77. Don’t Stop Believin’

~ Killian ~

Killian was in the middle of having dinner with his mom and dad at the Vanderbilt mansion. It was a week after Caspian’s funeral and Anna wanted a family dinner. For days now, Anna and John tried to get Killian to talk about the accident. Killian never told his parents the full story of what happened. All his parents knew was that they were in an unfortunate car accident.

Luckily for Killian, the FBI was also very discreet. They wanted to further investigate the Russian’s dealings on U.S. soil, so the details of this case were never fully disclosed to the media.

Needless to say, it was a difficult time for everyone. They were forced to rethink the way they lived their lives. Killian became a lot more emotional. He was no longer cold and calculative. He knew how short life could be, so he stopped repressing his emotions and he’d say exactly what he feels.

Anna and John were also grappling with the loss of their son. John became a lot more communicative and understanding. And Anna became a lot more attentive. This was why she started inviting Killian to come home and have dinner with the family lot more often.

* RING! * RING! * RING *

In the middle of their quiet family dinner, Killian’s phone suddenly rang. It was Saturday night, so he shouldn’t be getting any work calls. Killian checked the screen before he hit the reject button, and he saw it was a call from Audrey’s friend, Olivia.

“I’m sorry, excuse me,” he said quickly and stepped away from the dinner table.

Killian felt something was off. Audrey had been avoiding him lately. He thought she needed space, so he was giving it to her. They hadn’t talked in days, and now her best friend was calling him. Something must be going on.

“Hello?” he picked up the phone.

“Hey, Killian. Um, this is Liv. I’m just wondering, is Audrey with you?”

“No, isn’t she supposed to be at home with you guys?” Killian narrowed his eyes.

“Well, she didn’t come home last night,” Olivia sounded worried. “She also left her phone at home, I was wondering—”

“I’ll find her,” Killian said simply and turned off the call. His instinct was right. Something happened to Audrey.

Killian was anxious and worried. He quickly went back to the dining room and told his parents he had to go. And before they could say a word to protest, Killian was already out the door.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Killian drove the car with such haste. His mind was filled with all the worst-case scenarios. He started wondering if giving Audrey space was a bad idea. She was going through a difficult time. She shouldn’t be doing it on her own. He never should’ve left her side.

Shit.

The first place Killian went to was the Greenwood Cemetery. When he arrived at Caspian’s grave, he saw fresh flowers that hadn’t been there before. He was here earlier in the morning. Someone must’ve come after him and brought these flowers. This was a private cemetery and only certain people were allowed to visit. It wasn’t him who put these flowers, or his mother, or his father.

It must be Audrey.

Killian looked around for signs of her. There wasn’t anyone around. Then he approached a nearby trashcan and saw a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne inside. Killian’s suspicion was confirmed. It must be her.

Killian stopped his tracks to think of where she would go next. If she didn’t feel like going home, she probably wanted to be alone. Killian got an idea and quickly race to his car.

Killian drove through the night, crossing the bridge, and arrived at his Manhattan apartment. He went to check Audrey’s apartment first, but she wasn’t there. The place was dark and untouched. Audrey hadn’t been back here since she left the first time.

Killian then went to his own apartment. He checked each and every room. Everything was still the same as how he left it. No one had been in here since Caspian left as well. Killian was getting agitated and frustrated. He didn’t know where else she would go.

Where’d you go?!

Killian spent the next few hours driving around the city, not knowing where to find her. He called Olivia to see if she got home, but she didn’t. Maxwell was so worried, he called the police to help look for her.

Killian truly regretted ever leaving her side. He should’ve fought harder when she told him to give her space. He should’ve never left her despite whatever she was saying. If something happened to her, Killian wouldn’t know how to live with himself.

The sun was now rising over the city. After spending the entire night scouring the city in a fruitless search, Killian decided to drive back to Brooklyn. There was one more place that he hadn’t checked yet, his own home. But still, Killian had very little faith that he would found Audrey there. He had asked her to move in with him, but she said no and asked for space instead. He did give her a key, but he doubted she’d use it.

When Killian finally arrived back at his townhome, he realized that someone was in there. The lights were turned on and the carpet on the stairs was dirty. Killian quickly raced up to the second floor. He went into his room in the far right corner, but there was no one there. Killian frowned and walked back outside. Then he saw the door to Caspian’s room was slightly ajar. Killian stepped closer and pushed the door back. He let out the biggest sigh of relief when he saw Audrey sleeping soundly on the bed. Leaning against the doorway, Killian pulled out his phone and gave Olivia a call.

“I found her,” he said simply. “She’s safe. She’s with me,”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Killian made some coffee and waited by Audrey’s bedside. He sat on a chair facing her and watched as she slept. He hadn’t slept all night, but he didn’t care. He wanted to make sure she was all right. He wanted to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up.

A few hours later, when the sun was high up in the sky, Killian was slowly dozing off to sleep, but he finally got his wish. Audrey was waking up from her sleep. She stirred in bed and her eyes fluttered open slowly.

“Hey,” Killian smiled and leaned closer to her.

“Hey,” she smiled back.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked.

Audrey didn’t respond right away. She was staring at Killian like he was a sight to marvel at. And maybe he was. From where she was looking, Killian’s face was glowing before the morning sun. His light blue eyes were glimmering and captivating. Audrey was caught in a trance.

“Audrey?” he asked again.

“Killian…” she said.

“Yeah?”

“I love you,”

Killian didn’t expect her to say these words. It took him a second before he could respond.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” he said.

“I love you a lot,”

“I love you a lot too,” he chuckled.

Before Killian could realize what was happening, Audrey had reached for his face and pulled him down with both her hands. Killian’s body was now brought to bed, hovering on top of hers.

“Hey, what are you—,”

“I think I wanna marry you,”

Audrey said the words so nonchalantly. So unapologetically. Killian’s eyes widened in shock.

“What?” he gaped.

But instead of answering him with words, she brought his face down and kissed him as an answer. Her kiss was deep and tender. Her hands were firm on the sides of his face. Killian was still fully in shock, and Audrey was adamant.

“Audrey, what did you just say?” he said as he pulled away from the kiss. He was still stuck on her words before.

“Killian, I need you to kiss me right now,” Audrey said in response. She was giggling a little, and it was making his heart melt into pieces.

Ah, screw it.

Killian figured he’d ask her about it later. But for now, he was going to kiss the hell out of his girl. He leaned back down and captured her lips with his. His kiss was hot and demanding. He hadn’t kissed her in a while and it felt like he was finally breathing again.

“I love you, Kill,” she whispered through the kiss.

“Mmhmm,”

Killian wanted to say the words back to her, but he was mumbling incoherently like an idiot. She was kissing him back with such passion and fervor, it was hard to get a word out.

Using both her hands, Audrey pushed Killian back until he was lying flat on the bed. She then sat straddling him and took off her clothes, throwing them to the ground. Killian’s turned dark as he watched her slowly took off her bra and threw it to the side.

Killian’s hands reached up to touch her breasts. They had gotten a little bigger, he noted to himself. Killian swallowed hard before leaning up to capture her nipples in his mouth. Audrey tipped her head back and sighed as Killian massaged and kissed her breasts.

Audrey’s hands then began to work on Killian’s jeans. She unzipped his pants and rubbed her hand down his length. Her hips were also moving so seductively against his groin, Killian couldn’t help himself. He was getting hard in a matter of seconds.

Audrey let out a smile as she felt the bulge forming in his boxer briefs. Killian’s mouth now traveled to her neck and jaw, trailing small kisses all over her skin. Soft moans escaped her lips as his hands and mouth roamed her body. Audrey felt the need building in her stomach, and she was desperate for a release.

Killian knew what she needed. He flipped her around on the bed until he was hovering on top of her again. Killian then pulled down her pants and underwear, revealing her entrance open to him. Audrey was staring at him with hooded eyes and she was biting her lips. Killian smiled as he leaned closer, planting a sweet kiss on the entrance to her core.

Killian spent the next hour worshipping her body. This was the first time he got to make love to her ever since Caspian’s death. He didn’t want to rush this moment. He wanted to savor it and make sure he wasn’t wasting it.

If Killian had learned anything from Caspian’s death was that life is too damn short to be wasted. That was the reason why he proposed to Audrey in the first place. He didn’t want to waste another waking moment without her.

“Kill…” Audrey moaned breathlessly.

“Yes, love?”

“I need you…”

“I got you,”

Killian pulled himself up and trailed kisses on her neck and jaw. He positioned himself on her wet entrance and rubbed his length along her folds. Audrey linked her arms around Killian’s neck, locking him in place. Killian’s lips then crashed onto hers again, the same time as his manhood piercing into her core.

Audrey let out a sharp breath, but Killian caught it in his throat. The sensation of being inside her was dizzying, but Killian kept his composure. He picked up the pace and found the rhythm for his movement. Audrey’s body was moving with his instinctively, meeting him at every thrust.

“I love you, Kill,” she said in between her moans.

Killian couldn’t help but smile. She was getting close to her climax and he was steadily bringing her there. From where he was looking, she looked so beautiful, glowing under the sunlight. Killian couldn’t believe his luck.

I’ll never take this for granted. Ever.

Killian pushed her over the edge with one deep thrust. Audrey let out a scream as her body jerked and convulsed, but Killian kept her steady. With his hands locked around her neck, he leaned down and kissed her lips again, whispering, “I love you more,”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Audrey stayed for the whole day at Killian’s house after that. After they made love for the entire afternoon, they jumped into the shower, and made dinner together. Killian was supposed to drive Audrey back to her dad’s house after that, but she kept stalling him, telling him that she wanted to stay here instead.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here, trust me, I do. But your dad and your friends are worried about you,” Killian said.

“Just tell them I’m okay and I’ll be home tomorrow,” she said as she linked her arms around him. “Just email them or something,”

Killian stifled a laugh. She was making jokes now, referring to the last time she was here and the brothers told her the same thing.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Killian said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They were standing next to the kitchen sink where the dirty plates were piled up.

“Yeah?”

“Did you really mean it, what you said before?”

“What did I say?”

She was teasing him on purpose. Killian rolled his eyes as Audrey smiled playfully.

“Audrey,” he warned.

“Killian,” she taunted back.

Damn, Caspian was really rubbing off on her.

“Audrey, I’m serious,” Killian sighed.

“I’m serious too,” she said as she cupped his cheeks with both hands. “I love you so much, Kill. More than I could ever say,”

Killian swallowed hard. His heart was doing the summersaults in his chest.

“When you asked me to marry you before, I was afraid we were moving too fast. I didn’t want us to forget about Caspian and just move on with our lives. But I realize now, holding onto the past isn’t gonna bring him back. It’s only gonna hold us from moving forward. And I know this is what Caspian would want too. So…”

Without warning, Audrey suddenly went down, kneeling with one knee on the floor. She grabbed his hands in hers and looked up at him expectantly.

“What are you doing?” Killian watched in confusion.

She simply smiled in response.

“Killian Carter Vanderbilt, will you marry me?”

Killian couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. His jaw fell to the floor and his eyes were wide open. He couldn’t do anything but blink and stare.

“Will you?” she asked again after a while of silence.

Killian couldn’t stop the smile forming on his face, not even if he wanted to.

“Woman, you’re driving me crazy, you know that, right?” he chuckled.

“Is that a yes?” she smiled and batted her eyes.

Killian shook his head in disbelief. He pulled her up so she was standing on her feet again, then he lifted her entire body up so her face was right in front of his.

“How can I ever say no to you?”

Killian was using the same words Audrey said to him before. Audrey smiled and giggled at his response, she was blushing furiously. Killian was smiling too. His heart never felt so full. He pressed his lips onto hers and they kissed each other with smiles never leaving their faces. And it was at this moment that he promised he'd do everything he could to make sure that smile would stay on her pretty face. Forever and ever.

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- - - - - To Be Continued - - - - -