Aurelius Read online

  Siri is one my favorite characters, she is sexy, beautiful, she stays true to herself and she is a giver. Aurelius is sexy, secretive and holds everything close to his chest. The Golden God and Wild Thing will leave you breathless and are perfect for each other. They are one of my top 10 couple characters.

  ~ By Guccigirl35

  This book is HOT and STEAMY! We get to see the relationship begin, each character revealing more of their true selves to the other.

  ~ By Jennifer

  The steam between these two rises from the pages. Aurelius gets a bit of a surprise when things heat up fast between him and Siri. This is no damsel needing to be rescued - as she explains during an outing. Our Wild Thang is not done with surprising her Golden God.

  ~ By Kim Brewing

  Also by Jessika Klide

  Siri’s Heart Book Series

  Hard-Core, #1, The Prequel

  Seary, #2, The Prologue

  Moore, #3, The Beginning

  Wild Thang, #4

  Aurelius, #5

  Ruthless, #6

  Asshole, #7

  Kitten Thang, #8

  Maximus, #9

  Angel Thang, #10

  The Bastard Son of Thor, #11

  Seary’s Finale, #12

  Standalones

  Donut Dilemma

  I Hope You Dance

  SAM, I AM

  Holiday Novellas

  Zane, A Scrooged Christmas

  Aurelius

  #5

  Jessika Klide

  Edited by

  Maria Clark

  Photography by

  Luis Raphael

  Copyright © 2017 Jessika Klide, LLC

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, named features, artists and bands are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used for reference and without permission. The publication / use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.

  Created with Vellum

  May you dance

  through life

  with lots of love

  and

  more than a few

  happy endings!

  Jessika Klide

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Ruthless

  About the Author

  Everyone has secrets

  Chapter One

  Siri Wright [Seary]

  Walking past the closed gate, I yawn and stretch, putting my hands over my head, then I stop, bend over and touch the ground, stretching my legs.

  I got a pretty good cat nap in the back of the taxi.

  I start my stroll up the drive. As I see the apartment buildings looming through the trees, I think of Aurei. Is he home yet? Will I see him today or will I have to wait until Sunday? I smirk. Can I wait until Sunday? Can he? The image of him laying naked in bed, floats across my mind. Hopefully, the answer is "no." I grin.

  The lights of a vehicle at the gate illuminate the pavement and my figure casts a long shadow on the road. As the gate goes up and the vehicle pulls through slowly, I move to the left side concerned I could get run over at 2 a.m. The lights brighten then dim politely when the driver see me. The vehicle, however, does not pick up speed. It creeps up, so I turn to look.

  The most beautiful man in the world is sitting with his arm out the window of his badass, black Raptor smiling at me. My pussy lurches and the butterflies wake, then scatter in all directions.

  What are the odds the Golden God would return right now? Karma! You're on a roll!

  He stops when he gets even. "Hi, Wild Thang."

  "Hi, Aurelius." I turn to face him. Damn, you are fine! You make me have fucking fantasies of my … fucking own!

  "You good?"

  "Yes I am." I state as fact and return his smile, then strut over to tease him. And I intend to prove it to you.

  He chuckles and cuts the truck off. "No doubt, but I meant, are you alright?"

  "Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?"

  "Where’s your date?"

  "Date?" I frown confused.

  "The dude with the french braid."

  I laugh. "Oh, TD." I wave him away with my hand, then change the subject. "Did you give them hell at the farewell?"

  "I did. So where’s TD?"

  "Why? Are you worried about your bro?" I sass him, flirting.

  His eyebrows lift and he chuckles. "Should I be?"

  "May … be." I flirt harder.

  His tongue sneaks to the corner of his mouth as he tries to stop the amusement from playing across his face.

  Damn! He is too fucking cute!

  I take a step closer and he looks up at me, smirking. "So he did think it was a hot date. I was right."

  I shrug, not giving him any information, then I look away, remembering the moment when I thought Aurei was wrong, right before I discovered it was a swingers party and he was right.

  "So where is he?" He presses me and I hear concern in his voice.

  "If you must know, I left him there."

  He frowns. "You left him?"

  I can’t believe we are talking about TD’s stupid ass. I sass him. "Why are you so concerned? Do you think I hurt him?"

  He looks shocked by my question. "Did you?"

  Sassy ass attitude always trumps the truth, so I roll my eyes, then give him my best 'go to hell' look and refuse to answer him.

  He raises his eyebrows and chuckles again. "I feel sorry for him now."

  The honesty I hear in his voice, pisses me off.

  Sorry for him? Sorry? For him? The lying bastard?

  The words "fuck you" form instantly on the tip of my tongue, but luckily his handsome as fuck face makes me bite them back, knowing those words could end whatever crazy chemistry we have before it even starts, so instead, I express my anger with a huff. "Humph." Whip my hair and head up the drive.

  Unbelievable. TD’s a manipulating prick! And Aurei feels sorry for him? He’s concerned I hurt him? Concerned where he is because I left him behind? Unbelievable! I shake my head as I stomp away and my hair swings wildly.

  "Hey Wright, wait a minute." He calls after me.

  Ignoring him, I keep going. Then I hear the truck crank and my heart plummets to my feet and my breath pauses in a panic in my throat. I cut my eyes to the road. That same sick feeling of ultimate loneliness I felt in the elevator that first day fills me and I pray he doesn’t leave me behind.

  When he creeps into view, his arm is resting on the window and he is wearing the look of a patient man, who does not intend to drive off. My heart and my breath return. I stop walking and face him. When our eyes connect, he grins, knowing he has won, and I close my eyes, confirming it.

  Sweet Zeus! My nipples are hard as fucking rocks right now and it has nothing at all to do with the chill in the air. What this man does to me!

  He stops when h
e is even with me and cuts off the engine again. Before he can say anything, I ask as I shake my head. "Why are men such shits?" The truth of the statement hangs heavy between us.

  He doesn’t answer immediately, and I look up to the stars pondering the question. Then he says in a soft, yet commanding voice. "Siri, look at me."

  My soul melts with the sensuous way my name sounds when he says it and I can't stop myself. My eyes fall to meet his. When he looks at me with his gorgeous green gaze, the intensity of his concern evaporates all my anger instantly. In that moment, I understand that what’s important is not the who, nor the what, not even the why. What’s important is that he felt true concern. That is what matters most. Only good guys care.

  "Not all men are shits. Some are assholes."

  I bust out laughing and his serious delivery gives in to a grin as he waits patiently until I’m finished. "Well, that’s truth!" I shake my head.

  "Yes, it is." He chuckles.

  "So which are you?" I smile at him.

  He smiles a sexy sideways grin. "I’m not a shit. I am an asshole."

  I shake my head at his bold honesty. "Thanks for the heads up. That’s good to know. Glad we have that out in the open."

  He smirks and shrugs.

  I put my hands on my hips and ask. "So, Aurelius, when are you going to take me for a ride in your badass truck?"

  "Right now!" He pats the seat. "Come on!"

  I walk around the front in the headlights, and with a habit from Vegas to block the camera flashes, I swing my hair to shield my face. Rounding the side, I flip it back and see him leaning over with his hand on the door as it pops open for me. The interior lights bath his sun-kissed halo and his golden hand. The Golden God watches me as I climb up. I wiggle more than necessary, getting comfortable. Unable to resist the opportunity to tease him.

  "Where to?"

  "Oh," I cut feisty eyes at him. "I only want a ride to the front door." I close the door, then sit prim and proper, staring expectantly out the windshield.

  He laughs out loud. "Ooo. That’s trickery."

  I wiggle again, then pretend to smooth my skirt.

  He starts to put the truck in drive, but stops and looks at me. Only the dash lights illuminate us. I glance over and see that the concern is back on his face. Studying me, he says. "So I was right. He didn't know it wasn't a hot date."

  My face falls. Really? I take a deep breath. "Something like that." My tone is dismissive and his tone changes. I hear a hard edge in it.

  "Did he drop you off at the gate?"

  "No. I told you. I left him there. I took a taxi home. Why are you so concerned?"

  Our eyes connect and I glimpse the hard edge. "I'm trying to figure out if he hurt you."

  "He didn’t. I’m alright." I smirk. He was worried about me. That’s a good thing. "So what would you have done, if he had hurt me?"

  "I would have kicked his ass for you." He states matter-of-factly and puts the truck in drive.

  I smirk and look back at the road. "That’s really sweet of you and all, but not necessary, I took care of him."

  He cuts his eyes at me, and I glance over. Then he turns to ask me with a flirty smirk. "Do I need to help you bury the body?"

  "No." I laugh at that. "I didn’t kill him. He’s very much alive. But he paid dearly for being a shit."

  "That’s a good thing, Wild Thang."

  I smile. "Yes, it is."

  Chapter Two

  He takes his foot off the break and we move forward, but we creep along. "So, where was the party?"

  "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

  "Try me."

  "No really." I cut my eyes at him, and he glances at me. "Seriously. You wouldn't believe me."

  "Try me."

  "Let's just say, it was not only private, but very secluded with some guests that were interested in mixing it up."

  "Hmm." His eyes narrow and he frowns as he ponders that information. Then he says in that soft, commanding voice. "Explain mixing it up."

  For the life of me, I don’t know why I feel compelled to tell him, but I do. "It was actually a cock and tail party." His frown deepens and I see that hard edge return. Before he can command me again, I clarify. "A sex party of swingers."

  His eyebrows raise and a slow whistle comes out. "That must have been a shocker."

  I laugh at that. "Hell yeah, it was."

  "Are you sure you're ok?"

  "Positive. I can handle myself." I shrug it off.

  "I never doubted that for a moment." He looks at me and even in the low light, I see the concern again in his eyes. "But just because you handled it, doesn’t mean you came out of it alright. I did just find you walking home alone up a dark drive at 2 a.m."

  Wow! That was a very sensitive thing to say. "I’m good, really. Thanks."

  He nods and turns his attention back to the road.

  The silence in the cab is deafening to me. "Lucky for me, I’m a Vegas entertainer."

  He nods. "Yeah, that’s really lucky." He hits the high beams and we creep along.

  "Otherwise, I might not have managed to escape un-fucked."

  His head turns toward me and I can feel his intensity even before our eyes connect and he pierces mine again.

  I see that flash of thunder play across his face, and I continue, needing to make sure he understands who I really am. "I’m not an easy piece of tail." I tell him flatly.

  A slow smile spreads across his mouth and I see that crinkle return to his eyes. He looks back at the road and says. "That’s for damn sure! You most certainly are not an easy piece of tail."

  I ignore his response and look out at the road too, but the silence screams between us, so I confess further. "I’m not that kind of girl either."

  "No, you certainly are not that either." He states flatly, agreeing to be agreeing.

  Annoyed, I turn to study his profile. "Don’t agree, just for the sake of agreeing. It’s akin to lying in my book. Shits do that, and so do assholes." I cross my arms under my breasts.

  He looks over and I can feel his eyes devouring me, making my nipples grow again. I turn away to look out the window and the reflection confirms both.

  "I need to clear the air right now." He states and the edge is back in his voice. The truck stops and he turns in the seat to face me, but I don’t look at him. Instead, I continue to watch his reflection. "Siri, you don’t know me either. But I’m not a liar. As a matter of fact, I’m too honest."

  I almost laugh at that and look back at him. "Too honest? Can someone be too honest? I don’t think so."

  "Well, it’s true. That’s why I’m an asshole." I raise one doubting eyebrow and he chuckles at my exaggerated, skeptical look. "You see, I place a high value on honesty. I don’t sugarcoat shit for anyone. I tell it like it is. It’s who I am."

  "An honest asshole." I smirk and nod. "I can see that."

  He smirks too. "My bros call me Hard-Core."

  I grin, liking that name. "Hard-Core, huh?"

  "Yeah. I give it straight line. Not curved."

  "Why are you telling me this?"

  He smiles that sexy smile, then licks his lips. The wetness glistens in the dashboard lights, and my pussy responds. "I don’t want you staring out the window annoyed that I don’t say what you expect to hear and won’t change my tune when you confront me with it."

  "Hmm." I purse my lips, then say softly. "There’s nothing wrong with over-the-top honesty."

  "No, there’s not, and I want you to understand from the very beginning, the way I am. I’m not mean. I’m direct. Always. I want you to get to know me well enough that you decide rationally, not emotionally, about who I really am. I want you to give me … us, a real chance."

  The words, 'us' and 'a real chance' wash over me.

  "So be warned, you might not like what you hear from me, but you can always believe it to be true and I hope you value that."

  I twist to face him in the seat, then slowly lift my leg to lay on it.
His eyes drop to watch my dress ride up and I see lust fill his eyes. I purse my lips together and tease him in my best imitation of a secretary reading back boring dictation. "So let me clarify what you just said. Asshole, as a noun describing you as a man, is defined as answering a question with such brutal honesty that it will cause me to freak the fuck out therefore wanting to flee, but that I shouldn’t, because I should value this unique delivery method called straight line, not curved. Is that right, Hard-Core?" I squint my eyes together and purse my lips even more.

  He chuckles. "Yeah, that’s it."

  I nod. "Ok. Thanks for warning me." I smirk at him. "Now heed my warning on myself, Aurelius Moore. This is how I roll. I don’t take shit from no body. You can be an asshole, as long as you’re an honest asshole. I value honesty too. I’m not a liar, and I don't tolerate liars in my life. So don’t agree just to appease me. Honesty, even brutal honesty, is better than any flowery, fluffy lie. Always!"

  First, he smirks, then he grins, then his big beautiful smile baths me in the darkness. "Perfect." Then he turns his attention back to the road and starts the truck creeping forward again. The silence sounds comfortable. But he breaks it. "Siri, from the first time I laid eyes on you, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind."

  "I like that straight line delivery. The first time I laid eyes on you? Ditto."

  He cuts his eyes at me and flashes that beautiful smile. My heart starts to sing, and it’s song is sweet.

  He starts to say something, but I beat him to it. "So, back to the original issue." I rewind and begin again. "I said, 'I’m not that kind of girl,' to which you replied, ’No, you certainly are not that either.' So the question I want answered with brutal straight-line truth is, how could you possibility know I'm not that kind of girl? How do you think you know me well enough to know that about me? Don’t you realize you are assuming too much about me?"