Chapter 327: Ghost/alive
I slid into the empty chair across from her, my eyes never leaving her face. She shifted under the weight of my stare, her fork lowering as though she’d been caught doing something wrong. But it wasn’t guilt I saw in her expression, it was the dimming of something I’d seen earlier, in the cocoon of our morning. The warmth in her cheeks, the spark when she teased me, gone now.
"You’re not as bright as you were this morning," I said quietly, cutting straight through the silence. "What’s wrong?"
Her lips curved, but it was the kind of smile meant to soothe, not to convince. "You act like my mom sometimes."
I leaned forward slightly, but my voice didn’t soften. "I can’t help it."
She tilted her head, and for a heartbeat I saw the faint glimmer of honesty slip through her eyes. "It’s okay," she whispered. "I like the way you fuss over me."
Those words. They landed deep in my chest, heavier than anything I’d been expecting. I wanted to let the satisfaction show, wanted to drag her into my arms right there in front of the entire restaurant, but I held myself back. Barely.
Instead, I let out a low breath and asked, "Do you want to get out of here?"
Her nod was immediate. "Rich people’s idea of a good food is still confusing to me."
A chuckle rumbled from me as I stood, pushing the chair back with deliberate slowness. I crossed the short space between us and extended my hand, not a demand, not a command. An offer.
Her amber eyes narrowed instantly, sharp as ever. "If you try to carry me again, you might lose one of your balls. Or an eye. Pick one."
The laugh that escaped me was unrestrained this time. "Relax. I’m not going to carry you."
"Good," she muttered, sliding off her chair with careful movements.
But as she brushed past me, walking toward the exit, I couldn’t stop myself from watching her. Fragile, yes, her frame thinner than I liked, her steps slower than they should be. But there was fire still, hidden in the way her shoulders squared, in the way she threw her threats at me with teeth. Even now, even broken down, she carried herself like she wouldn’t let the world win.
That fire. It tempted me, pulled me right to the edge of poking at it, fanning it, just to watch her burn at me again. But I reined it in. For once, I let her have the silence as we stepped out into the bright air, leaving the polished cage of the restaurant behind us.
The second we stepped out into the sunlight, I caught her hand before she could shove it into her pocket. Without hesitation, I bent down and pressed my lips against her knuckles.
Aria froze, staring at me with wide eyes, and I swore I saw the faintest blush bloom across her cheeks before she quickly turned her face away.
"Don’t," I murmured, my mouth still brushing her skin. "Don’t hide that. You don’t need to be shy with me."
Her head snapped back, glare sharp. "I’m not shy. You’re the one being cheesy." She tugged at her hand, but I didn’t budge.
I kissed her knuckles again, slower this time, savoring the heat rising off her. "Funny. I’m not the one who can’t handle being treated gently."
Her brows pinched. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
That smirk I knew she hated curled my mouth as we reached the car. I leaned down, lowering my voice until it brushed her ear. "Maybe you’d like it more if I were rougher with you."
Her entire face lit up crimson. She shoved her palm against my cheek, muttering something between a scoff and a curse. I caught that hand too, trapping both of hers in mine before stealing a quick kiss from her lips.
She was fuming when I finally let her go and opened the passenger door. My little rabbit, glaring like she could kill me with her eyes alone.
I enjoyed every second of it.
She climbed into the seat with a huff, arms crossed, and I shut the door carefully before sliding into the driver’s side. My grin wouldn’t leave, not even when she turned away, pretending she wasn’t still blushing.
The second we pulled out of the lot, I reached across the console and caught her hand again, threading my fingers through hers.
She glanced at me sideways, lips tightening. "Do you ever stop?"
"No," I said simply, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles once more. "Not when you blush this easily."
Her jaw dropped, and she yanked her hand back with a dramatic scoff. "I do not blush."
I smirked, drumming my fingers against the wheel. "You do. And you’re doing it right now."
"Kael." She hissed my name like a warning, crossing her arms and glaring out the window.
I chuckled low under my breath, leaning closer just to push her further. "You know, I should’ve teased you like this sooner. It’s a better view than watching you scowl."
She whipped her head back to me, eyes narrowed. "You’re insufferable."
"And you love me," I shot back without missing a beat, the smirk stretching wider when she sputtered and smacked my arm.
"Tch! I should have kept quiet."
"Don’t even joke about that."
Satisfied, I settled back in my seat, keeping my eyes on the road but still stealing glances at her. She stayed stubbornly turned toward the passing streets, but her ears were red, bright enough to make me bite back another laugh.
After a long silence, she finally exhaled and asked, "Where are we going, anyway?"
I kept my voice casual, almost teasing. "It’s a secret."
Her head whipped around again, suspicious. "Secret?"
"Mhm." I risked a glance at her and winked. "But I promise, you’ll like it."
The look she gave me was nothing short of skeptical, but there was something softer underneath it, too. Playful. She narrowed her eyes in a mock glare before turning back to the window, trying to hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.
Her ears betrayed her again, glowing red, and for the first time in days, maybe weeks, all the suffocating tension I’d been drowning in vanished.
I could breathe.
She wasn’t that fragile ghost I found in the hospital bed anymore. She was here, blushing, glaring, alive. And for me, that was enough.