Chapter 5 Five

Lily's Pov

The kiss lingered on my lips long after I’d driven away. Aiden Cole was troubled wrapped in a perfectly tailored suit, with a smirk that could destroy a woman’s resolve in seconds. And I hated that he was in my head.

I tried to shake him off the next morning. My studio was my sanctuary, my one place of peace. But no matter how hard I focused on the canvas in front of me, my mind kept wandering back to that kiss, to the way his touch had ignited something in me that I’d buried for so long.

I’d sworn to myself I wouldn’t fall for a man like Aiden. And yet, here I was, standing in my studio with paint smudged on my hands and my thoughts completely derailed.

“Lily.”

The voice startled me, deep and familiar. I turned sharply to find Aiden standing in the doorway, his presence overwhelming the small space.

“How did you get in here?” I demanded, my heart racing.

He held up a key, the kind the landlord gave to emergency contacts. “I persuaded your landlord to let me in. Don’t worry, I told him I was bringing you good news.”

“Good news?” I crossed my arms, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened under his gaze.

“I just bought this building,” he said, his lips curling into that maddeningly confident smile.

The words hit me like a slap. “You…what?”

“You heard me,” he said, stepping into the room. “It’s mine now. And before you accuse me of playing games, let me be clear, I did it because I believe in you.”

“You believe in me?” I snapped, my voice rising. “What does that even mean? You don’t get to walk in here and act like you’re some kind of savior.”

“I didn’t buy it to control you, Lily,” he said, his voice softening. “I bought it to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?”

“From people like me,” he admitted, his blue eyes piercing mine. “This world..this life you’re stepping into, it’s not kind. I’ve seen what it does to people who don’t have someone watching their back.”

I wanted to scream at him, to tell him to get out and take his arrogant, billionaire complex with him. But part of me, damn it, part of me wanted to believe him.

“This isn’t your call to make,” I said, my voice trembling. “You don’t get to swoop in and decide what’s best for me.”

“You’re right,” he said, taking a step closer. “But I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. I see something in you, Lily. Something real. Something worth protecting.”

His words were like a knife cutting through my defenses. I hated how much they affected me, how much he affected me.

“I don’t need your protection,” I whispered, but my voice lacked conviction.

“I think you do,” he said, his voice low. “And not just from the world. From yourself.”

The tension between us was suffocating, and I needed air. I pushed past him, stepping out into the alley behind the studio. The city hummed around me, the sounds of cars and distant voices grounding me for a moment.

But Aiden wasn’t far behind.

“You can’t keep doing this,” I said, spinning to face him. “Showing up everywhere, throwing your money around, acting like you have all the answers.”

“I don’t have all the answers,” he said, his tone softer now. “But I know one thing—I can’t stay away from you, Lily. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

“Why?” I asked, the word escaping before I could stop it. “Why me?”

He hesitated, the confidence faltering for just a moment.

“Because you’re not afraid to tell me no,” he said finally. “Because you make me feel things I didn’t think I was capable of feeling. Because you’re the first person who’s made me want something more.”

The vulnerability in his voice caught me off guard. This wasn’t the polished billionaire I’d met at the gallery. This was a man stripped bare, exposing a side of himself I wasn’t sure he showed anyone else.

But vulnerability could be a weapon, and I wasn’t ready to let my guard down.

“Is this your idea of a confession?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“It’s not a confession,” he said, stepping closer. “It’s a warning.”

“A warning?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Because if I kiss you again, Lily, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.”

My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. His words hung between us, charged with tension and something darker, something forbidden.

“You should leave,” I said finally, though my voice betrayed the conflict raging inside me.

“I should,” he agreed, his eyes locked on mine. But he didn’t move.

The space between us disappeared, and before I could stop myself, my hand reached for his chest, pushing him back. His heart was pounding beneath my palm, and I realized mine was too.

“This isn’t fair,” I whispered.

“Life rarely is,” he said, his voice low and rough. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t take what we want.”

And then he was gone, leaving me standing in the alley with my heart racing and my thoughts in chaos.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. His words, his touch, his presence, it was all too much. I tossed and turned, my mind a storm of anger, confusion, and…desire.

I told myself it was just physical, that it was the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel alive in a way I hadn’t in years. But deep down, I knew it was more.

And that terrified me.

Because Aiden Cole wasn’t just a man who could ruin my life. He was a man who could destroy my heart.

But the worst part? I wasn’t sure I cared anymore.