Page 14 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

* * *

Rain.

Rain.

Rain.

Where has the sun gone?

Darkness.

Loneliness.

I am tired. So tired.

My arms ache.

Heavy.

Chains?

Am I a prisoner?

I am.

A low growl.

Listen!

My breath stops. My heart halts.

Listen! There is something there!

An outline of ... an animal!

Movement. Clinking. Chains.

My mind screams!

Blink. Focus.

Where is it? What is it?

There! On the wall. A beast.

Squint. Focus.

Chained to the wall.

Ah! It is beautiful!

Tall. Towering.

Bold. Brave.

Beautiful Beast!

It roars!

Fear.

Wounded?

No. Surrounded. Creatures circling.

It needs my help!

Struggling. Caught.

Chained. Trapped.

Silence. Stillness.

Deafening darkness.

Heavy labored breathing.

A Bear!

Cries. Lonely.

Tears. Despair.

Light!

Keys jingle. Metal moves on metal.

Chambers unlock. One. Two. Three.

Click. Click. Click.

The door opens.

A shadow. A silhouette. A savior!

An Angel?

No halo.

Curls.

No robe.

Naked.

No wings.

Stilettos.

The Bear beckons.

Click. Click. Click.

Panting. Anticipating.

Eerie echoes.

Click. Click. Click.

The Angel halts before the Bear.

Confrontation.

Dirty dancing.

Power. Passion.

Demanding. Commanding.

Dirty dancing.

Challenged.

Dirty dancing.

Strong. Stunning.

Dangerous! Delicious!

Dirty dancing.

Challenged.

Dirty dancing.

Battling. Rattling. Roaring.

Breaking. Bondage. Free!

Dirty dancing.

BOOM!

Caged! Trapped!

BOOM!

Bites! Claws!

BOOM!

Challenged.

The Angel sings.

The Bear croons.

Just. Like. That.

BOOM!

Caged! Trapped!

BOOM!

Challenged.

Sacrificed. Sanctified.

Courageous!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Angel dances.

The Angel sings.

Illumination!

THUNDERCLAP!

KABOOM!

My eyes pop open, and I gasp from the rattling windows. The booming sound of the thunder dies away. My heart is racing ninety to nothing! Bewildered, I lay dead still, panting.

Sweet Zeus! Father of the fucking Gods! I try to gather my wits. Aurei's strong arms reach out to me and pull me to him. I lay there knowing I'm safe and secure as long as my hero holds me, and I wait for the panic attack to subside.

When I'm relatively calm again, I hear the rain still pounding outside through the door I left open. The wind is howling, too, and I hear a banging noise outside. I should close the door. The storm is getting worse.

Easing out of his arms undetected, I tiptoe across the floor and close the door. Right when I turn my back to it, lightning strikes overhead, followed by another loud "KABOOM!"

I flee to the bed with all the circling creatures biting at my heels.

Diving on it, I bury myself under the covers and crawl up into Aurei's strong arms again.

He is sound asleep now and doesn't squeeze me.

I use his bicep for my pillow, and I stare out into the darkness, afraid.

Then I remember Titty Bare, and I reach for her to cuddle.

Aurei wakes enough to replace her with another pillow.

Then he pulls me tight against him again.

I feel much better and take a deep breath, hold it then let it out with a big "WHEW!"

Aurei chuckles and slides his always semi-hard rod into the crack of my ass to hold. I smile, knowing he will always protect my tender parts.

He whispers in my ear after he places a sweet, loving kiss on it. "Breathe, baby. Breathe with me, Sweet, Wild Thang. Slow down. Nice and slow."

I close my eyes and breathe with his rhythmic breathing as his breath blows in my ear. Like the first time we did this, it helps to stabilize me, and I smile to the dark as his calmness seeps into me, and I tell it.

I don't ever have to be afraid of you again!

He's never letting me go! Never!

I'm claimed and collared!

I will not fear you, Darkness!

I will not fear you, Despair!

I will not fear you, Depression.

I will not!

My Golden God has got my back!

So there!

Waiting for sleep to come to me, I try to remember the scary dream, but it is gone. There is only the peacefulness of this moment. Right before I drift away, I chuckle.

This is a fitting position to be in. I'm the middle of a Bear sandwich. The center of a bare cookie. One side is real Sugar. The other is artificial sweetness. Life is good.

* * *

Aurei

* * *

When I wake, my woman is cuddled up tight against me, and I marvel again at how impossible I thought this would be. The odds are so great but here she is.

Rolling on my back, then sitting up and replacing my body against her with my pillow, I smile at how she was sandwiched between me and Titty Bare. To be a sexy, sassy stripper, she is so sweet and pure.

She got a kick out of my still sleeping with a teddy bear, but that stuffed animal was a life saver when I needed someone to hug and there was no one. And now, she's cuddled up with it too. I resist the urge to clear away a strand of hair covering her face so I can place a kiss on her soft cheek.

Swallowing the lump of emotion that comes out of nowhere, I marvel at how fortunate I am to have found her, and I set my jaw for the fight that lies ahead to make this work between us. Negotiating a contract that benefits everyone involved is paramount. No one will willingly give up a piece of her.

The initial presentation was received well. Of course, being put on hold and coaxing Siri to sing was a brilliant move on my part. It's hard to argue with perfection, and I planted the seed. I simply must be patient and let it grow roots.

Sliding off the bed, I enter the closet, find my guitar, and ease out onto the patio to wait for my only to wake. We have a big weekend ahead of us, and introducing my family and the political dynamics to her will be tricky.

As I pass the bed on the way to the patio, I untie all the curtains to shut out the daylight and muffle the sound, so she can rest.

* * *

Siri

* * *

I wake to the soft strum of a guitar, the smell of candles burning, and the aroma of something yummy.

Laying flat on my back, I push my arms out from under my pillow and stretch, pointing my toes and arching my back.

Melting back into the bed, I listen to the soft sounds of sweet music and prop my head as my eyes flutter open.

The sleepiness slowly leaves me, and my eyes focus on the ceiling.

Clouds.... It's a painting. How could I have missed this?

The beautiful mosaic is of an open courtyard encircled by Roman columns, topped with a golden gabled roof, and surrounded by clouds. It's recessed inside the ceiling. The only way to see it is if you are lying here in the bed staring up— clever architectural design .

It's a picture of Mount Olympus. Big white fluffy clouds float over, beside, under, and a few even float through it. The lighting and the paint used makes them look three-dimensional.

Wait. There is an inscription etched in the gold. Narrowing my eyes, I squint to read, "Cielo."

Contrary to what I told Aurei, teasing him on the stairs as the media bombarded us with photos last night, I do not have a photographic memory, and I cannot remember the words inscribed on my choker.

Still, I do remember the first three letters of the first word.

They were "Cie." My hand goes to my neck, and my fingertips caress it as I stare up at the exquisite mosaic and those dots connect.

Cielo. Heaven. The first word is Heaven.

Heaven equals .... The image of the words engraved tease me, but they are elusive.

Hmm. What does Aurei's Heaven equal?

I study the picture, trying to find any clues, but it's only a picture of an open area covered by a roof in the clouds.

I smile and hug myself as I realize that in the elevator after the swinger's party when Aurei said to me, "I would rather take you to heaven.

" This is probably what he meant and where he intended to take me.

He's literally brought me to his Heaven.

I'm the luckiest girl alive!

I take a deep breath, then sit up. The bed curtains are drawn, but the muffled sound of Aurei strumming his guitar drifts to me. He is outside on the patio.

While I listen to him play, I put myself through my stretches. When the guitar strumming stops, I listen for any movement from the outside and smile as I picture Aurei listening for me too. Then I grin wickedly, and stifle a giggle.

I am a quiet Kitten.

I roll up on my feet and squat on the bed, ready to pounce if he parts the curtains, but instead, I hear the deep tone that reaches down to the pit of my core as he begins to sing softly.

The words are muffled by the distance and the fabric barrier, but the hum floats in and draws me to him.

I scoot to the edge and push open the curtains just enough to stick my face through.

Glancing quickly around the room, I see that all the French doors are open. The rain has stopped. The sun appears to be setting. The delicious smell of something yummy hits my nose again.

Gawd, that smells good. Heavenly! I giggle silently. Heaven equals let's eat. I step through the curtain feet first and quietly set them down. Candles have been placed side by side to form a path to guide me to him.

Fucking A, Aurelius! Gold Star for being romantic.

Tiptoeing, I make my way down the platform steps and onto the bedroom floor.

The closer I get to the doors, the more I can hear the guitar, but not his words.

He is singing too softly. Standing at the doorway, I peer around the threshold to sneak a peek at him, trying to spy on him, but he stops playing, and I freeze.

'I am a quiet Kitten' pops into my brain again, and I almost lose it giggling as I visualize pouncing on him if he comes through the door now, but I manage to hold it together, listening to his silence.

He is a quiet b....

Hmm. Are Bears quiet?

Every cell in my body listens for any sound coming from the patio, but I hear nothing but silence.

This bear is. I grin.