Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 37 -Aston

Back in the limousine, I have Everly by my side.

"That was amazing," she says. "It was really amazing. You did so good."

I gaze at her.

She looks fucking gorgeous, but for some reason, she seems a little sad. Her eyes are red like she's been crying or something.

I don't feel proud that I had to do what I did. Telling the world about my mother's cancer diagnosis is not something I wanted to do. But I felt I had to if I wanted to change this godforsaken image problem. I had to give the public something if it's not the truth of what happened with Sienna.

"That was fucking brutal, and I don't want to do it again," I tell her.

"What are you talking about? That's just the tip of the iceberg. We have many more shows to book. We've got to get the name of the charity out there."

"I said no, and I fucking mean it." My tone is harsher than I mean for it to be, but I need her to understand that I'm serious. "I don't want to talk about my mother anymore. It's fucking personal and not something I want to broadcast to the world."

"But it's the reason for the charity, and it's so admirable," she says softly.

"I'm not going to pimp myself out, Everly. It's my fucking pain we're talking about here. The world doesn't deserve to know about it."

"But being able to talk about your pain is what heals it. Keeping it buried inside isn't healthy, Aston," she says.

Then, Everly becomes quiet. She's quiet for the rest of the ride, not wanting to look me in the eyes.

I feel fucking bad for not going along with her plan, but I just can't. It's too hard to talk about my mom like that on fucking national television.

I sit back in the limousine, and we listen to Lina prattle on the phone to anyone who will listen about the new charity.

Eventually, we get back to Thomas Real Estate Group. I go straight past my office and up to the roof, where I can think. I need some quiet and some fucking air to regain my bearings.

I'm surprised when the door opens, and she appears.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I ask, turning toward Everly.

"I needed to check on you to see if you're okay."

"Okay?" I turn to her as she walks to me. "You wanted to see if I'm okay? Well, I just had my fucking heart torn out of my chest on national television, so how do you think I'm doing?"

I notice a tear sliding down her face. "I—I didn't...I never expected you to..."

"I had to do it," I say, facing the view.

Massive buildings meet my gaze as I'm reminded I'm just a man. New York has a way of making you humble, of prompting you to realize that there are a million fucking people waiting to take your place. And if I get canceled, that's exactly what will happen.

"You didn't need to go there," she says. "It was too personal."

"They're rabid dogs, and I had to give them something."

"But not that. You didn't need to do that."

"Fuck, Everly." I turn to her, taking in the perfect lines of her doll-like face. "You wanted me to get personal, to expose myself. I did that. I did exactly what you wanted me to do."

Tears fall down her gorgeous cheeks. "I never would have wanted that, Aston. I didn't know about your mom. I had no idea that's why you chose that charity. I mean, it's great. It's a good cause. But to tell everyone that..."

I sigh, remembering how my mother struggled for years with her diagnosis. I remember how fucking hard it was at the end, the way she withered down into nothing.

It's suddenly too much for me to bear.

That's the kind of pain that never goes away. It makes what happened with Sienna look like child's play. The pain of grief is a never-ending war you have with yourself and the universe at large.

Fuck.

I don't want to think of this now.

So, I do the only thing I can.

I take Everly in my arms.

It's been so long. Weeks of holding back and telling myself that she's off-limits, that I shouldn't go there.

I finally give in to the desire brewing just under the surface.

I hold her, and she holds me back.

I wipe her tears away with the pad of my thumb. "Don't fucking cry, angel. I don't want to see you cry."

I bend down, pressing my lips to hers, and she receives me, opening her mouth.

Yes.

If there's something that can erase all pain, it's Everly.

Fucking angel.

She has this way of bringing me into the present moment, into her.

I swipe my fingers through her hair, forcing her closer to me. And we stand like this for a long time, kissing on the rooftop against the eyes of all the other people in the buildings, against the eyes of the world.

Let them watch.

Let them see me fuck her.

I slowly remove the straps of her dress so that it falls to the concrete floor. She stands in nothing but a bra and panties.

Let them see.

She's beautiful.

I unhook her bra as she gasps, "But Aston, we're exposed. Everyone can view this roof."

Fuck it.

Let them see us. Let them see how gorgeous she is.

Let them see.

"I need you now," I say to her, my voice a low growl. "I fucking need you."

Her eyes meet mine, registering that I must have her now.

She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me to her. I breathe in the scent of her hair. Fucking fresh, like the sea. I let myself bask in it, believing for the first time in a long time that everything will be all right.

Maybe my mistakes can be fixed. Maybe the pain I've been running from, all the fucking pain, can fade.

I must make her mine, claim her, and melt into her.

Everly.

Slowly, I've realized that being with her dissolves all the pain.

She's like a drug, the antidote to all my angst.

I kiss her hard, knowing that this is what I want, no more holding back.