TRAITOROUS BODY
1554 Words
CHAPTER 16: TRAITOROUS BODY
ARIA'S POV
“Who is it?”
“What?” I glance up.
Noah’s eyes don’t leave the road, but they flick sideways, sharp. “Your phone. You’ve checked it at least forty times tonight.”
“I have not—”
“Who is it, Aria?” His voice drops. “Who has you so distracted you can’t give me five seconds? Who is it?”
I glance at him. His jaw is set. His eyes are fixed on the road, but they look really cold.
We are on our way back from the restaurant, the Maybach gliding smoothly through the late-night traffic as he drives me to Daisy’s place.
The low tune of snooze by SZA plays in the car.
"It's Remy," I say.
"Your son." He says after a few seconds of silence.
"It's his first night in a strange place. In a city he doesn't know. I promised him I'd be back before he fell asleep."
I look back at my screen. "He's been waiting for me."
Noah didn't say anything. The silence went on for like four seconds. When I glance at him again, his expression seems less…tense.
"Which block?" he asks. I gave him Daisy's address again.
☆~☆
He drives into the residential gates of Daisy’s building. An exclusive, expensive property where top-tiers celebrities or wealthy influencers live to hide from the paparazzi.
She already gave the security personnels my name so we drive in with no hassle.
I reach for the door handle, but Noah’s voice stops me. "I've got it."
I wait quietly in the passenger seat, trying to regulate my traitorous body's reaction to sitting beside him for forty-five-minute.
He opens the door and I step out but didn't make it anywhere because Noah's hand braces against the car roof trapping me.
I have to press back against the side of the car to create a little distance between us.
His huge frame towers over me as his eyes drop to my mouth.
"Noah—" My breath hammers as I look into his predatory gaze.
He doesn't say a word. He tilts his head, his hand coming up to grip the edge of the car door right beside my head, completely caging me in.
The urge to close the distance, to let myself melt into his heat, is so hard to tame.
He moves closer, his lips mere millimeters from mine.
Ring. Ring.
The low vibration of his phone shatters the spell like glass.
My eyes snap open immediately.
When did I close my eyes? What in the h-double-egg-egg-l came over me?
Noah lets out a vicious curse under his breath, his jaw tensing as the phone in his pocket continues to vibrate aggressively.
Taking advantage of his distraction, I duck underneath arm, my heart leaping into my throat.
I ran away from the car, my heels clicking against the pavement as I enter through the Daisy code, leaving him standing alone in the dark.
“Good night, princess.” I heard him called but I don't respond as I dive inside.
The moment I unlock the suite door, the familiar, comforting scent of lavender washes over me.
Daisy is sitting on the plush velvet sofa, already changed into a pair of silky, oversized pajamas, a glass of wine in her hand.
“Well, well, well," Daisy purrs, stepping up from the couch with a cat-like stride.
She walks over to the floor-to-ceiling window. "I saw the Maybach, babe. And I saw the two of you standing out there. There was absolutely no room for Jesus between you two. It looked like he was about to eat you alive right there in the parking lot."
"Daisy, please, not right now," I murmur, pressing a hand to my chest to force my heart rate down. "Where is Remy? Is he okay?"
Daisy’s teasing softens. "He’s asleep. He waited up for you for hours, constantly asking when his Mommy would be home. It was hard.
I had to use every single ounce of my charm to convince him that you were out getting his medicine and that he needed to rest. He crashed about twenty minutes ago."
I exhale relieved and walk quietly into the adjoining bedroom.
Remy is curled up under the white blankets, his favorite stuffed bear tucked tightly under his small arm.
His tiny face looks pale under the dim night, his small chest rising and falling in a deep, steady rhythm.
I sit beside him, brushing my fingers lightly over his hair.
“Hey, baby,” I whisper. He doesn’t stir. I lean down, pressing a kiss to his forehead, my chest tightening.
“I’ve got you,” I murmur. “I promise… I’ve got you.”
I will save you baby, no matter the cost.
☆~☆
When I walk back out into the living room, Daisy is waiting, handing me a fresh glass of water.
She nudges my shoulder, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Alright, it 307 seconds gone already. I have tried so cut the suspense," Daisy says anxiously.
"How the meeting went with the billionaire. Because from where I was standing, it looks like a lot really happened."
I sink into the couch beside her, rubbing my temples. Then I tell her everything that happened.
For the first time ever, she is completely silent, listening attentively.
When I finish, she stares at me and then she falls sideways dramatically and covers her face with a pillow.
She lets out a muffled squeal.
"Daisy—"
"Holy mother of designer bags," she says, throwing the pillow aside and sitting up straight.
"Aria. Do you even understand what just happened? Do you comprehend the situation you have stumbled into?"
"A nightmare," I reply flatly, my voice hollow. "I stumbled into a living nightmare."
"What nightmare? I swear, our brains are wired completely differently," she says, shaking her head in utter disbelief.
"You stumbled into the ultimate jackpot." She grabs my arm tightly with both hands, leaning in.
"Noah—the most gorgeous, hyper-successful, most wanted billionaire of our generation, whose name lives on the Forbes list—is completely obsessed with you. He literally just handed you seventy days of himself wrapped in a medical miracle for your son."
I pull my arm back, entirely shocked by her reaction. "This is not a fairytale story, Daisy! He is blackmailing me. And please do not forget who he is, or his special status in our past. Who was it that was telling me to be extremely careful around him just a few hours ago?"
"Spare me, girl. So because he was Jamie's best friend a long time ago, we are supposed to care? Who really gives a hoot? Even if they are still friends, so what? Do you, babe. Jamie is ancient history."
She rolls her eyes dramatically. "And besides, did I not also mention the insane chemistry that has always existed between you two? Of course, you have that convenient selective memory of yours and chose to forget that part."
"Daisy—"
"And the dinner!" She starts counting off on her fingers, her voice rising in excitement. "He remembered every single dish you used to eat years ago.
He literally held your hand flat against the table. He drove you home himself. And then he had you pinned against his luxury car—"
"You're making it sound—"
"Exactly what it is." She raises her perfect eyebrow. "Honey, I love you. So I'm going to be honest with you because no one else will."
"Please don't." I groan.
"I always knew he had something for you."
Here we go, again.
"Aside from today, from what he had always done years ago, being there when the gold digger isn't, helping you many times even when you pretend to hate each other."
I make a face, totally confuse by her last word.
“But you—” she point at me. “Are such a blind bat. Beautiful, sexy blind bat.”
"That is not—"
"Your heart was going sixty when he leaned in, wasn't it."
I didn't respond.
Daisy smiles slowly. The most smug, knowing, gorgeous smile in existence. "Yeah," she says softly. "That's what I thought."
I fall back against the headboard and stare at the ceiling.
"This is a business arrangement," I say. "For Remy. That's all this is."
Daisy replies with a long, deeply unconvinced hum.
"Sure," she says pleasantly. "And the way your cheeks have been red since you walked through that door — that's also just ‘business.’"
I yawned very tired, the jetlag was catching up on me.
"Goodnight, Daisy."
She laughs brightly delighted with everything going on.
"Goodnight, princess," she teases.
And I really do not think about the way Noah's voice sounds when he calls me that.
☆~☆
I'm almost asleep when my phone lights up on the nightstand.
An unknown number.
I frown, sitting up slightly.
Sleep well, princess. The results will be ready by 9 AM. I'll pick you up at 8:30.
— N
My thumb hovers over the screen. I never gave my number to him and he has it.
Noah always seems to have his way.
I set the phone face-down and lie back.
And try very hard to sleep.
- Writer
