Chained Lovers

Chapter 19: One Little Mistake

K I A R A ' S P.O.V

I groaned, yawning simultaneously, and letting my body arch back as I stretched. Waking up this morning felt different, strange. I was used to my bed creaking slightly or the sound of guards getting ready for their next patrol outside but, instead all I heard was serene silence.

I snuggled back, feeling extra warm, as an arm held me close. Wait...what!

Snapping my eyes open, the first thing I saw was the tv light flashing brightly. It's A Wonderful Life was paused on the screen, and the popcorn bowl had been tipped onto the floor.

I recognised the place almost immediately, especially as my eyes zoomed in on the picture of Aaron and Caitlin, hanging on the wall.

Fuck, I stayed at Aaron's all night.

Gently removing the muscular arm off my body, I rolled off the sofa and grabbed my shoes which were hiding underneath the arm chair.

I didn't 'sleep' with Aaron but I did sleep with him, and it was secretly one of the best sleeps I had ever had. I missed waking up in a man's arms, I missed having a person there in the morning.

As I slowly got up and began to creep to the door, I heard the sofa creak and his voice call out my name.

"Kiara," I froze in my steps and slowly turned around. An embarrassed and awkward smile gracing my face from having been caught trying to sneak out.

"Hey, um...I need to go to school, I'm sorry if I woke you up." School started in an hour, giving me just enough time to go home and get ready. I also had to deal with parent's wrath, there was no doubt in my mind that they were probably freaking out and sending search parties out to find me.

Fuck, I was going to be in so much trouble.

"You didn't wake me, don't worry. If you want I could drop you off?"

"What about Caitlin?" He was trying to be kind and that made me grin inside but Aaron dropping me off would cause a war between him and my father.

"I can call the nanny to watch her."

"It's okay, I need to take my car back anyway so..." My voice trailed off as an awkward silence began to set it.

"Well, text me when you get home safe and have a good day I guess." I nodded and turned to leave when something was pulling me back in.

What the f**k was that?

"You're not my dad Aaron,"

"No, but I could be your daddy." I rolled my eyes, yet smiled, at his s****l joke. I did secretly miss them.

"I'm serious, that was...really weird. I mean it shouldn't be weird between us right, we're friends, we should talk like friends do."

"So, what would a friend say?" He frowned in confusion. I shook my head and smiled, before waking over to him and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Goodbye friend," I muttered, pecking his cheek.

"Goodbye friend." He repeated, whispering into my ear, and causing my body to shiver slightly from the sound of his husky voice in the morning.

It was something I had never heard before, but undeniably wanted to hear again.

Pulling away, I smiled at him, slowly pushing back his messy hair. I snapped out of the trance I was in and quickly retracted my hand. He was staring at me with wonder and some other unrecognisable emotion I had never seen before.

Backing away, I grabbed my bag and pulled out my keys. "Tell Caitlin thank you for inviting me." He didn't reply, instead continued to stare at me with the same brooding look as before.

I left his house and went straight to my car, pulling my phone out my bag. I gasped as I scrolled down looking at all the messages, and missed calls I had received.

Last night was still blurry. After finishing High School Musical, we proceed to watched the next two, before Aaron took Caitlin to bed. I remember wanting to leave but Aaron brought wine and popcorn in, convincing me to stay for another movie. Half way through the movie, I must have fallen asleep and that was the last thing I remembered.

God, I'm such an i***t.

I quickly unlocked my phone and called the one person I knew I could count on. She picked up on the first ring.

"Kiara! Oh my god, I can't believe it's you. Where the hell have you been? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, it's just..fuck, I went to my friend's house and accidentally fell asleep." There was a small paused on the other end.

"Which friend?" When I didn't respond, she sighed. "Was it Sawyer?"

"No, but it was a guy."

"Did you hook up with him?" She was no stranger to my s****l antics and and I knew it was easier to just say yes.

"Yes, and I accidentally fell asleep after we finished. Me and Tristan got into an argument, so I went to a bar and it happened."

"It's okay Kiara, I get it." I loved how there was never any judgment in her voice. That's why she was my best friend, because no matter what she supported me.

Then, why don't you just tell her the truth? Shut up.

"Your parents are freaking out, especially your dad. I've been dodging their calls in case you needed a story, so you were sleeping at mine, we got into my mum's wine cupboard and fell asleep. We were knocked out and woke up late."

"I'll pick you up?" I prayed they believed the story, otherwise I was screwed.

"Yes, I'll be ready." I ended the call and stepped on the gas as I drove straight to Tessa's. She jumped into the passenger seat and I speeded to my house.

I immediately noticed the four police cars as well as my uncle's and grandfather's.

Fuck, I was definitely in trouble.

Tessa held my hand, squeezing it a little to let me know she there for me. I took a deep breath, my legs quaking slightly, as I pushed the door open.

I gulped.

My mother was crying hysterically in the corner, my grandmother wrapping her arms around her daughter in order to comfort her. My brothers, grandfathers and uncles were all screaming at the police, calling anyone they could get ahold of and my dad...fuck, my dad was sat on the bottom stair, his eyes red with large dark circles underlining them.

And the scariest part of all...he was silent. Completely and utterly silent.

"Um...I'm home." I squeaked causing, almost thirty pairs of eyes to turn my way. My mother was the first to move. She got up and sprinted over to me, practically knocking me down as she jumped onto top of me crying.

"Oh my god Kiara my baby oh, I sent you out to see that guy and I thought...I thought you two had gotten into an argument or he kidnapped you or something terrible had happened and..I'm the worse mother ever." She whispered into my ear, clutching into me tighter as if I was about to disappear.

"No you're not, you're the best mother in the whole world. I'm..I'm so sorry. I fell asleep and, lost track of time." I looked down, ashamed with myself, but she tipped my head up.

"Kiara, it's okay but you can't tell your father that. He would lock you up and the boy." I could see my brothers dismissing my family and the police, but the anger was evident on their faces.

I was so dead.

"Mum, I love you but you really need to move right now." Kieron seethed, walking over to us. He clasped my wrist and dragged me into the centre of the living room.

All three of them stood there. Anger radiating off their bodies, even sweet Kai looked as though he was about to murder someone.

I glanced back to see my mother watching us with worry in her eyes, as Tessa clung onto her arm from behind.

"Explain." Kalen screamed, and I flinched.

"I was at Tessa's and..um...I lost track of time."

"You didn't see the millions of texts and calls you received." I winced knowing this next part wouldn't go down well.

"It was on silent." They froze and then a harsh chuckled left their mouths.

"On silent! On f*****g silent! First of all, don't lie to us Kiara because if you were at Tessa's none of us would be freaking out right now!"

"No it's true, my alarm woke us up late." Tessa chimed in, possibly the worst thing she could have done.

"Tessa, stay out of it." Kalen said gently, giving her a small smile, which she returned. What the f**k was that?

"Kiara, tell us the truth or I'm going to..."

"You will do nothing Kieron." My father's voice overpowered my brother's tremendously. The sheer power of his voice caused the chandelier to swing and echoed throughout the house.

The beast had been awakened.

"Kiara is mine and your mother's responsibility, we're the parents..not you three. Do you understand?" All of them nodded, and I could see the fear in their eyes. Even at their ages, they were still scared of daddy.

"Good, now leave and take Tessa with you. This is a matter I would like to discuss with my daughter." They all scurried out like mice, slamming the door shut behind them. I could hear my mother's light footsteps approach me as she placed her arm on my shoulder for support.

"Gabi, come here." My dad ordered and I could feel my mum tense up besides me.

"I'm not a dog Ryder, don't order me around like that!" She snapped, causing me to laugh quietly. I loved watching the only person in the world who could tell my dad off, give him a piece of her mind.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, could you please come over here?" She gave him a tight lipped smile and nodded, even though I desperately wanted her to stay.

Now I felt alone and vulnerable, under my parent's harsh stare. I was thirteen and had stolen my father's credit card all over again.

"Kiara, you disobeyed the clear rules I set out for you. Either come back by eleven or alert me if you're staying at Tessa's. You did neither and as a result we thought the worse. I've been threatening half of New York all night to try and find my daughter, who could have been dead in a ditch for all knew. It was scary Kiara, I felt like I was dying not knowing if my little girl was safe! What the hell were you thinking? You're 18, you need to stop acting like a child and grow the f**k up because I can't deal with another night like last night!"

"I'm sorry daddy! I'm so sorry, I didn't think and I..I swear it will never happen again. I was being stupid and reckless, I promise that I will take any punishment you give me." My lip trembled as I slowly realised how much I let my dad down. f**k, I was such a mess.

"Oh honey, come here." He opened up his arms which I launched into. I sobbed my heart out, burying my face into his chest, as I poured out all my emotions.

"I won't punish you, mostly because it was an accident but you owe your brothers an apology too, they were terrified. They may pretend to be macho men but when it comes to you or your mother, they're still scared little boys."

"Daddy, I'm so sorry and I will don't worry. I can't believe I put you all through that."

"It's okay honey, just text me next time okay?" I nodded profusely, as the door opened again.

"Sir I still can't find..." His voice trailed off, whilst his eyes drank me in. Tristan looked worse than my dad and I could tell he'd been up all night searching for me.

"You're back, and you're safe." He breathed out in relief.

"Tristan here was freaking out more than all of us. I didn't blame him for your disappearance, don't worry, your mother managed to calm me down. It's okay Tristan, there no-one to murder, she was at Tessa's."

Even if my dad believed it, I knew Tristan didn't.

"That's great news, I'm glad she was safe with her friend." Tristan stressed the word safe and friend, all whilst glaring at me harshly. As my dad turned to converse with my mother, Tristan mouthed the words later to me, before excusing himself and leaving.

"Kiara, you can go up to your room now. We'll let everyone know what happened and sort it all night but next time, we want to be informed on everything."

"Got it daddy." I smiled, turning around to climb up the stairs.

The moment I reached my door, I let out an exhausted sigh, collapsing onto my bed. "Hard day, was it?" His voice came out of nowhere, causing me to jump up in fright.

"Seriously? Again? Do you know what privacy is?" I snapped, walking over to him as he emerged from my bathroom.

"Yes, which is why I haven't tapped your phone yet, but seriously? I thought that you were dead..or someone had kidnapped you..or Aaron had.."

"Aaron had what?" I whispered curiously. I knew I had scared him, f**k, I had gotten half of the New York Police driving around and searching for me all night, but he looked shaken.

He looked as though his childhood pet had just died, or his first love had.

"I thought he betrayed you again. I thought he completed what he set out to do two years ago and..destroy your father, using his little girl." I took a step back.

"You thought he actually hurt me?" I knew, deep down that Aaron could never hurt me like that. Whenever I was around him, he was a completely different person to the reputation he had gained.

Yet he must have done some things, bad things, to have earned the fear that he exuded from the mere whisper of his name.

"I don't know what to think, but I know Aaron. He's one of the most dangerous and violent creatures I have ever met. I still love Aaron as a brother, that will never change. To me he's family but he's also the enemy here. I can't ignore what he's done."

"So tell me what's he done? Why do you hate the idea of me being friends with him, and why will my father kill him for being close to me?"

"One, he's a gang leader. Gang leaders kill, and Aaron...is definitely not shy to shoot someone between the eyes. Also, your father would kill anyone for coming close to you but especially Aaron because he's a narcissistic ass who wants to take you father down."

"We've all killed Tristan, it's part of our DNA, and if Aaron really wanted to destroy my father, don't you think he would have used me by now?" I was getting angry, my blood was simmering, on the verge of beginning to boil, and Tristan was straight in my eye-line.

"Maybe that's his plan? To lure you in until you're too far lost, to drive you away from your family and into his arms. Your father would be lost without his little princess."

"Shut up! I'm not a little princess Tristan, I'm a woman. A woman who can f*****g tell if a guy is using her or not. And you still haven't given me a valid reason why I should stay away."

"Because he's my best friend!" He screamed, causing me to shut up. Angry tears pricked the corners of his eyes and he hastily wiped one away. "He was my best f*****g friend Kiara, my brother, and now...he has the only woman I've ever loved. And it f*****g hurts."

He didn't speak as he stormed out the room and I let him go. Slumping onto my bed, I sighed. What the f**k have I done?

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A/N: Kind of an emotional chapter there. I did feel bad for Tristan at the end though.

Btw I'm sick of saying Aaron and Kiara, or Tristan and Kiara, I need ship names!!!!! Suggestions?