Chapter 8

8

Aurora – Two Weeks Later

I laugh as Theo throws Autumn over his shoulder and states, "Alright, my little princess, it's time for bed."

Autumn giggles, not one bit bothered being upside down, and my heart leaps at the sound.

He's amazing with her, absolutely amazing, and she adores him. Most nights, he's here to help with the bedtime routine, and if I have to work in the evenings at the motel, he'll demand to watch her. If I'm doing coursework for my classes, he's there to entertain her and help me. On the nights when he can't be here because of work, I have to call him so that she can hear his voice.

Last night, he was on a callout, and because it went so late, he had to stay at his place, a place I have yet to see. Autumn woke up crying for him.

It scared me because she shouted for her "daddy."

I've never told her to call him that, and neither has he. I've always called him Theo or, as she called him, Thee-Thee, but last night it was out of nowhere, and it scared the crap outta me.

It still scares me, even as I hear Autumn giggling in the bedroom.

What if he gets disgusted with how she was conceived?

What if he leaves when he finds out the truth?

It'll break me, and it'll hurt her….

I take a shuddering breath, trying to get out of my head. "You need any help?" I call out from my position on the couch.

"Nope, you keep your butt on the couch. You cooked and cleaned up, so I'll do bedtime duty with our little Princess," he calls back, and I smile softly, my heart pounding.

I may be scared, but God, when he claims her like that, he digs deeper inside me.

The first time he put her to bed, I was a wreck. I sat outside the bedroom door, listened to him give her a bath, and then read her a story. When he was quiet for more than twenty minutes, I opened the door to see he'd fallen asleep next to her on the princess carriage bed that he had bought for her, melting my heart.

Before that, she was sleeping on a mattress on the floor.

He didn't make me feel bad; he just told me he wanted to spoil her and me. He told me I wasn't alone anymore, and that I had him to lean on.

Didn't stop my thoughts from going haywire, though, did it, hearing his voice as always.

Ignoring the memories that are hitting hard, I kick my sneakers off and place my feet under my ass and relax, doing as he says.

Nearly two months together and he's stolen my heart and Autumn's. He makes it easy to forget my past and my trauma, and even after all these weeks, he hasn't pressured me into becoming intimate.

We'll kiss and make out, but it hasn't gone any further. If he stays over, he holds me close all night.

He makes me feel things I've never felt before, but letting him touch me intimately scares me.

What if I dirty him up?

What if he realizes I'm a rape victim?

I lean my head on the back of the couch, my meeting with Emily coming to mind.

"How are you feeling today, Aurora?" Emily asks, and I look away from the fish tank near me, the clown fish always getting my attention.

Her dark blonde hair is in a ponytail, and her kind green eyes look at me patiently.

I shrug, "It's a good day today. Theo took Autumn and me to a play barn, and she loved it."

She smiles. "And how are you and Theo?"

I return the smile. "We're good. He…." I pause, trying to think about how to explain it before admitting, "I'm in love with him."

She grins. "That's not a bad thing, Aurora; it's amazing to love someone."

I play with the sleeve of my sweater.

After I was taken, I stopped wearing dresses, short skirts, and slinky tops, and I miss the old me so much.

Emily said it'll just take time.

"But I'm scared," I admit, and she leans back, waiting for me. I can feel my palms sweat. "Being in love would mean being intimate," I whisper.

She nods in understanding, and asks, "Have you been intimate since leaving?"

I swallow hard. She uses the word "leaving" to help me heal.

I shake my head. "I haven't." I look back at the fish. "I've never had the all-consuming feeling with a male…." I look back at her. "Since leaving, my focus has been keeping Autumn safe. If a guy approached me, I'd walk the other way. No one has ever caught my heart the way Theo has, but I'm terrified if I sleep with him, then I'll taint him…."

Emily cuts in, her eyes fierce, "You're not dirty, Aurora, and I will tell you until I am blue in the face. What you went through was not your fault. You trusted him; your father trusted him. You are not dirty; you are clean; you are strong, and I will ensure you believe that one day." My tears fall, and I quickly wipe away my tears as she continues, "I understand you are scared, and what I'm going to suggest is you take it one day at a time with Theo. I understand you're not ready to tell him; that's something that will take time, but being intimate, feel it out, and when you're ready, you'll know…. Please don't force it, don't force yourself. Theo has already proven he's willing to wait for you, so you have no pressure."

"That girl has me wrapped around her little finger," Theo says as he walks into the living room, and I smile, coming out of my head.

I look at him to see him stretching his arms over his head, groaning, causing his shirt to lift a little, a patch of hair peeking through. Dropping his arms, he sits next to me.

"It's because she's adorable," I say with a smile, and he grins at me, grabbing my calves. I squeak when he pulls on them, places them on his legs, and then massages them.

Now, this is heaven….

"Are you ready to be a kept woman yet?" he asks after a few minutes of me enjoying his hands on me. I snort, raising a brow at him, making him sigh, "Yeah, thought not…."

"Why do you want me to rely on you so much?" I ask, leaning my head on the back of the couch, keeping my eyes on him.

He grins at me. "So you can never leave me."

I chuckle despite knowing he's dead serious.

"I need to be independent," I whisper, and he nods.

"I know, Firecracker. I just hate that you keep driving that car, and I'm not putting you down, I fucking swear I'm not, because you are the strongest person I know, and a fucking badass." I smile as his eyes drift over my face. "I just want to help you, to prove to you that I'm all in, Rory. All fucking in."

My eyes tear up, and I rasp, "I know you're all in, Theo. Buying me things doesn't prove that. Being here, the way you are, putting Autumn to bed, finding her a daycare so I can work during the day instead of at night, and paying most of her tuition does…."

He chuckles, leaning his head back. "How in the hell did you find out, and why do I still have my balls?"

I laugh. "The woman let it slip, and yes, I was hurt at first, and I wanted to tear your balls from your body…." He raises a brow with a smirk. I continue, "My mind came up with crap that I know was crap, but I thought about it and realized you love me." He smiles, not denying my words. "And I realized you love Autumn, and I know it's hard for you when you see me stranded when my car breaks, or when you come here and see me sleeping on the couch. I thought I'd give you this one and not throw pasta in your face like I did when you bought the couch."

We did end up in a make-out session after he chased me for throwing the pasta at him, so it was totally worth it.

Theo grins wide before grabbing my hips and lifting me. I gasp, holding in a squeal so we don't wake Autumn as he positions me on his lap, straddling him.

Gently he unclips my hair from the top of my head, then runs his fingers through the curly locks. He grips the back of my head in his hands, making me gasp again as he pulls me forward before his lips caress mine. Against my lips, he whispers, "I do love you, Aurora, so fucking much."

My tears form again. "And I love you," I reply, and then kiss him hard.

He wraps his left hand around my back, holding me close, his right hand gripping my hair tightly as I open my mouth for him, trying to push the memories back of him holding my hair tight, as Theo pushes his tongue through my lips and massages it against mine. His taste fills my mouth, keeping me with him and out of the past.

Theo groans, holding me tighter, causing me to feel his hardness against me, and my heart pounds with realization?—

I'm ready. This is it….

Worry hits me as he gently maneuvers us so I'm on my back on the couch, his body over mine.

I don't get the sick feeling; I don't feel like I'm being suffocated. My body welcomes his heat over me, but panic hits me that I'm going to taint him.

Theo breaks the kiss, pressing his forehead against mine, and rasps, "I want you, Firecracker, but only if you're ready. If not, then we'll just make out…."

My heart leaps, my stomach flips, and I grip the back of his neck, swallowing my fear, and whisper, "I want to. I'm ready, Theo."

His eyes race between mine before he nods, and then slowly moves his hands and grips my sweater.

I hold my breath as he gently lifts it up and over my head, and I suck in a breath. I look at him as his eyes take in my naked breasts, and I watch his throat bobs before he leans back, moving one hand over his head, behind his back, and grabbing his shirt before yanking it off.

A lump forms in my throat at seeing his body properly for the first time. My eyes go to the devil tattoo on his left pec, my trembling finger gently tracing over it.

He smiles and admits, "I thought it was cool…"

I nod as my eyes travel over his body, taking him in, looking at every line, every tattoo all the way down to the strip of hair from his navel disappearing below his waistband.

God, he's like a work of art….

He presses his body against mine, and I look up. We lock eyes as he leans forward and takes my lips again. Our tongues massage against each other's as his left-hand goes to my breast, his thumb lightly going over my nipple, making me gasp, him swallowing the sound.

The urge to squeeze my legs hits, needing pressure. He reads my body perfectly, and moves his hand from my nipple, down my body, lightly touching my skin and sending goosebumps all over me.

When he reaches my jeans, he breaks the kiss, pressing his forehead against mine, our eyes locking.

My breath stutters with how intense he's looking at me. I feel like I need to look away, but I can't; he has me locked in.

Keeping eye contact, he undoes my jeans, and slowly drags them down my body, pulling my jeans off along with my panties.

I'm completely bare in front of him, and fear takes hold.

Am I really ready for this, or is it too soon?

Am I going to give him my filth, my dirt?

Seeing my discomfort, Theo stands up, undoes his jeans, pulling them and his boxers down, his hard member pops up, and—oh my….

"Uh, I uh, Theo, that's not going to fit," I stutter, and he grins. He leans forward, places his hands on my knees, and pushes them apart. His head goes between my legs, making my eyes widen.

What is he…?

My thoughts stall as his tongue licks from my entrance to my clit.

Jesus.

Pleasure shoots through me as Theo groans, "Fuck, you taste amazing, Rory," before closing his whole mouth over my sex, sucking hard.

I gasp. "Th-Theo!"

Shock and extreme pleasure hits me hard as he moves his mouth, and sucks my clit into his mouth, and my stomach tightens, a feeling I've never felt before taking over.

My breathing comes out in short pants as Theo licks up my release.

Holy…. Did I just have my first orgasm?

Groaning, Theo licks up my body, oblivious to my shock. He holds my legs apart as he nestles his hips between them, his mouth instantly going to mine, his tongue pushing through my lips to tangle with my own, the taste of my release hitting my tastebuds.

I moan, wrapping my arms around his neck, completely in the moment, until I feel his member at my entrance. I tense involuntary, causing him to break the kiss and place his forehead against mine again. Our eyes lock as he glides his hands up my sides, unlinking my arms from around his neck.

He links our fingers, placing them just above my head against the couch, and rasps, "I want you raw, Rory, nothing between us…."

His eyes race between mine, and I nod, admitting, "I'm on the pill." And he doesn't hesitate, pushing inside me slowly.

He gets halfway inside me, keeping eye contact, and I feel my walls contract around him, trying to expel him, and my mind goes hazy, shame flowing through me.

"No!" I scream and sob as Axe shoves himself inside me, and he chuckles.

"It's been four months, my darling, it's about time you stop fighting. You're already pregnant with my baby." He grunts as he trusts harder in my dry entrance, tearing me. "You're fucking mine; you have been since you were eleven…."

"Breathe, Firecracker," he rasps, snapping me out of my horror, and gently pecks my nose, cheeks, chin, and then my lips before he's seated deep inside me. His lips continue to kiss my face, and I relax, squeezing his fingers, before I press my lips against his when he pecks my lips again.

I push my tongue into his mouth, and he groans, pressing harder into my body, and I moan. My memories disappear, and I focus on the man above me.

I lift my legs and wrap them around his waist, holding him tight to me as he thrusts slowly, making love to me.

His heat, his smell, him…that's all I focus on as pleasure moves through me again, and I tighten around him, making him groan and thrust harder, hitting the spot deep inside, and making my stomach tighten.

Wetness spreads between us, and he rasps, "Fuck, Firecracker," before he stills, filling me with his seed and painting my walls.

He takes my lips again, keeping our fingers linked near my head, and I hum in contentment as he breaks the kiss, rasping, "I fucking love you, Aurora…."

I smile, my eyes watering, and rasp, "I love you, too, Theodore…."

Chuckling, he kisses me again, his hips moving in and out of me slowly until his member hardens again.

He spends the rest of the night making love to me, showing me what I mean to him.

He spends the rest of the night ensuring I'll never want to live without him.

He spends the night washing away my nightmares.