Changing Affection

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ezra rolled over to wrap his arm around Aubrey's waist but couldn't find her body. He opened his eyes and looked around, sitting up quickly. She and her clothes were gone. He rolled over on his back and rubbed his face. He knew that she would end up leaving during the night. She wouldn't want her father to know why she was in his room. He wouldn't approve. 

He rolled his eyes as he sat up slowly and got out of bed. Putting on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, he walked out of the room and down the stairs. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw Aubrey sitting at the breakfast table sipping on a cup of coffee. She had stolen another sweatshirt of his and wearing black leggings. Her hair was still up in the messy bun as it was last night. 

Ezra made sure that her father wasn't anywhere to be found before walking up behind her and planting a kiss on her cheek. He squeezed her shoulders before walking over to the coffee maker and pouring himself a cup.

"Creamer is in the fridge," Aubrey told him. "It's French vanilla."

He looked over at her and smiled. "I'm good with it black." He walked over to the table and sat across from her.

Her finger moved in a circle around the top of the coffee cup. "I'm sorry I left before you woke up."

"Don't apologize, princess."

She looked up at him. "I can't have Dad wanting to kick you out when he still wants you here." She quickly looked back down at her coffee. "I need you here."

He could tell she was still scared. He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I've been telling the truth, Aubrey. I'm not going to leave your side. Jearon is going to have to go through me to get to you."

Aubrey squeezed his hand and nodded. "I want him dead, Ezra."

His stomach sunk as he heard her say that. She was a different woman than she was when he first met her. Part of him believed that some of this was the real her, but he didn't know. He did believe that what has happened to her in the past months had changed her a bit. Made her harder. Made her adapt. "I'll kill him, princess."

"Aren't you two chummy this morning," Ezra heard Rylan chuckle as he walked into the kitchen.

Ezra turned and glared at him.

Rylan chuckled again. "You really do love her, huh?" He leaned against the chair next to him. "What's your plan on killing Jearon?" He reached over to the counter and grabbed an apple.

"I need to find him first," Ezra drawled out.

Aubrey stood up and took both of their mugs. Ezra followed her with his eyes as she walk over to the sink.

"You're overprotective of her aren't you?"

"Yes," Ezra answered him without taking his eyes off of her. He can still picture her naked body lying on his bed. He hasn't asked her, but if he found out that Jearon had touched her body, his death would be even harsher. He didn't see any kind of markings on her which made him feel better, but he was still curious. "She's, my woman."

Rylan nodded his head. "I'm going to give you some advice, Ezra."

Ezra snapped his head over to him and furrowed his eyebrows. "Advice about what?"

He smirked. "Both of you need to work on being quiet at night."

Aubrey coughed as she walked back over to the table. "What?" She sat down next to Ezra and gaped at Rylan.

Rylan started to chuckle. "I don't think your father heard anything, Aubrey." He turned his attention over to Ezra. "But you both need to make sure that you're quiet. I share a wall with you, Ezra. I heard almost everything."

Ezra smirked and leaned back. He crossed his arms and looked over at Aubrey. She had her head in her hands and shaking her head.

Rylan took a bite of his apple. "You must be good, Ezra. Never heard a girl agree so much." He pointed the apple to him. "What moves do you use? I need this information."

"Oh my gosh, shut up!" Aubrey got up quickly and grabbed Ezra's elbow, pulling him out of the kitchen. She walked into a bathroom and pulled him in. She locked the door and spun around to face him. "He heard?" Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were huge. 

Ezra chuckled and shrugged. "I guess he did."

She crossed her arms and leaned against the counter of the sink. "Do you think this is funny?"

Ezra chewed on his lip before answering her. "Yes, I do."

Aubrey huffed and rolled her eyes.

 Ezra stepped closer to her. "There's no way that your father heard anything, Aubrey." He placed his hands on her hips. "I honestly don't care anymore if he did."

Aubrey snapped her eyes up at him. "What?"

"I don't care anymore." He leaned down and connected his forehead with hers. "You're my woman. It's my job to make sure you're safe, happy, and pleased. If that means that someone hears you, I don't care. Those sounds show them that you are mine."

Aubrey bit her lip as she tried not to smile at him. "You're crazy, Ezra."

He stood up straight and shrugged. "Maybe." He smirked down at her. He gripped her hips and lifted her up onto the counter. He placed his hands on either side of her. "Would you still want me if I'm crazy?"

Aubrey smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his face closer to hers. "Absolutely. I'm a little crazy after all."

Ezra chuckled as he leaned in and met his lips to hers.

---

Jearon grunted as he slowly sat up in bed and swung his legs off. The two men who had dragged him away from the fight in the warehouse had taken him to his underground bunker. Only certain people were allowed to know about this bunker. His bodyguards were the only ones that knew about this. He never told Ezra about it. He wanted his own little secret but always felt guilty about hiding this bunker from Ezra. After he found out that Ezra had his own extra cabin in the woods that he had kept from him, the guilt ran away.

He looked over at his shoulder and sighed at the bandages wrapped around it. His shoulder hurt like shit, but that didn't stop him from working. He still wanted Aubrey. He still wanted her to be his wife. He was going to find her and kill Ezra. He had failed this first time, but this time he won't let the opportunity slip by. 

As he walked over to his closet, a thought slipped through his head. Maybe he was just horny. Maybe he just needed to find another girl and get everything out of his system. It would be easy to find someone he could have some fun with, but he wanted Aubrey.

He slowly, and painfully shrugged a shirt on and a pair of jeans before leaving the room. He walked down to his office. He opened the door and walked in. He hated staying in the bunker. There was no fresh light, only fluorescent lights. He sighed as he sat down at his desk and looked at the three men already in the room.

Of course, he didn't know their names. All three of them were tall and muscular with tattoos covering their arms. He didn't look at their faces and didn't care too. He leaned back in his chair and held onto his shoulder.

"Have any of you found him yet?" he asked annoyed.

All three men were silent, giving him the answer.

Jearon sighed. "I want that fucking bastard dead. Go, find him." He took a deep breath. "Next time, I'm not going to play with him. I'm going to kill him." A knock sounded at the door. "Come in." An evil smile crept on his lips as he looked at the man who walked through his door. "Hello, Mr. Hallquist."