Growing Pains Keeping Me Up At Night - Chapter 3 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Aiden

The taste of Kira on his tongue had only improved Aiden’s good mood, it wasn’t even midday and he had a bounce to his step that was almost embarrassing. Giddy like a kid at Christmas. He could already imagine the staff whispering amongst themselves: the Bonnet heir was almost skipping through the house!

How could anyone blame him? He was finally being trusted to head a clan event - a grand ball. A chance to prove himself as the next clan head and an excuse to dress up and dance and get to experience something other than his dull captivity.

And also… he was in love. That tended to put him in a good mood most days.

Until Kira rejected him yet again, then the pendulum swung all the way back in the opposite direction and Aiden became the storm swirling through the Bonnet mansion. That was what the staff called him, knowing full-well he could probably hear their gossiping from rooms away. It wasn’t like he ever took his frustration out on anyone, but they didn’t like the way his emotions clouded around him. It made them nervous.

At the ball, though, his ball, he would show them all the man he wanted to be known as. Charming and gentle and lacking grey clouds.

If he was a storm, Kira was a foggy haze.

Nothing was ever as it seemed with her. When he touched her, her body rolled back into him as though pleading him to continue. When he kissed her, her eyes shone with a hunger that couldn’t be eased with food. But when he came within ten feet of her… her mouth told him to fuck off.

It used to be so simple when they were kids, there was no guessing. They knew everything about each other, things that no one else in the entire world knew.

Since his heart froze and his transition completed, she was determined to distance herself from him. It didn’t make any sense. Nothing had changed, he had simply finished growing. They were adults now.

Unfortunately for her, the more she attempted to transfer their friendship into an acquaintanceship, the harder Aiden’s heart began to long for her in an entirely new way. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and now he was a lovesick fool. It was all her fault.

They could have been best friends forever, just like they promised, but now they danced around each other every day in a disjointed waltz. Sexual desire dragging them together and Kira’s lies pushing them back apart again. It was infuriating. Aiden could feel the crackle of his frustration flickering around him.

But they would get to waltz for real at the ball. The spring returned to his step and he hurried to his father’s office. There was so much planning to do.

Now that he thought about it, he probably should have mentioned the ball to Kira…

He didn't see her for a few days after that, and his good mood slowly soured as he went longer without her. He was enjoying making decisions with his father, getting to be included in clan business, but it didn’t completely dull the ache in his chest for her.

When it came to clan business, his mother sometimes tried to put a blockade between him and reality. The simple truth was that he was the sole heir. One day he would have to take over as the head of the clan and there was no point hiding from it until the day came. He wanted to be prepared. His parents thought it was taking away his childhood to train him young, but now he was an adult. His silent heart proved it. He was old enough to learn the family business, so to speak.

When he could feel the ripple of his frustration begin to emanate from him, he decided to slip away from the meetings and hunt down the only thing that could cure his storm clouds. First stop was her bedroom.

A vision in heavy scarlet silk admired herself in a full length mirror. Kira smoothed her hands over the material as though she didn't already look perfect. The red hue was bright against her dark brown skin, and the neckline hung from her soft round shoulders. If Aiden weren't a blood sucking beast he would sink his teeth into the pretty domed skin.

“What are you doing?” he chuckled in her doorway.

Kira jumped, she hadn’t even heard the door open. How she survived with such limited human hearing, he would never understand.

“Get out!" Her hands flapped over the strip of exposed chest above the neckline of the dress. "This is my room!”

He ignored her protests. “Which one are you wearing to the ball?” he asked, nodding to the second dress that was draped over her bed. It was the same thick, luxurious silk but with slightly puffed sleeves that would start higher up her arms. It was a bright sunshine yellow with dark blue flowers emblazoned over the skirt. Lovely, but he already knew it wouldn't make her shine like the red dress. It was almost sinful how good she looked in it.

The yellow dress was formal garden party, to be admired under the bright sun with a soft breeze.

The red dress was for toeing around the dance floor with sultry eyes and awful intentions.

Yes, definitely the red for the ball.

Kira huffed. It was adorable. “I don’t know. Just get out so I can switch and look for myself.”

“That red suits you,” he offered quietly.

“I know you’re just making fun of me.” It wasn't the words that stung, but the way she said them. Like she believed he wanted to hurt her. That he could. “Leave.”

“I’m not," he argued, refusing to move back out of the doorway. "It looks great.”

“I’m not wearing this one.”

“It’s beautiful.” You're beautiful.

“Stop!” she snapped. “You’re not funny.”

“I’m serious, Kira, wear this one.” His final persuasion attempt before slipping out and back to his father's office.

His uplifted mood was immediately noticed, but his father didn't probe into the why.