Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

Aiden spentan enjoyable hour and a half with Kingston, Stuart, Wes, and Kingston's cousin Commander Alaric, with several dozen royal guards watching on. Thankfully, Garrett either lost interest or was ready for a break as he left not long after Chalisa and Reagan.

He had a great time working with and teasing with all of them. He even found himself liking Kingston. The man was gruff and rarely smiled, but he was a good guy. If only Ike could be here; they could teach even more men with Ike's help.

He asked Ike regularly to join his security team, but Ike had his own path. He wondered if his brother had gotten over the other bodyguard, Myra Tueller, or if he was losing his heart again. He hoped his brother could stay strong. He thought of Chalisa. He hoped he could stay strong. Three months ago, he would've scoffed at that thought.

The five of them said goodbye to the guards and walked out of the stadium, down the street of the picturesque little town, across the drawbridge, and into the castle courtyard together.

Aiden stared up at the towering castle. It was impressive—four sprawling, towering stories. The granite exterior sparkled in the lowering sun. He liked all the large windows. Most castles he'd toured had small, infrequent windows. This one had clearly been built for beauty and the views of the mountains and ocean, not for defense.

They crossed the courtyard, still talking about different fighting techniques, and up the stairs to the double castle doors. The doors were twelve feet tall and wide open, as if welcoming him in. Aiden stopped participating in the conversation as they entered the massive foyer.

He stared around at the grand staircase, high ceilings, sparkling granite walls and floors, incredible artwork, antique vases, and fresh flower arrangements. He'd traveled the world and been in some beautiful buildings, but this was on level with most. Even the small security cameras blended in with the décor and would be invisible to most visitors.

"It's impressive, eh?" Wes said.

"It is."

"Have Chalisa take you on a tour later," Alaric said. "We need to clean up or our wives will cuss us for being late for dinner."

"Okay." Aiden looked forward to a tour with Chalisa. Any time with Chalisa, truly. Would she sit with him at dinner or was she upset at him for fighting Kingston, teasing her, leaving her three months ago … she had a plethora of reasons to be angry with him. Nobody would blame her, least of all him. If she was angry, it would actually be better. It might help him keep some distance, though he hated the thought of Chalisa unhappy.

"General layout," Alaric said. "Dining room, ballroom, library, kitchens, conference rooms, offices, and other gathering areas on the main level. Family suites on the second level. Guest suites on the third."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and because of your show, Julia agreed to share the castle's camera feeds, so mind your manners and don't pick your nose," Stuart teased him.

He didn't know who Julia was, but Mercedes would be thrilled that the royal family had agreed to be filmed for her show. Smart of Mercedes to access their cameras for extra footage.

The men strode across the entrance hall and up the stairs, saying hello to some people as they went. Aiden had been on a lot of teams. He'd formed his own security team and was still expanding it with men and women he trusted and who had the skill set he required. Walking with these four men up this grand staircase, he felt like he was on their team. Great guys.

At the second level, everyone else peeled off with goodbyes.

"I'll walk you to your room," Kingston said.

"Thank you."

They ascended another staircase to the third floor, this one not quite as grand or long, but still a load of stairs. They headed down a wide hallway. Kingston stopped near the end of the hall and nodded to him.

"I don't have a key card for you, so you'll have to knock and hope Chalisa is in there primping."

"I'm staying with Chalisa?" His heart immediately picked up its beat and his hands got clammy. He was already in danger of revealing how much he cared. Staying in the same room was not a good idea, but it made him irrationally happy.

"It's a two-bedroom suite." Kingston's glower was back. "Don't get any ideas."

"I won't." Aiden didn't remind him who'd won the fight an hour and a half ago. It hadn't been easy, and he liked Kingston as an ally. Sort-of an ally. If Aiden hurt Chalisa, he imagined the entire Magnite army would come after him with Kingston in the lead. Even with his skill set, he'd be in trouble if they all attacked at once.

Aiden turned toward the door, but Kingston wasn't done.

"I find myself not hating you," Kingston said, his deep-blue eyes revealing that was actually a compliment. "And I appreciate you working with us."

"I have the utmost respect for you, General."

Kingston shook his head. "Don't schmooze me."

Aiden laughed at that. "All right. I'll try not to."

It was rare for someone not to like Aiden's silver tongue. He respected Kingston even more.

"And don't break Chalisa's heart, or all your impressive skills will be wasted when Alaric, Stuart, Wes, Malik, Samson, and I gang up on you and the pieces of your shattered body never leave this island."

Aiden wanted to laugh, but Kingston wasn't joking. "Thank you for the subtle warning."

"Anything I can do to welcome the tourists." Kingston gave him a half-smile, tilted his chin up to him, and strode off.

Aiden turned to the door. How could he explain to Kingston, to Chalisa, to himself even, what a mess he was regarding her? He couldn't commit to her, he knew that, but he found himself longing to simply be close to her, hear her voice, touch her, soak up her angelic presence. That wasn't fair to her, but …

Everlasting love.

What kind of spell had he been under that night to buy her a necklace that meant everlasting love?

Every move in his life had been calculated. Every choice. How had Chalisa dug into his heart so easily?

Maybe he was like that dieter who lost a hundred pounds and didn't touch sugar for years, but then sugar was shoved in his mouth and he went insane over it and lost all control.

He rolled his eyes at his weird analogy and knocked on the door. He was in control. Chalisa was an incredible woman, but he couldn't alter his life path. His dad had done everything for Aiden to be right where he was and heading right where he should be. No woman, no matter how perfect for him, could change that.

Then the door opened.

Aiden's jaw went slack, and his eyes probably bugged out of his head.

Chalisa's long blonde hair was in soft curls. Her face was as gorgeous as ever with her big blue eyes and full lips highlighted by her makeup, her skin soft and smooth-looking. She wore a pale blue dress with a V-neck. The silky fabric draped to the floor but clung so perfectly to her body he should've been speechless. Instead, he opened his mouth and knew Kingston should come try to pummel him as Aiden was giving Chalisa the exact wrong message once again.

"Ah, love, it is completely unfair for you to be so beautiful." He meant every word. "You are exquisite." He took a deep inhale. Her perfume was a light coconut and vanilla mix. "And you smell like heaven."

Their gazes caught and held. She was heaven to him. How in the world was he supposed to resist her? Who would expect him to? His dad, Sutton, Ike, his men, Kingston, Reagan… anyone who cared about either of them would know he wasn't the right man for an angel like this. He'd never alter his plans, even if he could be worthy to stand by Chalisa's side.

She gave him a small smile. "You are a mess, and you smell like dirt and blood."

He chuckled at that and appreciated the break in the tension. "I'll shower quick and escort you down to dinner."

She stepped back, and he walked into the suite, forcing his gaze away from her mesmerizing face. There was a small kitchenette with a table and two chairs, a couch and an overstuffed chair, and a flat screen on the wall. Everything looked clean and high quality. Huge windows overlooked a garden, the river, the town, and the beach and ocean beyond. There was a door on each side of the small living area.

"Mercedes and Julia set it all up. The clothes they picked out for you and toiletries are in the bedroom and bathroom on the left."

"Thank you. I'll hurry."

"Aiden." Before he could step away, she glided to him and put a hand on his arm. Dang, she smelled delicious and looked even better. "Do you need me to look at your injuries?"

His pulse skyrocketed and his body was far too warm. "You want to play doctor, love?"

She shook her head and only gave him a slight smile. "That fight was vicious. Did you break anything?" She looked at his nose.

"No, love. I may have a slightly cracked rib, but my bones are unbreakable. It's a Porter blessing."

She pushed out a huffy breath. "Everybody's bones break."

"Not mine." He shrugged. His dad used to call him and Ike his ‘bionic boys.' His nickname in the Marines had ironically been Bionic Man. As a teenager, Ike had won almost every time they sparred, but it had been years since anyone, even his incredible brother, had bested Aiden. He'd heard men whisper he wasn't human when they saw him fight. Sometimes he felt more like a machine, just like his dad had trained him and Ike to be. But not with her.

"What about your heart?" she asked. "Has that ever broken?"

With anyone else, the words would've come across as snooty or petty. With Chalisa, it was genuine concern.

Aiden blinked at her. Nobody had ever cared about the condition of his heart. He hadn't broken her heart, had he? It had been a magical, insane two hours they'd spent together. He'd never experienced such a draw before or after, but it was simply extreme attraction. Not love. Never that.

For some reason, his gaze was drawn to the V-neck of her dress. He'd recognized earlier she had a necklace on, but the entire picture of Chalisa had been so consuming he hadn't focused on the necklace.

Now he couldn't drag his eyes away. The Maquech Beetle. Everlasting love. Aiden had lied to himself for the past three months, quite successfully most of the time. At this moment, it all rushed back.

They were meant to be together.

He let out a far too telling groan and his hand moved of its own accord, tracing the skin of her neck around the amber pendant.

Chalisa drew in a breath and swallowed. Her lovely neck bobbed and her pulse visibly raced out of control. He remembered when she'd kissed his pulse point. Three months ago. How could he forget? He'd tried to shove it all away, to bury the perfect memories. At the moment, he recalled in vibrant colors every detail of that night. Of her.

His gaze lifted to hers, and the yearning in her blue eyes thrust him off the cliff.

His arms were around her back and she was in his embrace before he could let himself rethink it. His perfect woman was right where she should be. Finally.

He bent low and his lips found her neck. He took his time tasting the pulse point and inhaling her delicious scent. He pressed heated kisses to her skin and worked his way up to her lips. Chalisa's quick pants for air and the way her body melted against his reassured him he was doing exactly what he should.

Chalisa was his, and nobody could separate them.

He drew level with her mouth and their gazes met. Chalisa's blue eyes. Her perfect shape in his arms. If he was a drug addict, she'd be his cocaine. What kind of rehab facility could help him conquer his Chalisa addiction?

Everlasting love. How was he supposed to fight against that?

She gave him the sweetest smile and ran her hands along his jawline, threading them into his hair. He tingled from her very touch. Nothing like this had ever happened to him. Except with her.

He bowed his head to capture her lips.

A loud rap came on the door.

Aiden cursed and drew back an inch.

She arched her eyebrows, but her smile grew. "Shall we ignore them and forget dinner?"

"Yes," he groaned. Nothing had ever sounded better. Ignore whoever was knocking, ignore his responsibilities, ignore his future, ignore that he was going to devastate this angel when he had to walk away from her at the end of the week.

What kind of pathetic, out-of-control jerk was he?

The rap came again.

"Chalisa? Do you want to walk down to dinner with us?"

He thought it was her sister's voice.

Aiden drew on all his supposed strength and released her. She stuttered on her heels and looked wounded.

He was a weak excuse for a man. At least he hadn't kissed her. Small consolation. The only reason he hadn't was the untimely knock.

Sorry, Dad.

"I'll go shower and meet you at dinner," he said stiffly, hating that he couldn't be the one to strut down those stairs with Chalisa on his arm. He didn't deserve that privilege. He didn't deserve her. Even if he did, she could never be his.

She looked him over, her cheeks flushed, her blue eyes slowly going from sparkling to concerned. Then she nodded. Somehow Chalisa knew him better than anyone in this world, maybe even better than Ike. With one searching glance, she understood he was at a breaking point, and of course his Chalisa was sweet enough not to push him.

He couldn't even manage a smile as he hurried to the left and into the bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, he leaned back against it and listened to her greet her family and explain he was running behind and he'd meet them at dinner.

What did Chalisa's face look like right now? Still flushed? Had his beard made the soft skin of her neck red from all the kisses he'd planted on it? Did her family recognize how close they'd been to one of the best kissing sessions of the century? Had Aiden dirtied her or her dress with the blood and dirt he'd been covered with? Was Kingston realizing Aiden was toying with her emotions again?

He hadn't meant to.

That was a weak excuse, and he wasn't a weak man.

Except for around her.

Finally, the suite was quiet. Aiden banged his head against the door a few times. It didn't help. How in the world was he going to survive this week without succumbing to his longing for Chalisa?

If only he could fight Kingston all over again. That was much easier than not capturing Chalisa in his arms and devouring her lips.