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.

the newcomer. "Audrey, I'm so sorry," was all he said, his voice

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Sep 17 BG

but as

tormented us at the restaurant, the woman who Edwin knew begrudgingly as Claudia's daughter, was here after all. Just seeing her made my heart stutter, even more so as her eyes flashed upon turning to us, her gaze zeroing in on

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

stones.

placing himself between us. I couldn't tell if he was trying to shield me from her ire or hide me

stiff smile. "So you came. I didn't think

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

to Edwin's side. She wrapped her arms around

she purred,

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

still oblivious, "is my daughter.

Used.

I had something special. The

the growls that had rumbled

He was

could I have been so

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

voice sickeningly sweet

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

tongue.

from head to toe. They paused on my dirt-covered knees, almost as though she could

murmured, tossing a strand of golden hair over her shoulder. "I hope you didn't get

stiff, cold, like a corpse. He didn't look at me, or at anyone. His gaze

thought. Look at me! Look at me! But of course

the sickening realization of what

said, suddenly, whirling away from Fiona and Edwin. "But I really

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Tue, Sep 17 B

Chapter 102

I couldn't bear to

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