Chapter Twenty-Four

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I just want to start by saying I am so incredibly sorry for the super long wait for this update. Between working 30 hours a week and going to school and TONS of homework and college planning stuff, there wasn't much time for writing. Also, I got stuck in a terrible writer's block rut and didn't have the motivation nor the inspiration to post quality chapters and I don't want to give you guys anything less than my best. 

Hope you enjoy this update and I'll do my best to keep posting!

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I flew up into a sitting position as my heart flew to my throat. I stared wide eyed at the woman standing in the threshold of Aiden’s room. She stared back at me with a hand resting on her hip and brilliant green eyes that burned into my soul. Her hair was a light honey brown that rested on top of her head in a neat bun and she wore a satin gray dress that stopped at her knees.

Suddenly I realized her question still hung in the air and I was just staring at her like an idiot. I quickly got to my feet and straightened out my outfit though I knew it was fine.

“I’m Snow White. I’m not sure if Aiden’s told you anything about me,” I said nervously. Why would Aiden say anything about me? Actually what would he say about me? Oh hell.

“Yes, I know all about his assignment. I’m his aunt, Emersa Fhaun.” Ermersa’s voice was cold and she had yet to move her stance in the doorway. The tension in the room thickened with each quiet second.

And of course, just when I thought it’d be impossible to get more uncomfortable, Aiden walked out of the steaming bathroom with a dark blue towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. I had never seen his bare chest before, I had also never seen a more perfect bare chest before. His entire torso was made up of smooth, taut muscles that I didn’t believe were possible until that particular moment.

I pulled my eyes away from his body and forced myself to look into his eyes as he smirked knowingly in my direction letting me know that my observation didn’t go unnoticed. A blush bloomed on my cheeks and I turned towards his aunt.

“Aiden, put some clothes on before this girl faints. And I want you to come see in my study later on so that we can have a discussion on this particular,” Emersa cast a look in my direction, “assignment.”

It took all of my willpower to squash the overwhelming urge to give her a dirty look at that word. She hardly spoke five words to me and she’s already formed a nasty opinion of me? I’d really like to know her reasoning behind that one.

“Whatever you have to say about Snow you can say it in front of her like a grown woman or you can forget it because I honestly don’t care.” Aiden’s words froze me with absolute shock. And a little bit of respect.

“You are out of line.” Emersa’s eyes were like silver ice.

“And you are in my room,” Aiden walked towards until he had backed her out of the doorway, “now get out.”

And I thought he was mean to me.

Not knowing what else to do with myself, I settled for sitting on the edge of his king sized bed.

Without saying another word Aiden pulled out dark jeans and a thin, black sweater out of his dresser. And without so much as a warning he pulled the towel from around his hips and threw it onto his bed.

“Woah!” I cried, covering my face with both hands. “You couldn’t give me a warning?!”

“You didn’t see anything.” He replied confidently.

“That’s debatable.”

“Don’t act like you would mind if you caught a glimpse of something.”

“You are so conceited.” I said rolling my eyes but still not removing my hands from them.

I heard his deep laugh in response before he grasped my wrists and pulled them away from my face. His face was inches from mine, smiling. “It isn’t conceited when you know I caught the way you were ogling me earlier, sweetheart.”

I growled and tried to yank my wrists free. “You’re delusional.”

He pinned me against his bed and hovered over me. My heart started to pound violently in my chest in response to Aiden’s touch and the unnerving fact that I was being held down in his bed. I mean, yeah we had shared a bed a couple of times but this was different. This was his territory.

“Am I?”

“Aren’t we supposed to be doing something important?” I asked trying not to sound as intimidated as I really was.

“Answer me.” Aiden’s smile was deadly.

I looked at his chest and nodded. “Yes, you are entirely delusional.”

“You’re a terrible liar.” He chuckled and stood up. “Now stop trying to get off task, we have important stuff to be doing.”

“I would throw something at you if you were interesting enough to actually have stuff in your room.” I hissed. Of course he would turn exactly what I said around and use it on me.

Without saying anything else, Aiden strode out of the room.

What does he think I am, a mind reader? First he strips without warning and now he just expects me to follow him the moment he makes up his mind to leave the room.

Irritated, I got up and followed him down the long, winding hallway that eventually led to another, smaller staircase. As if one wasn’t enough.

The staircase led to another floor with a long hallway stretching out before us. We went down this hallway until we reached, you guessed it, another staircase. It was smaller and wooden, but still. All of these stairs for one house?

The stairs led into a small, library like room. It was open with a large, domed skylight for the ceiling. There were several loveseats and recliners around the room surrounded by shelves and coffee tables stacked with piles of books. The entire room was absolutely magnificent.

“Sit.” Aiden said pointing to a floral print loveseat and began searching the room for different books. Several times he would pull one from a shelf and place it on the coffee table in front of me. He did this until he had built up a stack taller than me.

“Alright. Get to reading.” Aiden said sitting down next to me and relaxing.

“You’re hilarious.” I deadpanned.

“I’m serious.”

“Well that’s too bad because I’m not reading all of these.” I said scanning my eyes over the huge stack of books. There’s no telling how long it would take to read every one of them.

Aiden sighed and picked up the book that rested on the top of the stack and shoved it into my hands. The title read The History of the Elusive Fae. What kind of name is that?

I was about to scoff and toss it back onto the coffee table when the cover picture caught my attention. It was a beautiful woman with curly black hair, high cheekbones, and chocolate, almond shaped eyes staring straight ahead. She was identical to my mother.

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