The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 187

Chapter 187

Chapter 187

ARIA’S POV

That night, the atmosphere inside the house felt incredibly heavy as I tucked Amelia into her bed. My chest felt tight, aching with a deep, hollow worry.

Looking down at her innocent, smiling face, the daunting reality of the Vance family’s threat weighed on me. I really did not know if it would be legally possible for me to keep her against their immense wealth, but I knew I would give it my absolute all, fighting with every single breath in my body.

Amelia noticed my distant, sunken look and tilted her head, her small brow furrowing with concern. “Mamma, are you okay?”

I forced a soft, reassuring smile onto my face and gently smoothed her hair down. “I’m okay, sweetheart. It’s just a little bit of work stress from the office. You shouldn’t worry about it at all.”

Amelia smiled back, completely reassured, and leaned into my touch. “You are a good mum, Mamma. I am sure everything will be fine.” She paused, her eyes lighting up with a sudden thought. “When is Uncle Brandon coming back?”

“He is on his way right now,” I told her, my heart warming slightly at her eagerness. “You will see him first thing tomorrow morning.”

Amelia clapped her hands together excitedly, a bright giggle escaping her lips. “Yay. He promised he would take me toy shopping as soon as he got back.”

Watching her joy, a quiet, selfish curiosity took over my mind. I knew she was still just a child and that she did not fully understand the messy, complicated reality of adult relationships, but I needed to hear her say it.

I held her small hands in mine. “Amelia, if you were ever given the choice to stay with either me or your dad, who would you choose?”

Amelia looked directly into my eyes without a single second of hesitation. “As much as I want to get to know my daddy, I would always choose to stay with you, mummy. You are my best friend.”

The pure, unconditional love in her voice sent a wave of emotion through me. My eyes immediately filled with hot tears.

I leaned down, pulling her tiny body into a tight embrace, and pressed a long, lingering kiss against her forehead. “I love you so much, my clever girl.”

Once Amelia finally drifted off to sleep, I quietly closed her bedroom door and walked down the grand staircase. The moment my feet hit the living room floor, I froze.

Brandon was standing there, waiting for me in the dim light. He looked tired from his emergency travels, but his eyes were fixed entirely on me.

Without a word, I ran across the room and threw myself straight into his chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, finding an instant, overwhelming sense of relief in his solid embrace.

The suffocating weight I had been carrying all afternoon finally began to lift.

Brandon wrapped his strong arms around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer, and kissed the top of my forehead. “I’m here now, Aria,” he murmured against my hair, his deep voice instantly grounding me. “I’ve got you.”

He slowly pulled away just enough to look down at my face. His thumb gently wiped away a stray tear from my cheek, and then he leaned down and kissed me slowly.

It was a deep, reassuring, and deliberate kiss. I completely melted into him, letting all my fear and panic dissolve under the warmth of his lips.

When we finally broke apart, gasping slightly for air, Brandon led me over to the sofa. He kept his hand firmly intertwined with mine as he explained everything his corporate lawyer had told him over the phone.

Chapter 187

Chapter 187

ARIA’S POV

That night, the atmosphere inside the house felt incredibly heavy as I tucked Amelia into her bed. My chest felt tight, aching with a deep, hollow worry.

Looking down at her innocent, smiling face, the daunting reality of the Vance family’s threat weighed on me. I really did not know if it would be legally possible for me to keep her against their immense wealth, but I knew I would give it my absolute all, fighting with every single breath in my body.

Amelia noticed my distant, sunken look and tilted her head, her small brow furrowing with concern. “Mamma, are you okay?”

I forced a soft, reassuring smile onto my face and gently smoothed her hair down. “I’m okay, sweetheart. It’s just a little bit of work stress from the office. You shouldn’t worry about it at all.”

Amelia smiled back, completely reassured, and leaned into my touch. “You are a good mum, Mamma. I am sure everything will be fine.” She paused, her eyes lighting up with a sudden thought. “When is Uncle Brandon coming back?”

“He is on his way right now,” I told her, my heart warming slightly at her eagerness. “You will see him first thing tomorrow morning.”

Amelia clapped her hands together excitedly, a bright giggle escaping her lips. “Yay. He promised he would take me toy shopping as soon as he got back.”

Watching her joy, a quiet, selfish curiosity took over my mind. I knew she was still just a child and that she did not fully understand the messy, complicated reality of adult relationships, but I needed to hear her say it.

I held her small hands in mine. “Amelia, if you were ever given the choice to stay with either me or your dad, who would you choose?”

Amelia looked directly into my eyes without a single second of hesitation. “As much as I want to get to know my daddy, I would always choose to stay with you, mummy. You are my best friend.”

The pure, unconditional love in her voice sent a wave of emotion through me. My eyes immediately filled with

hot tears.

I leaned down, pulling her tiny body into a tight embrace, and pressed a long, lingering kiss against her forehead. “I love you so much, my clever girl.”

Once Amelia finally drifted off to sleep, I quietly closed her bedroom door and walked down the grand staircase. The moment my feet hit the living room floor, I froze.

Brandon was standing there, waiting for me in the dim light. He looked tired from his emergency travels, but his eyes were fixed entirely on me.

Without a word, I ran across the room and threw myself straight into his chest. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, finding an instant, overwhelming sense of relief in his solid embrace.

The suffocating weight I had been carrying all afternoon finally began to lift.

Brandon wrapped his strong arms around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer, and kissed the top of my forehead. “I’m here now, Aria,” he murmured against my hair, his deep voice instantly grounding me. “I’ve got you.”

He slowly pulled away just enough to look down at my face. His thumb gently wiped away a stray tear from my cheek, and then he leaned down and kissed me slowly.

It was a deep, reassuring, and deliberate kiss. I completely melted into him, letting all my fear and panic dissolve under the warmth of his lips.

When we finally broke apart, gasping slightly for air, Brandon led me over to the sofa. He kept his hand firmly intertwined with mine as he explained everything his corporate lawyer had told him over the phone.

He detailed our legal strategy, explaining how Julian’s total absence from Amelia’s life gave us a massive advantage.

Hearing the solid facts eased the lingering terror in my stomach. I felt a profound sense of relief as he looked at me and promised that he would always be there to shield us from Julian’s family.

For the rest of the night, I let him hold me close against his chest. I allowed myself to be completely vulnerable, talking through tears about how terrified I was of losing my daughter, and how much I truly loved the fact that he was here, protecting our little family from the storm.

Brandon listened quietly, occasionally kissing the top of my head to remind me of his presence.

When our eyes finally met in the quiet room, the intense gratitude in my heart took over. I reached up, gently pulling him down by his collar, and kissed him with a sudden, deep passion.

Brandon responded instantly, his breathing turning heavy as his hands began to roam gently over my body. I was wearing just a thin, silky nightgown, and the heat of his palms radiated straight through the fabric.

However, the moment his hands slid down and reached the bare skin of my thighs, a sudden, involuntary memory flashed in my mind, and I completely froze up under him.

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