Chapter 175 Autumn’s POV

Chapter 175 Autumn’s POV
The choking scent of antiseptic had been traded by the beauty fragrance of fresh lilies and sweet roses but the air didn't feel any lighter. After the hospital staff finally signed my discharge paper, Tyler helped with everything I needed, the steam of the night before still printed on my mind.

He helped me into a black car, driving me to a high end, discreet hotel tucked away in the heart of the city, the suite felt more like a beautiful cage less like a luxury getaway. I stood by the windows of the penthouse, my fingers tightly gripping the edge of the heavy curtains.

Outside, the skyline stretched, quite different from the thick clouds back in London. I was still wearing a soft, oversized sweater Tyler bought for me from a boutique downstairs to replace my ruined clothes. Behind me, the sound of the bathroom door clicked open, breaking the heavy silence of the suite. I didn't turn but I could see his soft footsteps moving across the thick carpet.

Moments later, two strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me back against his broad chest. He rested his chin gently on the top of head, his damp hair releasing the clean scent of the high end hotel soap, "you're lost in trance again," he murmured, his deep voice vibrating right through my body.

"The doctor said you need to rest, I don't know why you're not still in bed."

"I can't sleep, Tyler," I whispered, leaning back into his embrace despite the loud bells screaming in my head. The shameful reality of our situation pressed down on my chest like a physical weight, we were now tangled in a fiery affair that crossed every bold line of sanity.

I turned to stare at him, the sharp lines of his jaw, his soft dark eyes different from the maniac of last night, his youthful energy completely different from my broken spirit.

This sent a thrill of intoxicating passion through my veins, behind that passion followed a wave of sickening horror. Maybe if he wasn't my son's best friend... maybe it would have been different. At the same time, what if my stupid ex–husband finds out? 

He might be behind bars but if he ever discovered what we were doing the fallout would be catastrophic. I was a terrible mother, a woman slowly drowning in a sea of her stupid and chaotic choices.

"He's going to find out," I breathed, my voice trembling as I gripped Tyler's forearms, my fingernails digging into his skin, "if that stalker should track us here... I'm really scared of the outcome." Tyler held me firm, forcing me to face him, his hands moved up to securely frame my face, his thumbs gently wiped away the cold sweat on my forehead.

"Let whoever they are try," Tyler said, his voice dropping into a low protective growl that sent a harsh shiver down my spine, "I didn't leave everything back in London and hunt you down in a panic to let a stupid stalker come in between us and before you talk about that your wretched ex, I don't care about his influence or his threats. I'm not letting anyone hurt you again."

"I don't think you understand his cruelty," I said softly, shaking my head against his palms, "why has it been so quiet? I don't trust them anymore, maybe they are planning something harsh that would affect us both."

Ever since Tyler took me to the hospital, the stalker had gone completely radio silent. There were no untraceable texts, I knew very well that it wasn't a relief. It felt like a predatory animal drawing back its claws before a lethal pounce, I was a hundred percent sure that they knew where I was.

"Hey... look at me," Tyler whispered softly, his dark eyes locking onto mine, it was the same intensity from last night, making me melt in his embrace, "I want you to do something for me, stop thinking about them. Right now, there's no Micheal and no stalker, just the both of us."

Before I could voice another panicked sentence, his mouth crashed down onto mine, effectively burning away the terrifying thoughts with a desperate hot kiss. A ragged gasp escaped my lips and Tyler quickly took advantage of it, his tongue sweeping inside to claim with a possessive force that made my knees wobble. 

I clutched the collars of his open shirt, pulling his huge frame closer until there was absolutely no space left between us. The guilt of leaning on a younger man, betraying my son's trust fueled the consuming passion that gripped us tighter.

I needed the bruising force of his lips, the fast racing of his heartbeat against my ribs to cut through the terror of my reality. Tyler groaned deeply against my mouth, his hands moving possessively down my spine gripping my waist through the soft sweater and carrying me up effortlessly.

I wrapped my legs around his hips, stealing myself to him.as he carried me away from the winter deeper into the luxurious shadow of the bedroom, we tumbled onto the massive king sized bed, a chaotic tangle of our ragged breathing and heated skin against each other.

He kissed his way down my jawline, his lips tracing a hot path of heat down my sensitive skin of my throat, making me arch my back with a soft, desperate moan. "Catherine..." he breathed against my skin, his voice thick with an intoxicating worship, "you're mine, don't you ever look back."

The way he said I was his took me by surprise, this was a man worshipping my every being like I was a God to him, a soft gasp escaped my lips as he bit my nape softly.

"I won't," I promised, tears of passion and terror blurring my vision as I pulled him back to me. I enjoyed every second of the bliss he gave me, throwing myself deeper into the abyss and as the night deepened in the safe house, we were surrounded entirely by the fiery grip of our forbidden act.