She eyed him carefully. He was strong willed, she knew that. Even when he had done something wrong, he was still strong in his convictions. Could she ever really stop loving him? Could he ever give up on her? Could things get better or would she resent him forever for what he’d done?
Confusion filled her and all she could do was wonder if they could really have a future together.
Hidden Riches: Part seven
The sound of her own heart pounding was deafening. Aulora was being led down the hallway of her new home.
“Which one is yours?” Weston asked her as he held her hand tightly in his.
“Why?” her voice trembled.
“Because I need to remind you of what you promised me.”
She didn’t want to be alone, behind closed doors with him. She knew all too well how he could bend her will with his touch. “Weston, this is a bad idea. Let’s go into one of the living areas.”
“No,” he said with a snip to his tone. “Now, which one is it?”
“The third door on the left,” she whimpered.
He pushed it open and took her inside of her new bedroom, closing the door behind them and pinning her between it and his body. “Aulora, you and I are meant to be together. You and I share something I’ve never shared with anyone else. You may be stubborn but I am even more so than you are. I’m not about to take no for an answer.”
She gulped when he pulled her arms up over her head and took her wrists into one of his hands, holding them down. She was panting with desire, a thing she didn’t want to be doing but her body wanted the man.
“Please, Weston,” she murmured.
“Please, what?” he asked then bit her lower lip, gently.
She went wet instantly. “Please.”
“Tell me that you love me, Aulora,” came his husky whisper from just behind her ear.
“No,” she said with a moan as he ground his hard cock into her soft sex.
His teeth grazed along her neck then he clamped down, making her yelp. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he continued to grind his body against hers. He clamped down hard on her shoulder. “Tell me!”
Her mind was losing the battle between it and her body. Her lips parted, she licked them then whispered, “I love you.”
That’s all he needed and he rewarded her with a hot kiss that left her breathless. In a frenzy of rips and tears, she found he’d stripped her down to nothing and was carrying her to the bed.
Somehow, he’d managed to get his clothes off too. He never let enough space get between them for her to have a chance in hell at slipping away from him, not that she wanted to.
He forced her legs apart and settled his body between them, thrusting into her with a passion she found exhilarating. “West!”
His mouth on hers, shut her up as he took her like he owned her. Each hard thrust let her know she was his and his alone. There would never be any running.
Never again would he allow that!
When her body began to shake, he pulled his mouth off hers and watched her climax. “You are mine, Aulora.”
Her nails gouged into the flesh of his back as she gritted her teeth. “Yes! Yes!” Her legs wrapped around him, holding him to her as she arched up and gyrated as her body gave into his.
His cock wasn’t about to give up yet and he began to move again, stroking her until she was screaming his name and begging him for more. He found her need for him entrancing and gave her what she wanted three more times before he let himself go.
He fell on top of her, spent and satiated. They were a puddle in the middle of her huge new bed. Her hands trailed softly over his back and her warm lips pressed against his neck.
“I love you, West.”
“And I love you, Aulora,” the words felt right, coming out of his mouth. He felt all was right again. Then he closed his eyes, falling asleep on top of her as her breathing went into a steady rhythm, telling him she too was fast asleep.
Her eyes fluttered open and she found it hadn’t been a dream at all. Weston was holding her tight in his arms, even though his light snores let her know he was fast asleep. A smile ran over her face as she eased out of his arms and made her way to the bathroom that was attached to her bedroom.
Her father’s driver would soon be there to pick her up for her visit. She found a certain amount of enthusiasm had formed in her about meeting her stepmother. She washed her face and smiled at her reflection.
“You’re going to be a big sister!”
She hurried to dress, pulling her hair into a ponytail and leaving her face free from makeup. She was in a rush to get to her cell that she’d left in the main living area. It was getting close to noon.
When she went back into her bedroom, she saw that Weston had spread out and was sleeping soundly. With a kiss to his cheek, she left him right where he was. She knew how exhausted he had to be. She was tired too but she was also excited about things now.
He’d come back and he’d taken control. Aullie never saw herself as a woman who wanted anyone to take control of their live life. But she had to admit that it felt fantastic.
He’d fight for her. He wasn’t about to let their love die. She knew that for certain now.
It was odd how the ache that had resided in her heart had suddenly disappeared. Love was flowing all through it again and she found that a relief. And now to see how she would get along with her father and new stepmom.
When she found her cell, she saw the text from her father that had come in, an hour back.
-My driver is on his way now. Can’t wait to see you.-
Just as she was about to text him back, the doorbell rang and she hurried to it. She found the butler answering the door and there stood the driver she’d known from the old days. “Dustin!”
The older man’s smile had wrinkles forming around his mouth and light green eyes. “Miss Aulora!”
She ran into his arms and he picked her up as they hugged. “I never thought I’d see you again!”
“Oh, honey,” he said with a happy tone to his deep voice. “I knew your father would smarten up one day.”
He let her go and took her down to the waiting car. “It’s so nice to see you, Dustin. How has everything gone these past years?”
“The usual. I’ve driven your daddy around a lot and time has passed. My only news is that I’ve had three grandkids in the time that’s passed.” He opened the back door of the Town car for her to get into.
“You’re a grandpa?” she asked then giggled.
“I am. They call me Gramps. Now, off we go so you can meet your new family, Miss Aulora.”
She gave him a nod as he closed the door. Then he took off and she found her tummy was filling with butterflies. She was back to where she’d been before.
Riding in the back of her father’s car, driven around by their driver and looking out the window as the car veered around other cars, some expensive and some not. People were everywhere and then they began to thin out as they left the city and went toward the place she’d once lived.
She wondered if her bedroom had been kept the same. She’d had a Paris-themed bedroom, complete with a replica of the Eiffel Tower in one corner. There was a huge balcony off that room and white lights had been strung along the railing.
Her fingers trembled as she smoothed out her blue skirt. She was going home. The place she always thought of as home. The small apartment in Queens was never a thing she thought of as home. It was like a little dungeon to her back then.
That apartment was like a prison. And it was a constant reminder to her that the money she’d always had wasn’t really hers. It was her father’s and he could take it all away.
She thought about how things had all changed. The money in the bank account was all hers. No one could take it away from her. She’d made sure to ask the bank representative who helped her sign the necessary paperwork about that.
She was the owner of a brand new Mercedes. Her name was on the title. She was also the owner of t
he penthouse. Her name was on that too. And it was her name and hers alone that was on the bank account that had a balance that was nearly a billion dollars.
Aulora was set!
Her man had come back to her, showing her how much he really loved her. She had two walls in a prestigious art gallery to fill. The world was her oyster, it seemed.
She hummed, happily as they drove the hour and a half out of New York City to get to her father’s home. A mansion she had a key to!
As they pulled into the long drive, she felt the butterflies turn into gargoyles. It was time to meet the woman who’d changed her father for the better!
Dustin got out and let her out of the car, then walked her up the huge staircase that led to the front entrance. “Good luck, Miss Aulora. It’s damn nice to have you back home.”
“Thanks, Dustin. It’s damn great to be here,” she said then gave the man a hug and turned to find the door was opening and a new man was standing at the door.
“You’re father and mother are waiting in the nursery for you, Miss Aulora,” he told her.
She didn’t recognize the man, though. “You’re new to me, sir. Do you mind telling me what I should call you?”
“I am Stanley,” came his stoic response. “Follow me, please.”
Aulora’s eyes were everywhere. The floor, the staircase, the enormous chandelier that hovered high above the entrance room. “It’s just the same,” she mumbled to herself.
Up the stairs, they went and she hesitated once they came to the door of the bedroom that had once been hers. She wanted to stop and look inside of it but the guy kept walking, so she decided not to fall behind.
Only three more doors down and they stopped and she found her father inside the empty room with his arm around a very young woman. A woman who looked very close in age to herself. “Miss Aulora has arrived, Master Wohrl.”
They turned back to look at Aulora. Both wore huge smiles. Her father held out his hand in a gesture for her to come to them. “Aulora, darling, come meet your new mother.”
Aulora laughed as she went to them. The young woman was gorgeous. Tall, thin, tan, and blonde. Deep blue eyes were framed with thick lustrous lashes. Her full lips were stained deep red to match her dress. She had on black flats and her stomach looked as if a basketball was under the tight dress.
“I’m Clara, Aulora. But it would make me very happy if you’d call me, Mom.” The young woman extended her hand.
“Mom?” Aulora asked with another laugh. She shook the woman’s hand. “I’m sure you and I are close in age. Mom might be a bit weird.”
“Your father told me you were twenty-two. Is that right?” Clara asked as she let Aulora’s hand go and rubbed her round belly.
“That’s right. And you are?”
“Twenty-five,” she said. Then she looked up at her husband and grinned. “But Charles tells me I’m much more mature than that. Isn’t that right, baby?”
“Much more mature than that,” he said and kissed her cheek. “Now, Aulora, don’t let the age thing get in the way of making this woman your mother.”
Aulora choked back her words. She had a mother, after all. She wasn’t in need of another one!
She decided to change the subject. “When’s the baby due?”
“In two months. And we’ve not yet done a single thing to make this nursery a place for her. Did your father tell you what we’ve decided to name her?” her new mom asked.
“He did not,” Aulora answered as she gazed around at the large room, trying to envision what could be done with it.
“I so love your name that we’re naming her that too,” came her stepmother’s insane words.
“What? My name? That’s going to be confusing. Don’t you think?”
Her father quickly shook his head. “No, not at all. You see we’re going to call this one Aulora and you’ll earn the new nickname, Old Aulora.”
Her heart sank as she thought about being called something like that. “No. No, I don’t like that at all.”
Her new mom’s hand ran over her shoulder. “You’ll get used to it. Now, about this room. Your father and I are at an impasse. I want to use pastels and he wants to use bright colors. We’ve decided to let you pick.”
“In that case, I like bright colors. They stimulate the senses,” Aulora said as she looked around. “If she’s anything like me, she’ll like the bright colors too.”
“Then it’s settled,” her father said. “And now on to other things.” He took out a small catalog from inside his suit pocket. “Here are the baby cribs we’ve been looking at. We’d love it if you’d pick one for our little Aulora.”
With a quick glance through the small booklet, she picked one out. “This one will work and I’ll paint it.”
She noticed the frown on Clara’s face as she walked over to the window and looked out of it. “You certainly can make quick decisions, can’t you?”
“I generally do make decisions very quickly. If you don’t mind my asking, how long did you two know each other before you got married?” Aulora joined her new mom at the window.
The view was of the huge swimming pool that she’d learned to swim in. The tennis courts were off to one side and the riding stables were behind that. The place she’d played in her younger years.
“We met last year and hit it off right away,” she told her.
Aulora looked stunned. “And the baby is due in a couple of months. You two wasted no time, did you?” She laughed a little but it was more than a bit unnerving that her father could move so fast.
“When you know, you know,” her father said as he came up behind them, putting his arm around his wife. “Do you think you can have this nursery up and ready in only a couple of months?”
“Sure. Anything for New Aulora,” she said with a smile she didn’t really feel. “For now, I’ll go back home and work on the whole idea. I’ll sketch it all out and maybe use map colors to fill in the shades. How would that work for you two?”
“Great,” her father said.
“Would it be too much to ask for me to have some input into this?” Clara asked. “She is my first child after all.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Aulora said. “It wasn’t me who asked to do this after all.”
The tiniest of twitches moved Clara’s brow. “I know that. Your father and I can’t seem to agree on a single thing to do with this room. That’s why I said you’d be the tie breaker. Only, I thought you’d see things my way. You know, being women and all. I was mistaken.”
“Dad, let her design this room,” Aulora said as she exhaled. She had no interest in being a tie breaker.
He ducked his head and said, “Clara, of course, you can design the nursery.”
The grin that moved over her stepmother’s face let Aulora know it was all a ploy. A ploy to let Clara know how far she could push them both. “I’d love your help on it, though,” she told Aulora. “The Old Aulora’s stamp on the New Aulora’s nursery would be appreciated.”
“I could paint a mural on one of the walls if you’d like. But I’m much more of an abstract painter. I could send you some photos of what I’ve done.”
“But you are an artist, so that means you can paint anything I want, doesn’t it?” Clara asked with a sweet smile. The kind of smile the super-rich have that lets other people know they’re not really asking you for something, they’re telling you that you will do it their way.
“Send me pictures of what you want, Clara.”
“Mom,” she reminded her, still wearing that sinisterly sweet smile.
“Mom,” she said then sighed. “So, I’m going to take off now. You have my cell number. You can text me the pics. Later, guys.”
Aulora left the room with expectations that had become a lot lower. When she got to the door of her old bedroom, she pushed it open to find it wasn’t a bedroom at all but an office.
Closing the door, she went down the stairs with her head hanging. She wasn’t getting her father ba
ck. He was replacing her and her mother with newer versions of them. Right down to the new baby’s name.
Making her way to the front door, she found the butler jumping to open it for her. She let him. “Good day, Miss.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said as she left the home she had high hopes of making hers again. But that dream was history. She knew she’d love her baby sister but the idea of being one, big, happy family was gone.
Dustin opened the door of the car for her.
“You don’t look nearly as happy as you did when I let you out of this car.”
“Reality set in. Bummer, huh?” she said as she got in.
He nodded and closed the door without adding to her words. She figured he knew more about Clara than he’d ever say. The fact was, Clara nor her father, were anything Aulora should be worried about.
Aulora had to find herself. She’d been a poor art student who moonlighted as a waitress. Now she was a rich woman with a rich boyfriend and a couple of walls to fill with new artwork in a gallery. If she wanted to. She didn’t have to do a damn thing if she didn’t want to.
The drive back to New York was long and she found her head falling back on the headrest and her eyes closing. The exhaustion had finally caught up with her and she fell asleep.
Weston rolled over and then over again, it became clear he was alone in the large bed. “Aulora?”
He sat up in the bed and looked around the room that was dimly lit by the outside sunlight.
She was gone!
His heart stopped and his mind went blank. They’d made up. Why would she leave?
Getting out of the bed, he got dressed and looked around for a note or something that would tell him where she’d gone. He went to the bathroom to clean up a bit and laughed at himself when he heard the bedroom door open. “West?”
Stepping out of the bathroom, he found Aulora and scooped her up. “I was afraid you’d left me.”
She ran her arms around his neck and laid her head on his wide chest. “I’m not about to do that. You’re the only thing I have in my life right now I’m certain about. I went to visit my dad and his new wife. A woman who’s around my age. She’s a real piece of work from what I saw.”
Dr. Orgasm (A Holiday Romance Collection Book 2) Page 59