During the entire drive back to his mansion, Cayden held Selena in his lap. She was babbling incoherently while she slept, and her limbs were jerking and twitching erratically. Cayden attempted to round his neck with her arm, but it simply slid into her lap. Selena's eyes would suddenly open every few minutes, and a hurt look would pass across her face. She would then faint once more.
Cayden desired to bathe her. And everything else she might need. Fuck! What's the matter with me? He wished to reassure her.
When they got to his house, he immediately led Selena to her bedroom. He placed her on the gigantic bed with care before going to his en suite. The two of them could easily fit in Cayden's enormous marble bathtub. He switched on the water and repeatedly checked the temperature to make sure it was just right. Selena required clothing for her bedtime. In her wardrobe, Cayden discovered some pajamas and a big t-shirt.
He virtually tore off his clothing upon entering his room again and dragged Selena to the bathroom. He let her get used to the temperature before carefully lowering them into the water. She trembled, but soon stopped in response to Cayden's reassuring voice.
'It's only a bath. Relax as I clean you. Let me look after you. Let me take care of you. Please allow me to hold you and caress you. Just don't be broken, please.'
Every bone, muscle, tendon, ligament, and nerve ending in his body felt compelled to want her. He burned for her. As soon as she had fully recovered, Cayden vowed to put an end to these thoughts and acts of compassion. But for the time being, he had other matters to attend to.
******************
Cayden was taken aback by the residence he was in front of. He had this vision of Natasha living in a steel and futuristic monstrosity with a doorman guarding the main entrance. Instead, he was in front of a two-story, quite modest house that was set back from the street at the end of a reasonably affluent residential street.
Although small by his standards, the house had a lot of attractiveness. A well-kept yard with a lovely lawn and pretty tiny flowerbeds completed the nearly residential appearance, and the façade was painted. He liked the exterior of the house. It had both a definite sense of familiarity and a certain sense of emptiness. Despite the late hour, he could not scent her in the area. She wasn't inside. He didn't go looking for her at the club because he assumed she would be home by now. He didn't know where she was at three in the morning, but he wasn't happy about it.
As a taxi went onto the street and made its way slowly up to her house, he disappeared into the shadows. As the backdoor opened and the woman who had lied to him gracefully emerged, he held his breath.
She took a cautious turn and turned to face where Cayden was standing. As soon as she stepped out of the cab, she smelled him, and her heart beat a little faster.
She responded, loud enough for him to hear but quietly enough so that her human neighbours wouldn't be disturbed, "What a surprise. I thought you would be at the auction."
He retorted from the shadows, his voice perfectly neutral, "I didn't realise I would have to see you. He remained covert while taking in the sight of her on the pavement,"I was expecting to find you asleep in bed."
She let out a small laugh at the somewhat irritated note in his voice before turning to head up the path to her front door.
"I went on a date. But we can always get to my bed."
He stood directly alongside her at the door, his colossal bulk tight as he leaned against the building, but she didn't flinch.
He murmured, "We need to talk."
She responded with a faint edge to her voice, "Just talk, Cayden? There are so many options available to us."
She didn't bother to close the front door behind her because she knew he would follow her inside after she opened it and entered.
"Aren't you going to ask about what transpired at the auction?" Cayden enquired, while still standing at the entrance.
"Why don't you close the door instead? Then you can fucking explain to me why you smell of that fucking wolf bitch, because it's quite clear!" Natasha glared icily at him.
Rolling his eyes, Cayden shut the door.
He responded with a low growl, "Why don't you calm down, stop acting like such a spoilt child, and explain to me why you lied to me?"
He didn't enjoy hearing Selena called a "fucking wolf bitch."
"I do not know what you are talking about." Natasha removed her sandals and left them by the entrance door. Without giving a second thought, she moved across the room to the kitchen area while wearing stockings. She then went to the refrigerator and took a bottle of white wine out.
"Natasha, I trusted you," he screamed between clenched teeth as he strode at her, pushing her against the wall. "You misled me. How long had you known that Selena was Hawk's illegitimate daughter? What else have you kept a secret?"
Natasha's neck's pulse point was visible as it sped up, and he observed beads of sweat forming on her forehead and upper lip.
"I didn't lie to you, I swear. I.... didn't know." Her voice trembled.
"Is that true?" He rasped while holding her against the wall with his hands locked into fists, perhaps trying to choke her.
"Why did you lie to me if you didn't know it? Why did you claim she was Hawk's fourth child?"
"I was confused. It was years ago and has so many daughters." She said with a chuckle. "How does it matter? She is still his blood. You only needed to humiliate him."
Cayden simply stared at her without responding.
"You did it, right? You let him see his daughter being gang-raped by his friends, correct?"
Cayden grimaced and backed away from her, repulsed. He paced the kitchen.
"Cayden, tell me what happened at the auction? You did it right?"
Natasha longed for the day Selena would experience the same humiliation as she had. She yearned to see her bloodied, broken body and hear her screaming. She approached him and took hold of his arm. He stopped and looked down at her, even though she had just barely caught it.
"You didn't go through the plan? Why?" she demanded.
"There was no point. Hawk abandoned her. He didn't care for her and was okay with it." Cayden appeared repulsed.
"So what? He was just trying to downplay it and act normal. He knows others would stop respecting him and realise his weakness once his daughter was auctioned."
"I understand. That is why he left."
Natasha's heart plummeted even further as Cayden continued to describe the entire scenario. He'd protected Selena. This was not intended to happen, NO NO. She had told herself repeatedly that he would stop loving Selena after she was sold off or killed in that group rape.
"What happens next? Your plan didn't work." She yelled in rage.
"Not entirely. Hawk's pride has been injured. He'll retaliate." Said Cayden.
Why was he so calm? Did he know? Had he somehow realized what was happening between them?
"And what about Selena?" Natasha asked.
"What about her? She is mine!" He whispered.