Chapter 18


    NADIA.


    Although I was upset with the picture I saw in Riley‘s room, I couldn‘t be angry with him.


    For starters, the female could be his sister or a rtive. It just made me realize that I knew nothing


    about him. But then, I hadn‘t even been here for 24 hours yet, so I shouldn‘t have expected that he


    would tell me everything in his life in the few hours that we spent together.


    Second, if that female was Andrea, should I really be upset? Or should I be thankful that she chose


    another Alpha and left Riley alone, giving me a shot of having him for myself? Because I was certain


    that if Adrea was still here, I‘d be spending my days in the cell, or worse, back with my uncle, rejected


    and unmarked.


    So maybe I should be celebrating that Andrea isn‘t around here anymore.


    But if there was anything I wanted to know, it was who Andrea was and where she stood in his life right


    now. But then again, it would all go back to the fact that we just didn‘t have time to talk about her yet.


    One day, maybe, but until then, I would try my best to just shove her off to the back of my mind. I was


    the one here with Riley, not her.


    And just as long as she doesn‘t show up here and stake a im on him, I should be fine.


    I stepped into the shower broken–hearted but came out of it with a clearer mind.


    I have two months. And the odds were on my side.


    While drying my hair, I was already thinking of grabbing some of his clothes again because I still had to


    pick up my clothes from the basement when I caught sight of my folded clothes on the couch where he


    said he would be sleepingst night.


    I went to pick it up and saw a small note attached to it.


    They were from Riley. He was apologizing for the little brown burn stain on the back of my blouse


    because he tried to iron and press it, but the fabric was too thin and it got slightly burnt. And the note


    ended with a reminder that he‘d wait for me for breakfast.


    I couldn‘t help but smile as I picked up my blouse and checked the back portion. There was indeed a


    slight discoloration, but it was nothing obvious. Heck, he could burn it all and I would still not feel the


    least bit angry at him.


    He was actually making me feel giddy with the thought of him ironing my clothes. I couldn‘t get rid of


    the thoughts in my head about how sexy he must have looked, especially if he was half naked while he


    did that,


    Riley. He still amuses me,


    If I based it on the things I heard about my mate, I should be scared. They said he was a good Alpha,


    but it was hard to stand in proximity to him because his aura was too strong, and if he didn‘t like you,


    he would not hesitate to show it.


    Would that mean he liked me, maybe a bit, because he has been nothing but nice to me: Or was I just


    reading it wrong?


    Or maybe he was trying to like me too. Besides, he has no one now but me. So I should really take


    advantage of this instead of overthinking, right?


    I folded the note he left me and pressed a kiss on it before slipping it into the pocket of my jeans. I then


    took all the clothes with me and dropped them on the bed before I took off the towel covering my body


    and slipped the clothes on.


    I didn‘t have any make–up with me or anything to make me look better, so I just kept biting m y lips and


    pinching my cheeks to add color to them. And when I thought I was ready to face my mate, I hurriedly


    went to the door, casting one more nce into his room to make sure I had set everything back in its


    ce, except for the photo frame, before walking out of the door and closing it behind me.


    I walked with a fast stride down the stairs but slowed down once I reached the first–floor level. My eyes


    scanned the hallway for anyone, but it looked deserted.


    He was probably in his office. My heart was beating erratically as I made my way there, hoping he was


    alone, so I didn‘t need to be scrutinized by anyone in there.


    And just when I was about to knock, the door opened.


    Beta Dominic was standing in front of me, and his face warped into a silly smile before he shook his


    head and moved to the side to give me the way.


    “Now I know why I was kicked out of the room all of a sudden.” My eyebrows hiked up as I stepped


    inside the room and stopped just beside him. I heard someone chuckling from the inside and knew


    immediately that it was my mate.


    “You talked too much. Get away from here.” Beta Dominic winked at me before leaning a bit forward as


    he whispered something.


    “If you‘re not here, I‘m sure his exact words would be ‘fuck off!‘. So thanks for taming him down a bit.”


    And then he was gone. He closed the door behind him as he left, leaving me alone with my mate, who


    was already staring at me from his chair. He was raking me up and down, and instead of being


    conscious, I actually liked that his eyes were on me, and it made me straighten my posture more as I


    shed him a warm smile.


    “Good morning... Sorry I slept too much”


    Têxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “Come here.” His deep baritone voice was too sexy and I had to catch myself to keep myself from


    faltering in my steps as I approached him, stopping in front of his table.


    “Closer.” His eyes were boring deep into mine, and they were starting a fire inside of me. He could say


    anything right now, and I would immediately do it.


    I swallowed as I rounded his desk and stood just beside his chair.


    His hand raised to my arm and he started brushing them softly. His calloused, hard palm skimming


    against the skin of my arm was giving me too many sparks, and I knew my pussy was starting to get


    wet already. He needed to stop caressing my skin.


    “Riley...”


    “Hmmm...”


    “What are you doing?” His hand jolted away from my arm and he let out a deep sigh before leaning his


    back against his chair and closing his eyes.


    “I‘m sorry...”


    “I‘m not angry... it‘s just...”


    He snapped his eyes open and looked at me, his brow raised.


    “It‘ just...”


    “It‘s too many sparks...”


    “You didn‘t like the sparks...” He concluded.


    I bit my bottom lip as I stared at the small desk on his side, just so I didn‘t have to look at him.


    “I like them, but it‘s making me wet too… And I‘m afraid someone wille in and smell my arousal.”


    There I said it.


    A growl rumbled from his chest as he leaned his elbow on his desk and covered his face with his


    hands.


    “Nadia… What will I do with you?”


    I giggled to cover my embarrassment for being too upfront.


    “We can eat breakfast if you haven‘t eaten yet.”


    He slid his hands up to his forehead and tilted his head in my direction. I could see his eyes were still


    ck, but they were slowly returning to their ocean blue color.


    “I think that‘s a good idea before you give me a full erection.”


    I gasped at his words before heughed at my reaction. He stood up from his chair, coiled an arm


    around my waist, and pulled me closer to his. My hands immediately went up to his chest, stopping me


    from mming my face into his hard torso.


    “What games are you exactly ying at, little mate?” His head was leaning down at me, a teasing smile


    tugging at his mouth. I suppressed a grin from forming on my lips as I shook my head. My gaze was


    fixed on him, and I couldn‘t help but marvel at how beautiful he was.


    He was so close and I could see clearly his perfect chiseled nose, the rough stubbles on his chin that


    made him look tougher and sexier, and then, those plump lips.


    I swallowed as my eyes focused on his slightly parted lips, and I suddenly felt so thirsty. I was still


    contemting whether I should attempt to kiss him, but I remembered thatst night, he broke it up


    almost immediately.


    My eyes widened as his face leaned closer. My heart skipped a beat as his lips were closing in o n me,


    and I immediately closed my eyes, bracing for impact. And it was like magic. A collision of senses. His


    lips brushed against mine, and my arms automatically wrapped around his neck as I clung tightly to him


    like he was my saving grace. Oh, Goddess, yes, he was indeed my saving grace.


    A low growl erupted from his chest as his hold on my body tightened as he started to kiss me deeper


    and harder. He was trying to part my lips, and when I finally did, he didn‘t waste time i n plunging his


    tongue into mine. He was kissing me hard and deeply, but passionately, and I was drowning in it.


    We were still lost in each other‘s kisses when I felt something start to rumble in my stomach that


    immediately pushed him away.


    I was embarrassed that it would growl loudly again like yesterday.


    His eyes flitted with confusion as he stared at me, his lips still glistening wet from our kisses.


    “I‘m sorry...” He closed his eyes and turned to the side before brushing a hand over his hair.


    “No. Wait... It‘s not what you think.”


    “I know. You were just teasing. I shouldn‘t have kissed you.”


    “No, that‘s not what I meant.”


    He let out a sigh before he looked at me, confusion written on his face.


    “My stomach was starting to rumble, and I don‘t want you to hear it growling again, likest time. It‘s


    embarrassing.” He raised his eyebrows but didn‘t say anything.


    “Fine, if you don‘t want to believe me, it‘s up to you.” I sighed in desperation as I turned around and


    walked away from him.


    “I‘m going to eat.”


    I didn‘t feel any movement behind me, and I knew I would be disappointed if he didn‘t join me for


    breakfast. I turned my head and looked at him.


    “Have you had breakfast?”


    He just shook his head.


    “Come, eat with me.” I extended my hand for him to hold.


    “And I promise you, I‘ll give you tons of kisses afterward.”


    “But I want a downpayment now.” He was still not moving from his ce and his face was showing no


    emotions at all.


    I wasn‘t sure then if that was a joke or not. I stared at him for a long time as I crossed my arms against


    my chest, waiting for him to say he was joking or something.


    But he wasn‘t moving. He was just staring at me with a stoic expression.


    Stubborn Alpha. He always wanted to have the upper hand.


    I rolled my eyes before walking back to where he was and grabbing his face with my hands and pulling


    it closer to mine before kissing him passionately, letting my lips devour his plump lips. As much as I


    was doing this so we could eat breakfast already, I wouldn‘t deny that I was enjoying this,


    And Goddess, I could get used to this. After a while, I pulled away from kissing him and just stared at


    him. A smile formed on his lips as he cupped my cheeks and rested his forehead on mine.


    “Nadia...”


    “Hmmm...” I mumbled, enjoying the way my name was rolling off his tongue.


    “You‘re beautiful... I hope you know that.” My heart fluttered at his statement. I have been called


    beautiful before but it sounded more


    real and sincereing from him. He was indeed making me feel beautiful. And while I was thinking of


    how I should reply to hispliment, my annoying stomach growled in hunger again, drawing his


    attention.


    “Beautiful... And always hungry.” He added, chuckling, before he withdrew his forehead and coiled an


    arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his side as he guided and walked us towards the door.