I screamed into my pillow for the hundreth time.

I can't believe we kissed!

And I am falling in love with him! Fuck that, I am already in love with him.

After Eve left me standing in the kitchen, a few minutes later I ran back to my room hoping I don't see him again today.

I spent the whole day in my room, Carmel brought me a few things to eat but she made sure to give me a mischievous look before going away.

In the evening, Carmel burst into my room looking worried.

"What is it, Carmel?"

"Mama...dad, left."

"Sorry?"

"He left!"

"Left where?"

"I don't know. He had a bag in his hand and he just went out, I was about to ask him but he was so fast", she explained.

My mouth formed an 'o'.

Did he leave just because of the kiss?

I will fucking kill him if he pushes me away because of it!

Well...I also ignored him.

I picked up my phone and called him but his phone was switched off.

Great!

Next I called Gareth who picked up immediately.

I didn't give him a chance to speak. "Gareth, do you know where Eve went to?"

"Umm...went to? Where?"

"Aargh! That's what I am asking you!"

He said after a pause. "He was supposed to leave for New York tomorrow for a meeting. I guess he went today only."

"Then why is his phone switched off?"

"He must be on the flight."

"Oh...yeah..."

"Don't worry, Aeryn. He isn't leaving you."

"No, it's not that."

He chuckled. "I know exactly what it is."

"Shut up", I snapped. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight!"

I hung up the call and said to Carmel. "He went to New York for a meeting."

"Oh..."

Carmel sat beside me and I kept my head on her shoulder. "You were right."

"I am always right, mama. You need to be specific."

I smacked her arm and chuckled but then I turned serious. "I love him."

She hopped off the bed and jumped up and down. "I knew it! I knew it!"

"You are in love...", she sang. "Mama is in love."

"Oh, stop it!"

She grinned mischievously. "Should I tell dad?"

"No way! Dare you say anything to him!"

"Then you better confess soon...I want a little brother or sister."

My jaw dropped. "Is that why you want me to confess?"

She nodded. "Of course or if you decide to give me a brother or sister even before confessing then that's a different thing." She winked.

"You are not reading anymore romantic stories. Who talks about all this to her mother?", I said in disbelief and covered my face with my hand.

An image of Eve and me in the bed popped up in my mind. Naked. Our legs tangled together.

Oh my goodness! Go away! Go away!

Groaning, I buried my face in the pillow.

Carmel laughed at me and got on the bed. "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

I lifted my head. "So that you can tease me?"

She chuckled and imitated Gareth's teasing tone. "Oh, mother. You know me so well."

Picking up the pillow, I smacked her with it and she picked up the other pillow, smacking me back.

And that's how we spent our night. Pillow fighting each other.

.

.

.

"What do you mean you can't find him, Gareth?!" I yelled. "He can't disappear into thin air!"

Groaning, Gareth laid back down on the couch and picking up a cushion placed it on his face trying to block me out. Carmel sat beside him with a frown on her face.

I paced back and forth. "It has been five days! Five freaking days and no one has any idea where he is. And his phone is also switched off."

"He is in New York only", Gareth mumbled.

"Thank you so much, Gareth for this valuable information", I said sarcastically.

"Do something! How can you be so calm?! He is your brother!"

"I tried everything, Aeryn. It seems as if he doesn't want to be found", he mumbled again against the cushion.

"What if someone kidnapped him? He is so famous, he must have enemies!"

"Everette Wilbrose is not an easy person to kidnap", he stated.

I grabbed the cushion that he had placed on his face and smacked his face with it. "You don't want to find him it seems. What grudge do you have against him now?"

He sat up straight. "Grudge? Why will I have a grudge against him? He is my brother."

I smacked his face again. "Exactly! He is your brother! Find him! You are not doing anything."

He folded his arms. "You think I am not worried? If mother gets to know about this, she will eat me alive."

I hissed. "And before your mother I will eat you alive myself!"

He pouted sadly. "Oh, Aeryn. And I thought you loved me."

"I love him more", I blurted out.

Shit!

His jaw dropped, eyes widened.

"I mean...I...umm...he is..." I tried correcting my slip up but it was too late.

"You love him?!"

He turned to Carmel. "Did you know?"

She nodded.

"And you didn't tell me?!"

She shrugged. "Mama told me to not tell you."

He dramatically placed his hand over his heart. "Best friend, you betrayed me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Mama would have killed me", she defended herself.

"But I am your best friend! How could you not tell me?", he argued.

"Gareth!"

He turned to me gloomily. "What?"

I stepped closer and grabbed his collar and said in a serious, low tone. "If you tell this to Eve, I will personally hunt you down and throw you in a cage full of lions, understood?"

He gulped and nodded quickly and I patted his cheek. "Good."

"Now, find him!", I ordered.

He stood up and grabbed both my shoulders. "Nothing is going to happen to him. Believe me, he is safe wherever he is."

"I just want to talk to him", I whined. "I am the reason he just disappeared." Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Aeryn", Gareth said softly. "Don't feel guilty. He will come back. He won't leave you or Carmel just like this. Besides he has a company to manage."

By now tears rolled down my eyes and Gareth quickly wrapped his hand around my shoulder placing my head on his chest.

"I hate him!"

"I hate him!"

"I hate him so much!"

"Well, you just said a few minutes ago that you love him", Gareth teased.

I pushed him cursing underneath my breath and he chuckled. "I regret telling you my feelings."

"Aww...my dear, Aeryn. Don't say like that. You are hurting me", he drawled.

I rolled my eyes. "You really are an annoying person."

His face grimaced, his lips curled downward. "Okay, fine. I get it. No one loves me."

"No! I didn't mean that!"

"No. I am an annoying person who keeps on troubling other people and there is no one on this earth who loves me." He was dead serious.

Carmel got up and hugged him. "No, uncle. I love you. You are my best friend."

I hugged him from the other side. "I love you too, Gareth. I mean like a brother."

He rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"You are an amazing person, Gareth. And your annoying nature makes you unique", I added.

He grinned. "Thank you, thank you. I was just kidding by the way. I didn't mean all that."

I pulled back and smacked his arm. "Asshole!"

He chuckled. "It's quite fun to see you so panicked."

"I will kill you!"

"Oh, you won't."

"Okay... leave all this. First find him."

"What do you think I am doing for the past four days?"

"Celebrating your brother's disappearance?"

He gave me a blank stare. "We might argue and fight all the time but I love him more than anything else. Don't tell him though."

I raised a brow. "Do you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Unfortunately, I do. We are best friends."

"Best friends?"

"More like frenemies but since childhood, we share each and everything with each other. Even our deepest secrets."

"O-kay... that's great."

"Yes. So, if you think I am not worried about him then you are wrong. I am doing my best. You need to stop worrying."

I nodded. "Sorry."

"It's okay."

.

.

.

Next day, Gareth told me, Eve is coming back on Sunday.

I was happy, of course but I was afraid if I will see him, I will burst into tears and jump in his arms telling him how much I missed him and in the end, I will end up confessing my feelings.

So, I decided to avoid him.

I was at my restaurant when Carmel and called and told me that he is home.

I didn't reply anything and hung up the call.

That night, I came home late. The house was tranquil and I ran up to my room praying I don't run into him.

Thankfully, I didn't.

At midnight, I was thirsty like hell and unfortunately, the bottle of water in my room was empty.

Sighing, I got up and walked downstairs to the kitchen and refilled my bottle and had a glass of water.

Just as I closed the bottle's cap, I heard him speak from behind me.

"Someone finally decided to come out of hiding."