencer and saying: "Prove it." "You'll rot in a fetid cell, I promise." "Put me in the cell, then" just like the inspector, Aaron knew how to provoke. Granger's blue eyes sparkled with challenge. The way he joked with Spencer whenever he could made the inspector's hatred increase. Aaron knew that the police were far from fully discovering the truth, and he wouldn't be the one to put his cards on the table. "Why was Benedict killed?" Spencer asked,
"Some pills, perhaps," the woman replied nonchalantly. That answer made the man lose his breathing rhythm. His concern was replaced by anger. Aaron closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just to keep from shouting all the curses he knew, in all the languages he knew. However, when he spoke again, his calm still seemed to have not returned. "What the fuck? Did you get drugged?" "Not just me. Anastasia too" she replied. "Where are you, my angel?" Aaron tried not to get upset, because he knew self-control was his best quality. "I don't know. Maybe Manhattan? Aaron, I need to shut down. My mind is spiraling," Elena communicated, and then smiled again. That sound would be like classical music to a man's ears, if there weren't large doses of alcohol in the female voice. "Don't you dare hang up" he threatened, using a tone of voice that would certainly intimidate a sober Elena, but not this drunk Elena. "You can't force me. In fact, you don't care. You don't even like me" despite be
She kissed his jaw, then moved down to his throat. Elena rested her hands on Granger's chest, digging her nails with little pressure into the fabric of his skin. Meanwhile, her mouth continued to take him to heaven. "Don't go beyond what you can handle," Aaron whispered. It was a threat, but it served to add gasoline to the fire that consumed Elena. She kissed Aaron's muscular chest, sliding her tongue against his skin exquisitely. And all the pressure of the moment was too much for the man. He couldn't wait any longer, so he grabbed Elena's arm again and turned against the door. She allowed him to exert absolute control over her body. Granger undid the tie on her robe, and saw the thin fabric fall like a veil at the woman's feet. Elena was beautiful from every angle, but the man had to admit that that angle was privileged. He noticed some redness on her skin, right where her palm hit it. Therefore, Aaron massaged the area as gently as possible. God forbid he should tarnish her
"It's okay" He whispered to reassure his daughter, gently rocking the baby in his arms.The girl had an inexplicable connection with her father. Every time he heard the man's voice, he stopped crying, and had been doing so since he was born. In some cases, she even attempted a smile, which always made Aaron melt.A few minutes after changing his daughter's diaper, Aaron was sitting on the armchair next to her crib. He told a story to get the girl to go back to sleep."The princess was the most beautiful girl in the kingdom, and she had never found a prince to marry..." he told her in a low voice while she looked at him with large blue halos. "The princes tried hard to get her attention, but she didn't want them" Aaron paused briefly to observe his daughter's expression, who was welcomed into her father's arms. "There was also a... a toad. Yes, a toad" he tested the term on his lips.While Aaron was presenting a story to his daughter, Elena was in the doorway, leaning against the doorf
"He is sure?" This question, coming from Aaron, actually surprises me."All the certainty in the world" I guarantee.Aaron pulls me onto his lap and his hands rest on my ass as we find ourselves again in an intense kiss.He goes down and runs his nose along the length of my neck, then places a tender kiss on the spot. All the blood in my body ignites and I see my inner goddess more than connected. Aaron trails his kisses down my lap, until he reaches my breasts. I grab his hair and pull him against me. His hot breath hitting my skin wreaks havoc on my self control.I move my hips in slow circles over his considerably large erection. Aaron lets out a muffled moan above me."Elena" my name is a prayer on your lips. Completely dominated by repressed desire, I move my hands down until I find the edge of my pajamas. His hands squeeze my ass tighter as I try to lower the fabric.We remained staring at each other for a few minutes. I rest my forehead against his when I finally pull down his
"Good morning" I respond with a smile.I do not know how to deal with this phase of ours. It feels strange to go back to the way we were, and it also feels wrong to walk away.I get up, even though I want to spend the rest of the day in bed, and walk to the living room.Aaron is sitting on the floor on the shag rug while typing something on his Mac. He appears to be very focused despite the casual setting and sweatpants."Hi" greeting.He stops for a moment and takes me in completely, letting his eyes roam from my feet to my eyes. "Did you sleep well?" It's your first concern."I tried" I shrug. I approach him slowly, not wanting to force our shaken intimacy."Hungry?" He asks. I think the last reasonably acceptable food I ate was yesterday's lunch, still at home."A lot" I answer sincerely. I sit on the sofa, very close to him."I didn't order breakfast before because I thought I would wake up late" he smiles sideways, a little embarrassed. I could say it's almost cute to see him lik
"Elena" Aaron calls. He lifts my chin with his fingertips, analyzing every detail of my face. We both know our situation as a couple, but this moment seems beyond normal. Looking at him after thinking I would be killed is like balm for my scars."I've had all the shit I could handle for one day and now I am in a hospital. When I stop and think about everything that happened, I feel so confused. I just need to rest and maybe forget… everything" I mutter quietly, letting it out.I let the tears flow down my eyes. It's a very heavy load that I've borne alone since I woke up today. I tried to be strong and push through, but with him here, I want to share. I want to forget everything, I feel ready for that.He closes his eyes, as if my pain consumes him."I am sorry" he asks in a whisper. I shake my head positively, several times. "It was my fault, the fault of the enemies I made. You shouldn't be here. I failed to protect you." Aaron says without looking me in the eye.I look for his face
I stagger to my feet, moving away from him. I still think about running, but I wouldn't be faster running than him running. Damon tries to grab my arm once again, but I quickly move away from his touch."Your death won't be quick, I want to savor it" he says. "Don't be useless, Kisha" Damon now addresses the woman who is still on the ground.She looks at him with a bad expression, one of pure hatred and remorse. Kisha gets up and picks up the revolver she dropped on the floor."Build a fire, I need closure for this bitch” he mutters and turns his gaze to me. My stomach turns with the disgust I feel hearing him quote me like that."Stay away from me, you disgusting thing” I whisper.He leans down and grabs the lapels of my coat. My face is close to yours and I can feel your hot alcoholic breath hit my cheek.I turn my face to the side, avoiding his gaze."Look at me, RoseFord" he asks in a firm voice. I do not look at him and, in response, he pulls my coat tighter, bringing my body clo
Perhaps Damon Donovan's death was God's mercy, for if I had laid hands on him, I would have torn him apart, just like Kisha. Any insult seems little to such a son of a bitch.It doesn't take a genius to know that, after Damon's death and Elena's disappearance, Kisha is involved.I open the door and go out, I need air. Breathing is difficult knowing that I do not have my wife with me, that's why I say I prefer her to oxygen, I need her more.I walk back and forth on the sidewalk. When will this hell end? When will I hold my son in my arms and look at my beautiful wife at the same time, without worrying about some maniac after my happiness?I feel the cell phone vibrate again. I answer before I even look at the caller ID."Granger" I say between nervousness and impatience."Aaron" his sweet voice fills my ears.It's her.For a moment, I think it's a hallucination. Am I really hearing your voice? A tired, low and unwelcoming tone, but it's her voice."Elena" I call in a whisper. I hear t
AARON’ POVIn my office."Sir" Welch greets, asking for the floor. With a gesture of my hand, I ask him to continue. I am in my alert mode, any information that gives me the slightest hope is valid. "We still do not have concrete information. All we can do is wait"I walk to the edge of the table and lean over it, spreading my hands across the wood. When Damon Donovan manages to get to Elena all they ask me is to calm down?"Everything that could be done was done, sir. She left her cell phone at EP and we traced her last call, it was to Anastasia" Welch murmurs."And what can be done from this?" I ask. They look at each other for a second and I get my answer in the silence; anything. "Where is the son of a bitch?" I ask, to no one in specific.Wait… wait… to hell with waiting! How the fuck can I sit around and wait for news?"Tracking Damon Donovan's cell phone turned up nothing" Welch mutters. He is sitting in a chair in front of my desk. "But…" he pauses for a second, as if he's get
"You are lying!" I turn to him with all the conviction in the world to defend my friend. I walk a few steps towards him in a moment of shock. This bastard has to be lying. Anastasia would never do that to me… would she? "She’s not like you” I assure you."Ana, please come in" is all he says, sporting a horrifying smile.And then I watch the world fall at my feet as the door is unlocked and opened. Anastasia enters the office as if she were another person, someone completely unknown to me. His posture is low, his gaze is calm, his clothes are not very elaborate and his expression is dead."That look of yours is killing me, darling. No need to feel so bad, I am sure your pathetic marital problems were the height of Anastasia's days.""You son of a bitch! How could you do this to me?" I ask."He didn't do anything that you didn't allow, Elena. But I didn't come here to bring you another family problem, but a solution""Fuck you, Damon. Everything you've done has destabilized me enough. I
The comfortable fabric makes me live in a utopia for a few seconds, until I hear the sound of the doorknob being turned. Flashbacks run through my mind and my first concern is the dot.I position myself sitting, crossing my legs. I turn on the bedside lamp and wait until Aaron enters."Hi” he murmurs. I do not answer, because what I want to say goes far beyond two letters. "It’s okay with you…you two” his tone is low and almost melodic. Aaron walks over to the bed and sits on the edge of the mattress, relatively far away from me."What happened?" Whisper."You fainted and had a bleed, you need to do some tests to get a certain result, but the obstetrician believes that this has to do with everything that has been happening in your life"Your low posture says a lot about your mood. Aaron is extremely tired; sold off."You mean… all the shit I’ve been through” I correct."Elena, please""No, Aaron. Don't ask me please, do not ask me to calm down, do not ask me for time, do not ask me fo