First Time

77

Aiden

When I wake up the next morning, I'm burning up from the heat of our bodies tangled together in bed. I carefully peel Emily off and flip the duvet back.

With a sigh of relief, I lay on my back and relish in the cool air.

I turn to watch Emily, peacefully asleep. Between the fuckery of last night with her parents, her crying about the whole thing and her violent nightmares in the middle of the night, she must be exhausted.

I know I am. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night.

I close my eyes and just as I'm about to doze off, there is a loud bang on the door.

Startled, my eyes shoot open, and I sit up. The hammering on the door continues.

Who the fuck is that at this time?

Luckily, Emily is so deep in sleep that she doesn't flinch. I quickly jump out of bed and race down the stairs. I don't care who it is, they are getting punched!

"Yeah I'm coming!" I growl angrily at the persistent noise as I fumble with the locks and latches.

I pull the door open and stop short of throwing my fist out.

Emily's mum is standing at the other side of the door, her knuckles frozen in mid-air. She has massive, dark bags under her eyes and looks worn out.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, "Surely you've broken some data protection law to show up here."

She takes a deep sigh, looking down at her feet then back up at me. Her hands rest on her waist.

"I'm here to take my daughter home."

"She's asleep," I tell her bluntly.

"Please young man..."

"Aiden!"

"Aiden," she sighs again, clearly suppressing her irritation, "Please let my daughter go."

"I'm not holding her hostage; she chose to come with me."

"She doesn't know what she is doing. She is only sixteen years old."

"With all due respect, your husband is the one who kicked her out."

A frown folds into her brows.

"He did not kick her out, he simply gave her a choice and she made the wrong one."

I chuckle and shake my head. Emily's parents are seriously in denial.

"What makes you think she made the wrong choice?"

"Because!" she almost loses control but quickly regains composure, lowering her voice, "Because Emily is naïve. She doesn't know anything about life or relationships. And I don't know what lies you have been feeding her but..."

"I didn't lie to Emily. Everything I told her is true," my patience begins to wear out.

"You love my daughter?" she asks sarcastically.

"Yes," I say resolvedly.

She lets out a cynical, stifled laugh.

"What's so funny?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Aiden, I say this with all the sincerity in the world, you of all people have no idea about love."

"What? What do you mean by you of all people?"

She stares at me coldly as she says the next bit, "Well statistics show that children raised in broken homes have an unhealthy view of stable, loving relationships."