To Love in Full

Chapter 49: Ukiyo: Part 2

Ukiyo (n.) Living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life. "The Floating World"

*WARNING: Spicy Mature Content. Proceed at your own discretion.*

Arabella's P.O.V.

After some time, I found myself walking towards the smell of a savory dinner, but I came to a stop when I noticed that the door, leading to the room of my family's information, was slightly left ajar. The thought of losing Nicolo's trust by going through the confidential folders was daunting, but it's my own family, I deserve to know about this life that was kept hidden from me. I cannot keep avoiding it any longer.

Nicolo won't know, I convinced myself as I quietly entered the room.

Aetos Family, I read the label as my shaky hand reached out to grab the folder. Nervousness overcame me as I froze in my spot with the folder burning my fingertips, tempting me to open it. I deserve to know, I repeated once again, encouraging myself to walk back towards the room. I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath before reading the first page of the folder.

Cairo Aetos, assigned as don of the family after the death of Atlas Aetos, I read to myself as I traced over my father's name. Cairo must be the man who I spoke to in Greece, I thought as I continued to read.

Atlas Aetos, cause of death, a fatal car accident alongside wife. Only one body recovered.

"There was one body missing?" I whispered to myself in shock as I thought about the car crash that took my parents away from me.

"Arabella," I heard Nicolo call out my name as he began to knock on the door. I slightly jumped from the bed at the sound of his voice and I began to panic as I scrambled to hide the folder under the pillow.

"Did you find everything alright?" he asked and opened the door just as I sat down.

"Yes, I-I found a new set of clothes to change into," I said as I stood up to walk towards him.

"Thank you," I smiled and continued to walk past him, making my way down the hallway. I was afraid that my anxiousness was beginning to show, but I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief when I heard his footsteps following me.

"Dinner will be ready in about an hour," he called out behind me as we reached the kitchen.

"Is this what you're making?" I grinned as I bent over the counter to read a cookbook that was opened to a tagliatelle recipe.

I turned my eyes away from the book to give him a confused look as I waited for a response, but instead received a growing silence that filled the room. I observed his darkened eyes and felt his glare burning into my skin as he studied my legs and slowly turned his gaze towards my hips where my shorts had slightly risen as I leaned over the counter.

I watched as he clenched his jaw while I slowly stood up and cleared my throat, sending him a soft smile while struggling to meet his eyes as I felt an arousing sensation within me.

"Yes, that is what we are eating tonight," he said in a low voice as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

"Will you excuse me," he blurted as he seemed to clear some sultry thoughts from his mind while he made his way towards me.

I felt my back meet his chest while he laid his palm on my waist and reached out for the book that I still held in my hand. I rolled my eyes at the obvious teasing and flirtatious manner that led him to blindly believe that I became weak to my knees, but instead, I smiled at the thought of having a challenge.

"Are you playing games with me, Nicolo?" I asked as I turned around to face him.

"I could ask you the same question, Arabella," he whispered as his hand slowly traced down my hips and lightly gripped the hem of my shorts.