Saturday, October 5, 2017, 9:36pm
Hotel Renaissance
...
Sylas watched as Arlo and Amia weaved their way through the crowd and headed toward the glass doors leading to the expansive grounds of the hotel. Beside him, Noah sighed and his shoulders slumped. He glanced at the unusually morose man and nudged him with his elbow. Noah blinked quickly as though snapping out of a trance and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
"I've royally fucked up Sylas." Noah said with a half-hearted chuckle at his own self-depreciation.
Sylas raised an eyebrow at the statement and Noah pointed his thumb towards the staircase that led to the second-floor balconies. He followed behind the blonde, dodging women who grabbed onto him and men vying to pitch him their proposals. He knew the behavior was rude but was suddenly not in the mood to placate anyone.
When they reached the door to one of the many private balconies overlooking the grounds, he could still see Amia and her father walking arm and arm towards the dark hedge maze. Her silver dress caught the moonlight with each step forward. Sylas tore his eyes away and sat on the stone bench adjacent to the railing while Noah watched them until they disappeared. The blonde rested his cheek in his hand and reached into his suit pocket to pull out a flask. Sylas rolled his eyes and snatched the flask away as soon as it touched the forlorn man's lips.
"Talk." Sylas said and put the flask into his own pocket. Noah turned away from the grounds and leaned his back against the railing.
"Amia is..." He started hesitantly. "Amia is my ex-girlfriend."
Sylas leaned against the railing as well as he processed what Noah was saying. So he was the former boyfriend she had mentioned. She never talked about her ex much. Outside of their first meeting, he hadn't been mentioned. It wasn't like Sylas cared but he had always wondered about the idiot that let Amia slip through his fingers. If Noah's dark demeanor was anything to go by, he wasn't quite over their separation. This was...unfortunate. He retrieved the flask from his pocket, unscrewed the top, and took a giant swing. Noah took a sip as well and hissed as the harsh liquor hit the back of his throat before he passed the flask back to Sylas.
"We had been together for three years." Noah said as he looked up at the dark sky above them.
"The day she told me she loved me I had no idea what to do. I had never heard those words uttered by anyone that wasn't my mother or father. I was always marked as dead last, that I would never amount to anything. I would only be a liability to my father and anyone else around me. For awhile I believed them ya know."
Sylas ran his fingers through his hair as he took another drink from the flask. He definitely didn't want to hear his best friend declare his undying love for the woman he was currently with. Something about Noah's face made him stay put despite his discomfort and inherent desire to punch him in the face.
"Then here she comes out of the blue with a confession and I had no idea how to take it but it made me happy. To feel respected and admired by someone else. To have someone to believe in you when for so long you could only believe in yourself." The blonde continues, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It was great for a while you know, her father even let us get our own place together."
"She's an amazing cook!"
'I know.'
"She knows just the right thing to say to pick you up."
'I know.'
"It feels like you kicked a puppy if you make her sad."
'I know.'
"She was only a vir-"
"Noah." Sylas cut off sharply, his nails cut into his palms as he tried to keep his temper under control.
He was going to punch the man if he kept down that train of thought. Noah didn't mind. He only shrugged his shoulders and drank more.
"She really did love me and I tried to love her back but I just couldn't. I think she could sense it too, she's patient but she's not dumb. One day she asked me about having a family and I panicked. Of course, I said that I was willing but on the inside, I knew I wasn't ready for that. I still don't know if I'm ready for that with anyone actually. I think she also knew that and we just began drifting apart."
"I didn't know you even had a...girlfriend." Sylas said as he took the flask from Noah and took a swig.
The word girlfriend tasted sour on his tongue. Noah smirked and turned to face the grounds again.
"That's because it was a secret. To the public at least." Noah explained just as two figures re-emerged from the maze. "Arlo didn't want Amia's name tarnished if something were to go wrong and it wouldn't be a good look for the country to see the leader's son dating around. But-"
Noah paused and gripped the edge of the railing until his knuckles turned white. Noticing his blue eyes glaring down at something below, Sylas turned around to see what had his attention. Arlo and Amia had now been joined by none other than George. Sylas felt his anger flare up even more as Arlo left the two of them alone and headed back into the gala.
"Now she's going to be shipped off to Sabaku and I can't help but think it's my fault." Noah mumbled wearily.
"What are you talking about?" Sylas asked, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. Noah shrugged and motioned for him to pass the flask back.
"All of the advisor wives are whispering about it. They're just pissed that none of their daughters have gotten George's interest. Dallas is a bit more regressive than we are. George is actually the youngest son of the Sabaku family but the eldest child is his sister and his brother was seen as unfit to lead. Neither one of them can take over in case something happens to him so he needs an heir. Arlo is trying to strike a deal with him."
'Strike a deal.' Sylas thought as he watched the pair re-enter the party. 'Like his own daughter was property that could be auctioned off to the highest bidder.'
"This is all my fault." Noah mumbled and closed his eyes.
"Do you love her?" Sylas asked, each word feeling more forced than the last.
Noah looked up at him for a long moment as though trying to figure out why he would ask such a thing. When he couldn't find the answer, the blonde sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"No." he said finally and Sylas relaxed by a small fraction with this knowledge.
The silence of the humid night air was oppressive around them. Both were left to stew in their own thoughts. Sylas wasn't quite sure what to make of this new development, but he wasn't going to allow Amia to be carted off like a chess piece. He wasn't going to go the route that Noah had chosen, one that was resigned to a higher authority. Noah worked within the system. Sylas loathed it. He had never been fond of authority figures anyway. If this was the game Arlo wanted to play, he'd play. He'd win. He'd smash the board and scatter its pieces.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
…..
Saturday, October 5, 10:47 pm
Hotel Renaissance
...
Amia bit her lower lip as she tried not to cry in front of all these people. She could do this. She had to do this. She was a Hato above all else. Above what Sylas might think of this decision. Above her own selfish feelings. She took a deep breath and watched as her father and Felix sat at the long table on a raised stage as they prepared for the signing ceremony. This was for the betterment of their family. Her father was a proud man. She knew it had to be humbling for him to reach out to the Uri in the first place. He had set aside his pride to do what he knew to be the right path. Why couldn't she also follow in his footsteps?
She noticed the glass door opening and Aviva slipping into the crowd with a barely concealed grin on her face. The younger girl craned her neck as she scanned the crowd and Amia knew that she was looking for her. Amia loved her sister but she didn't want to look at Aviva right now. She didn't want to smile; she didn't want to cajole her. She didn't want to look at her father or his followers. Their calculating gazes were oppressive enough. She instead looked down at her hand on George's arm and couldn't help the queasy feeling that began to bubble up within her. She rubbed her free hand against her dress to wick away the accumulated moisture, but it didn't help.
The room felt as though it had become ten degrees hotter and her chest tightened. Amia was familiar with these signs. After the death of her mother, she became prone to fainting spells. She had gotten adept at recognizing the signs early enough to stave off an episode. Carefully she slipped away from George and stealthily moved through the bodies packed into the ballroom. Once she made it out into the considerably cooler hallway, she still didn't feel very well. It felt like the room was spinning and she would collapse at any moment. She leaned against the cold marble and willed her breathing to even out but to no avail.
"Hato." She heard a voice call behind her before she felt her upper arm yanked roughly to pull her upright.
The person pulled her close and she felt her heartbeat gradually slow. An arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her forward through the hotel lobby and out to where dozens of luxury vehicles were parked to whisk away their owners. Amia tried to break free but the person's hold was too strong and she was much too weak to do anything. The person silently led her to one of the cars and the driver promptly opened the door. Her captor was surprisingly gentle as they scooped her up and helped her into the car.
The door to the car shut behind her and for a second, Amia closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cold window pane. It was quiet here. She did her best to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth until she no longer felt like the world was spinning. She lifted her head from the window and the door to the car opened. Her eyes widened as she realized that her captor had been none other than Sylas. She would have blushed from embarrassment if she didn't feel so drained.
"Hato." He said calmly, eyebrows raised slightly as though asking her the silent question of if she was ready to return.
Was she ready? Did she want to go back? Being that this was such an important event, her absence had probably been noted. Sylas' as well since he had been standing outside the car this whole time. She closed her eyes and imagined how many more people she would have to speak to and the smiles she would have to give. She wanted none of it. Without opening her eyes, she shook her head. She couldn't do it. Sylas climbed into the backseat as well and with only a few exchanges of words with the driver, they pulled off into the night. She leaned her forehead against the cool window again, watching the lights of the city flash by quickly.
"Where do you live?" Sylas asked and Amia shook her head.
She didn't want to go home.
"Where do want to go?"
She shook her head again. She had no idea. All she knew was that she wanted to be far, far away. Away from her obligations and duties. Far away from the burden she was being asked to undertake. She wanted to be selfish. She wanted to be loved. Sylas' fingers brushed against her cheeks as he pushed some of her hair off her face. His fingertips left a trail of electricity and her eyes fluttered open to meet his. At that moment, she knew exactly what she wanted.
"Stay with me."
…..
Sunday, October 6, 2017, 12:23 am
Uri Residence
...
The room was dark. The only light that filtered through was from the other buildings that surrounded them. Sylas sat on the edge of the bed with his shirt unbuttoned and dark eyes following her every move. She shivered under his gaze but didn't avert her eyes. Despite how nervous it made her, something about the desire in his eyes kept her standing still. She reached around her back and unzipped her gown. The heavy silver material cascaded into a pool at her feet, laying bare her skin to the man before her. He motioned for her to come closer and when she was within his reach he sat her in his lap. He held her face in his hands, thumbs rubbing over her skin and sending more sparks through her body.
His eyes never left her's for a second, conveying a message she wasn't sure how to decipher. He tasted like whiskey. When he kissed her, there was the same strange feeling in the pit of her stomach but there was a different edge to it. His tongue moved against hers gently, sweetly, in a fashion that she had never expected him to be capable of. The sensation made her mind feel fuzzy and her fingertips numb. His hands glided slowly over every inch of her skin as though he were trying to memorize her every curve.
Amia pulled away from their kiss and traced the strong lines of his jaw. His aristocratic features were truly a work of art. She placed soft kisses along his jaw and down his pale neck, sliding his shirt off his shoulders to expose more skin for her to explore. His pale skin glowed in the dim light of the room and she smiled as goose bumps popped up wherever her lips touched. For such a stern man, he was very receptive to her touch. While this was an excellent reaction she wanted, no needed, more. She wanted to watch the elusive Sylas Uri melt by her hand and become utterly unraveled. She wanted him to need her just as much as she needed him.
She slipped off of his lap and nestled herself on her knees between his legs. Her hands ran smoothly up his thighs before she unzipped his pants and freed his hardened member. She blushed as she looked at it up close. This was the thing that gave her immense pleasure. The thing that made her orgasm repeatedly and forget her own name. She nervously brushed her hand against it, causing Sylas to suck in his breath. She looked up at him in surprise. Was he really that sensitive here? She wrapped her whole hand around it and he bucked slightly in her hand. A small bead of cum was beginning to form at the tip and she used her thumb to swirl it around, relishing the reaction that she got from him.
Tentatively, Amia licked it, tasting the cum that had begun accumulating at the tip again. It was salty but it wasn't unpleasant. Deciding she didn't mind the taste, she took him into her mouth entirely and wrapped her hand around what she couldn't fit. Sylas' fingers weaved their way through her hair, his grip tightening as her tongue experimentally swirled around him. She liked this, this control that she was able to have over him. It made the warmth she felt in the pit of her stomach spread outwards and his restrained breathing turned her on even more. She sucked faster and faster, her hand moving in time with her mouth. She could feel his member become stiffer in her mouth and wondered if that meant that he would cum soon. It made her wet just thinking about it.
Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance to find out because Sylas pulled her head back, his chest rising and falling. She thought she had done something wrong for a moment, but the smoldering look in his eyes quelled her insecurity. Amia stood up before him and he quickly hooked his fingers around her damp underwear and pulled them down. His fingers skillfully slid up her thighs and rubbed her swollen center. He smirked up at her, pleasantly surprised to find her already wet and more than ready for him. He pulled her onto the bed and spread her legs so that he could fit between them.
Amia pushed his pants down low on his hips and he pulled them the rest of the way off. Sylas captured her lips once more and she responded eagerly to his every touch, raising her hips so the tip of his length rubbed against her. He groaned at her enticement and gave into her silent request. Amia gasped as he entered her. This was entirely different from before. What was this? One of his rough hands fondled her breast while he placed languid kisses along her neck and shoulder. She clenched around him as he bit her.
"Sylas!" She moaned, fingernails digging into his shoulders.
The way he fucked her was so intoxicating that she was sure that it had to be a trick of her own mind. Every bit of her met him thrust for thrust and her heart felt as though it would burst at any moment. It was too good. How was something like this even possible? He pulled her in for another kiss, gentle and coaxing. She responded in kind and rolled her hips against his. It made her feel warm...safe...
"Amia." He groaned and the sound of her name spilling from his lips sent a jolt through her.
They fit together perfectly and it wasn't long before she found herself orgasming around him. After a few more thrusts Sylas also met his end, his warm seed filling her up. He rolled off of her and both of them stared up at the ceiling with labored breaths. She felt his fingers intertwine with her own and her hand felt so small in his possession. As she came down from her high, she realized something. Out of all the times they had been together, this was the first time they had made love. It was an entirely new sensation that almost made her want to cry when she realized what it meant. This was no longer something that was casual that she could easily walk away from. She was beginning to fall for Sylas Uri.
Was she really falling in love with the man who randomly brought her camellias and claimed that she should show up the work earlier no matter how early she arrived? Was she falling for someone who held her hair as she threw up uncontrollably and still looked at her at the end of the day like she was beautiful? He was obstinate, ambitious, and had a quick temper. In many ways, he was very much like her father and that thought made a lump form in her throat. Tears began to prick at the corners of her eyes and she did nothing to stop them from tumbling down.
...
Sunday, October 6, 2017, 4:37 am
Hato Estate
...
The early morning breeze ruffled through her hair as she approached the front door of her house. She had stolen clothes and slipped out of Sylas' apartment in the wee hours of the morning before even an early bird like him could wake up. As much as it pained her to leave him, she knew that she couldn't do this anymore. Her feelings for him were no longer casual and she had to walk away before they became any deeper.
The house was thankfully quiet as she entered and no one seemed to be waiting to ambush her to interrogate where she had been the last few hours. Slowly she made her way up the stairs and down the hall to where her room resided at the very end. Amia opened the door to her room and sighed deeply when she noticed the lump nestled in the center of her bed. The tufts of brown hair peeking out from under the white comforter let her know it was Aviva.
Her heart twisted with guilt as she imagined her sister staying up all night waiting for her to return home. The animosity she had felt towards Aviva from the night before dissipated entirely and now just left her feeling sick. Her sister had done nothing wrong in this situation and Amia knew that she had no idea what was happening behind her back. What she was willing to sacrifice for her happiness...
Amia placed the bag that held her dress on the floor and crawled into the bed. The extra weight caused the mattress to sink slightly. Aviva groaned and opened her eyes. Amia smiled as she slipped under the covers; Aviva had always been a light sleeper. The younger Hato looked up at her through tired eyes and gave her a small frown.
"Where have you been?" She asked groggily, her voice full of exhaustion. Amia ran her fingers through Aviva's hair and the girl's eyes closed, forgetting her line of questioning.
"Did you have fun last night?" Amia asked and Aviva nodded weakly, worming her way into Amia's warmth. "Are you happy?"
Aviva's face broke into a weary smile and her arms wrapped around Amia's waist as she scooted in close.
"Amia...I think...maybe, I'm falling in love..." She whispered as she fell back to sleep and Amia felt her heart clench painfully at the admission. She kissed the top of Aviva's head and closed her eyes.
"Me too."