Disclaimer: I don't own any characters referenced

The sound of the doorbell ringing echoed through the silent mansion, shortly followed by the scuffled treading of heavy feet. Aedion swung open the door; "Aelin, where the hell have you been-"

He was cut short when he recognized the face opposite him. Not the face of his cousin.

Bright emerald eyes stared back at him like smoldering fire. "Lys, what are you doing here?"

Aedion loosed a breath as he looked the girl up and down; her tight jeans, white blouse and the jet-black hair that was tied up in a messy bun atop her head. He felt his pulse race.

"Has Aelin still not come home?" Lysandra asked as way of greeting as Aedion stepped to the side, allowing her to enter the house. She was silent as a cat, slipping off her shoes at the entrance and walking to the sofa with long strides.

"No…" Aedion admitted in defeat, Closing the door and following his classmate to the living area, "I'm starting to get worried."

He sat down beside Lysandra and carelessly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into his touch and breathed in his scent with a hearty sigh. "It's going to be okay. I'm sure she'll be back soon enough."

"Was I too harsh? Lys, I don't want her seeking Rowan for comfort. I can comfort her. I always have."

Lysandra angled her head from where it rested on his chest to meet his gaze. "I know how you feel. It would kill me to see Evangeline trust anyone more than she trusts me, but believe me when I say that Aelin will not go to Rowan after what you told her. They may be all lovey-dovey, but she hasn't known him for long enough to open up to him completely, in my opinion. Blood runs thicker than water."

For a moment the chirping of the birds through the unhinged window was the only sound. Aedion shifted. "Did you come here just to pity me?"

"I prefer the term 'comfort'." Lysandra suppressed a chuckle. When Aedion didn't respond with his usual banter, she furrowed her brow, "Aedion, you did nothing wrong. Don't worry so much about things that have already passed; live in the moment."

She interlaced her fingers with his and Aedion huffed a laugh, "Well then you must be feeling awfully lucky that this moment consists of your presence."

Lysandra offered him a half-smile before craning her neck to kiss him briefly. Just as she was pulling away, Aedion grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer. She laughed against his lips and a growl rumbled in the back of his throat.

"Is this your idea of comfort?" Lysandra asked, cupping his face in her hands. Aedion chuckled, "Don't act like this wasn't your plan all along."

With a soft giggle, Lysandra leaned in again, her hands wandering across his abdomen, but Aedion stopped her. "Not here." He glanced around the room, the open area and the clear view of the stairwell.

In a swift movement he stood, never letting go of Lysandra's hand, and led her up the steps and along the hallway to his room. She entered before him, surveying the area as Aedion locked the door behind them.

"You know, I've never been in your room before." Lysandra didn't get any reaction from Aedion. The moment she turned towards him, he had her pinned against the wall, trailing soft kisses up her bare neck. She writhed.

Aedion took a moment to catch his breath and meet her gaze. A feral fire burnt in Lysandra's eyes.

Without a second to waste Aedion kissed her deeply, his hands roaming to the back of her thighs as she tangled her fingers in his messy golden hair. Still propped against the wall, he lifted her from where she stood, a predatory growl rumbling in the back of his throat as she wrapped her legs around his torso and he carried her to the bed.

Softly, he laid her onto the mattress. Her hair was akin to black ink dancing across the white pillows. Aedion whimpered, "You're so goddamn beautiful."

Lysandra wrapped her arms around his neck pulled him in closer, her breath ragged against his ear as he slipped his hand under her shirt.

Before Aedion had the chance to react, Lysandra spun them over. He marveled at the sight of her sitting atop him, but chuckled nonetheless as he taunted, "You're getting confident now, aren't you?"

"Don't act like you don't love it." She replied with a smirk, resting her palms against his chest. Aedion smiled. His hands wandered to rub her thighs gently as she stared at him with such intent, it made his breath catch in his throat.

Slowly, Lysandra began unbuttoning her white blouse. So painfully slowly. Aedion suppressed the urge to tear the damn thing right off her with every further uncovered inch of skin and laced undergarments.

He began raising his hand, but she pinned it down against the mattress above him, doing an impeccable job at taunting Aedion as she slowly lifted the seam of his t-shirt and slipped it off over his shoulders.

She let her hands roam, tracing from his collarbones all the way down to his navel, exploring every inch as if it had been the first time she had seen him.

"You play around too much." Aedon murmured, bracing himself on his elbows as the sheer fabric of Lysandra's blouse slipped from her slim frame. He sat up, leaning against the backboard of his bed. A yelp escaped her parted lips as he tugged her onto his lap, her legs on either side of his torso.

"At least give me a warning before doing something so sudden!" Her laugh was like the chiming of a bell. Aedion blew hot air into her ear before leaning forward to press a kiss against her neck and along her collarbones.

Lysandra whimpered as she dug her nails into Aedion's back and he groaned, his hands resting firmly on her bare waist.

Suddenly he pulled away, hooked his index finger beneath her chin to stare into her eyes with a cocky smirk, "Enjoying yourself?"

"You're a bastard." Lysandra laughed. Aedion tilted his head, "But I'm your bastard."

"Oh god." She snickered, but Aedion tugged her closer and met her lips in another passionate kiss. "I suppose you are."

Dorian sighed as he dropped his bag on the bottom step of the stairwell and sauntered towards the kitchen. The memory of what happened in the cafeteria that day was still fresh in his mind.

He had seen all their friends make their way to the roof after the display, but opted for staying with Chaol. Chaol… He had been left speechless after the reveal. He generally had a hard time trusting anyone and Dorian didn't doubt that he needed some time to think about the situation.

As Dorian passed the threshold to the dining area, a low voice halted him. "I need to talk to you."

He turned his head to where his father sat at the mahogany table with his laptop open in front of him. Dorian folded his arms. "What seems to be the issue?"

"This." His father turned the laptop around, revealing headlines onscreen.

Breaking News: Infamous Galathynius heir Aelin Ashryver Galathynius revealed to be attending Rifthold uni as 'Celaena Sardothien'

Dorian's breath hitched. Nervously, he ran his hands through his hair. "Yes?"

His father sighed, "I know you are acquainted with this girl."

Dorian shifted on his feet, "You must be misconstrued, father. She's my classmate and nothing more."

"Son, if there's one thing I haven't succeeded in teaching you, it's lying."

Dorian furrowed his brow. His father didn't give him the chance to respond. "I don't want you hanging around our rival company's heir."

The room went silent. Dead silent. Dorian's nostrils flared ever-so-slightly. "But wouldn't it be in our best interest to befriend the Galathynius family and possible merge the companies? From a professional stand-point."

"I think I'll be the judge of what choice is the most professional choice in this instance. As for merging companies, it's not the 20th century, Dorian. Arranged marriages aren't legal anymore, so if you want to wife that broad so desperately, do it on your own accords and I'll pass the Havilliard legacy on to Hollin."

"That's not what I meant." Dorian snapped. "And don't talk about her that way. Celaena is not a 'broad'."

His father looked him und and down skeptically. "I thought you said she was nothing more than your classmate?"

"Am I not allowed to be bothered by my father insulting a classmate?"

"She's a threat to our company."

"She's an innocent!" Dorian slammed his hand onto the dining table. The mahogany wood groaned against the impact. "So you were right! She's my friend! Celaena, Aelin, whatever you want to call her. She has nothing to do with her parents' company – at least not yet. Forbidding me to associate with her, why? Because she might be a spy? Sent here to sabotage our company? These are not precautions, dad, this is hysteria."

"Hysteria? Maybe it would be of my best intent to disown you and name Hollin heir if you think I'm scared of that child being a spy. We're not in one of your dumb novels, son. Have I taught you nothing? The heiress of our rivaling company is in our city, and she's brought the media with her. This headline," He pointed at the laptop screen, "used to be about us. Headlines that brought attention to our company. If you are as much as seen spending time with that meddling girl, the media will erupt, and I'll have you know that the foreign intrigues more than the usual. It won't be 'noble Dorian Havilliard spotted showing young Galathynius around the town'. It'll be 'Aelin Ashryver Galathynius involved in Adarlan politics'. Because that's all you are. A pawn for the media. A nameless Rifthold rich kid whose parents happen to be of importance. The filthy brat is a threat to our name."

"If that goddamn name means so much to you, maybe it's good that she showed up. It's about time someone knocked your sorry ass from that high horse-"

Deafening. The sound was abrupt and deafening, echoing through the serene silence like a gunshot. Pain seared in Dorian's cheek. His father stood tall, letting his hand fall back to his side.

"You don't talk to me like that." His words were curt and sharp, laced with venom. "If I say you don't associate with the bitch, you don't associate with her. You won't be the downfall of this company, you damned fool."

Dorian opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out. He pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Cat got your tongue?" The mockery in his father's voice sent his pulse racing, "Good. Don't you dare defy me again."

Dorian didn't respond. He turned around and walked away - not to his chambers, but out the front door.

He didn't dare lift his hand to where his father had struck him before the door had fallen into lock behind him. He didn't hear that bellowing voice calling him back. He knew that had been the end of the debate.

Without glancing back, Dorian swung open the door to his Maserati. He briefly spotted the red mark disrupting his face in the rear-view mirror before putting the pedal to the metal and racing down the street.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review! Ja ne!