Chapter 3
Hazel shook her head.
She wanted to say no, that she had a very traditional mother and a very family-oriented father.
But just because her mother happened to resemble Aaron's father's first love, she was swept up into his world and ended up as one of his many mistresses.
But Aaron was convinced that her mother was the final straw that broke his own mother's heart. How could he ever believe her?
So Hazel spent the whole night watching adult videos, trying to pick up every trick she could. Then, just like those clips showed, she nervously crawled into Aaron's bed, imitating what she had seen.
Snapping back to reality, Hazel yanked her hand free from Keith's grip, shaking her head desperately.
"No, no, no. I'm not worthy! I'm tainted now. Worse than ever before!" Hazel cried.
Keith leaned in, bracing his hands on the table, his face close to hers, his voice earnest and aching.
"Don't ever talk about yourself like that again! Never!" he said.
They held each other close, crying in each other's arms, neither willing to let go.
On that tranquil summer night, for lovers who had finally found each other again, even the silence felt sweet and comforting.
But for Aaron, over on the east side of town, there was a restless heat he couldn't quite put into words.
He'd just finished helping Juniper try on wedding dresses.
His fiancée was beautiful, but...
Her beauty was something he recognized with his mind, not the kind that made his heart race. It was nothing like that first time he saw Hazel at eighteen, when his heart skipped a beat, and he was left flustered.
But no matter what, she should never have caused his mother's death.
"Aaron?" Juniper called softly. She could tell something was wrong.
Aaron shook his head, forcing those unsettling thoughts out of his mind. He tried to compose himself, eyes wide and rimmed with red like a leading man in a drama.
He said, "You're so beautiful. I'm lucky to marry you."
Juniper's friends were all jealous, saying she'd scored the perfect man who had never overstepped boundaries.
Aaron just smiled and played along, saying he couldn't bear to ruin her innocence before things were official.
But only he knew the real reason why.
Whenever he was with Juniper, he never felt any real passion or attraction.
Sometimes, just imagining their wedding night made his skin crawl.
Even though he had known since childhood that she would be his wife.
Even though he had followed his mother's instructions to protect and cherish Juniper.
Even though, after his mother died, it was Juniper's letters and stories that helped him walk out of the dark.
Yet, there was always a distance between them, like a mountain, yet as thin as mist.
But with Hazel, he could drop all his defenses, let his emotions run wild, and actually feel alive.
She was driving him crazy.
Aaron's throat felt dry and hot. He loosened his tie and called for his assistant.
"Go get Ms. Payne. The usual spot," he said.
The assistant whispered a few words, and Aaron's brows furrowed, his voice low and urgent.
"What? Who told her to move out?" he barked out, barely keeping his voice down.
The assistant shot a look toward the dressing room.
"The call... came from your office," he replied softly.
He didn't explicitly say it, but Aaron understood instantly from his expression.
Aaron opened his mouth, then shut it again, hesitating for a moment before placing a hand on his assistant's shoulder.
"Go. Find her, now! Those kinds of photos of her are all over the internet... It's way too risky for her to be out there alone!" he ordered.
For a split second, his always-calm face actually looked rattled.
Right then, Hazel was perched nervously yet excitedly in the stands of the underground boxing arena, her heart racing as the crowd buzzed all around her.
Keith strode into the ring wearing just his boxing vest, his bronzed skin and ripped muscles sending the girls in the audience into a frenzy of screams.
The two fighters were neck and neck, sweat streaming down their bodies as they went at it. The air was thick with hormones, and the cheers from the crowd just kept coming.
After being scared and anxious for so long, Hazel finally felt herself loosen up in this rowdy, high-energy scene. She couldn't help but join in, yelling Keith's name with the rest of the crowd.
Up in the ring, Keith heard her and shot Hazel a mischievous grin over his shoulder. Then, with a quick dodge and a lightning-fast punch, he sent his opponent crashing to the mat.
"Three, two, one..." the referee counted.
Once the count was done, the ref hoisted Keith's hands high in the air and shouted, "Let's hear it for the champion!"
The crowd went wild, screaming Keith's name at the top of their lungs. Confetti and foam filled the air, the dazzling lights flashing everywhere, and the whole place was electric.
Keith vaulted over the ropes, slipped through the crowd, grabbed Hazel's hand, and placed the champion's crown right on her head.
His crew, all buddies of his, saw what was happening and immediately leaned in, grinning as they greeted Hazel.
"Hey, Ms. Payne!" one of them called out.
"Finally get to meet you for real! You're way hotter than you look online!" another teased.
Usually, when Hazel read scenes like this in web novels, she'd just roll her eyes and think it was way too corny or awkward.
But after all the crap she'd been through lately, this time, a rush of warmth and sweetness filled her up.