The Billionaire's Discarded Heiress: Crawling Back to Her

Eliana

My eyes fluttered closed as Craig leaned in, and I was inches away from letting him kiss, but then I regained my senses.

“No…” I murmured, pulling away. It was quite difficult because I wanted this but… no! “I’m sorry, Craig, but this can't happen,” I said, looking straight into his dark eyes.

They were glowing with unblemished heat and raw desire, barely contained.

I detangled myself from his arms, taking a small step back.

“Why?” He asked, that one word capturing everything else he wanted to say.

Taking a few steps away, I faced him squarely.

“Well, for one… you're my brother. It's wrong not to mention that we just met. I don't really know you!” I rushed the words out, rambling.

There was a brief moment of silence where I could feel his gaze brushing across my shoulders like a gentle caress.

“Is that all?” His British accent rubbed against me softly. “Come on, Eliana. You know that I'm not Rekho’s biological son; besides, I've told you how much I want you. Since the first moment I saw you-”

He trailed off to slowly walk towards me until he was standing less than a foot away, brushing his fingers down my cheek.

“I know you feel this thing between us too, don't you?”

A shiver ran through my spine, down to my core at his raw intensity.

If there's one thing I know, it's that Craig is unlike any man I've ever known.

He reached down to my back, sliding his hand through my waist. “I might not have all the answers for you right now, but I know this is right. Very, very right…”

His gaze roamed through my clothes, resting on my exposed white lace. The heat through his gaze was searing, lighting me up from the inside.

Red spots appeared on my cheeks during the innocent act, even though we had been kissing a few moments ago.

I desperately wanted to feel Craig's hands on my body. I briefly glanced down at his hands; they looked like they could properly pleasure a woman. But no matter how aroused I felt, it didn't eradicate the things Miguel did to me.

The lies, the emotional and physical abuse…

Unconsciously, my hand drifted towards my stomach, in the direction of my kidney.

Following my hands, his gaze turned icy cold; it felt like he could crush someone beneath it. I could almost taste his anger; it was that palpable.

“Don’t do that, Eliana.” Craig rasped, his voice a lethal whisper. “Not all men are like that asshole, Miguel! I promise I won't ever hurt you as he did, I swear! He's a fool for treating you like that!”

Gently raising his hands to cup the sides of my face, he brushed a loose curl away, tucking it behind my ear. “I'm gonna protect you and no one, especially that slime, Miguel, can ever hurt you again.”

His words rang true with sincerity, but if there's anything I've learnt from my ordeal with Miguel is that men will say anything to get what they want.

How can I trust that Craig isn't doing the same thing to me right now?

The truth is… I don't.

And that is no way to live, second-guessing and doubting every word that people say to me.

If I was going to heal from what Miguel did to me, then I needed to take some time… and just be alone, separate reality from the horrors I had endured.

“I'm sorry, Craig…” For the second time in less than 5 minutes, I pulled away again, regret coating my words. “But I can't. Not because I don't trust you, but because I don't trust myself right now, and the truth is, I need some time. I went through unimaginable things with Miguel, and I can't just ignore that and be with another man.”

“You're right.” His eyes flashed with understanding, and he nodded slowly, dropping his hands. “I understand. I'll give you all the time you need.”

“Excuse me?” I was taken aback by his words.

“Yes, you heard me right.” He stated in a tone that suggests any argument is futile. “I don't care how long you need or how much it's going to cost me, but I will wait for you.”

My mouth drops open because that was not what I was expecting to hear. “Craig…”

“Trust me, Eliana.” He murmurs, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiles.

Then, before I could say anything, he turned around and walked away, the smell of his cologne lingering in the air.

The whole interaction left me so flustered that I had to use the edge of my dress to lightly dab at my neck, suddenly feeling hot.

When that didn't work in making me cool down, I chose to leave the crowded room and go somewhere else.

Like the garden.

Slipping out through a hidden door, I found my way to a small secluded space by the side of the house, the scent of flowers assaulting my senses almost immediately.

As I stood there, I could almost feel a weight lift off my chest, a gentle breeze brushing over my skin.

From this vantage point, it felt like I was one with nature, and the rest of the world just faded into the background.

As I stood there, watching the trees sway gently in the night, I could hear my thoughts clearly.

I went over the list of things that have happened since I met my biological father. The way my life improved in a 360-degree measure and now with the latest addition, Craig declaring his feelings for me…

It was a lot to take in.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the stranger wake up to me until he spoke,

“If I had known that there was going to be someone as beautiful as you here, then I would have shown up earlier.”

Startled, I turned to watch a young guy slowly approach me.

He was handsome and tall, almost as tall as Craig, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the twilight.

His strides screamed arrogance, the kind of confidence that came with wealth and privilege.

But despite his normal appearance, there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way.

“Excuse me?” I managed to say.

He came to a stop a few feet away, smiling at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

“So you're the long-lost daughter of Rehko; you look better in person!” He stretched out his arm for a shake, but I hesitated, eyeing him closely.

“I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Oh, pardon my manners!” Placing a hand on his chest, he flashed me a carefree grin. “My name is John Prattville, CEO of Pratt Acquisitions and close friend of your father's.”