Earlier this morning Louis released Quinn from the basement. I still wasn't comfortable with the idea of seeing her, so I tried to avoid the places she might go. I stayed away from the doctor's wing, the side of the house where my old room was, and Harry's room. Louis told me of their relationship.
I even avoided the main staircases. There was an employee staircase that I hardly knew existed, so I decided to take that. Unfortunately, Quinn must have had the same idea, for as I was walking down the narrow stairs, she appeared heading toward me.
I stopped abruptly, wanting to turn and run away. But then she looked up and saw me. Her mouth parted and her expression turned sad, or was it guilty.
"Princess..." She murmured.
"I...was trying to avoid you." I mumbled, taking a few backward steps.
"Wait, please." She said quickly. "I know Louis doesn't want me near you, but I have to tell you that I'm sorry."
"Thanks." I said, frowning at the floor.
"Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you." She begged.
I noticed her attire was different from what she usually wore. Rather than dressing nicely in expensive clothes, she wore what could have been mistaken for a potato sack. Her face was dusted with a white powder and her curly hair was in disarray.
She probably noticed me studying her as she spoke up, "I've been demoted to a kitchen maid. He's made it the chef's goal to give me as hard a time as he can."
"Hm." I didn't know what to say to someone who had deliberately put drugs in my tea without telling me. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you drug me?" My voice was quiet as I tried not to show how affected I was by her actions.
"I told Louis. I only wanted to help you accept your feelings for him, to open your eyes so you could realize your attraction for him." She said.
"The real reason." I demanded. "You can't have good intentions and at the same time put a harmful drug into your friend's food without their knowledge."
Quinn stepped up closer to me, glancing up and down the stairs to see if anyone was listening.
"I didn't want to hurt either of you hun, I just...I just love him." She whispered.
"And that's supposed to explain it?" I glared at her.
She sighed. "I wanted to give you a push so that you two would finally have sex. I knew that once Louis gets what he wants, he moves on and throws people away. He tossed me aside once he got in my pants. He would do the same to you and maybe he might come back to me once he was finished with his little infatuation with you." She said in a rush, her eyes tearing up.
My jaw clenched, never having experienced this kind of anger towards someone I once I called a friend. She was jealous of me. She was still in love with Louis and wanted me out of the picture. However, she thought Louis would lose interest in me after we'd been intimate, but that's where her plan failed.
Without thinking about my actions, my hand shot out and I slapped her. I immediately gasped.
"I'm sorry." I worried, surprised at my reaction, but I quickly composed myself. "No, I'm not sorry. You deserved that and more. I once considered you my friend, not to mention trustworthy. But because of your petty jealousy, you nearly ruined everything between Louis and I, which was exactly your plan. But hate to break it to you, sweetie; he's still in love with me, and probably will be for a long time. So get over it and stay away from me and my husband. "
My angry voice sounded rough and foreign to my ears. Quickly turning around, I hurried back up the steps away from her. She kept quiet and I hoped my words had gotten through to her. I wound my way through the halls until I reached our room and I burst inside. Louis was standing beside the bed only wearing a white towel clinging to his hips. His hair was wet and dripping onto the floor as he looked up from his phone. My what a sight...
"Love." He grinned, but when he saw my face he sobered. "What's wrong?"
"I uh...nothing. I just gave Quinn a piece of my mind and...I'm just a little surprised I said some of the things I did." I bit my lip.
He immediately tensed. "Was she a problem?"
"No, she apologized. But Louis, I was mean to her and I slapped her." I didn't know why I felt guilty. Maybe it was because I was never really mean to anyone.
He walked to the closet and laughed. "You slapped her? Shît I wish I could've seen that."
"Louis..." I huffed and noticed a suitcase on the bed. "Where are you going?"
I went to the bed and rifled through the contents of the suitcase. He called from inside the closet, "I've got to go back out. I have a promise I need to keep."
My skin tingled when I found something cold and hard underneath all his clothes. I pulled out a small handgun.
"Aria, what are you doing?" He said from behind me and I jumped.
He swiftly reached around me and took the gun from my hands. I stepped back, seeing he had changed into his regular clothes.
"Am I not allowed to look through your stuff?" I asked sassily.
"Well see now you've completely unfolded everything which I had carefully arranged so everything would fit." He replaced the gun underneath everything.
"You changed quickly." I noted, a little disappointed that I hadn't gotten to ogle his bare skin for very long.
He bumped my shoulder. "Wishing I hadn't?"
Cheeks turning red, I pushed his hands out of the way so I could refold his clothes for him. "I wouldn't have objected if you stayed in the towel a little longer."
He chuckled knowingly and shoved all his belongings deeper into the suitcase before he zipped it shut. He heaved it onto the floor and started rolling it toward the door. I followed him and tugged his shirt.
"Are you trying to leave without saying goodbye?" I pouted.
He grinned at that and faced me, cupping my cheek and leaning in for a soft kiss. "I'm in a hurry. They're waiting for me, but I'll be back in a few days, maybe a week."
"Can't you stay a little longer? I didn't even know you were leaving till now." I asked, sticking my lip out in a pout.
"Wish I could, but everyone's waiting for me." He shrugged his shoulders apologetically and turned to go.
I grabbed his shirt and tugged him back in, kicking the door closed with my foot. Then I reached behind his neck, pulling him down to me and kissing him hard on the mouth. He sighed in satisfaction, dropping the suitcase as I pulled at his hair.
Breaking the kiss, but with our mouths still an inch a part, I whispered, "You're the king, it's not like they'll leave without you. I...I need you right now."
His eyes filled with lust as he gazed at me and I heard him audibly gulp. "You need me?...or you need my dîck?"
I couldn't help but let a nervous laugh burst out before I hid my face in his shirt. "Both?"
He pulled me in closer to him and rasped in my ear, "I suppose they can wait a few minutes."
My lips brushed across the slippery material of his shirt until they met the skin of his neck and I kissed him there, softly. I heard a little sigh escape him and I smiled. His skin was so smooth and so soft. I noticed goosebumps arise where I kissed him as his chest rose and fell. His fingers trailed up my back, taking hold of the zipper of my dress, but he didn't pull.
"Is this what you want?" He breathed, his eyes staring into mine as he waited for my confirmation.
I nodded. "Very much."
His lip was pulled between his teeth and I felt weak at the sight. My skin ignited with heat as he tugged the zipper down. For some reason it felt like the first time he'd undressed me. My real first was growing more and more fuzzy as time went on. Bits and pieces were vanishing from my memory thanks to the memory damaging drug. I didn't want to forget it.
He guided the dress off my shoulders and slid it down my arms, letting it fall to the floor. To distract myself from the nerves that threatened to overwhelm me, I hurriedly unbuttoned his shirt, removing it for him. He pulled my face forward and kissed me again.
Somehow we ended up on our bed and the silky bedspread felt cool against my naked back. Louis was over me, kissing my lips, my neck, my chest. I was breathing hard, all sorts of heavenly sensations rushing through my veins. He smelled devine, having just gotten out of the shower.
He rose up suddenly, his hands moving to his belt and he swiftly unbuckled it. He was so staggeringly hot. I couldn't contain my excitement as I squirmed impatiently, watching him move with the grace of a sex god. His mouth curled into an amused smile.
This time I would remember everything. This time I would be fully able to tell him yes and truly mean it. This time it would be real.
As we both lay there in bed-naked and on top of each other-Louis made love to me for the second time, but also the first time. It was almost like I was experiencing it for the first time, because I was fully aware of everything that was happening. I could see the sweat forming on Louis' forehead as he grunted in his effort to hold his body over me. I could hear his soft moans of pleasure in my ear, taste the sweetness of his lips, feel the warmth of his skin wherever it made contact with mine.
My legs wrapped tightly around him, pulling him in. It felt different, but good. Extremely good. I never wanted to leave this moment with him. The world and its harsh realities were struggling to break the spell, but my mind was filled with nothing but Louis and I was content with that.
Our cries of pleasure mixed together until the high I'd been a slave to for the past twenty minutes slowly faded and I could see clearly. Louis' blue eyes seemed to be piercing my soul as he stared at me with such intensity, I shivered under his gaze.
"I love you so much, Aria. All I want is for you to know that. You don't have to love me back." He whispered, settling on his side and cuddling close me.
I wanted to tell him I loved him too, but I just couldn't. Not yet. The time wasn't right.
Sighing in contentment, I shifted and got comfortable with my back to his chest. I closed my eyes, ready for sleep even though it was only seven in the evening. I expected for us to lay together for the rest of the night, but then Louis shuffled and sat up. He moved to the side of the bed and got off.
"You're leaving?"
I self-consciously covered my nakedness with the sheets. It was one thing to be naked close to him, but entirely another having him across the room, able to peruse all he wanted.
"I'm sorry, baby girl. I really have to go. Believe me, I would much rather stay here and fûck you for the rest of the night, but I've got a job to do." He slid his trousers back up his legs as I shyly watched him.
"I know I know. You have to go so you can save my family. They're what's most important right now." I sighed, remembering the danger my beloved family was in.
Louis finished dressing and came over to my side of the bed. I was sitting up now, holding the sheets to my chest as I watched Louis near me. He leaned over the bed and placed a kiss on my lips.
"I'll be back as soon as I can, alright love?" He said.
"Okay... Please make sure they don't get hurt. I love them." I murmured.
"I know. I'll do my best." With that, Louis took his suitcase and left our bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
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