CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT

"Are you ready to have the twins back?" Dylan asked, but I could tell he felt a little uncomfortable with the unspoken hell his best friend had put me through. It was nice of him to call and check in on me, though, so I tried to put him at ease.

I was alone at home. Bastion had just started working at a nearby gym as a personal trainer and had to get there every morning at 6. I was amazed that they hired him so quickly, but I guess they were extremely short staffed.

Lysander usually joined me for breakfast, but he left rather suddenly today.

I hoped he was okay.

He said that he just had some 'god things' to figure out, but I couldn't help but worry about him. I wasn't a fan of him keeping secrets from me, but then again, he hadn't gotten a chance to tell me about who he really was. I would probably just be confused with whatever he had to say.

"Not yet. I think I'll go get them on Friday. I'm kind of enjoying the break, you know?" He chuckled.

"You don't have to worry about a kid crying and interrupting your special time with Bas, huh." I laughed, popping a cough drop into my mouth. I had insisted on Luden's since it tasted more like a piece of cherry flavored hard candy than an actual cough drop.

"Not everything is about sex, Dylan." I feigned exasperation, only making him laugh harder.

"Baby, come back to bed." A woman's sultry voice rang through the receiver and I shook my head, biting my cheek.

"Ah, speaking of." He said nervously and I could basically see him following her to the bed.

"I'll let you go. Thank you for calling, really. It means a lot." I offered sincerely, rolling my eyes when I heard the girl giggling.

"Yea, no problem, Ari. Take care of yourself, babe." He breathed out before the line went dead. He must be one hell of a lover to get so many girls in his bed. That, or he beguiles just about everyone with a pussy.

I walked over to the kitchen, pouring myself another cup of coffee to settle my nerves. I didn't know what to do with myself in this giant house by myself.

I grimaced when I realized I couldn't drink my coffee with a cough drop and debated chewing and swallowing it, quickly determining that it would defeat the purpose and setting my mug in the microwave for later.

The sudden sound of tires in the driveway had my ears perking and I froze in place, sniffing the air for an unfamiliar scent. Only, the scent was far from unfamiliar.

"Oh my god." I choked out, flinching back against the counter when I heard the lock on the door click, followed by the opening of it.

No, I couldn't do this. Not by myself. He was supposed to come when I had backup.

It took less than a second for Rory to track my heart beat to the kitchen where I was cowering against the granite.

"Love." He sighed in relief, taking a step towards me, but stopping when he saw me wince. "Aria, are you—are you scared of me?" His pained expression broke my heart and without even realizing it, my face was wet with tears.

"Rory." I sobbed, wrapping my arms around my shivering frame to get myself to calm down. I felt like I was losing my mind. Hell, maybe I was. Maybe I was imagining all of this, and he wasn't actually here.

"You're sick." He whispered, eyeing the pack of cough drops still sprawled on the island between us. He took another step towards me, this time not even slowing his stride when I screwed my eyes shut.

I could still hear his breathing with my eyes closed, and the enticing smell of his cologne was confirming that he was really here.

"Drink from me, Aria." He cooed, his hand trailing up my arm and sending a scorching flame straight to my core. I bit back my moan at the incredible sensation, refusing to move an inch besides the subtle shaking of my head.

"I can't."

"Love-" Quicker than I thought possible, my palm struck his cheek, making him recoil, bringing his hand to baby it. I hoped it would make me feel better, but as soon as my eyes met his tear-filled gaze, it only made me realize how much I missed him.

Before I could stop it, Rory had me in his arms, crashing his lips onto mine with frantic force. My sobbing ceased immediately and I responded in kind, passionately tangling my fingers in his feather blonde hair as I moaned against him.

I hated how much I wanted this. How much I craved it.

I needed him. I loved him. It was innate.

I suddenly understood Bastion's parents' relationship; how someone could equally despise their partner and want them at the same time. That was me at that moment. I should've kicked his ass back out, but I slid my tongue against his instead.

"I missed you, Aria." His breath was ragged as I gulped for air, moving to remove his shirt. He helped me, his lips locking back onto mine in a dangerous dance. "Did you miss me?" He asked desperately when it was time for mine to come off.

"Yes. Hell yes." I responded honestly, pressing my lips against his neck hungrily.

"Fuck, love. Lift your hips." He commanded with a groan, making me realize that he had set me on the counter at some point as we kissed. I obeyed, allowing him to slide my pants down my legs in a lust-driven rush.

I wasn't thinking straight, but I didn't care. I could think after he was done filling me.

As soon as my sweats hit the ground, he dropped his slacks, freeing the cock I had missed so dearly.

"Shit." I moaned, reaching down to stroke him. He gripped my jaw in his fingers, pulling my mouth to his once again. His body was even better than I remembered.

His flawless ivory skin rolled deliciously over his muscles as he pressed himself against me, and I was eager for him to claim me again. I lifted my hips off the counter and he caught me, turning me so that I was only suspended on his hips and he was leaning against the cool granite and stained wood.

I tried to push myself onto him, but he kept me locked in place.

"Drink, love." He commanded again, exposing his tantalizing artery.

I didn't hesitate to latch onto him, making him cry out in ecstasy. After a second to settle himself, he speared me, making me suck in a harsh breath against his neck, spilling precious blood down his bicep in the process. I fixed my seal on him, gyrating my hips to savor the way he filled me so perfectly.

"Fucking hell, you're so tight." He groaned, clutching onto my ass with near painful force.

Then, he lifted me, situating himself so that he could thrust into me fast and hard.

I had to stop drinking just so I could follow his movements.

"Rory, yes!" I shouted, the sound foreign in my empty house. He leaned me back so he could suck on the swell of my breast as he fucked me. After a bit he detached himself, climbing my collarbone and neck with kisses.

"You like my cock swelling inside of you, love. Nobody else can love you like I can." He whispered into my ear, pulling my lobe between his teeth. He was right. The way Rory made love to me was as unique as he was, but I couldn't help but catch the meaning behind his words. I chose to ignore them, focusing on how he was making me feel.

This seemed to frustrate him, and he pulled out of me, roughly turning me and bending me over the sink by my hair. He lifted my hips, switching to burying himself into my ass. I cried out in a mix of pleasure and pain, tensing at the sudden intrusion.

He wasn't going slow like he normally would when entering me there. He was being aggressive, but not in the loving way Bas usually was. He was possessing me in an abnormally crazed fashion, his grunts and groans sounding far more animalistic than normal.

"Aria, tell me you aren't fucking Lysander." He hissed in my ear as his hips violently connected with my ass.

Shit.

"W-what?" I choked out, trying to pull away from him, but he wasn't having it. He used the hand that wasn't holding onto my hair like reins to lock my back in place as he continued his violent thrusting.

"You heard me, love. Tell me you aren't fucking him." His fingers tightened their grip, and fear took over every ounce of pleasure I was feeling.

"I'm not!" I screamed, struggling against him in vain. He was close, I could hear it in the way his breathing was becoming more and more shallow.

"Promise me, love."

"I promise!" I yelled again, tears staining my cheeks.

He wasn't making love to me. He was punishing me.

"Thank fuck." He groaned, picking up his pace as he found his finish inside of me. "I love you, Aria." He breathed against my back, but I felt no love at all. As soon as he stilled, I broke his grasp, pushing him away, but tripping and falling to the floor in the process.

"Aria?" He cocked his head, his eyes looking crazed and wild as he questioned my behavior.

He really had no clue what he did wrong.

I backed away on my hands, curling my legs up in front of me for protection. He spent a second lifting and buttoning his pants and belt, never taking his eyes off of me.

"Aria, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?"

"Ly-Lysander." I spoke my prayer aloud, hoping it would somehow make him come to me faster.

Rory's blue eyes flashed red as soon as his name left my lips and he took a menacing step towards me.

"Aria, let's go. Where are the twins?" He whispered deep, taking another step as I retreated further, hitting the wall with my back. He lifted his head and I could tell he was listening for their heartbeats, but he obviously came up empty. "Where are my fucking children, Aria?" He shouted this time, making me jump.

"Lysander!" I screamed.

"Stop saying his fucking name!" He bellowed, striding towards me. I closed my eyes, bracing for him to grab me, but he never did.

"That's enough!" The threatening sound of his voice made my eyes snap open as relief flooded through me.

"This doesn't concern you. She's my bride, you can't keep her from me." Rory spat, trying to get around him, but Lysander held his ground.

"Aria, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Fuck no. I didn't give her anything she didn't want."

"I wasn't asking you!" Lysander's thundering voice shook the whole damn house, making me cower for a moment on reflex.

"N-not on purpose. Please, m-make him leave." Rory was near feral at this point, watching me from underneath Lysander's outspread arms.

"You've got to be kidding me. Aria, you can't kick me out. You're supposed to come with me. Please, get the twins and we can go." He was begging now, his eyes reverting to blue and overflowing with salty tears. My hands covered my mouth to catch my sobs and shame flashed over his face. "Shit, Aria, I didn't mean to scare you. Please, forgive me. I'm sorry." He took another step, but Lysander hissed back at him.

"Do you still want him to leave, Aria?" He asked me, his voice cold and determined.

Rory shook his head, pleading with me.

"I love you. You're everything to me. Please, come with me. We can be happy together."

I looked down, breaking the eye contact that was slowly eating me alive before speaking.

"Rory, I love you, too. More than you know. But I can't go with you. And the twins aren't here." I muttered, jutting my tongue out to moisten my cracked lips.

"Look at me, please, love." His soft voice flooded my senses, and I obeyed. He was so calm. It was like he was a totally different person than the man from moments ago. "Are you really not having an affair with Lysander?"

I looked him dead in the eye as I answered, because I knew it was what he needed.

"I'm not having an affair with him, Rory."

He sighed in relief, but tensed when Lysander stepped towards him.

"Now, how about a question from me? Were you involved in my sister's kidnapping?" He whispered, almost so quietly that I couldn't pick it up. But I did, gasping in horror at the news.

Luna was kidnapped? Rory wouldn't do that, right?

My heart dropped when I saw his eyes dart to mine, wide and frightened.

"Rory?" I spoke his name hesitantly.

"You don't need to teleport me. I'll leave for now." He replied coldly, breaking my gaze to grab his shirt from the kitchen, and before I knew it, he was gone.

"If that asshole wasn't your royal I would've ripped his throat out. I know it was him." Lysander admitted, his eyes glowing bright blue, his chest heaving in anger. A sob broke loose from my lips, pulling him out of his rage and making him turn to my naked and balled up body. "Oh, Aria. Let's get you cleaned up, sweetheart."