{Chapter: 202 - Enter Jessica And Alter Soul}
Aiden laughed, eyes twinkling. "Somewhere a little quieter. Somewhere no one will interrupt us."
Before she could respond, he scooped her up in a sudden, fluid motion—a perfect princess carry—and then, to her astonishment, lifted off the ground.
Jessica's mouth parted in disbelief. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as they soared above the buildings.
"You—you're flying?!" she gasped, breathless.
"Sure am. And you're enjoying it, aren't you?" Aiden teased.
A delighted laugh escaped her lips, and she looked out over the glittering city below. "God… it's so beautiful. I didn't expect the night sky to look like this."
"Most people don't," he said, holding her just a little closer. "They're too busy looking down. I prefer to look up."
They spiraled through the night air for a while, gliding across rooftops and darting between towers, before descending gently toward an apartment complex on the outskirts. Aiden slowed to a hover just outside a window. With a wave of his hand, the latch clicked open and the window slid up.
"You... how did you—how do you know where I live?" Jessica asked, both astonished and slightly suspicious.
Aiden chuckled as he stepped into the apartment with her still in his arms. "Let's just say… I have a knack for knowing what people want. What they're thinking. Especially beautiful women."
He set her down softly, but his hand lingered at her waist. His other hand rose as if to point to her heart, but halfway there it turned into a gentle stroke down her side.
Jessica raised an eyebrow but didn't pull away. "You're bold. You know that, right?"
"I've been called worse," Aiden replied, stepping closer. His voice dropped, smooth and rich. "But I'm also sincere. And when I see something—or someone—I like, I don't play games. Unless, of course, it's a game we both enjoy."
Jessica turned her head slightly, eyes narrowing. "You're dangerous."
"And you like it."
Their faces were inches apart now, the tension so thick it was almost tangible. Aiden leaned in and kissed her—slowly at first, testing the waters, before deepening the kiss. To his surprise, Jessica didn't retreat. She kissed him back with fire, with something raw and unresolved.
But just as his hand began to tug at the edge of her dress, Jessica broke the kiss and stepped back, breathing hard. She raised a hand and pushed against his chest—not roughly, but firmly.
Aiden stopped immediately, giving her space. He took a step back, holding up both hands.
"Sorry," she said, brushing her hair back, eyes conflicted. "I didn't mean to…"
Aiden smiled, not offended in the slightest. "No need to apologize. You're strong—physically and mentally. I like that. You're not just another girl swept up by charm and champagne. You've got steel in you. That's rare."
Jessica stared at him for a moment, chest rising and falling. Slowly, her expression softened.
"You talk a lot, you know that?"
Aiden smirked. "Only when I'm trying to impress someone worth the effort."
---
Although Jessica had shoved him with surprising strength, Aiden didn't take offense—in fact, quite the opposite. Her raw, unfiltered reaction only fueled the fire of his interest.
She wasn't like the polished, flirty companions he usually encountered. Jessica had something primal just under the surface, like a lioness constantly one breath away from attack—or surrender.
Her strength wasn't just physical. It was emotional. Psychological. That made it all the more thrilling to tease out the cracks.
"You really don't know your own allure," Aiden said, his voice a low murmur as he closed the space between them. "All business one moment, and the next, you're trembling like a violin string. I can't tell whether I want to challenge you or cradle you."
Jessica's eyes narrowed, but her breath caught slightly. She wasn't used to someone noticing both sides of her so quickly. He wasn't just playing her—he was reading her.
"I'm not some lost girl who melts because a guy says a few clever lines," she said, defiant.
"No," Aiden said, his hand brushing against the back of her arm. "You're a woman who's used to being in control. But I wonder... do you ever get tired of carrying the weight alone?"
Her expression faltered.
"I know what you're thinking," Aiden whispered, his lips brushing close to her ear. "You're trying to figure out which one of you I really want. But what if I said I want all of you?"
Jessica swallowed. Her hands, though still tied by the reality rope's glowing weave, no longer pulled. Her strength could've torn through steel, but now she wasn't testing it. Not anymore.
"Why... do you even care?" she asked, her voice trembling not with fear, but the tension of emotions long buried.
"Because you're beautiful," Aiden said plainly. "But more than that… you're layered. Dangerous. Tragic. Honest in ways most people aren't. And frankly? That drives me wild."
"I know there's more to you than what you show. Niki's there, isn't she? Watching, waiting... or maybe whispering?"
Jessica stiffened, shocked. "You know about her?"
Aiden gave a roguish smirk, leaning in until their noses nearly touched. "Let's just say I've done my homework. Two souls in one body? That's not a weakness. That's fascinating."
Jessica opened her mouth to say something—maybe to deny it, maybe to threaten him—but Aiden's lips caught hers in a slow, deliberate kiss that stole the air from her lungs. It wasn't rushed or forceful. It was patient… exploring.
For a woman so used to control, the stillness of that moment felt dangerous. Inviting.
When he finally pulled back, his hand gently cupped her cheek. "Tell me to stop, and I will," he whispered. "But I think... you don't want me to."
Jessica's fingers twitched. She could end this in a heartbeat. Throw him across the room. Walk out and never look back. She'd done it before.
But she didn't.
Instead, she stood still as he slowly trailed kisses along her jawline, his hands skimming down her arms, warm and electric. When his fingers found hers, he didn't grip. He just waited—offering contact, not control.
"I've been strong for so long," she finally whispered, the edge in her voice softening. "I don't know how to let go."
Aiden looked at her, really looked at her—into her eyes, into her soul. "Then let me show you."
He led her gently, not like a man claiming a prize, but as if inviting her into a moment made only for them. One of curiosity. Of closeness. Of bodies learning each other without words.
And in the low light of that apartment, as the city glowed behind the glass and the hum of the world fell away, Jessica didn't fight.
She surrendered—not as a sign of weakness, but as a rare, precious act of trust.
Jessica didn't say a word. Her eyes shimmered, then slowly closed as she leaned into his touch again.
He smiled, brushing his thumb over her lower lip.
"God, you're stunning when you let go," he whispered.
"You're sure about this?" she asked softly.
Aiden didn't answer right away. Instead, he stepped close, hands brushing her waist, thumbs circling her skin, grounding her. Then, looking into her eyes, he whispered, "Let me show you."
The bedroom around them felt warmer now — not from the air, but the atmosphere. Moonlight spilled through the curtains. Shadows danced across her skin as he led her back slowly, reverently, as if touching a secret too sacred to speak aloud.
Every movement from him was laced with patience and purpose — fingers tracing her back, lips pressing along her collarbone, slow enough for her to feel every moment and fast enough to keep her wanting the next.
Jessica's breath quickened, not from fear this time, but from need — the kind that comes after years of silence, of control, of holding back what she never dared show.
Aiden took his time. Undressing her was a ceremony, not a conquest. She wasn't just a body to him — she was an entire story, unfolding beneath his hands.
Aiden gave a wicked smile and slowly pounced over.
Aiden said with a smile and slowly walked over.
He grabbed her hand and moved it up and landed a kiss on her lips. A few seconds later he stuck his tongue inside while teasing her nipples.
"mm…"
Jessica's body shivered, feeling pleasure from his hand but still tried to resist. After a few minutes Aiden got up and removed his clothes which made her body heat up.