A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER FIVE

DINNER WITH JUSTIN WAS PLEASANT, AS it always is when he's around. Aurora always wants him around. She knows of her parents' whereabouts but there's a certain someone she has not seen or heard from yet and it's very puzzling as to why not. So she exits the kitchen, hoping to find Carter, who just so happens to be in the backyard with the rest of the security detail.

They're casually conversing when the heiress runs outside.

"Miss Hollingsworth, is everything alright? You seem distressed." ROBERT, Carter's second in command, inquires, making them all straighten up at her presence.

She strolls towards the table. "I'm wonderful, Robert. No distress here. I just have a question." She directs that last statement towards Carter who straightens his sitting position. "Where's Odette? Is she in the city?"

"Last I heard, she was on Catalina Island with her friends. Nothing else after that."

It's true, she was on CATALINA ISLAND with her friends. They spent two days there, drinking and partying. But now she's in MARINA DEL REY at a restaurant called WHISKEY RED'S having dinner and cocktails. 

"Okay, that eases my worries a little bit because I've been calling her and received no answer."

"Do not fret, Miss Hollingsworth. If I hear from her and I'm sure I will, I will let you know where she is and if she's alright."

Aurora releases a happy sigh of relief. "Thank you. You guys are amazing." And with that, she turns on her heel and rounds the corner to re-enter the house. She comes in contact with Justin, who has Walter pouring him some chamomile tea.

She bounces up to the island, once again snagging a chocolate chip cookie from the tray. Her and her love for cookies. Mood.

"Another cookie indulgence, Miss Aurora?"

"Indeed." She throws Justin a seductive wink and goes upstairs.

Again. This girl with be the absolute death of him. He downs the last of his tea and hands the mug back to Walter. "Thank you, Walter. You're a good man." And with that, he heads back upstairs to Aurora's room.

Aurora is laying on her bed, watching GOSSIP GIRL and replying to her text messages. "Avalon and Autumn keep texting me about you know who. I'm pretending to be upset about it." She says when he closes the doors behind him.

Justin climbs in next to her. "Mario texted me about him earlier. How he showed up to the Woman of the Year banquet at the country club with another girl on his arm. Mans seems desperate to always have a girl with him."

"There were several occasions where I had to go to events with him and he would tell his friends, with me standing right there, that he had sex with me. That never happened."

Justin pulls her closer to him. "How the hell did you end up with that son of a bitch anyway?"

"A ploy by my grandfather to secure a goddamn business deal. My parents tried to talk him out of it but he was set on it. He does the same shit with Odette. Frankly, I hate it. I'm convinced he's trying to ruin the family name by doing this."

"That man is ruthless. I mean we all are, but damn, he goes overboard."

Aurora pushes Justin on his back and sits on his lap. He automatically holds her hips. No words are spoken at that moment. They just look at one another, relishing in the other's undeniable beauty.

"I say this all the time but no one has the stunning perfection that you have."

"Have you seen you? You're the sexiest man to ever grace this damn city." Justin is the epitome of a golden boy. He's the captain of the JAGUARS- Los Angeles Preparatory Academy's football team. If I hadn't said so already, he's very laid back. This boy has everybody begging him to date them.

It's not happening though and they all know it.

He goes to speak but ultimately gets distracted by Aurora's robe hanging off her shoulder as a result of her tying it up lazily when she re-entered her room.

God, you can cut the sexual tension with a fucking knife. If y'all mfs don't kiss already- I mean y'all want each other, right? Right, so what the hell are you waiting for?

She licks her lips and looks at him seductively as only she can. Justin gently grips the nape of her neck and kisses her erratically, cupping her cheek in his hand. There is no hesitation as she kisses him back immediately, placing her hand on his neck and pulling him closer.

"I'm glad you're home," He whispers in between kisses, "I've missed you."

She pulls away and looks up into those bright hazel eyes. Licking her lips, she trails a hand up his broad chest, "Well it seems like we have a lot of catching up to do now that I'm back."

He grins, teeth scratching against her cheek then moving down to her neck. His hand rests on her bare thigh, then travels slowly upwards. He mutters heavily in her ear, "Be mine. I want- no- I need you. Let's be one- but together."

She leans towards him for another sinful kiss, officially marking the start of their future together. "It's always been you," The I need you too goes completely unsaid because Justin knows. Without her having to actually say it, he knows she needs him too.

"You're my future everything, Justin. I'm not letting anyone or anything split us up."

"Don't worry. I wouldn't dare let you go." He leans up, capturing her lips again, and unties her robe, pulling away slightly to gaze upon her lace lingerie-clad body. "I could spend all night worshiping this gorgeous body of yours."

"How about worshipping it for the rest of our lives?" Aurora says letting out a soft moan at the hand trailing down the expansion of her back, stopping at her ass and giving one of the plush round cheeks a light slap.

Nothing else needs to be said, as they spend all night kissing sinfully and muttering filthy shit into one another's ears. Justin figures that they should hold off on having sex for now because they just solidified the relationship and they should make sure their first time is special.

Oh. I didn't say this but both of them are virgins. They may have people wanting to jump on them 24/7 but they don't hook up with random people. That's just not it.

Aurora's mind drifts to tomorrow. There's a welcome home brunch taking place on the rooftop of The Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel. It's held exclusively for the elite upperclassmen of LAPA and their families. For some reason, it always occurs on the day before school starts.

She's set to make her official return to society tomorrow. What makes this even better is that she's with someone she's always wanted, but there's a slight worry running through her head that some shit will pop off tomorrow.

All she can mainly perceive is- THE EMPIRE, consisting of herself, Justin, Kingsley, Avalon, Mario, Adrianna, Autumn, and Brandon- are back to stay on top of the social hierarchy and they're not going anywhere.