AURORA MOON
Aurora woke up with sunlight streaming across her face. Rubbing her eyes, she pushed up on her elbows and looked around.
She was in Kellan's bedroom. No, their bedroom. Excited, she swung her legs off the bed and hurried out of the room. She found Aunt Rhong in the kitchen.
"Madam, you're awake. Would you like breakfast?"
"Maybe later. Where's Kellan?"
"He's in the basement, ma'am." Her bright, warm smile was much like the sunlight that had awoken Aurora this morning. "Tell me what you want to eat. I'll make it for you."
"Whatever Kellan wants." Aurora grinned and bounced away, skipping all the way to the basement door. When she opened it, she heard the clang of metal and the sound of men talking.
At the bottom of the stairs, she paused. Her heart hammering, she gripped the sides of her nightgown as she took in the sight before her.
Kellan was dismantling the cage.
Other men were helping, but Kellan himself, dressed in a stylish gray track suit, was pulling out bars and tossing them to the concrete floor. He looked up, and saw her standing at the bottom of the staircase.
He grinned and waved.
Aurora stepped forward, but he shook his head. "It's too dangerous over here. Let me come to you."
He dodged the other working men and the construction debris. He lifted her chin and gave her a soft kiss. Her heart trembled.
"Aurora!" He immediately scooped her up. "You're not wearing your slippers. The floor's too cold. You must take care of your health."
Aurora slipped her arms around her husband's neck and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry. I was so happy, I just wanted to find you." She nodded toward the half-deconstructed cage. "I don't have to live here anymore?"
"No. I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I kept you caged, little butterfly. It's just ... I can't live without you. I really can't."
"You don't have to cage me Or chain me. I really am yours."
"And I'm yours," said Kellan.
He carried up the stairs and to their bedroom. He put her on the bed and then slid her slippers onto her feet.
"Did you eat yet?"
Aurora shook her head. "I wanted to eat with you."
"Okay."
She went to stand up, but Kellan once again swung her into his arms.
"I can walk," she said, laughing.
"My princess doesn't have to walk." He took her to the dining area and gently put her in a chair. He squatted next to her. "What do you want to eat?"
"Whatever you want."
Kellan took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I want to please you, Aurora. I want you to be happy. In everything."
"Even breakfast?"
"Especially breakfast." He tapped her nose. "Let me guess. Rice porridge, fried dough sticks, warm soy milk, and..."
"You." She couldn't help herself. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Then she leaned back. "Why did you dismantle the cage?"
"You don't like it."
She slid her fingers through his silky hair. "It didn't matter before. Why does it now?"
"I ... I have to trust in your love," he said. "Don't get me wrong. I worry that you'll run away again. I worry that someone will take you again." He laid his head on her lap and she stroked her hair. "But ... you really want to be with me, don't you? After all this time, you really are mine."
"I am."
He kissed her knee, and then rose to his feet. "Aurora, let's get married."
"I thought we were married."
"I want to give you a spectacular wedding. I want everyone in Ash City ... no, in the world to know that you're my wife."
"Okay," she said, smiling. "Let's get married."
Aunt Rhong brought out dishes of warm, fragrant food. Aurora enthusiastically dove in, suddenly starving. She ate a fried dough stick, dipping it into the rice porridge.
"You are so cute."
Aurora looked at Kellan. He hadn't even taken a bite. He was too busy staring at her.
"I'm not breakfast," she said. She nodded toward his bowl. "Eat something, husband."
Kellan grinned. He used chopsticks to pick up a dumpling. After he'd taken a bite, he said, "Let's go shopping."
"For what?"
"Clothes. Bags. Jewelry. Villas. Whatever you want."
Aurora laughed. "I have all of those things."
"I make money for my wife." He captured her hand. "You couldn't spend all my wealth in this lifetime."
"I could try," she teased. "But first, eat more."
"I'm full," he said, even though he'd only taken a bite of dumpling.
"Kellan, you---"
He stood up, the chair scudding across the floor. He swooped her into his arms and strode toward the bedroom. "I'll take you to Northside Mall."
While Kellan took a shower, Aurora put on a light blue qipao with pearl buttons on the collar. She wore white heels with bows in the back. She styled her long dark hair into a flower bun. She added a white jade buyao with dangling butterflies.
As she put the finishing touches on her look, Kellan came into the bedroom in a low-slung towel around his waist. She saw him in her mirror, and felt all the saliva leave her mouth. Her husband was gorgeous. He had eight-pack abs that flexed as he rubbed his hair dry with a smaller towel.
He caught her gaze in the mirror. His brows lifted. "Does it look good?"
Aurora nearly tripped herself as she pushed away from her makeup table and crossed the room. She couldn't resist tracing his abs. Down, down, down went her fingers. Just as they brushed the edge of the towel. Kellan grabbed her hand.
"Wife," he said, his tone rife with warning.
She looked up at him through her lashes. "We're married, Kellan. We haven't had our wedding night."
"We'll have a wedding night after we have a wedding." He lifted the hand he'd captured and kissed the tips of her fingers. "You just need to be a little patient."
"No," said Aurora pouting. She used her other hand to grip the edge the towel.
And yanked as hard as she could.