All Yours

XI

...

Three days. Just three days, and I'm spiraling, barely clinging to sanity. I'm acting like a fucking lunatic.

Work has me tethered to my desk, drowning in late nights and endless meetings. My mind refuses to focus on anything beyond her. I replay every second of our last encounter—her trembling frame, her gasps, her scent. God, her scent. It clings to me like a haunting melody, wrapping itself around my every waking thought.

Thursday now. Each passing day draws me closer to the moment I finally reveal myself to her—fully, completely. But patience is a virtue, and I've spent years perfecting mine. Soon, dove. Just a little longer.

Tonight, work dragged on far longer than I anticipated. Dorian and I were stuck pouring over expansion plans for our Rome project. It's ironic, really. Rome, the Eternal City.

A place filled with my family, my bloodline, my legacy. Yet the only thing eternal in my mind is her. The image of Aurora is etched into my brain, unshakable.

By the time I shut my laptop and pack my things, exhaustion weighs heavy on my shoulders, but the thought of seeing her renews my energy. I make my way to the bathroom, swap my suit for my signature hoodie and jeans, and prepare for what I know will be the highlight of my night.

~~

Her house is dark when I arrive, a peculiar sight. Usually, there's a faint glow from the TV or a bedside lamp. She has her routines, and I've memorized them all. Yet tonight, the silence feels...off.

Still, I let myself in with ease. She may have changed her locks recently—clever girl—but that won't stop me. Nothing ever will.

The house is quiet, almost unnervingly so. Each step I take echoes faintly, my boots heavy against the wooden floor. I ascend the stairs and push open the door to her room. Empty. The air feels cold, untouched. My stomach tightens. Where the hell is she?

Dammit, I should've checked her phone status.

I step further in, my eyes scanning the space. Her room is a treasure trove of her essence. Every object speaks of her—picture frames on the shelf filled with her radiant smile, soft blankets folded neatly at the foot of her bed, and the faintest hint of her perfume lingering in the air. I let my fingers trail over the edge of her bed, the mattress soft beneath my touch.

This is where she sleeps. This is where she dreams.

The need to be close to her overtakes me, and I sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her pillow into my lap. Her scent surrounds me, and it's intoxicating. My head falls back, muscles loosening as exhaustion from the day catches up to me. I allow myself to sink into her space, my hood pulled low over my face, and for once, I drift into a restless sleep.

~~

AURORA

The long drive back home was supposed to be quick, but the late hour and my heavy eyelids make every mile feel endless. Forgetting my birth control pills at home was a rookie mistake, and I cursed myself for the inconvenience.

Haley's surprise visit had thrown me off. Katrina's apartment had been a welcome reprieve for the day—a fortress of girl talk and rom-coms—but here I was, heading back to retrieve something so small yet so necessary. My pills weren't for preventing pregnancy but for keeping my cycle in check. The joys of being a woman.

When I finally pull into the driveway, the familiar sight of my house greets me. I park without a second thought, leaving the lights off. My plan is simple: get in, grab my stuff, and head back to Katrina's. Quick and encounterless.