"Let him do whatever he wants. Keep him … satisfied. He's earned it." Then, he releases me, pulls up his sweatpants, and leaves.
* * *
I brushmy fingers through my hair when I leave the bathroom, small droplets running down my curls. I make my way down the hall and my heart nearly stops when I see Rowe standing in the living room with the others—Kai included.
Kai gives me a look of approval and a curt nod before resuming his conversation with Dax. I stroll in and move straight for Rowe. The way his blue eyes settle on me has the butterflies in my stomach turn into a tsunami of anticipation.
Rowe is definitely the most ruggedly handsome teenage boy of our time. Those thick muscles, his unmanaged blond hair, the thick veins in his neck and arms.
It doesn't take much convincing at all for me to be up for sex with him. It won't be the first time, but it will be the first time we've done it alone—just the two of us.
I stand on my toes and he leans down to me so I can whisper in his ear, "Come with me."
I try to be seductive, but I'm not sure he got the message. Still, he nods.
Rowe lets me take his hand and guide him down the hall, up the stairs, and straight into my room.
"Is everything okay?" he asks with concern, but I don't respond. I pull him down to my level and kiss him, hard and needy.
Kai left me needing relief and maybe that was the point. He wanted me to be extra complacent with letting Rowe have my body.
Rowe almost instantly pulls away.
"What's wrong?" I ask, feeling a bit self-conscious of the rejection. I've been turned away many times, but never by someone I've already fucked.
"Aria, what are you doing?" He groans, shaking his head.
What am I doing? Well, that's a new one. I figured kissing him was an obvious way to go about this. Kissing leads to making out which can lead to sex.
Granted, every time Rowe has fucked me, it was when Kai ordered him to.
Does Rowe not want me?
"Kissing you," I admit, fighting the need to cry.
"Aria—"
"You don't have to say anything," I deflect as I feel the tears fall and I turn away from him.
Why am I so fucking emotional? The last thing I want is for him to see me cry. He's been so good to me and I want to be grateful, but I'm just hurt that he’s pushing me away. My heart hurts and I don't know how to make it stop.
"Hey." Rowe's voice is soft as he touches my arm. "Look at me, darling."
Darling? It's what he always calls me and yet I don't deserve it if he doesn't want me.
I reluctantly turn and look up into his beautiful blue eyes full of worry.
"God, why are you crying?" he asks as he cups my face and pushes the tears off my cheeks.
"Have you never seen a girl cry when you reject her? Am I not allowed to feel hurt that you don't want me?" A sob falls from my lips and the pain on his face twists a knife in my gut.
Why does this hurt so damn much? It doesn't matter what Kai does to me for not doing what he ordered me to. I'm already in enough pain.
"Don't want you? God, darling. Do you not understand how crazy I am about you?" He pulls me against him and I'm lost in the comfort and safety I get from his touch. "After what Kai did to you, I don't want to do something you aren't ready for."
How is it possible that he could be Kai's son and yet be so incredibly sweet and kind?
"I wouldn't be kissing you if I was messed up over it. I want you, Rowe. You've been so amazing these past two week. I couldn't imagine anyone else I'd want to be with right now." It's true. Rowe is my anchor, everything I need right now.
