Aurora's Secrets

"Oh, god!"

Her eyes rolled in ecstasy, her body convulsing as her core tightened before letting go. The restraints on both of her wrists clasped tighter when she tugged helplessly. He pulled out with a strangled groan, and she bit her lip when he climbed on top of her,

"That was-"

He cut off the rest of her sentence by placing his mouth on hers, their lips interlocked in a passionate kiss. She moaned into his mouth when his tongue slipped into her mouth, arching her back from the bed as his slick fingers parted her wet folds,

"Ryan-" She mewled pressing her body against him, he sunk his fingers into her and she gasped softly. "Oh, my-"

A loud ringing disrupted the atmosphere, the phone buzzing on top of the bedside table. Aurora pushed him off of her, and he rolled to the side, she grabbed her phone and when she saw the caller ID, a slight frown contorted her features,

"Hello?" She said as she picked up the call, her eyes flickering over to Ryan who had begun to stand from the bed. The rope-like material around her hands was restricting her movements, so she began untying them, placing the phone between her ear and shoulder,

"Oh! Miss Rochester, where are you? Your father's party is about to start and your mother is looking for you everywhere."

Her breathing hitched and she almost collapsed at the news. Her mother was looking for her.

That was not good.

"Shit! What's the time?" The ropes came loose and she jumped out of bed, the furniture creaking as a result,

"It's almost seven," Rosa answered, she heard some murmurings and plates clattering in the background, "What should I tell her? She's starting to get furious."

Aurora zipped up her jeans, removing the phone from her ear to wriggle into her top, "Just stall her for a while, I'll be there soon."

Her eyes darted around the dimly lit room, searching for her shoes. Where had she kept them? She really couldn't remember.

"Alright, but hurry. I can only do so much." With that, Rosa hung up the phone and she was left staring grimly at the screen.

"Looking for these?" A dark voice piped up and she swivelled in that direction. Ryan was sitting casually against a worn-out leather chair, her Calvin Klein sneaker dangling from a finger.

"Yeah, thanks." He threw the shoe in her direction and then the other pair. She made quick work of wriggling into them then snatched her bag from the mat before standing.

When she turned to face him again, he had an impassive look on his face. Their eyes were locked on one another as he brought the cigarette to his lips, inhaling largely and then exhaling, huge puffs of smoke escaping from his nose,

She sighed, "Look, I have to go-"

He barked out a laugh, throwing his head bed, "Let me guess, you have a tea party to hold? Or, wait is it a soiree this time or whatever fancy shit you rich people like to waste money on?"

She made a strangled noise at the back of her throat, her chest burning with anger. However, she answered calmly, "No, it's my dad's birthday party tonight. I have to be home early."

He didn't say anything, instead, he rose the paper to his mouth and took in another large smoke. Her nose wrinkled, both at the sight and the smell. She had always hated the smell of cigarettes but somehow couldn't find it in herself to leave Ryan, no matter how much he smoked.

"Well, I'll be leaving now."

He still didn't reply, she blew out an angry breath, then grabbed her hat from the coffee table, and turned to leave,

"You know I keep thinking you like coming up with these cheap excuses so that you won't get to stay after we fuck," She veered around immediately, her brows furrowed,

"What?"

He chuckled darkly, he wasn't looking at her though. No, his eyes were set on the mismatched walls across from them, "It's true, isn't it? Why would a girl like you want to stay in an apartment like this after rolling in the sheets? You'd prefer it if we maybe did it in an expensive hotel or perhaps if I was the son of a fucking senator, you wouldn't be so goddamn embarrassed of me." His head turned in her direction then, cloudy dark eyes piercing into her, "Am I wrong, flower?"

Aurora's face burned with anger and she sputtered furiously in an attempt to explain but her mouth couldn't quite form the words, causing him to laugh further.

Darn him.

And darn his stupidly beautiful face.

She glared at him then, muttering something incomprehensible under her breath before stalking off, slamming the door behind her.

Once she was outside, she took a deep breath, urging her racing heart to calm down. When she was finally settled, she began the climb down. Ryan's apartment complex was unlike anything she'd ever seen, it was dingy, dark and extremely dirty. The building was so dilapidated, she wondered how the structure was even holding till now.

Not to mention, the people living in it were absolute creeps. She tugged down the large hat on her head to conceal her face, rushing down the steps. Once she was finally out of the building, her chest lessened a bit. She moved to walk but stopped,

Involuntarily, her eyes flitted to the greyish-coloured building, falling on his apartment window in particular. They were closed, of course, they always were. Something she complained about all the time but he never actually listened,

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip the longer she stared, she felt bad for leaving like that but he couldn't expect her to stay longer than normal. That wasn't their agreement,

With a shake of her head, Aurora turned towards the road and began searching for a taxi. The ride back home was nerve-wracking, to say the least,

When the cab stopped in front of the path leading to her house, she gulped down a deep breath. The driver wolf whistled suddenly, grabbing her attention. He twisted so that he was facing her,

"This your house?"

Aurora resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she was already used to this reaction from people. So, rather than answering him, she dipped her hand into her purse and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill,

"Here, keep the change," His face was star-struck, and she offered him a kind smile before coming down from the cab, shutting the door gently.

Her father's mansion had always been a hot topic among the people. The soft yellow and vibrant orange of approaching twilight bathed the Greek Renaissance hilltop in light. Nestled in the pricey Rosedale neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto, it was among the most expensive pieces of real estate in the city, probably in the country. The Rochester estate.

Aurora gently shut the front door to their house, eyes scanning the empty area. When she was assured that it was safe, she darted towards the stairs,

"Aurora?"

Fear splintered through her skin and into her system. Aurora's hand gripped the bannister tightly, her shaky legs glued to the floor.

"Aurora, is that you?"

Ever so slowly, she spun around. Her timid gaze connected with that of the harsh glare her mother wore.

"Hey, mom." She waved shakily, trying to conceal the terror that she was currently feeling.

Her mother arched an eyebrow, studying her with a level gaze, "Where were you?"

She took a step forward. Aurora took a shaky one back.

Her mother stalked towards her gracefully, heels clicking against the marble tiles. When she was just a foot away from Aurora, she grabbed her face in her hands,

Aurora winced as the metal of her rings dug into her cheeks but her mother was unconcerned, instead turning her face from side to side as she inspected,

Stern grey eyes met hers and she gulped,

"Answer me, Aurora!" She squeezed gently, her rings digging into Aurora's skin even further, "Where were you and why in the world are you dressed like this?"

"Did you not hear me!?"

Aurora blinked dazedly, gently prying her mother's claw-like nails away from her face. The stern woman's eyes only narrowed further,

She cleared her throat and tugged the hem of her jacket to conceal the angry red bands around her wrist, "I went to practice and Professor Ken asked me to help her move some stuff to the storage room."

Aurora watched as her mother regarded her carefully, she was sure the woman was calculating if her story was genuine. She tugged harder at her jacket, praying that they hid the marks away from her mother's sharp gaze,

When she opened her mouth, Aurora's breathing hitched, her fingers balling into tight fists,

"I don't know why you bother with measly activities like that, you should focus more on perfecting your dance skills rather than helping teachers move boxes," She spat in a disgusted tone, causing Aurora to let out a quiet breath of relief,

At least her mother believed her, this time.

However, the woman wasn't done yet. She shook her head from side to side and muttered in a disappointed voice, "This is exactly why we donate so much money to the school, Aurora. So that you can focus on being the prima ballerina and let the others do the work!" Her mother blew out a deep breath, "Look, darling. You're a star and stars don't do hard work,"

She grabbed her face again. It was hard to not show the pain this time, her mother only squeezed harder,

"Your only job is to shine, sweetheart. Do you understand me?"

She bobbed her head furiously and her mother smirked at that, releasing her grip on her face. She eyed Aurora from head to toe, revulsion apparent on her features,

"Now go get changed, you look disgusting. We don't want you looking that way for your father's party."

She watched quietly as her mother retreated in the direction of the kitchen, the click-clack of her heels accompanying the movements.

"Just great." She muttered to no one in particular and then began climbing the steps that led to her room.

Once she was in the safety of her room, she made sure to lock the doors and leaned her back against them.

She had to take a shower first, it was even a miracle that her mother didn't notice that she still reeked of sex.

That would definitely be a catastrophe.

She made quick work of undressing and then stepping into the warm shower. As she lathered soap on her skin, her eyes fell on the tiny red marks surrounding her arms and neck,

'Cum for me, flower.'

'Do you like that, baby?'

Memories of their hot sex flooded her mind and her cheeks heated rapidly. Her skin was suddenly tingling with a sweet sensation, her heart racing at the thoughts running in her head.

She shook her head to expel the thoughts, dwelling on them right now wouldn't do her any good. It would only leave her horny and hyperactive.

So she raced out of the bathroom and readied herself. Using make-up, she concealed the marks and slid on large bangles to hide the ones around her wrists.

Aurora quietly stared at her reflection in the mirror, pale green eyes stared back at her. Her eyes roamed over her features; an aquiline nose that was a little bit crooked if you looked well, alabaster skin tone that resembled more like white marble, rosy cheeks that made people question what type of blush she used and then her hair,

That was the most unique thing about her. She boasted fiery red waves that tumbled down to her waist, most people compared her to a fire goddess.

Aurora Rochester was stunning and everyone knew that.

With one last satisfied smile at the mirror, she rose and stepped out.

The living room was decorated to perfection, colourful balloons hung from every corner of the space and there were streamers lining the walls, paired with a 'Happy Birthday' banner,

"Hey, sweetheart."

She spun on my heels at the voice, eyes connecting with the face of her father. He had chosen a white and black ensemble, matching the Vera Wang's backless gown her mother had chosen,

"Hey," Aurora cooed, leaning into his embrace, "Happy birthday, Dad." She leaned back, moving to peck her mother on both her cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't get you a gift," She said, referring to her dad and he waved her off,

"Oh, it's fine darling. I've gotten the greatest gift already. You."

Her mother 'awwed' and he chuckled, slinging an arm around her shoulder. The maids chose that moment to stroll in, carrying a large birthday cake,

"Wow, that big." She whistled lightly, making my father grin and pat her shoulder lightly.

"Well," Her mother clapped loudly, "Let's start-"

The sound of the doorbell interrupted her and Aurora frowned in confusion. Everyone had equal looks as well, except her mother. There was a cunning grin on her face.

"I'll go get it," She moved before anyone could react, black gown swirling behind her.

"Who do you think she invited this time?" Her father sarcastically remarked and she shrugged.

"Oh, my god!"

She swivelled on hearing that familiar voice, a grin lighting up her face. Sure enough, Clara Traynor waltzed into the living room, looking every bit like a goddess.

"Aunty Clara!" She screamed excitedly, jumping into her open arms. She could barely contain her excitement as she hugged her tightly.

"Oh, love! Look how much you've grown." She pulled back to examine Aurora and she swayed from side to side as Clara smiled proudly at her. "You look wonderful, darling." She pinched her cheeks gently.

Aurora smiled, looking over her shoulders in search of one face in particular. She must have noticed her wandering eyes because she gently bumped her shoulder against Aurora's,

"He came with me."

If her grin could get bigger, it did. Then she heard his warm voice, and butterflies swarmed in her belly,

"I hope we aren't too late?"

Matt Traynor walked into the room, his signature crooked grin curled on his lips. He tipped his head at her and she smiled in return. She watched as he strolled over to her father, two of them conversing in low tones,

She was stunned speechless, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. In truth, she hadn't seen him in five years since he went to Canada for his business degree. He looked completely different from when last she saw him. He no longer resembled the young boy she knew him as,

He stalked toward her and she held a breath, "Hey, Aurora."

She opened her mouth but no words came out. He cocked a brow at that and heat crawled up her cheeks. She felt a light pinch at her side, causing her to jump in shock. Her mother gave her a hard glare, mouthing at her to do something.

"Uh-Hhhi Matt!" Her voice sounded too pitched and her hand rose in an awkward wave.

Matt chuckled and clasped the hand she raised before tugging her into him, "It's so nice to see you. Gosh, you've grown!" He ruffled the top of her hair and she leaned into his chest, inhaling his welcoming scent.

He pulled back first and poked her cheek lightly, a habit that he'd apparently never grown out of. Matt was a childhood friend, their mothers were practically sisters and so, they passed on the bond to their children. They did everything together when they were younger, and in the long run, she found myself falling for him,

She still was and wondered if he would ever stop treating her like his little sister and start seeing her as a woman.

They soon fell into a conversation about their school life and she found out that he'd completed his business program and was now moving back to Toronto...permanently.

She stored that little piece of information at the back of her head. It would definitely come in handy.

It was time to cut the cake and everyone surrounded the table, her father clinked a small spoon against his wine glass and she rolled her eyes at that,

"He's about to make a speech," She muttered to herself, thinking no one would hear. When Matt's deep chuckle met her ears, her shy gaze flickered to him,

"I want to make a speech," Her father suddenly announced, causing both of them to snort.

Her mother gave her a questioning look and she smiled to assure the woman that everything was fine.

Their gazes fell on the man in front of them and he opened his mouth to begin his speech when the doorbell rang again.

Aurora looked at her mother questioningly but the woman looked just as confused as the rest of them.

"Did you invite someone, Miriam?" Aunty Clara asked, cocking her head to the side.

"No, no. I didn't. Let me check."

"No!" Her father's voice boomed, he hastily tucked his phone into his pocket, "I'll go."

The anxious look on my father's made me perplexed, what was going on?

But he zipped out of the room before anyone could say a word. Aunty Clara raised her glass in the air,

"Well, I hope the person behind that door is worth running a perfectly good ambience."

Her mother chuckled but Aurora could clearly see that it was fake.

Apprehension began to slowly swirl in her stomach and she turned towards the door when she heard footsteps approaching. Her father walked out but his face was even grimmer,

"Who's your guest?" Her mother sauntered forward, arms opened welcoming.

The strange guest entered the room and it felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. She watched as everyone's reaction morphed from surprise to shock.

Her mother's arms fell limply at her side and her back stiffened like a rod. She didn't need to look at her mother's face to know that the woman was displeased.

Her eyes flickered to the intruder who had a satisfied smile on their face, Aurora shook her head then,

Chaos was bound to ensue.

Her mother snarled first, pointing at the intruder,

"What is he doing here?"

She watched the blood drain from her father's face as he moved towards his wife, "Look, Miriam, can you not just overlook this? Just for today ?"

"Overlook this?!" Her mother screamed then, snatching her hand away from his. "You want me to overlook your bastard trampling into our home!?"

The entire room fell silent, if a pin dropped you would've heard it. Her eyes flickered to the subject of dismay,

He looked like he was enjoying the whole show, there was a shit-eating grin on his face and when his eyes fell on mine, I swallowed.

"The boy will stay and that is it!" Her father barked suddenly, startling her.

Her mother scoffed, shaking her head in disappointment, "You invited him here, didn't you? What were you thinking?"

"He's my son! Of course, he has every right to be here!"

"Your son!?" She screamed back, dabbing a finger at his chest, "You mean the bastard you brought to this world after cheating on me with that whore?"

"Miriam!?" He barked loudly, rage apparent on his features.

The two of them glared at each other, their chests rising and falling rapidly. This wasn't an unusual scene, they acted like this every time her stepbrother decided to waltz into the house,

Evan Michaels Rochester, also known as the bastard son.

The black sheep in the family. Born out of a scandalous night between her father and his seductive mother, or at least that was what her mother made everyone believe.

That Evan's mother was a cheap whore who seduced her father into her bed and trapped him with a baby thinking that she'd hit the jackpot.

But that wasn't the truth, the whole thing happened in reverse. Her father was a dirty philanderer who couldn't keep it inside his pants and tricked Evan's mother into his bed after lying that he was single. Their resulting relationship brought forth a child, and her father did what every filthy rich businessman would've done,

He gave them money and begged her to stay away. But of course, his mother didn't, because eleven years ago, they showed up on our doorstep and she was introduced to a brother she never knew she had. There was no need for a DNA test, he had the prominent Rochester eyes; pale green like her father and hers.

But her mother wouldn't have it, she raged and threw a fit, threatening to throw the 'whore' in jail for defamation. So a test was done and the result showed positive. Needless to say, her mother was devastated...and furious. Her father sent them off but made sure they lived well, their lives went back to normal and everything was forgotten. Until it happened, Evan's mother died and her father had to take responsibility for his son.

Our home had never been the same since that day.

Evan stalked forward, a large grin on his face. He dipped into a mock bow, and then winked, "I hope I'm not too late for the party."

Aunty Clara scoffed. Aurora felt Matt stiffen beside her and she craned her neck to look at him. Discomfort was evident on his features and she gently bumped her elbow against his,

When his eyes flickered to hers, she tried for a small, tight smile, "It's fine."

Almost instantly, he blew out a relieved breath and smiled back, "Thank you." He whispered.

She watched as he walked over to his mother, whispering into her ear. Aunty Clara took his hand in hers, pulling him towards her mother, she muttered something and then offered Aurora a kind wave before running off.

It was only the four of them now. Her parents were still screaming at each other's faces. The maids were looking skittish. And Evan was touching everything he could find.

And her?

Well, she was tired and all the shouting was making her dizzy. One would think years of watching them quarrel would've made her used to the scene already, but each time it happened, she always felt drained.

So, she quietly slipped away from there and retreated to her room. Aurora shut the door softly and clambered onto her bed, once her head hit the pillows, she let out a soft sigh.

Matt Traynor.

The very thought of him brought a smile to her face and she traced her lips with a finger. Matt had to have noticed her like truly noticed her. She was no longer the scrawny little girl from before, she was grown now and had filled out in the right places. This was the perfect opportunity for both of them to be together.

She giggled at that, how crazy would that be? If two of them got hitched, her mother would be over the moon for sure. It was her lifelong dream, after all.

She heard a light creaking sound and jumped, a crease forming on her forehead,

"Are you lost?"

His lips curled into a smirk and he leaned against the closed door, "No, I think I'm in the right place. You're Aurora Rochester, right?"

She scoffed, rolling her eyes at the sarcasm in his tone, "Very funny. What do you want, Evan?"

He lifted a shoulder, eyes roaming around the room, "Can't I stop and see how my sister is doing?" He walked further into the room, playing with the items on her cabinet.

She scoffed again, rising to her feet. She snatched the perfume bottle from his hand and snarled at him,

"Half-sister. And that doesn't give you the right to enter my room without knocking."

He gave her a crooked grin, gently grabbing her chin with his fingers. "Is that any way to talk to your baby brother?"

She pushed him away, scrubbing the spot where he'd touched. Aurora had never liked Evan, and it wasn't because of the status of their relationship. Evan was an eccentric person, he said and did things that were questioning. Not to mention, she always had the creeps whenever she saw him.

"Don't touch me," She spat, scowling in irritation.

Evan barked out a short laugh, throwing his head back. When he looked at her, his eyes zeroed in on her neck,

"You wouldn't have minded if I were another person."

She gave him a confused look, "What do you-"

"This," He pointed at a spot on the side of her neck and she touched the area, wincing at the soreness, "Did you get a hickey from dancing?"

She paled at the question and his smirk widened.