𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑| ✍

Chapter 28 • Conflicting Emotions •

The car rolled down the winding country road, enveloped in a silence thick with unspoken words and tension. Nicole sat beside Aiden, her mind swirling with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She was no stranger to difficult situations, but the events of the past few hours had left her reeling, unsure of where she stood with the man beside her.

Well, it was her husband now obviously

Beside her, Aiden's hands clenched the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip, his knuckles turning pale against the dark leather. Nicole watched him out of the corner of her eye, noting the tight set of his jaw and the furrowed lines of his brow. She knew he was wrestling with his own demons, but she also knew that he would never let them see him sweat.

"Are you going to keep glaring at me, or are you going to tell me what's on your mind?" Nicole finally broke the silence, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

Aiden shot her a sidelong glance, his expression guarded. "I could ask you the same thing," he replied, his tone clipped.

Nicole raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by his deflection. "You know me, Aiden. I wear my heart on my sleeve. What you see is what you get."

Aiden let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I know," he admitted begrudgingly. "But sometimes I wish you would keep your thoughts to yourself."

Nicole rolled her eyes, unable to suppress a snort of laughter. "And sometimes I wish you would stop being such a closed book," she shot back. "But here we are."

The corner of Aiden's mouth twitched in a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "Touché," he conceded, his tone softening slightly.

A comfortable silence sat within the car. She felt that now would be the perfect time to ask about Simona, but she stared at him a longer while they drove into the estate. He was stiff and his hands shook a little as he let go of the stirring wheel.

She reached out her hand, but he flinched at her touch brushing his arm. He took it as if her touch repulsed him, and for some reason, it hurt her.

Still, she asked, "Are you okay?" He ignored her and exited the car. Her lips tightened and she gave away a breath as he came to her side, opening the door for her. "Oh, we got married and suddenly you're a gentleman? Okay, husband," she teased.

Nicole stiffled her way out the car and turned to look at Aiden now fully. She watched as his eyes wandered over the grounds of the manor, restlessly. She had never seen him so... distorted. It made her feel uneasy. Then again, the man might have just killed his ex lover.

"I'm gonna go change out this dress," He said nothing.

Being ignored again, Nicole turned on her heel and marched to the door. Without actually reaching it, her arm was held back as she was twirled around. Her chest met his as a small gasped escaped her frame. Aiden now stared back at her, his chest heaving in and out. The emotions she saw in his were raw and deadly.

"You killed her." The words rasped out. She asked them with no hesitation, no fear.

He nodded heated, like he was burning up inside. "And I'm going to kill her," his eyes switched quickly over her head and then back to Nicole. She turned her head slowly and found his grandmother standing in the foyer, watching them.

"You can't, Aiden." She turned back to, "everyone will want to hunt you down."

"But I will, Nicole." His hand reached for her face and he drew a straight line against her jaw. "As my wife, I will want your support. Will you support me?"

She nodded shamelessly, "Tell me what to do."

His arm extended around her shoulders, bringing her closer. "Get inside the car and drive. Thirty minutes, and you're back." He moved back, "Understood?"

"What about your cousins and-"

He cut her off, "Go Nicole."

As Nicole watched Aiden's retreating figure, her heart pounded in her chest with a mixture of fear and determination. She knew that what Aiden was asking of her was dangerous, but she also knew that she couldn't let him face it alone. With a deep breath, she nodded silently, her resolve firm.

Turning on her heel, Nicole marched back to the car, her mind racing with a million thoughts and scenarios. She slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, her hands trembling slightly as she gripped the steering wheel. Taking one last look at the manor looming behind her, she put the car into gear and drove off into the night.

The drive felt like an eternity, each passing minute weighed down by the weight of the secret she now carried. Nicole's mind raced with questions, doubts, and fears, but she pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand. She had to get back to Aiden, no matter what.

As she approached the rendezvous point, Nicole's heart pounded in her chest with anticipation. She scanned the area, searching for any sign of Aiden, but the night was still and quiet, devoid of any movement save for the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

And then, suddenly, he was there. Aiden emerged from the shadows, his expression grim and determined. Nicole's heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, her stomach churning with a mixture of fear and relief.

Without a word, Aiden climbed into the car beside her, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "We have to go," he said hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper.

Nicole nodded silently, her hands gripping the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity. As they drove away into the night, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, like a storm waiting to break.

As they drove back to the city, the tension between Nicole and Aiden was as thick as the fog that blanketed the streets. Despite their mutual dislike for each other, there was an undeniable chemistry that crackled in the air between them, a tension that neither could ignore.

Nicole glanced over at Aiden, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in his stoic expression. "So, care to enlighten me on where exactly we're headed?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

Aiden's jaw tightened, his gaze fixed straight ahead. "You'll see when we get there," he replied curtly, his tone brooking no argument.

Nicole rolled her eyes, the frustration bubbling up inside her. "Oh, great," she muttered under her breath. "Another surprise."

Aiden shot her a sidelong glance, his eyes flashing with irritation. "Look, I didn't exactly plan for this," he snapped, his patience wearing thin. "But we need to deal with Simona before she causes any more trouble."

Nicole bristled at his tone, her own frustration boiling over. "And you couldn't have mentioned this before?" she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Would have been nice to know we were embarking on a revenge mission."

Aiden clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on the armrest. "I don't have time for this," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Just keep driving."

Nicole gritted her teeth, her hands tightening on the steering wheel as she fought to keep her emotions in check. She knew that arguing with Aiden would only escalate the situation further, but she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger at his high-handed attitude.

As they drove deeper into the city, the tension between them simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. But despite their mutual animosity, there was an undeniable attraction that drew them together, like moths to a flame.

And as they hurtled towards their destination, Nicole couldn't help but wonder what awaited them at the end of their journey, and whether they would emerge from it unscathed, or whether they would be consumed by the fire that burned between them.

Nicole couldn't resist teasing him a little amidst the tension. "So, husband, is this what our marriage is going to be like? Late-night rendezvous in the countryside?"

Aiden shot her a wry smile, his eyes flickering with amusement despite the seriousness of the situation. "I sure hope not," he replied, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "I had something a little more romantic in mind for our honeymoon."

Nicole couldn't help but chuckle at his response, the sound echoing softly in the confines of the car. "Well, let's survive this first, and then we can talk about honeymoons," she said, her tone light but her eyes serious.

Aiden nodded in agreement, his gaze returning to the road ahead. "Deal," he said quietly, his voice tinged with determination.