Steal My Heart, Mr Cole

Chapter 13

Laura Sterling

“Let me go…” I said again, my voice softer this time, but no less firm, even as my breath came unevenly and my chest rose and fell against his closeness.

Aaron didn’t answer immediately. His face hovered inches from mine, his grip still firm around my wrists, and his eyes moved over my expression slowly, carefully, like he was reading every reaction I couldn’t hide.

I could feel it, the way he noticed everything… the way my breathing had quickened, the heat on my cheeks, the fear sitting openly in my eyes.

For what felt like a long moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, and it only made my heart beat faster.

Then he exhaled softly and shook his head, almost like he had come to a decision.

“I’m not that kind of man,” he said quietly, his voice losing that dangerous edge from before, turning calmer, steadier, in a way that caught me off guard.

Before I could even process what he meant, his hands loosened.

And then he let me go. Just like that. My eyes widened in slight shock.

My wrists dropped back to my lap, and I blinked up at him in confusion, my mind struggling to catch up with the sudden change.

“If you want to go… then go,” he added, stepping back slightly, creating space between us, his expression now unreadable but his tone surprisingly sincere. “But if my brother finds you and hurts you again…” He paused briefly, his jaw tightening just a little. “…I won’t forgive myself.”

I stared at him, stunned.

“You’re… letting me go?” I asked slowly, my voice uncertain, as if I didn’t trust what I was hearing.

He didn’t answer. He just looked at me and somehow, that silence felt like confirmation.

My heart pounded as something like hope stir inside me.

“Maybe… maybe he actually means it,” I thought, my fingers tightening slightly against the wheels. “Maybe he’s different… maybe he’s not like Derick…”

But doubt followed immediately after.

“Or maybe this is another trick,” another voice in my head whispered, colder, sharper. “You’ve been fooled before. Don’t be stupid again.”

I swallowed hard, my emotions tangled and messy, but in the end… one thought stood above the rest.

Freedom from all this chaos. That was all I wanted after everything I lost.

Without saying another word, I turned the wheelchair slightly and began to move away from him, my hands gripping the wheels as I pushed forward slowly at first, then a little faster.

He didn’t stop me or say anything to lure me to him...and that only made it feel more real.

“I’m actually leaving…” I thought, my chest tightening as I rolled further away, my back to him now. “I’m really doing this…”

I moved step by step. Push by push.

I moved closer to the exit of the back area, my heart beating louder with each second.

But just as I thought I had made it... A strong hand grabbed the back of my wheelchair.

My body stiffened instantly as I stared at it, the veins on his arm were so vivid and sexy...

I shook my head from thinking about the horrible and dirty thoughts about the Cole brother I'm supposed to hate.

“No…” I whispered under my breath, dread crashing back over me as I stopped moving.

Before I could react, the wheelchair was pulled backward sharply, forcing me to turn.

Aaron stood there with his expression different now, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as his eyes locked onto mine.

He stared into my eyes like he was searching my soul, or maybe studying my weak points because I was already weak as it is. With useless legs that can't even work...

I scoffed a little when I recalled how he said it easily, like he'd actually make me walk. Pathetic.

“You’ll have to try harder than that,” he said calmly, his voice carrying a hint of amusement, like this was all some kind of game to him.

“What do you want from me?” I snapped, frustration finally breaking through my fear as I glared at him, my hands gripping the armrest tightly. “You said I could go!”

“I did,” he replied simply, stepping closer. “And you tried.”

Before I could say anything else, he reached down suddenly.

My breath caught. "Oh my goodness."

And then He lifted me straight out of the wheelchair.

A small gasp escaped my lips as my body instinctively tensed, my hands clutching onto his shirt without thinking as he held me securely in his arms in bridal style. I was too close to his broad chest, his perfume was making my insides clench and twist with butterflies I wished I can shoot down if I could.

“What are you doing?!” I demanded, my voice coming out more flustered than angry as my heart began to race all over again.

“If you’re going to run away from me,” he said calmly, adjusting his hold on me with ease, his gaze steady and confident, “you’ll have to try a lot harder than this.”

My breath hitched. My face burned from the embarrassment.

“Put me down!” I added quickly, my voice rising as I tried to look anywhere but at him, suddenly too aware of how close we were.

But he didn’t. Not immediately actually...and that only made things worse.

My heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst out of my chest, and I hated it.

I hated how my body was reacting.

“How can this be happening?” I thought, my mind spinning as confusion settled deep inside me. “I hate him… I don’t even trust him… so why…”

Why was I blushing?

Why did my chest feel so tight in a completely different way now?

Why did his touch feel so… warm?

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look away as I tried to steady my breathing, but it didn’t help.

Nothing helped.

“What is wrong with me…?” I whispered under my breath, my voice barely audible as my cheeks burned hotter, my heart refusing to calm down no matter how much I told it to stop.