Chapter 102

Audrey & Edwin Audrey's POV

Edwin and I crumpled back to the forest floor in a sweaty heap of tangled limbs and parted lips, panting heavily in the warm afternoon air.

Too long. It had been far too long since I had been with him, since I had felt him. I hadn't realized how much I had missed it, how empty I felt without it. "We're going to regret this," I murmured, even as I nestled down on his chest and tucked my arms around him.

Edwin let out a low growl in response, his fingers trailing across my exposed arm. "Perhaps," was all he said. Perhaps, indeed. But right now, neither of us seemed to care about the consequences of our tryst; to hell with Grayspring, and expectations, and age differences.

As I laid there, listening to the sound of his rapid heartbeat slow back down to a steady rhythm, I hardly even wanted to move. The forest around us was quiet, save for the occasional chirp of a bird or rustle of leaves in the breeze. I breathed in deeply, savoring the scent of Edwin's cologne mixed with the scent of earth and fresh water and fallen leaves.

I could have melted into him for all I cared, could have stayed right there on that forest floor and never move again.

And I would have been happy to do it.

But as much as I could have stayed there all day, I knew we couldn't. We both did.

"We should probably head back," Edwin murmured, his voice rumbling against my ear as he traced a lazy pattern on my shoulder with his fingertips.

I sighed and reluctantly pushed myself up to my knees, straddling him. "You're right," I murmured, although Edwin's soft growl and the way his fingers dug into my hips, pulling me down just to feel me one last time, wasn't lost on me.

"Claudia might be wondering where we went," I said.

Edwin's face flushed and his hands slackened at the mention of Claudia, no doubt because he knew just how dangerous it was for us to do what we had just done right under her nose. Still, he said nothing about it and helped me to my feet.

As we stood, I took in our disheveled appearance. My skirt was wrinkled and stained with dirt and grass. Edwin's shirt was untucked, and his hair was a mess. We took a few moments to dust ourselves off, picking leaves and twigs from our clothes and hair.

"How do I look?" I asked, attempting to smooth down my rumpled skirt.

Edwin's icy gray eyes softened as he gazed down at me. "Beautiful," he said simply, making me blush.

We made our way back through the woods, our hands occasionally brushing as we walked. I had a newfound spring in my step from our encounter, although Edwin's movements were lazy and content. But as we emerged from the woods, that changed.

I noticed that Claudia was no longer alone at the garden table. There was another woman with her, and I felt Edwin stiffen beside me, his relaxed posture suddenly going rigid as a board.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing his smile fade. A knot of anxiety began to form in my stomach.

his eyes fixed on the newcomer. "Audrey,

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Sep 17 BG Chapter

but as we approached, I recognized the woman

begrudgingly as Claudia's daughter, was here after all. Just seeing her made

her tone dripping with disdain. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the

stones.

between us. I couldn't tell if he was trying to shield me from her

you came.

us after all." She gestured to me. "Fiona, this is Audrey-the student I'm mentoring. I'm

She wrapped her arms around him possessively and planted a kiss on

she purred, although her eyes never

urge to.... to do something, anything. The realization hit me like

oblivious, "is my daughter. And she is

I felt sick. Used. Like a human

Edwin and I had something

growls that had

fiancee. He

have been

smirk, she reached out and plucked a twig from my hair, one that

her voice

keep my voice steady. "I... I fell in the woods," I managed to say, the lie

tongue.

her slender face, those cold eyes roaming me from head to toe. They paused on

murmured, tossing a strand of golden hair over

like a corpse. He didn't look at me, or at anyone. His gaze was wide, fixed

me! Look at me! But of course he

this anymore. The looks, the tension, the sickening realization of what

whirling away from Fiona and Edwin. "But I really need to

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Sep 17

Chapter 102

and walked away, ignoring the sensation of Edwin's gaze on my back. I couldn't bear to look at

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