Chapter 50: In Which He Proposed

“Meez Aurora, you’ve done so many readingz. Surely you can see the signz," the psychic continued.

Aurora looked up from her phone screen and then back at it.

Sensing hesitation from her employee, Madame Zoya added, "Vee keep all our earnings becauze Mr. Barone bought this whole building and charged us no rent."

Aurora's face shot up with astonishment.

"Why did he do that?" The older fortune-teller asked the younger one.

Aurora gave her mentor a puzzled glance that turned meaningful as she whispered, "He has all the answers.”

Madame Zoya closed her eyes with a warm smile, "Go then."


******


Aurora got out of the cab and surveyed the sandy space for that familiar silhouette.

There was none.

The wind blew strongly. The grey clouds tumbled about in the dark skies. A fierce downpour was on the way.

D*mn it! Where the hell is he? She skipped down the stairs and scuttled across the beach towards the shore. She looked to her left - the seaside curved to a nest of large rocks. There was no sign of him.

She turned around and the shore extended to as far as her eyes could see and saw it - a dark greyish rectangular shape. She sped towards it.


******


Theo tightened his coat in the middle.

F*cking cold wind.

He was supposed to meet Keane for lunch when his car went past the sea and the cheerful blueness of the sky and sea lured all his senses.

Like Aurora.

And just like his feisty goddess, the clouds and the waters immediately turned dark and angry. He dropped his gaze from the upsetting scenery and sighed.

God, he missed her.

He wants her back.

He lifted his chin at the grey skies. What can he do to get her back? He hasn't figured it out yet.

He stepped closer to the shoreline.

"Theo!"

He froze.

Ah hell, he groaned silently. He’s started to hallucinate. Maybe he has gone mad.

"Theo!"

He turned towards the sound and his scarlet haired temptress crashed into him, her arms wrapped tightly around him.

Theo didn't dare to move, fearing that she would burst like bubbles with the slightest movement. He would wake up and this had all been a dream.

It was when she snuggled deeper into his embrace and called his name again that he realized that this wasn't a dream and hugged her close.

“I won’t let you go so easily next time,” he whispered into her ear.

Aurora nodded, “Alright.”

They stayed in each other's warmth, relishing the feel of each other's heartbeat until she felt the first raindrops.

Aurora pulled back and stared at the handsome face she had been missing the past week, "We need to get out of here. A storm's coming."

Theo nodded with a smile and led her away from the beach towards his car.


******


The rain came down strong and unyielding, keeping them in the car.

"Liv said you handled the mic incident," Aurora asked in a whisper.

Theo's fingers toyed with the steering wheel, "I kept my promise to her."

"You mean, your mother? She really planned it?"

Theo nodded with a sigh, "Gill and I searched the room and found a listening device. She installed it to track your conversations so the planted mic could be switched on at the right moment."

"But I only took up the job because the original tarot reader was sick."

"She probably bribed that man to stay away and then instructed Audrey to suggest your name to Kate, so you would do the tarot reading instead."

After a brief pause, Theo continued with a seething expression, "She also convinced James and Lucas to sign up so they'd have time alone with you to rake up the past."

What an elaborate plan, Aurora thought. All this was done just to get rid of her?

"Told you she’s a monster," Theo whispered with a note of shame in his tone.

Aurora took his hand in hers and gave him an assuring smile. "What did you promise her?"

"Rose sent in the evidence of my uncle's embezzlement. He’s been with the police ever since,” Theo answered quietly. “My mother will be leaving the city permanently. She can’t bear the humiliation.”

Aurora turned away, “Madame told me you bought the building of her shop.”

Theo jolted upright and hastily explained, “I didn’t mean to interfere, Aurora.”

“Why did you do that?” Aurora turned around to face him.

Theo looked into the tired-looking green eyes, “I wanted to help. But you wanted to earn your keep. So I figured that was the only way to keep you longer by my side.”

Aurora threw her arms around Theo’s neck, hugged him tight and whispered into his ear, “I’m not perfect but I want to stay with you, Theo. If you'll have me.”

Theo stared ahead in surprise then closed his eyes and pulled her closer, “You’re not going anywhere, babe.”

Aurora chuckled at the dewy window.


******


To show that she meant what she said, Aurora revealed everything that had happened between her and Will, as the black sports car cruised along the road, through the veil of thick rain.

“I know, babe,” Theo conceded.

Aurora spun around, “What! When did you know? Why didn’t you tell me?” She slumped back into her seat, feeling guilty, and murmured, “You must’ve been so upset.”

Theo chuckled at the road ahead, “I'm still glad that you've told me on your own. Better late than never.”

Cautious of her continued silence, he added, “How’s this - I’ve kept something from you too.”

Aurora lifted her face, narrowing her gaze at him, “You don’t have to be this nice.”

“It’s the truth,” Theo grinned and told his little temptress about Audrey’s blackmail scheme and Will’s involvement.

Aurora flamed up with rage, “Those f*cking a*sholes! How dare they do this to me! I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to the police.”

Then, Theo told her about the audio recording and the warning he gave those two. “If they don’t keep to their word and stay away, we'll call in the police then. Since we have solid evidence.”

Aurora stared at him as Madame Zoya’s words repeated in her mind. All the signs were indeed on him. If he didn’t love her, he wouldn’t have done so much for her. Why did she doubt him in the first place?

They reached Theo’s apartment and walked hand in hand to the escalator.

Once the door shut, Theo covered Aurora’s body with his and kissed her fervently.

Aurora responded with the same passion, parting her lips so that he’d swept to caress her sweetly. She circled her arms around his neck to pull him closer and deepen the kiss.

A grunt of pleasure escaped his throat. He grabbed her firm, round butt, hoisted her up and pressed her against the wall to feel her curves and gain better access to more of her satin skin as his mouth traveled down the side of her neck.

Aurora sighed, “I missed you so much.”

Theo lifted himself from the crook of her neck and stared breathlessly into her emerald eyes. I want you, they said. Groaning inwardly, he settled his mouth firmly onto hers and kissed her, slow and demanding.

When the escalator door opened again, Aurora wrapped her legs around Theo’s waist and locked her ankles as the sexy hunk carried her up the stairs to the bedroom.


******


Aurora stirred as the first ray of the morning sun kissed her eyes.

She was back in the cocoon of Theo’s protective warmth. A smile spread across her lips. Everything felt so right.

Theo tightened his arms around her so that her soft curves were pressed against the hard planes of his muscular body.

Aurora leaned up to kiss his jaw, felt a muscle flexed under her touch and smiled. She reached out her left hand to trace the outline of his well-defined jaw and saw it.

A shiny gold ring around her fourth finger.

Theo felt Aurora’s body flinch and smiled. He opened his eyes, gazed at his cherry-haired goddess and whispered, “You know I love you, right?”

Aurora studied him and then slowly nodded. “I love you, too.”

Theo inhaled sharply at her unexpected confession. For a long while, he stared at her, drinking in her expression. When he spoke again, his voice was a hoarse whisper, “Great. We’ll get married then.”

Aurora gladly took his lips.