Chapter 26

Aurora

Cool vodka coats my throat. Women dance onstage to burlesque music. And waitresses wearing practically nothing walk by with drinks.

Maybe it’s the alcohol hitting my system…or maybe it’s the fact that naked women who are embracing their sexuality surround us.

I don’t know what it is about this place that made me open up to Jasper so freely. For once in my life, I feel like a naughty girl.

Unbidden desires are coming to the surface. I feel like I don’t have to keep up the appearance of being so perfect.

After all, I saved my virginity, because I wanted to make my parents proud. And then what happened?

They died.

They fucking died, and my brother is an addict, and my life is a mess.

What was the point of all those years of saving myself? What was the point of trying to be so perfect when eventually the walls would come tumbling down anyway?

I tried to make everyone proud, to be the perfect daughter, and it was all for nothing.

I look around the club, and there’s all manner of luxury and open sexuality. I feel like a different person. I feel like the real me is coming out at last, and it’s all thanks to Jasper.

He’s talking to some people in the VIP area. I just watch him and think how handsome he is. I’m extremely lucky to be here right now with such a man.

As I look at him, my insides start to flutter, and electricity flies between us. I think that maybe saving my virginity was a good thing, because doing so meant that I could give it to the Grayson brothers. I’m starting to become entranced and enraptured by each of them.

I’m starting to think about them constantly.

Jasper seems so tough on the exterior, but tonight, I’ve seen a different side of him.

Maybe that’s what made me open up so quickly. For some reason, I just felt like he would understand my circumstances, and he certainly did.

That makes him more attractive to me than ever. But at the same time, my heart is continuing to beat hard against my chest, and I know that I want more. I know that he’ll give me more.

It’s just a matter of time.

Jasper walks over to me with a guy.

He introduces the guy and says, “Aurora, this is my friend Bobby. He’s a common fixture here, and he really wanted to meet you.”

I rise to greet him and use my best manners. We might be in a strip club, but it’s an elegant one, and besides, I’m always sure to have manners with people. My parents taught me to treat every person equally, whether it be a homeless beggar or a multimillionaire.

That, to me, is the meaning of class. And I’m nothing if not classy, if I do say so myself.

Besides, Bobby looks nice enough. I extend my hand, and he takes it.

With a grand gesture, he kisses it and stares up at me while doing so.

“Hello, Aurora. So you’re the woman to claim Jasper’s heart. You know he never dates. He’s not a one-woman kind of guy, not by any means.”

He says this as if it’s some great secret I should know. As if it wasn’t obvious right from the start that Jasper’s a player. Bobby’s comments get to me, though, and they make me feel suddenly uneasy.

Jasper moves in to pull me away from him. I’m glad he does, because I can tell Bobby’s eyes are all over my body, and I don’t appreciate it especially when I’m on a date.

“No, Bobby, she’s mine, and she’s somethin’ special...like you wouldn’t believe,” Jasper says almost through gritted teeth. “We have all manner of girls for you in here. Just don’t touch my Aurora.”

My Aurora. He just called me his Aurora.

“Well,” Bobby bows out gently. “It was nice to meet you, Aurora.”

Jasper takes a seat next to me and says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he’d be so all over you like that. I’ve known Bobby a long time, but I wasn’t expecting him to make those comments and to hit on you in such a blatant way.”

“But, Jasper,” I say to him. “He didn’t hit on me. Yes, his eyes might’ve grazed over my body, but that was about it.”

He pulls me closer into his side and says, “I’m possessive of you, baby. I can’t help it. Just seeing you talk to another man makes me go crazy.” His eyes turn dark. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course,” I say, looking into his stormy eyes.

“From the moment I met you, you’ve been driving me fucking wild. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And I feel jealous and possessive. Is that okay?”

I look at him with wide eyes and try to take in what he’s telling me.

He’s been thinking about me this entire time? I wouldn’t have known it, because he didn’t contact me after our first night together. But the idea of Jasper being so obsessed with me to the point that he’s willing to dismiss a friend…well that turns me on.

“Yes, it’s okay,” I say, not knowing how to deal with the extent of his possessive nature.

I don’t have experience with men and so I don’t know what this means.

But right now, Jasper’s eyes are all I need.

He’s not watching the girls who dance on stage. He’s not watching any part of the burlesque show. His eyes don’t even look at the waitresses who walk by.

They watch him with lust in their eyes, like they’d like to see me out of the picture.

But his dark eyes remain steadfastly on me. He’s intently focused on me for the entire night.

And I know that for now, I’m all he wants.

He feeds me chocolate martinis, which I think is fitting, considering the fact that my parents own a chocolate company.

Wait.

I guess I own it now.

We sit in the VIP area, just the two of us, and get to know each other better.

“Aurora, you were so open with me that I feel like I should return the favor,” he says. “I never talk about this, not with anyone.”

I take a sip of my martini and don’t say a word. I just want him to open up to me, to feel like he can trust me with his innermost secrets.

“You told me about how your parents died and about your brother’s addiction. I’m sorry to hear about all of that, you know I am. But at the same time, I can relate. Like we said, our dad died not too long ago. His name was John James Grayson, and he was a fucking legend in this town. But now that he’s gone, my brothers and I have torn apart the company. We’ve broken it up into three pieces.”

“Are you serious?” I say.

I knew the Grayson brothers had a competitive streak, but I had no idea it went this deep. Suddenly, I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into by trying to date all the guys.

“Jealousy and competition have torn us apart, Aurora. I’m a triplet, and yet I can’t even stand my two other brothers. I can say in all honesty that I fucking hate them.”

His words hang heavy in the air.

“Jasper, hate is a strong word. Do you mean it?”

“Yes, baby. It’s just the way it is. We don’t get along, and we don’t agree on anything. With our father gone, it’s become more evident just how bad things are. Our family’s been ripped apart, and there’s no way to put back the pieces.”

I don’t know what to say to him. How can I console this man who’s feeling such obvious rage? Such obvious pain? You wouldn’t think from the outside that Jasper Grayson can feel pain, but in this moment, I realize that he does.

I say the only thing that I know is true.

“Well, Jasper, to me, you’re very different from each of your brothers. You guys are different people, and I think that’s attractive. I think you’re attractive.”

His eyes blaze, and he kisses me.

He pulls me in hungrily, and as his mouth finds mine, his teeth graze along my lips.

“You’re mine, Aurora. From the first moment I saw you, I knew that you were mine.”