Ava’s POV

The door clicked shut behind us as we entered our room, the tension from earlier still crackling in the air like a live wire. The conversation with Mason earlier was still replaying in my head.

Orion, on the other hand, wasted no time. Before I could even catch my breath, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms. His lips crashed against mine, fierce and demanding, his anger still simmering from Mason's intrusion.

The kiss felt like he was trying to mark his territory, to remind me that he’s my husband, not mason.

His hands cupped my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheeks with surprising tenderness as his kiss deepened. When he finally pulled back, his voice was a low growl against my lips.

"Say it, Ava," he demanded, his dark eyes blazing with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "Say you're mine."

I blinked up at him, my heart hammering in my chest. "Orion, I-"

"Say it," he interrupted, his voice softening, but his eyes remained locked on mine, filled with both anger and longing.

"I'm yours," I whispered, my voice trembling, but the words carried a weight of truth I couldn't deny.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and in one swift motion, he lifted me into his arms, carrying me toward the bed. I gasped, my arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as he laid me down with a gentleness that contradicted the storm raging inside him.

His body hovered over mine, his lips finding mine again, this time slower but no less passionate. His hands roamed my sides, igniting every nerve as he deepened the kiss. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, as though I could erase every doubt and every shadow between us.

"Mine," he murmured against my lips, his voice rough and possessive.

"Yours," I breathed, my heart pounding as his hands slid under my blouse, his touch leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

“How about we recreate that wild night in California?” He teased close to my ears, causing a storm of pleasure to rage throughout my body.

“Mmm,” I murmured, not being able to form any proper words.

The moment grew heated, our breaths mingling, our bodies pressing closer together. Just as Orion's hand began to trail lower, the shrill ring of his phone shattered the moment like glass hitting the floor.

"Ignore it," he muttered against my neck as I tried to pull away, his lips brushing over my skin, sending fresh shivers down my spine.

"Orion," I said softly, threading my fingers through his hair to pull his attention back to reality. "It could be important."

"It's not as important as this," he argued, his lips brushing mine again with an urgency, but the phone continued its relentless ringing.

I placed a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back. "Come on, answer it," I urged, though I hated the interruption as much as he did.

With a frustrated sigh, he got off me and reached for his phone on the nightstand. His brow furrowed as he glanced at the screen, the irritation in his features quickly shifting to concern.

"What?" he barked into the phone, his tone sharp.

I sat up, watching as his expression darkened with every passing second.

"Now?" he said, his voice tense. "I just got back. Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

Whoever was on the other end of the line must have said something serious, because Orion's jaw tightened, and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine," he snapped, ending the call. He turned to me, his expression a mix of frustration and regret. "I have to go."

"Go?" I echoed, my heart sinking. "Where?"

"Chicago," he said grimly, already moving toward the closet to grab a small luggage. "There's an emergency meeting. Something about one of my international contracts falling through. They need me there in person to negotiate.”

I stood, crossing the room to him. "Do you really have to go right now? Should I come with you?"

He turned to me, his eyes softening as he cupped my face and shook his head. "I don't want to leave, Ava. You know I don't. But this is serious. If I don't go, we could lose millions.”

I nodded, swallowing the disappointment that bubbled in my chest. "I understand," I said quletly.

He pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised, his voice low. “And when I get back, you can have all this,” he said with a boyish smile while gesturing to his body.

I threw my head back and laughed deeply, slapping his hand on my arm off and settling down on the bed.

As he packed his bag, he kept stealing glances at me, as though he was reluctant to leave. When he was finally ready, he pulled me into his arm for one last kiss, his lips lingering on mine.

"If you keep kissing me like that," I teased, my voice soft and slightly breathless, "you're never going to leave."

A reluctant smile curved his lips. "That's the plan."

I laughed, gently pushing him toward the door. "Go. I'll be fine."

His smile faded as he cupped my face one last time, his thumb brushing over my cheek. "Lock the door. Don't open them for anyone, even the security.”

"I will," I promised.

Reluctantly, he left, and I stood at the window, watching as his car disappeared down the driveway.

The house felt impossibly large and empty without him, the silence settling over me like a heavy blanket.

I showered real quick, changed into more comfortable clothes and curled up in bed, deciding to distract myself with a show. The glow of the television bathed the room in soft light, and for a while, I managed to lose myself in the fictional world playing out on the screen.

But just as I started to relax, a loud sound from the hallway pulled me back to reality.

I paused the show, my heart skipping a beat as I strained to listen. The sound came again. This time it was a faint creak, like the floorboards shifting under someone's weight.

"Orion?" I called out, my voice tentative.

No response.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my pulse quickening as I stood. "Orion, if that's you, this isn't funny."

Still, silence greeted me.

Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I made my way to the door. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened it, and stepped into the hallway. The house was eerily quiet, the only sound was my own breathing.

Where are the security guards?

As I descended the stairs, I clutched the phone tightly in my hand, my thumb hovering over the emergency call button.

"Orion?" I called again, my voice barely above a whisper.

A shadow moved near the edge of the living room, and my heart nearly stopped.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat as a figure in black stepped into view.