𝐀 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The cut around my neck that the plastic wire had left was slowly healing, but the memory of how it got there would never leave my head. I traced the red mark with my pointer finger, my mind going back to the previous week.

I had been struggling for days with mixed feelings about Felicity. Nobody was allowed to visit her except her lawyer, but sometimes I wished I could. I still had so many questions and she was the only one who could provide the answers.

The bruising on my face was fadinggoing, and I could admit that I looked less tired after spending almost every night wrapped up in Aiyden's arms. At first, it was to take care of him. To make sure he knew I was there and that everything was okay. Things were far from okay though.

The man appeared behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and resting his chin on my shoulder. "Good morning, little devil."

I gave him a weak smile, every doubt I had about us or me staying here coming to the surface.

We had poured every drop of liquor in the house down the drain and thrown away the bottles, but I was still scared. Scared that just the smallest thing would happen and things would be bad again. Or worse.

"Aiyden," I said softly, looking at the sink and avoiding his eyes in the mirror at all costs.

He stiffened. His arms fell from my skin and he took a step back, leaning against the doorpost. "Did I hurt you?"

The question made my eyes widen and I spun around so fast I nearly fell over. I approached him and held his face in my hands. "No. Never. I just..."

He grabbed my wrists but didn't pull my hands away. He just rubbed his thumbs over them. "Tell me. I don't want you to think you can't."

I nodded at myself. "I'm just scared."

His fingers dropped to my waist and he pulled me against his chest. "Everything will be okay. You're here."

"That's not what I mean." A tear rolled down my cheek and I watched it fall onto his chest. "What happens when we face another setback? When we come across more shit? I can't lose you, Aiyden. Ever."

His jaw clenched and he got a tortured look on his face, fear flooding his eyes. He wanted to release me but I held on, wrapping my arms around him and placing my cheek against his warm chest. The next words out of his mouth nearly made me sob. "Please don't leave me."

"Never." I knew why that was where his mind would go when I addressed this particular subject. How he and his ex-wife were on good terms was beyond me.

Aiyden wasn't a particularly aggressive man, nor did he have a temper, but from what I've heard, Sadie had pulled some shit with him that in most eyes was unforgivable.

I rose to my tiptoes and softly pressed my lips against his. "I'm never leaving you. You are my future, baby."

He smiled against my mouth, pushing me back against the vanity, and the air around us instantly changed.

We hadn't had sex since I came back-mainly because Aiyden wanted me to 'heal.' That didn't mean I hadn't been thinking about it. God, anyone with eyes would probably not be able to resist this man that long.

"I can't wait to put a baby in you," he mumbled when he trailed kisses down my neck, and I swallowed hard. Though the thought didn't scare me. I was more shocked by the way my body reacted to those words.

"Aiyden," I breathed out shakily, burying my fingers in his short hair. He slid the strap of my pajama top off and took a nipple in his mouth, bolts of pleasure shooting straight to my core.