REBORN: MEET MY BROTHERS-Chapter 41: JUST FOCUS ON ME

Ava’s trembling hands fumbled with the glass door’s handle before she finally pushed through the exit door, gasping for air. The cool night breeze hit her flushed face, but it did little to calm her down.

Her heart thundered in her chest, so loud that she couldn’t focus on anything, not even the people she walked past that stared at her, wondering what was wrong. She stumbled forward and her hands gripped the wall for support, while the other clutched her fluttering stomach. The spinning room and the weird heat coursing through her body confirmed it. She’d been drugged.

She cursed softly under her breath, biting down the panic clawing at her throat as she thought of how it had happened. Whatever she’d taken, it was messing with her body, making her skin hypersensitive.

Her head spun as her mind wondered to the drink. She nearly screamed at her foolishness but held herself to avoid creating unnecessary attention, even if she was doing a terrible job at it.

She couldn’t create a scene. Not again. Not after what her family had done before now. She’d heard the whispers from guests even if she pretended not to care as she stood earlier with her grandfather. And she certainly wouldn’t give Sasha the satisfaction of seeing her like this.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she pressed her forehead against the cold wall, trying to calm herself, but the heat inside her only grew. This wasn’t just uncomfortable anymore. Her skin began to burn, and her chest felt tight. She pressed her thighs together involuntarily as she started feeling a sensation build down there.

Before she could stop it, a soft moan escaped her lips, and panic surged within her. What is happening to me? She asked herself confused. The last time she was drugged, she didn’t feel this way.

The cool air outside wasn’t even helping. It was only making her hyper aware of the heat pooling in her core. She needed to steady herself, to find a way to stop this madness, so Ava decided to go to a deserted place.

Staggering as she took the next turn away from the party, Ava looked up and froze the moment she saw him.

Maximus.

He stood a few feet away, but he wasn’t alone. He was talking to Ethan. Their tall frame silhouetted with Ava’s spinning head. Ava closed her eyes softly, but when she opened them again, Maximus’s blue eyes already found hers. Her breath hitched as a fresh wave of heat flowed through her.

Heeding to her nerves that screamed for her to run to him and close the distance, Ava took one step forward, but stopped when she felt her feet grow heavier than earlier. Instead, she stood there and admired the way his suit hugged his broad shoulders, the way his jaw tightened as it brushed over her, every fucking thing about him turned her on.

"Little one?" Maximus called with concern as he approached her. His brows furrowed when he noticed her trembling, her flushed cheeks, and the dazed look in her eyes. "Ava, what’s wrong?"

When she opened her mouth, no words came out. Instead, she let out a shaky breath. She couldn’t meet his gaze for long. It only made her knees grow weaker.

Maximus frowned as he closed the distance between them, but Ava stopped him, lifting her hand mid air.

"Stop! Don’t come any closer, Maximus." Her voice trembled with desperation she didn’t know she had. "I... I don’t feel good."

Ignoring her, Maximus rushed toward her. She wanted to move away, but she staggered and Maximus was forced to hold her on her waist. His touch sent a jolt through her, and Ava willingly leaned into him before she could stop herself, surprising him.

"You’re burning up," he murmured, gritting his teeth. "What happened? Did someone-" His voice trailed off as his eyes narrowed. "Ava, look at me. Did someone do this to you?"

Ava couldn’t focus on his question. All she could focus on was how close he was, how his warm, intoxicating scent wrapped around her like a blanket.

She clutched at his shirt, and her fingers curled into his fabric like he was the only thing keeping her from losing her mind. Ava desperately wanted to pull away, but her body betrayed her and she found herself leaning into him even more.

She could hear his heartbeat as she placed her head on his chest, and before she could stop herself, she pressed her lips there, on his nipple. Feeling the hardness from the thin fabric of his shirt, Ava slowly nipped on it.

Maximus flinched and he was forced to push her away, but Ava’s grip on him only tightened. "Maximus..." She whispered again, this time almost pleadingly. She didn’t know what she was asking for, but she knew she didn’t want to be separated from him.

Maximus’s eyes darkened as realization struck him. Someone had dared to drug his little wife, and they’d drugged her right under his nose. He could feel his anger bubble just beneath the surface, but he forced himself to stay calm because of her.

"Little one," he said softly. "Listen to me. You’re not yourself right now. Someone’s done this to you, and I’m going to fix it, but you have to stop--"

"No..." Ava whispered with desperation as her lips brushed his chest again. "... Maximus, please... I need... I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I need you." Her trembling fingers moved with desperation to his buttons which she started pulling off, but Maximus was quick to catch her fingers.

His jaw clenched, and his body became rigid as he fought for self control. He’d never fought this hard in his life. His little wife was really tempting him. "Ava," he said firmly, his hands gently gripping her shoulders to create some distance between them. "You’re not thinking clearly. This isn’t you."

Maximus’s chest tightened as she looked up at him with glassy eyes. The tears in her eyes were threatening to spill, and he hated it. "Please, don’t push me away..." She pleaded softly.

Maximus gritted his teeth. Whoever has done this to his little wife would pay. "I’m not pushing you away, little one," he explained. He brushed a strand of hair from her flushed face. "But I can’t help you if you don’t let me take care of you. Trust me, Ava. Let me protect you."

Still staring into his eyes, Ava nodded weakly. "Okay."

Without another word, Maximus scooped her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She buried her face in his neck, and her soft breaths warmed his skin as her fingers curled against his chest.

Maximus turned to Ethan sharply who was already behind them, watching everything that happened. "Find out who did this to her, and bring them to me," he growled in a voice laced with a rage that made Ethan nod immediately.

Maximus took Ava to another section of the mansion, his room to be precise. They only just got to the room before Ava became possessed again. She’d been fighting her urges since he picked her up, but now, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Her lips brushed against his shoulder and his already rigid body stiffened even more. The touch was very light, but it sent a shock through him. Before he could pull away, she kissed him again. Her lips trailed along the curve of his neck.

"Ava," Maximus warned in a tight voice.

But Ava didn’t stop. Her tongue ran up the length of his neck, leaving a heated trail up to his jawline, and her teeth gently caught his earlobes.

Maximus inhaled sharply and his grip on her waist tightened instinctively. "Stop," he warned again, but his voice was weaker this time.

She didn’t listen. Instead, her lips moved to his ears as she whispered, "I want you inside of me, Maximus."

Maximus bit down on his bottom lips, hard enough that he tasted blood. He was losing it by the second, and Ava wasn’t giving him a choice. He cursed under his breath as her hand slid down his chest. But before she could do more, he gently set her down on the sofa, deliberately avoiding the bed.

As he tried to pull away, Ava refused to let go. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. "Don’t go, Maximus... I want you to stay," she whispered.

Maximus gritted his teeth. He wanted to be as far away from his little wife, especially when she provoked him like this, but as he untangled her arms and held them, "I’m not going anywhere, little one," he said.

He slightly moved away from her and sat down on the sofa beside her but he regretted that decision the moment Ava straddled him, trapping him between herself and the chair.

When her soft thighs surrounded the fabric against his member, Maximus felt a shudder within him. Before he could muster any thread of self control, Ava’s lips crashed against his.

Maximus froze as he felt her soft lips on his. The softness was everything he’d always imagined. She left her wet trail and when she nippled on his bottom lips, he felt like going insane.

All these while, he’d been telling himself that his little wife wasn’t herself, and he wouldn’t let himself take advantage of her, but when Ava deepened the kiss, Maximus lost all his rational thoughts.