The Mogul (Mature Niall Horan) | Reposted

Chapter 19

I was still working with that lab, getting the study around, they wanted to start immediately. I had known a long time business partner Franklin Wels, I first met him through my dad in the medical world. He had been itching to do his own study, now he had the funding.

I was working well into the night, because I had that awful family trip to go on. I liked my family, but not being trapped with them for an entire weekend.

I left and began the drive to Westville, my mother calling me. "Hey mom."

"Niall! Are you on your way? Have you picked up your girlfriend?"

"She is not my girlfriend." I barked. "If you call her that again I will not come."

"Oh so touchy, fine, your friend, who happens to be a female."

I glared even though she couldn't see. "I'm on my way to get her. I will be at the cabins by nightfall, the roads are slick."

"Drive carefully, see you soon dear."

I said my goodbyes and kept up driving, relaxed in my dark jeans and long sleeve sweater. I went up to her door, seeing her car in the driveway and knocked. I heard steps, and then she opened it, in her pajamas. Her hair was messy, pulled back in a thick headband; her skin was pale as ever, a bit puffy.

"Niall?"

"Let's go. Why aren't you dressed?"

"What?"

"We have that God awful family function that you insisted on my attending. Get upstairs and pack."

"Wait no way; I can't meet your family."

"You are so, go, now. I don't like being late."

I suppose this was another test. I had never brought a woman home to my family, not once, not in my whole life. I had no idea why I wanted her with me, I guess to keep her around. Phoenix was gentle, and that worried me. What if someone took advantage of her while I was away? It really was a fear.

She came downstairs in a pair of black skinny jeans and boots, with a pale pink sweater that had lace detail. Her hair was now brushed, and she had a pearl headband in.

"Okay so... this is odd."

"It is, very odd," I took her bag and walked outside. She followed after me.

"Where are we going?"

"Upstate, a place called Saugatuck, don't ask me why. My mother picked it, it's remote, a series of cabins."

"Um, do I get my own?"

"No, you will be with me."

She nodded and we got into my car. We began driving, for some reason, I was tense. I think it was because I knew it would be the first time when I'd really be alone in a bedroom with her. I knew she was a virgin, and that level of innocence had to stay that way. I didn't want to tempt myself.

"Wow, this is beautiful." She stared in wonder of a logged cabin, right on a big lake that was frozen over. It was just a sea of white.

"That's the main cabin, where my parents are. My mom said we are in cabin two." She nodded and I drove through the snow, this cabin was fairly small, one level, or so it seemed. I grabbed our bags and guided her inside, fearing her feet slipping.

"Wow." She said again. It was all wooden furniture, not my taste, whatsoever. It was very small. "This is so sweet."

"My mother's pick." I shook my head and walked up the stairs, it was just a loft. "Well," I appeared above her, looking down. "It's a one bedroom."