Into the Lion's den

I spent the entire fifteen-hour flight to Shanghai being restless. Even as I lay in Aren's arms in the bedroom of his luxurious private jet, I couldn't sleep. Unlike me, Aren slept like a baby, but I guess his level of exhaustion finally forced his system to rest. From the moment he had come back to New York, he didn't leave my side, working from my room in the clinic in between taking care of me. Even when Miranda had finally agreed to release me from observation, Aren didn't go to his office to pamper me as if I was a child. He didn't let me do anything by myself, and he would have carried me around the penthouse so I wouldn't tire my feet if I didn't firmly protest against it. It felt awkward at times, but I couldn't help but feel my heart melting as I saw his concern filled with yet-unnamed emotions scratching their way out. Now, he was lying peacefully beside me, and I tried to soothe my nerves by stroking his thick black hair. Looking at his beautiful sleeping face was the only