“Ask me any question and I will give you the honest answer, no limits.”
I’m going to pay for this offer later, it won’t matter though. Not if it gets her to trust me, even just a little bit.
30
Learning to Trust
Luna
“Aeron, why...” no, I can’t go there. I don’t have the right.
“Go on, Little Zero, ask me,” he demands, and all I can do is look away. He grips my chin and turns my head back to face him.
“Ask me. Ask me all the questions you fucking want and I’ll answer them, whether I’m allowed to or not, just do it, Luna!”
“Why were you in One’s room?” I shout, my shoulders shaking as I finally, finally, ask the question that’s been plaguing my mind.
“I’d just got back from seeing my mother and I was on my way to see you, when she opened her door. She said she had news on the strangler but she didn’t trust anyone else, so I went into her room.” He sinks down onto the edge of my bed, pulling me down beside him. “The minute I got in there, she started undressing, telling me all the things she wanted to do to me, all the things I could do to her.” And now, I want to throw up. “I told her in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t there to play games, and she either had something worthy of my attention or I was leaving. She tried to unbutton my jeans, and I knocked her to the ground.” He drags his hand through his hair as his eyes flash. “Not my proudest moment, but I don’t regret it. Anyway, she started talking and then I told her I was done. She got to the door before I could and that’s when you saw us.”
“Did she have any news on the strangler?” I ask quietly, not that the answer matters anymore.
“Not exactly. She said that she saw Emmet enter the maze with the first victim, and then she saw him exit and not long after, Fifteen followed him out. He was already back inside by that point. You were upstairs being guarded by Bradley and that’s all she could tell me. I told her it was irrelevant and the next time she decided to waste my time, well, there wouldn’t be a next time.” He snickers but I’m struggling to see the funny side.
“I never did think it was Emmet.” It’s all I can think to say.
“Neither did I. He would never do something that would tie to him so clearly. Besides, why would he go after you?”
“Why did you really let me go?” That’s the only other question that seems important right now.
“Seriously? You have a free pass to ask any question you want. Something I may never offer again, and that’s what you want to know?” He shakes his head at me, and I smile sadly.
“It’s the only answer that means anything to me right now.”
He sighs hard, before he gets to his feet and starts to pace.
I know I need to ask more questions about Poppy, what Tom said, and maybe even about Emmet, but this feels important.
“Okay, so I was going to let you go because I thought keeping you from Emmet would be the best case scenario, that it would make you happy. I knew if I kept you, then I wouldn’t be able to hold back any longer, and then you told me that you weren’t a virgin any longer.” He drops down to his knees before me and my bottom lip trembles. “Luna, you have to understand that when you kissed me it... did something that I can’t even begin to explain. At least, I couldn’t at the time. It was like being told that you’re good for nothing your entire life, to finally discover that someone thinks the exact opposite. And then you find out that the one person who you don’t want to screw over or hurt, the only girl you’ve ever met who makes you want to stop being an ass, has given herself to someone else. Well, it just cemented everything my mother has ever said to me.” He seizes my hands as he stares at my knuckles, almost as though the words he’s speaking are written on them. “The moment I realized I wouldn’t be your first, was when it dawned on me that I had never wanted anything more. I think that was the moment I fell for you, but I couldn’t face it, so I did the next best thing. I ran, buried my head in booze, weed, and any distraction I could find. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t get you out of my system. You are more than skin deep, you are buried deep down into my core, and nothing short of surgery could remove you. I love you, Luna, and that’s why I let you go.” Tears are streaming across my face, trailing down my neck, and soaking my top.
There are so many more questions I need him to answer, questions that I may never get to ask again, but he’s obliterated everything. I’m just a pile of mush at his feet, helpless, and his to do with as he sees fit. He’s hands slide across my cheeks, as his thumbs wipe away my tears, but for every one he removes, another two take its place.
I take his hand as I slowly walk backwards into my room, his eyes are hooded as I stop moving and he brings his head closer to mine.
His lips are bittersweet as they press against mine, and his tongue is nothing more than a gentle caress against the seam of my lips, seeking entrance, and asking permission all at the same time. I open willingly to him, as my hands fall onto his shoulders, and our tongues tangle as he gently pushes me back until I’m lying against the mattress and he’s leaning over me. Our mouths don’t separate, not even for a second, and we don’t even waste time to come up for air, we just choose to share instead.
His hands slide to my collarbone, across my arms ,and down until he reaches the end of my dress. Our eyes meet as he slowly pulls it over my head, before he drops his mouth to my neck. Kiss after kiss he places on my sensitive skin, as I struggle to pull his top up until he pulls back just enough to do it for me. His pants follow before he slides my panties all the way off and I unhook my bra.
“My sweet Little Zero,” he whispers against me as he kisses the corner of my mouth. His hand slides between us before stroking between my folds. My back arches as I tilt my head back, and he continues to drop kisses on it.
He moves slowly, stroking my nub before sliding a finger inside. He twirls his finger inside me and my fingers dig into his shoulders, before he removes his hand and brings his mouth back to mine.
He lines himself up with me, before sliding in. He moves slow, inch by agonizingly sweet inch. Until he’s all the way inside and we’re staring at one another. His thumbs graze across my cheeks as he slowly moves in and out. I can’t think, all I can do is feel. My heart is aching as our mouths meet once more, but he doesn’t try to increase the pace.
He tilts his hips ever so slightly, and it sends shockwaves through me.
“Aeron.” His name is nothing more than a moan. I’ve never felt this close to anyone before, it’s almost too much.
He buries his head in my neck and I hold him to me. His hands move up my arms until I release him and then he laces our fingers together. We stare deep into each other’s eyes. “I love you, Luna,” he says and then we find our sweet release.
He moves off me a few minutes later, but not before stealing another kiss. He disappears into the bathroom, before coming back in with a wet cloth. He cleans me and leaves me breathless before placing it on the floor.
He climbs back into bed and gathers me in his arms, before covering us with the duvet. He holds me like I’m precious, as though life couldn’t possibly get any better than this moment right here and now.