Chapter 181: After the storm, it’s just us.
Kayden
"Finally," I muttered as Rhys and I slipped into the limousine that had brought him to his grandfather’s estate.
Miller had offered to drive us, but we politely declined, saying we were fine, and decided to take the limousine back instead.
"So," Rhys placed his hand over mine and grinned, his bruised face softening with relief. "How do you feel now after everything that happened tonight?"
I shifted comfortably on the leather seat as the vehicle smoothly started moving. "Well, I really don’t have much to say except that I am glad we are together like this," I responded. "I had thought tonight would probably end with the two of us still pretending, but instead everything changed and that’s..." I paused, smacking my lips together. "Amazing."
Rhys adjusted his tie and loosened it freely from around his neck. "I am glad that we were able to resolve all of our worries. Right now, what we should be planning is how to win that cup and prove to the world that we are a strong couple."
At the mention of the word "couple," I raised my hand and gently placed it on his bruised cheek. "I am still curious about what you said to your grandfather that made him change his mind so quickly. I have never seen Rami Calder that shaken before."
"Well... my grandfather," he began, unbuttoning the top collar button of his shirt, "loves the family legacy more than anything. I might have threatened him about not winning the cup, so that made him change his mind and decide to listen to me. It was either his legacy or the new one I threatened to destroy."
I shook my head and heaved a deep sigh. "I have to say that I was equally surprised by his ridiculous announcement."
"That old man wants to control everything about me. He thinks he owns my life, and that was why he was so bent on getting me engaged to Elian," Rhys said, gently caressing my hand. "But I couldn’t take it anymore. I don’t care what the world has to say anymore, Kayden. I don’t want to hide us anymore."
"Me too," I responded, raising our joined hands and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "Which is why we should celebrate."
Rhys shifted in his seat, giving me a questioning look. "Oh? And what kind of celebration? I would really love to have you spread out on my kitchen table while I eat you out. That is the kind of celebration I would like."
I burst into laughter. "That sounds amazing and I want that tonight, but that’s just half of it." I told him, smacking my lips together. "So..." I cleared my throat as I prepared to reveal one of the biggest pieces of news I had kept hidden from him since Langose.
"So I got an apartment in..."
His eyes widened, and even in the dim light of the vehicle, I could see the faint lines of annoyance forming on his face. "You are moving out?"
I sighed. "I have been in this city for too long with no apartment to my name, so I decided to buy one and..."
"But you already have a home with me. Why the hell are you trying to move out?" he demanded, pulling his hand away from mine and folding his arms tightly across his chest. "So you are moving out?"
I shook my head quickly. "I never said that I was. I am not moving out, Rhys. I just bought the apartment so I would have my own place here in Oak City and also," I paused, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him closer to me until I could feel his uneven, angry breath warm against my face.
He was seething with frustration.
"I believed we would still have to keep up the pretend relationship, so in case we needed to make it believable, I could go to my new apartment."
Rhys heaved a heavy sigh of relief and pouted like a sulking child.
"Oh, the big bad alpha is pissed. That is something I never expected to see," I chuckled as I ran my fingers slowly along his jawline. "I am not moving out. Your hole... sorry, I meant..."
Rhys burst into laughter before I could finish. "What the hell do you mean by my hole?" he questioned, still laughing.
I slammed a hand over my mouth and gestured frantically toward the driver. The privacy glass that separated the driver from the occupants in the limousine was not closed, so he could probably hear every word.
"Oh, you are insufferable!"
Rhys laughed harder and cupped my face with both hands, then kissed me lightly on the lips. "The right words should be your hole belongs to me because, baby, I have already explored those walls and I can’t wait to explore more."
"Oh goodness," I groaned and slapped his shoulder playfully. "You are a menace."
"Part of being a Calder."
I chuckled and shifted on the seat. "So what do you say about my apartment?"
"I say you do you, baby. It’s your life, but there will be no more moving out because I plan on getting us a bigger place after the season. Who knows, our family might grow even before the next season."
I smiled because while he was saying all of that, a vivid scene was playing out in my head. I was imagining our lives together as husbands, with our children running around the house laughing and filling every room with noise.
It was such a rare, beautiful sight, and even though it was only my imagination, I loved every single moment of it.
"Kayden, Kayden!" Rhys called, nudging my shoulder gently. "Is everything alright with you?"
I nodded and smiled again. "So, what do you say we go to my empty apartment, dance to our victory against your family, and make love all night?"
"I thought you were shy?" Rhys muttered, pointing toward the driver.
I chuckled. "Unlike you, I wasn’t too explicit. I was just uhm..."
Rhys raised his brows, waiting expectantly to hear the words, but I threw my hands up in surrender. "Whatever!"
He leaned closer and winced slightly in pain from his injuries.
"And I think we need to get first aid care for you first. So, Mr..." I trailed off because I didn’t know the driver’s name.
"Charles, sir."
"Right. Charles. Please kindly drive us to the nearest pharmacy first, and then our final destination is the Evergreen Estate. That’s where we are heading."
"Yes, sir."
Rhys shut the privacy glass that separated us from the driver and grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap as if I weighed nothing at all. "What do you say we make out before we reach the pharmacy?"
"But... what about your injuries? They..."
"Kissing you would ease all the pain," he responded softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, placing his hand gently behind my ear, and pulling me in for a deep kiss.