ing the Heir Who Bullied Me
Chapter 144
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Waking up next to Nathan has to be one of the best things in the world.
I feel his warmth around me, like a cocoon, my safe space, and I loathe that the world around us exists and we have to return to it.
He stirs, and a soft sigh escapes me when he kisses my bate shoulder. “Good morning, precious,” he whispers against my skin.
Smiling, I turn in his arms. “Good morning.”
21
Oh, he’s glorious in the morning. His hair stands in disheveled peaks, thanks to me running my hands through it over and over last night.
He blinks at me sleepily and whispers, “Fuck, you’re beautiful,”
I blush, burying my face in his chest.
His body vibrates against mine as he chuckles. “Now you’re shy?”
I lightly tap his chest. “Oh, shush.”
He kisses my hair, chuckling lightly. “How do you feel?”
There’s a slight ache between my thighs, but it’s the kind that brings a silly, giddy smile to my lips.
I kiss his warm chest. “Amazing.”
I lift my head. “You?”
He grins. “Yeah, I haven’t slept that well since-”
He freezes, and I frown. “What? Are you okay?
His brows knit together. “April, did I… Did you feel me have the terrors during the night?”
I gasp softly. Every time he’s slept with me in my room, I’ve woken up in the middle of the night to soothe him through his agony.
But I slept through last night.
Because he slept through last night.
“Oh, Nathan,” I whisper, cupping his face.
He lets out an incredulous breath, closing his eyes. “I can’t believe it.”
I smile. “Who knew the cure to night terrors was getting laid? Alert the entire psychiatrist board.”
He laughs, a bright, happy sound that fills my heart. He kisses my forehead. “You’re the cure.”
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Chapter 144
I hook my arms under his, pulling him to me. “That’s funny, because you feel like a drug.”
His arms tighten around me. “Fuck,” he whispers, awe wrapped around that one word.
I close my eyes and breathe him in, memories of last night flashing in my mind. “Can we stay like this forever?” I whisper.
He sighs. “We’d starve.”
I shrug. “Then we’d die in each other’s arms, and they’ll bury us together.”
He pulls back, his eyebrow raised in amusement. “When did you get so morbid?”
I shrug. “Maybe I’m depressed that I have to leave after the most amazing night of my life and participate more in this soul–sucking competition.”
A dark shadow passes across his face, and I instantly know he’s thinking about last night and my date with Lucas.
“Hey.” I grab his chin, leaning in to kiss him. “It won’t be long now, right?”
He nods, managing a soft smile. “Right.”
“A few more days, maybe a couple of weeks.” I beam. “And then forever.”
The smile that spreads on his face is more radiant than the morning sun. “I can’t wait to spend forever with you.”
My heart skips a beat at the thought–waking up next to Nathan every day for the rest of my life.
Oh God, I can’t wait.
***
Last night feels like it split into two different timelines: the god–awful date–the memory of which I wish I could carve out of my mind and burn–and then the mind–blowing night with Nathan.
I’m so consumed with the latter that I momentarily forget that Nathan wasn’t the only one affected by my decision yesterday.
“Hi,” I greet Eliza as I slide into my seat next to her at breakfast.
She shoots me a hesitant look, like she suddenly doesn’t know how to act around me. “Hey,” she answers simply with none of her usual
friendliness.
My stomach sinks.
That’s when I notice that every girl at the dining table is eyeing me in different ways, ranging from curiosity to jealousy to outright rage.
And of course, Valerie St Claire can’t resist a jibe.
“I don’t get it,” she muses, looking right at me, her arms folded.
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Chapter 144
I exhale. “Get what?”
28
Her eyes slowly, calculatingly, take me in, and I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to squirm. “What on earth could they possibly see in you that would make not one, but two Ashford heirs fight over you?”
Their eyes burn into me, and I feel like I’m being accused of a crime I’m not sure whether or not I committed.
My palms sweat, and I wipe them on my dress as a long–forgotten anxiety stirs inside me.
I don’t owe these girls an explanation. They can’t understand the dynamics between Lucas, Nathan, and me. I barely do myself.
“Well?” Valerie raises a brow, her lips twitching. She can see how uncomfortable I am, and she revels in it. “Go on; don’t be selfish, April. Share with the class.”
“Why do you want to know, Val?” Eliza pipes up from beside me, and I turn to her, surprised that she’s coming to my defense. “It wouldn’t matter anyway. It’s not a trait you possess.”
Valerie’s eyes flash. “You think you’re all that, just because Peter picked you?”
Eliza smirks, and I stare in awe, wondering where my shy friend has gone. “At least I got picked–and not by chance.” She tilts her head to the side. “Can you say the same?”
An ugly scowl warps Valerie’s face as she pushes to her feet. “You better watch your back, Liza,” she sneers. “The next thing you know,”— she stabs a manicured finger in my direction-“she’ll be gunning after your man, too.”
With that, she stalks out of the dining hall, her breakfast untouched.
Eliza deflates, turning to me. “You okay?”
I swallow against the lump in my throat. Although she defended me, she’s not looking at me the same as usual, and I know Valerie’s words struck a chord within her.
As far as she knows, I chose Lucas, knowing fully well that Lara is in love with him. Distrust swims in her eyes, and my heart aches.
I have to tell her the truth; she has to know that I’m not some succubus trying to steal my friends‘ love.
But Lara needs to hear it first.
The thought of that uncomfortable exchange turns my scrambled eggs into lead in my stomach, and the floaty happiness I woke up with this morning is replaced by a weight that threatens to drag me to the ground.
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17:23 Mon, Oct 3
Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me
Chapter 145
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
