*****WARNING***** This chapter may contain scenes of a sexual nature, and/ or scenes of violence. Please be advised.*****
Thanks Raelene for your words of support. Here's chap 10 Please vote, comment & fan.
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Recap chap 9:
"You don't know how happy you've made me." I whimpered when tears threatened to breach my eyes.
It had been the happiest, most heartwarming moment of my life. I only hoped it could have lasted forever.
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Chapter 9: Caught Red Handed
Xavier POV
Day after day passed; nearly a month, and Aria and I were closer than ever. We submerged ourselves in our duties to the kingdom. She would have made a great Princess, a great Queen, of that I was certain. I lounged on the soft, brown leather couch in my study and remembered the time we spent together.
I was overcome by the thought of her. She was a sweet woman. She had such kindness, such tenacity, such grace. After she explained Zander's circumstance to me, I felt guilty for wanting to dismember him. I went to my father, the King, on his behalf. I found him in a particularly good mood that day and was pleased he decided to forgo punishment for their indiscretion.
Aria and I set Zander and Maria up in a small cottage on the outskirts of the palace grounds. This would have given them their privacy and a place to start their family. The cottage was a short walk from the main campus and near enough so the two of them were always at our disposal.
Zander was a trusted servant and friend. I owed him this much because he looked after Aria for so long, when I had so thoroughly ignored her. He was invaluable to me in the last month. He ran interference with Selene, bailed me out when she tried to follow through with her advances. I explained that we were over, that Aria and I had started a real relationship, but Selene hadn't give up so easily. I spurned all of her advances but she was determined.
Footsteps startled me back to the present and I hoped to find anyone other than who stood waiting in my doorway.
"Selene." I greeted her with civility.; After all, she was to become my brother's wife.
"Xavier." She approached me.
"Do you need something Selene? I'm rather busy. I have some important things to do." I was accustomed to greeting her coldly, a way to distance myself from the tumultuous nature of our relationship. No matter how I tried, I couldn't have escaped the guilt that accompanied knowing that I had sought after my brother's fiancée, though none of those feelings still existed.
"I have something to do as well... you!" She spoke cunningly as she sauntered over and crawled on top of me. She rubbed her body against mine, placed gentle kisses on my neck.
"Selene, I don't love you. It was only lust." I announced confidently.
"Love, lust, what's the difference? Who cares?" She responded.
"Selene." I protested as she reached for my manhood. I felt its response, it was automatic. I was a little ashamed, but I knew I couldn't have controlled it. A slight moan escaped my lips. She continued her caresses and though I hadn't want to encourage her, though I admit, I had enjoyed it.
"Selene, I'm warning you" My words were interrupted by her mouth. I knew I had to stop this; the lust rose within me when she gripped my hard member forcefully through my pants. I hadn't wanted to do hurt Aria, but my resolve had weakened. I pushed her away gently, created space between us. I would have no choice but to harm her, if she hadn't halted her advances.
"Selene." I begged, felt my resolve falter as the lust threatened to overtake me.I couldn't have let that happen.
"Stop this! You're getting married tomorrow. What would Ronan think?" I reasoned.
"What would Ronan think?" His words were full of anger and pain. I hadn't noticed in my state of arousal that the door that was once slightly ajar was now fully open and gave way to my brother's death glare.
"It's not what you think Ronan." I shoved her off, hoped he wouldn't get the wrong idea. He stood in front of me, stared me down. We were face to face. I tried to respond, to explain but I had no words. It was as he thought it was, or it used to be, and I deserved what came next.
"It's not what I think? It's EXACTLY what I think. Don't pretend you didn't enjoy every touch, every kiss, every moment you stole from her." He grabbed her forcefully, pulled her behind him. He was angry, I knew he would have been, but I needed to explain.
"Ronan" I grabbed him, tried to stop him, but he shoved me with such force that I crashed into the wall with a harrowing thud. Glass and plaster rained down on me. He was taller, but not stronger, not faster. I knew I could have taken him, but what was the point? I'd had it coming.
"NOW we're even." I had no response. This was my penance for my betrayal. He snarled at me ferociously, and barred his fangs.
"I hate you. You are no brother to me." His words were emotionless. Then just as quickly as he'd appeared, they were gone.
I sat there, stunned by the violent turn of events. Anger welled up that I couldn't have controlled. How could I have been so selfish? I grabbed the first thing I found. I wanted to destroy it, to unleash the pain and guilt. I smashed the desk violently and crashed it through the window. I didn't hazard a guess at what people would have thought of the new lawn ornament. I slumped to the ground, gripped at my dark hair, and ruffled it ferociously.
"If you wanted to redecorate..." the sweetest voice mused.
Ronan POV
Fury rose within me as I dragged Selene down the hall and into my room. I slapped her hard, harder than I should have, but I could not have contained my anger any longer .
"You and my brother!" I snarled, even angrier than before.
"I've know you to throw yourself at men Selene, that I could tolerate, but not my brother." Venom spewed from my lips. Vile fury covered me.
"Ronan, I..." She started, teary eyed and hesitant, but she wouldn't be allowed to finish.
"I can never forgive you Selene." I shoved her hard against the wall. She smashed her head and crumpled to the floor. I needed to leave or I would have regretted it. I started to leave, but turned and made an angry confession of my own.
"You aren't the only one who covets someone else's fiancée. Arianna's lips taste sweeter than yours and her body..." Venom leaked from my words as I left her there, confused and broken.
Arianna POV
"If you wanted to redecorate..." I mused.
"I can think of another way." I tried to lighten his mood but I saw it would have been unsuccessful. He just looked at me dazed, with confusion and pain. I ran to him, wanted to comfort him, to have discovered his torment. He spoke solemnly.
"He knows about Selene. He found us together..." He never finished. I supposed he couldn't have. Shame covered him like a shroud.
"He found you together?" I must admit I was confused and a little angry. What had he meant by that? I thought they were over.
"She came here, throwing herself at me, kissing me and..." He trailed off but regained his thoughts as I waited.
"I told her to stop, that I didn't feel that way for her anymore, but she was adamant." Again, shame covered him.
"He saw us, there was... an altercation." He gestured toward the dent in the wall, plaster and glass littered the floor below.
"He hates me. He says I'm not his brother. He said we were even, whatever that means. I know I deserve worse than this for betraying my brother's trust." He admitted painfully.
I saw that he'd given up hope, hope that he could have repaired the damage he'd done. I held him tightly. I comforted him but I took no comfort for myself. I knew exactly what Ronan had meant when he'd said that they were even. I was terrified that Xavier would have discovered the truth behind those words.
Later that night, I laid in my bed and teemed with guilt. Shame and remorse poured over me like a waterfall. I couldn't have faced any of them, knowing what I'd done, knowing what I'd kept secret. What had I done?
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of movement. Suddenly, he was on top of me, his sweet lips on mine. His breath, his scent, filled me with desire. I couldn't stand this. I couldn't stand that I loved them both. The truth was, I had loved them both, but in very different ways.
"Ronan" I stopped his advances. I wanted to feel the tingle, the excitement that built within me, but I could not have stomached the regret that went with it. What I was doing was wrong. It was so wrong, yet I couldn't have stopped myself. I searched my soul and found a new sense of calm.
"Ronan, stop this. You're getting married tomorrow." I was adamant.
"Why should we stop? Do you know what they were doing right under our noses?" He was angry and hurt. I knew it was true, but it was over, and what we had done was far worse. I looked to him sympathetically and tried to convey understanding.
"Ronan, you have to stop this. You need to be with Selene. I need some... time to figure things out." I tried to sound casual, but my heart was broken. He saw through my weak façade.
"Aria, I love you, more than Selene, more than I've loved anyone. I will have you, in ALL the ways I promised." I wanted to protest, but there was nothing I could have said. I knew I wanted him too, though it killed me to have admitted it. I had my truth, I just hadn't wanted to admit it.
He left me to my thoughts, left me the time I needed to come to terms with myself. The line between love and lust was very thin, and it was blurrier by the minute.
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Ouch... they got caught... Poor Ronan :(
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