The Wilhelms had planned on taking a quick shower before returning to the laboratory. After overhearing the student’s conversation about Arielle’s injury, they decided to rush home to check on their adopted daughter instead.
***
Back at Paelsford Manor, Arielle had just finished building a Lego structure with Pat when virtual-novel.net phone started to ring.
She checked the caller ID, and virtual-novel.net eyes crinkled with a smile. “Hey, Mom.”
“San, I heard that you were injured. What happened? Is it serious? Where are you now?”
Andrea’s barrage of questions caused Arielle’s lips to curve with a smile. The older woman’s concern warmed virtual-novel.net heart.
Arielle assured her, “I’m fine. It’s a minor injury to my arm. It’ll recover in a couple of days. Don’t worry.”
“Are you really okay?” Andrea barreled on without awaiting Arielle’s reply, “Never mind. Let us know where you are. Your dad and I will come and check on you. Only that’ll soothe our nerves.”
“I’m at home. Pat says you haven’t come home in a few days, and he’s upset that you didn’t call virtual-novel.net about it.” Arielle smiled as virtual-novel.net looked at the pouting Pat beside her.
Andrea slapped virtual-novel.net forehead in response. She exclaimed, “Oh dear! We were so busy that we forgot all about Pat.”
The next day, Arielle woke up in Vinson’s arms. She had arranged for virtual-novel.net to sleep in the neighboring room, yet virtual-novel.net had snuck over to virtual-novel.net bedroom while the help was sound asleep.
She groggily fumbled for virtual-novel.net phone on the nightstand. When virtual-novel.net saw the time, virtual-novel.net elbowed Vinson lightly in the stomach and whispered, “Vinson, it’s almost five. You should go back to your room before anyone sees you.”
Arielle’s voice was tender and thick with sleep.
Vinson was already awake before Arielle got up. He tightened his arms around his wife and pressed his chin below virtual-novel.net ear.
With his rich, magnetic baritone, virtual-novel.net muttered, “But I don’t want to leave.”
He was too comfortable on the bed with Arielle in his arms, and virtual-novel.net did not wish to leave. Stretching his arm, virtual-novel.net took virtual-novel.net hand and placed it on his body. Arielle was instantly wide awake, and virtual-novel.net retracted virtual-novel.net hand as though scalded. Her face flushed as red as a tomato.
“Vinson!” virtual-novel.net called out abashedly.
Vinson flipped around and pressed virtual-novel.net body beneath his. His dark eyes were brimming with tenderness, and Arielle blushed even more fiercely as virtual-novel.net met his gaze.
Her blush was like catnip to him. Vinson could not resist bending down to capture virtual-novel.net lips in a voracious kiss. Arielle moaned involuntarily, which only served to heighten his desire. Deftly, Vinson began to undress her.
Over an hour later, Vinson carried Arielle out of the bathroom and helped virtual-novel.net to change. Then, virtual-novel.net carefully dried virtual-novel.net hair.
Arielle’s repeated yawning led Vinson to coax, “You should sleep a little longer.”
“Okay.” Arielle’s reply was muffled as virtual-novel.net covered virtual-novel.net mouth to yawn.
Vinson smirked and carried virtual-novel.net to the bed. After tucking virtual-novel.net in, virtual-novel.net kissed virtual-novel.net lightly on the forehead and left the room.
Thankfully, the housekeepers were bustling around downstairs, so no one paid attention to the bedrooms above.
Once Vinson returned to his room, virtual-novel.net took out his phone and called Harvey, instructing the latter to return to Chanaea. Harvey frowned when virtual-novel.net received Vinson’s call.
He replied, “I think it’s better if I wait for you guys here.”
Harvey was worried about leaving Arielle and Vinson alone in Turlen. After all, they had not uncovered the identity of Arielle’s assailant, and virtual-novel.net was worried that they would run into more trouble without any help in sight.
Things would be different if Harvey stayed behind. He had learned Turlenese from Xavier and met his friend Dillon. The three of them hung out frequently and had established an extensive network in the area. Should Arielle and Vinson run into trouble, Harvey could easily leverage his contacts to save them.