Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

11. Suit Up

CHAPTER 11: Suit Up
(Aaron's POV)

I almost found myself accustomed to the dark halo of the water. I didn't hear her, but I was able to see her. Her long blonde strands curled underwater as she looked at me, or looked through me, I didn't know, didn't care if I thought I was drowning, I got to see her pristine skin underwater. Her naturally red lips twitch up in a smile as those emerald eyes scorch my pointless brown ones, "Do you really think swimming will get rid of me, Aaron?" Her voice enters my ears in a nanosecond of the water waves running, the giggle on her tongue swarming through me like a rush of adrenaline the longer I stare into those emerald eyes. The same eyes I've loved since the woman beat me at almost everything, sarcastic and witty and beautiful. She was beyond beautiful, but I knew how much she hated it if I stared at her that way.

Adoration.

I admired her, wanted her. I still want her. Everyday.

I attempt to swim closer. I was taking another swim, another dive for the cold darkness to shrivel around me, crush my bones to nothing, yet all I see is her as she dances around me in the water, wearing some sort of white dress, it flowed around her pale legs as she floats her hands up higher towards the light, "You should join me, Aaron." She calls out to me, damn angelic voice, she was a siren under the water. Capturing my heart with only one note in her godsend of a voice.

I watch her for one last second, before jolting towards the surface of the water, steam floats around my head as I spit out remnants of water that I'd inhaled because I was watching Olive. She looked so damn real, yet when I look around, there's no one in the room. No one that looks and sounds like her, except for the fact m entire team sit at the side, legs in the water, quiet as they look at me.

I watch them stoically, "What is it?" I ask out.

"We've been given a mission." Tobias calls out. I swim closer as I lift up on the side, grabbing my towel, I stand out of the water, droplets running down my chest, I throw the towel around my neck as Harrison steps around me, holding a case of files. He doesn't hand one to me.

I furrow my eyebrows, he gives me a hesitant look, "I'm sorry. Alexander said you'll be staying here." He says to me, everyone pauses.

I narrow my eyes, "What the bloody hell does that mean?" I spit.

Before hearing a feminine throat be cleared behind me, "It means you'll be working on strategy with me and Alexander today, while Silas and Javier will take the others on their mission, so get dressed and meet in the same room as last to go over more on Vaughn and Kaine. We believe we've tracked their whereabouts in Paris, yet this recall was taken over a week ago. We can't be certain they're still present there." Celeste says from behind me.

I turn around with narrowed eyes as hers trail straight down to my chest...fucking great, "Who authorised these plans? Was it Soren?" I spit down at her, stepping forward. Her eyes flicker, before snapping back up to mine. I tower over her, she narrows her eyes.

"Is this some strange intimidation technique you use on women?" She asks me.

I give her a stoic look, "Let's be clear, because you don't seem to be comprehending the fact I don't find you one bit as attractive, or even alluring, Celeste. I'm not available, so stop your fucking attempts at flirting, because it isn't working. You're insulting me and my girl, so back the fuck off." I say down to her, lowly.

Her eye twitches, "Olive's dead, Aaron. That's something you still need to comprehend."

She turns and struts away after handing me a schedule of when to attend that stupid, bloody meeting, "That one didn't even bother denying that she was trying to flirt with you." Branson says behind me. I keep my right hand fisted at my side, the other gripping the pages with droplets melting into the sleek white sheet.