Chapter 7 Out Of The Blue

Ava I felt a shiver run down my spine as Caspian's eyes seemed to burn with an inner intensity. His voice was low and husky, sending tremors through my body. I tried to maintain my casual tone, but my heart was racing so fast and hard that I could hear and feel it against my chest. "What are you warning me against, Caspian?" I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I could feel the tension between us building, like a spark waiting to ignite. Caspian's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in a tight line. "Don't play games with me, Ava," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I'm not in the mood." I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I pushed it aside, trying to understand why the hell I was feeling like I was drowning in the depths of his eyes? Those beautiful gray-colored eyes. I bit my bottom lip, trying to process the mix of emotions swirling inside me. I couldn't believe I was feeling this way after all these years? I thought everything had changed so what was this force? What was this pull that I couldn't understand. Dear heart, even after what Caspian had said to make you ache and break? Not after he'd made it clear he didn't want me. I stood up, my eyes clearing as I gazed at him. But he wasn't even looking at me. He seemed to be sleeping now, his eyes closed, and his chest rising and falling with a slow, steady rhythm. Quietly, I went to the bed and laid down, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The room was big and luxurious, a far cry from my small, cozy bedroom back home. I stared at the ceiling, feeling lost and alone. As I lay there, my eyelids began to droop, and I felt myself drifting off to sleep. The last thing I remembered was the softness of the bed and the quiet darkness of the room. When I woke up, it was to the warm glow of sunlight streaming through the windows. I blinked, my eyes adjusting slowly to the light. And that's when I saw him. Caspian was lying beside me, his arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close like he didn't want to see me gone when morning comes. This should be a dream, right? It doesn't look so, though. I just lay there, frozen in shock, my eyes fixed on Caspian's peaceful face. How did he end up here? And why was his arm wrapped around me like he was claiming me as his own? I tried to remember the previous night, but my memories were hazy. I recalled lying down on the bed, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. But I had no idea Caspian had joined me. I thought he didn't want this! As I struggled to process my thoughts, Caspian stirred beside me. His eyes fluttered open, and he gazed up at me with a sleepy, disoriented expression. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the tension between us palpable. Then, Caspian's eyes snapped into focus, and he sat up abruptly, removing his arm from around my waist. "What...what happened?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I should be the one asking you that, Caspian," I replied, my voice cold. It was as if he snapped into reality because his eyes widened in surprise, and he pulled away from me, then sitting upright. "Fuck," he muttered, his voice laced with shock. I raised an eyebrow, skeptical of his reaction. "What happened?" I asked, my voice firm. "Why are you in this bed? You clearly said you were going to sleep on the floor." Caspian rubbed his head, his expression sheepish. "I think I must have woken up in the middle of the night, gone to use the toilet, and then just...ended up back in bed. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable." "Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "Can you please take me back home? My mom might be worried about me. I didn't tell her I would be sleeping over." Caspian stood up, his face looking icily cold. "Well, I hope she'll learn not to worry about you because you'll be moving in with me soon...after our wedding." My eyes narrowed at his words, and I felt a surge of irritation. He reached out to help me up from the bed, but I brushed him off, standing up on my own. "I don't need your help," I said coolly, my eyes flashing with annoyance. After a forced breakfast that morning, Mrs. Wright led us to the door with a warm smile. "I'm glad you both stayed over," she said. "It’s been a real pleasure getting to know you better, Ava." I forced a smile, trying to be polite. "It’s a pleasure too, Mother," I replied, feeling a bit awkward. Mrs. Wright’s eyes sparkled with warmth. "I can’t wait for the day you call me by my birth name. I hope you get used to it sooner rather than later." I just nodded, then attempted to make small talk. "And what about Mr. Wright?" Her expression turned serious. "You shouldn’t call my husband Mr. Wright, dear. Call him Father. He’s your dad now, since we’re all family." Yeah, indeed. A surge of discomfort rushed through me, but I tried to play it cool. I smiled nervously and scratched my head. "What about… uhm… Father?" I whispered, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Mrs. Wright’s expression softened. "Oh, he went to work this morning. There was a business deal he needed to settle, so he left right away. But I’ll let him know you asked about him." Caspian intervened, his voice firm. "Mum, the discussion is over. We really need to go. Goodbye." He took my hand, pulling me away from his mother. I felt a pang of relief as we walked out of the house, leaving the awkwardness behind. When will I be comfortable around this family? Even my brother was more comfortable with them. Caspian led me to his car, opened the door, and I climbed in, staring straight ahead as he got in and drove off. "Caspian!" I suddenly called out. "What?" he replied, glancing at me. "Stop... Stop the car!" I insisted. "What??" he responded, clearly confused.