Playlist  -  Nothing New (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift

Luna

My brain didn't register what he said at first. I thought maybe I heard him and he meant his ‘pastor’ not sister, because he had one half-sister, Charlotte. She and I were friends and she completely worships her brother so there's no way on earth… wait. 

Ares stood serious and unmoving in front of me. I hadn’t heard him wrong. No, in fact, I was more surprised than disappointed. My mouth fell open, then closed. 

My hand clamped on my mouth when my brain finally put two and two together, it really was Charlotte. 

For the past few weeks, Charlotte’s texts had become very off putting. She constantly needed information about my relationship with Ares and when I wouldn't divulge, she stopped contacting me. 

There was one time, she sent me the most random text, what color is your prom dress. 

I didn't read a lot into it, but now I get it. 

What a bitch. 

“You mean she hates me?” I asked, incredulously. “But she was nothing but nice to me.” 

“It's me she loathes too,” Ares said, then sighed. “There’s something she knows that she shouldn't have known.” 

“Like what?” 

“I am not her brother.” 

***
“Why are we stopping here?” 

Ares had pulled in front of the old, rustic, god-near crippled Opera House. It was our place. This was our very first meeting location. A floodgate of memories splashed in my head, doing nothing more than to remind me what had happened here. With us. 

I was down on my knees for him. He commanded my every move that night. 

My thoughts were clouded with the memories of the past and as soon as my head turned sideways to meet his greener than amazon eyes, I knew he'd been thinking about it too. 

I blinked away and blushed. My hand clasped around his strong bicep. He maneuvered his way around the place and led me to the deep center of the stage. The gothic style larger than life chandelier was looming over our head, the ceiling barely holding it 

“My intentions weren't pure that night. I was prepared to get into your head and have my way with you, but…” He paused. 

My heart skipped a beat at his declaration. Back then, I had guessed there was something more to Ares’s strong approach yet I had always stopped my thoughts to wander in that direction. 

Ares was bad news then. Now, he's dangerously, irrevocably irresistible and deep under my skin. 

I swallowed, waiting for him to speak further. 

His arm wrapped around waist, pulling me into his hard surface of a body. My personal space flew right out of the window. His chest was flushed against mine. 

He looked absolutely gorgeous. I grew impatient for him to complete what he had to say. His beautiful self was making it hard for me to be mad at him. 

“But what?” I insisted that he just say whatever was on his mind. 

He gave me a dimpled grin. “But you got inside my head. Damn near consumed my thoughts and before I knew it, I stayed awake at night thinking about you.” 

Oh. My heart and insides felt mellow. My gaze dropped, then I slowly peered my eyelashes at him. 

He continued. “That moon tattoo… the one you were so enamoured with.” I nodded. “I had it inked on me the moment I decided I'll be making you mine.” He interlocked our fingers. “It was an ode to your name.” 

I flush and avert my gaze away from his own. He doesn't let me do it because the next moment he has my chin under his hold, daring me to move my eyes away from him. 

He leaned in closer until our nose met each other. He nuzzled my cheek before rather expectedly, twirling me around. 

I gasped. “Ares.” 

He chuckled, and dipped me lower. “I want you to promise me one thing.” 

A strange array of emotions infiltrated me. I don’t know why suddenly a small tinge of reluctance had taken its root in my head. It was as if I was waiting for something to disrupt my reality. 

I pushed the thought somewhere in the hollow area of my head and berated myself for ruining my own happiness by letting my own fears take over my sensibility. 

I know Ares loves me more than anything in his life. He's become such an important part of my life and there was nothing else that I could've wanted more from my life. 

I need to let go of my own fears and strengthen my belief in the power of love a little more than I do. 

“What?” My gaze remained locked with his own. 

He swayed me around, my arms wrapped around his neck. His tossed back hair made him look so much of a bad boy. 

“That whatever happens in the future, you'll never give up on us.” I slowly dragged my bottom lip between my teeth. His eyes zeroed on the movement. 

“Only if you promise to do the same.” I gave him a soft smile and watched his grin fall into a lopsided one. 

“I promise, then.” 

“Yeah, me too.” 

We laughed and danced until the floor beneath us became too dangerous to stand. We explored the torn up place. It had so much more in it than what we could see. 

We trotted up the stairwell to the balcony pit of the hall. The view could've been terrific from the height if the place wasn't in such a dire condition. 

Being careful, we sat down on the steps of the stairwell. I rested my head on his shoulder, interlocking my fingers with his. 

My inner voice was begging me to ask him the question that had been bugging since the moment he said those words. 

My voice almost a whisper, I geared up the courage to finally ask him the thing he didn't care to explain. 

“Baby, what did you mean when you said that you weren't Charlotte’s brother? I am lost here.” I caressed his chest. 
 
His facial expression changed in a heartbeat. His jaw muscles were clenched and a guarded mask covered his face. Agony clouded his amazon eyes and I chided myself for asking him about it. 

He sighed, exasperated. “Because I am not her brother.” 

“But--” 

“There are no buts, Luna. That is the dreadful truth,” he cut him off. 

I backed off at the sharpness in his tone.”I won't pry anymore. I am sorry.” I looked at the ground. 

He ran his hands through his hair. “It's not your fault. I had known it for quite a long time, it's Charlotte that discovered this secret recently. She has been unstable ever since.” 

My eyes met his. I could read the frustration, pain and unyielding combat to seize power in his unforeseen situation. I knew he was feeling crippled and struggling to get the reign under his control again. 

It was unlike Ares to let the strings to control others slip away from his fingers. He was used to getting his way in everything. 

“Why is she hell bent on making my life miserable? She gets nothing out of breaking us up. How would that amend whatever is going on with her?” 

“I know Charlotte. She won't settle down unless everyone falls to their knees in front of her.” There was exhaustion in his voice. “My mother had lied to pops. She thought she had convinced him into thinking that I was his own son, but pops knew it better. He had known all along that I wasn't his own child, but because his heart was broken  and he wanted a family of his own, he took pity on mom by marrying her. 

His true love had slipped away from him, but years later she showed up again, with Charlotte.” He paused, searching for words. “Everything fell apart for mom. I was only 16 when I learned the truth about everything. This future that I hold belongs to Charlotte and now she's out for my blood.” 

I exhaled the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Oh, Ares.” I move to sit on his lap. “Baby, I am sorry for what you went through, still going through it.” I cradled his face in my palms and kissed the tip of his nose. “Your future is destined for you and you alone. You didn’t steal anyone's future. Charlotte has my sympathy, but you did more for than what a real brother could ever do. Stop beating yourself up. You'll get through this, you have to. I am there with you.” 

“Is that how you feel about all of this?” He asked, softly. 

His fingers threaded through my hair. “I want to be there for you. Always.” 

“I don’t think you mean it?” He switched back to his cunning self. 

My words lacked anything, but conviction. He was playing with me so I decided to play along. 

“I can show it to you,” I winked.

His knuckles caressed my face, then settled to rest on my nape. “You’re turning out to be tough to handle.” 

I bit my lower lip. “That’s on you. You made me insatiable and you're gonna pay for it.” 

He exhaled a deep rich chuckle. “Is that so, huh? C’mon, show what you got.” 

*** 
I stand on my unstable feets, holding my breath. I tuck the rogue strand of my hair behind my ear. My hand entwined with Ares. Our eyes meet in the mirror. I give him a shy smile and he returns with his signature aloof grin. 

It was strange to have his name tattooed on my hip bone, because now I really felt like his possession. He had successfully branded me in the most possessive way possible. 

The tattoo was still very raw and had to be bandaged up. I was nervous to have a needle getting dug on my skin. If it was possible, Ares may have gotten deeper under my skin now. 

He fisted my hair in his hand, turning my head sideways. His cheek brushed my jaw. The stubble evoking tingles on my skin. 

“Now we have tattoos together.”

He got my name tattooed on chest. It felt like embodiment of my claim on his heart and soul. I liked the idea of owning Ares just as much as he loved consuming me. 

I guess, Ares had become successful in influencing my thoughts too. Such a bad influence he is. 

After paying for our tattoos,  we stepped out of the shop. I had a question looming in the shadow of my thoughts for a long time. Since the first time I saw his moon tattoo near his lower abdomen, I was mesmerised. 

I wanted to know what had made him get that piece tattooed on him. 

“Answer me honestly, what's the story behind your moon tattoo?” 

He looked at me, thoughtful. I thought he would have me drag the answer from him, but surprisingly, he didn't. 

“Because I'd fallen in love with you even before realizing it for myself.” He struggled to put the words together. From the look on his face, I could say he was just as stunned as me from his admission. “So, yeah. The tattoo is about you.”

I didn’t expect him to answer the question in the first place and honestly, I was conflicted hearing his words. 

“I know there are lots of questions in your mind and I'll answer them all,” he promised. “This isn't the time or place to do that.” 

“Then why do you say things that are so cryptic. I don't think you understand how much I find this habit of yours irritating.” 

He looked amused. “My habit annoys you?” 

“Well, yeah. One moment you say something so goddamn puzzling and when I want you to elaborate your stupid words, suddenly you decide to push it to an annoying ‘next time.’ As per my experience, that ‘next time’ never witnesses the light of the day.” 

“Oh, God.” He rolled his eyes. “What are you— a five year old?” He sounded serious. Still his eyes shone with amusement. Teasing me was like a past time to him. 

“That’s real mature of you.” 

I actually wanted to burst out laughing because he had a priceless expression on his face. He appeared and acted like a normal teen would, but I had grown accustomed to the ruthless Ares.

This side of him was rare. I planned on savouring every moment of it. Because it won’t last for a long time. He’ll switch back to his real self. 

I shrugged my hand out his hold and walked ahead of him. Although, I was a little mad at him initially, but now I just wanted him to shower me with attention. 

“Come back here, you little brat.” 

“Or what?” 

“Ah— so you have an ulterior motive. I see it very clearly.” 

I yelped. I was too late at realizing what hit me. Ares lifted me up by my waist with one muscular arm while the other was placed firmly on top my head. 

The handsome devil with amazon eyes and devastatingly beautiful taunting smirk on his lips was successful in staking his claim on me. 

“Stop with your trashing. It’s fooling no one. I know you’re enjoying it just as much as me.” 

“You can be such a jerk sometimes, but  I still love you.” My arms wrapped around his neck. 

He sighed. “I love you too,” he said. “Arguing with you is exhausting.” 

“Ditto.” 

There was no way I could stay alone in my home tonight after that creepy call from Charlotte. I didn’t want to be the target of whatever hostility she was building inside her. Ares sensed the tension and uneasiness flowing through my chakra. 

“I am not leaving you alone. Don’t worry too much.” 

Some of the tension I was going through faded from within me. His words calmed me down, but still I couldn’t help but feel as if something terrible was going to happen. 

I pushed the negativity down the barrel. 

Ares had his protective armour around me, acting like a shield. I snuggled into its comfort, relishing every minute of it. 

Once home, I was ready to unwind under the soft fuzziness of my duvet with Ares wrapped around me. Not before taking a hot shower. 

The shower we had was nothing less than a tantalising affair. The steam surrounded us in the enclosed space. Unlike Ares, my bathroom wasn’t spacious enough to fit luxurious commodities, but it did have a decent bathtub and a shower room. 

He took me slowly and gently in the shower. I was drained from all the energy in my body by the time we dried ourselves and jumped under the soft covers. 

Ares had suggested— sorry; demanded that I sleep naked with him. I wasn’t going to relent so easily. 

“We’ve had enough sex for today. I am not in the mood for anything other than to sleep.” 

I threw a quelling look my way as I slipped on a loose, comfy t-shirt and shorts underneath. 

“Get your head out of the gutter. I wasn’t interested in anything other than having your body close to mine.” 

Yeah, that’s all he has on his mind. Funny. 

He continued. “Well, I am going to sleep naked. I hope my nakedness isn’t much of a bother to you.” 

I snorted. “Suit yourself.” 

An evil idea came up and I thought it would be fun to taunt him, tempt him just a little. 

“It’s a pity.” I got on all fours and slowly crawled towards his sprawled, relaxed position. My duvet covered him from waist down. “It looks like Mr. Torrance is all drained out for today, isn’t he?” 

“Mr. Torrance is my c**k and he better not be teased. One poke and he’ll take you rough and hard. Don’t even think about pushing your luck.” 

I giggled. “Maybe that’s what I secretly want.” His words were such a turn on. If I was tired, I may have mounted on him. 

I squealed when Ares pulled me to him. My body fell on his lap. Fingers threaded through my hair. 

A low groan left his throat. It made my cheeks heat up. “Uhm… this position suits you the best, don’t you think? I think I should take your mouth just like I would take your sweetness. It’s the perfect punishment for teasing me.” 

“I was just kidding, baby.” More squeaky giggles left my mouth. “I really am tired. Maybe you can postpone my punishment.” 

I was rolled on my back with Ares on top of me. “Hmm… you think you’re in a position to negotiate with me? That’s awfully cute of you.” 

“Aww… please. I’ll be good.” I pouted. 

“Well, because I love you a little too much. I think I’ll let this one slide. Only because I am tired and I love you.” 

He kissed my lips with his expert mouth. 

“I love you too.” 

I closed my eyes and the next time I opened them again was when I was on my stomach and the side beside me was empty. 

I wiped the sleep from my eyes. Ares’s side was empty. It was still dark. The time read 2:15 am. There was no way he would leave me alone all by myself after everything I had told him. 

Not giving a thought that I was still in my sleep shorts and oversized. I decided to check for any signs of him. 

I trudged down the stairs whilst dialing his number, it went straight to voicemail.

“Where the heck are you?” I mumbled to myself. 

“He’s on his way here, as we speak.” 

My heart nearly threatened to leap out of my chest. I whipped around so quickly on my heels that I might have even twisted my ankle; just a little. 

“Oh, did I startle you?” The voice was all too familiar and I could make out her face even in the darkness of the night. “It was about you waking up, sleeping beauty. It would’ve been unpleasant if I had come to fetch you.” 

Any trace of warmth and friendliness had vanished from her voice. Her usual high pitched tone had settled into a much rough baritone. 

This was the real Charlotte. 

I was too spooked to say anything. She had caught me off guard. Struck by lightning, that’s how I felt.

I swallowed the saliva forming in my mouth. Hoping it would provide some moisture to my throat. 

“You look like a deer caught in headlights. That’s so unlike of the Luna I’ve grown to know. Weren’t you the one who went to any extent to help her friends?” 

“What do you want?” I commended myself for bringing myself to get words out of my mouth. 

“So she speaks.” She let out a humourless laugh. “I wonder how you got my brother dearest wrapped around your finger.” 

She’s here to mess with Ares. 

I didn’t anticipate for something so random to happen to me. She was clearly not in a stable mindset and anything she does tonight will have a grave impact on both her and Ares. 

“Charlotte, don’t be stupid. Why are you trying to wage a war against your brother? He loves you more than anything—“ 

I didn’t get to finish my sentence, because Charlotte had unexpectedly bursted into a shrill of laughter. It sounded maniacal. 

“What a naive little girl.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “He doesn't love me.” 

“How can you be so sure of it? You’re a bad judge of character. The only reason he hid everything from you was for your own sanity.” 

“Shut the fuck up!” She growled and slammed her hands down on the armrest of the recliner. “You don’t treat the people you love like he did to me.” 

“So revenge is going to solve everything? It’s just going to make you more lonely. More crazy and hateful.” 

She calmed her voice down, but her face and body movements still looked far from calm. 

“Do you think I am here for your shitty advice?” 

“Then why are you here?”

“To ruin everything.” 

A cloud of bewilderment fogged my head. What exactly was her motive? 

I crossed my hands and straightened my back. She shouldn’t be thinking that she had somehow rounded me up in a corner. 

“You’re going to ruin nothing,” I said with absolute surety. “We don’t have puppy love, FYI.” 

Charlotte wanted to spoil everything up for Ares, which meant our relationship was on her target. 

“That’s what you think. Just wait till he barges into your home with his crew tagging along, trying to calm me down, but dearest brother would totally be blinded for what’s to come his way.” She looked like a deranged Disney princess on the verge of a breakdown. 

Her words wouldn’t affect me. She had another thing coming for her if she thought I would let anything disrupt my peace of mind. 

“Would that solve everything wrong in your life?” 

She stayed nothing. Just averted her eyes from me. This looked like an emotional burst of a child. So stubborn.

When she said nothing, I did. “If that makes you feel any better than I hope you get to fulfill your wish.” 

Moments later, my front door slammed open and in walked a disoriented, rich looking middle aged man. Was it… Mr. Torrance? 

My unspoken question was answered when Charlotte stood from her seat, stunned. 

“D-Dad… it’s you?” Her sharp voice had turned meek. She looked like a five year old shocked to see her father who had returned from the grocery store years later. 

Ares stormed in right after Mr. Torrance, followed by Axel and some other man that I didn’t know. 

Concern etched all over his face. “Charlotte, what in the world,” Mr. Torrance mumbled under his breath. 

“I have had enough of your tantrums. End whatever shit you’re try to play and get in the car,” Ares practically growled at her. He was moments away from dragging her with him. “Luna go back upstairs. This is not your mess to deal with.” 

Even if I wanted to get out of this situation, I couldn't because my feets were rooted to the floor. 

When I didn’t move, he turned even feral. “This is not the time to defy me. Upstairs. Now,” he said sharply and I flinched at his tone. 

I wanted to retort, but Charlotte beat me to it. 

“You can’t even handle your girl,” she said, snidely. “What type of a man are you? Useless.” 

“You—“

Axel stopped Ares from going after Charlotte. I could see the struggle in his eyes to control himself. Ares was super aggravated. Mr. Torrance raised his hand up to motion Ares to stop. 

If they wanted to tame Charlotte, to calm her down, things would have to be carried in a calm and controlled manner. Ares was acting hastily and Mr. Torrance knew it. 

“Listen to what your father is telling you, Ares. He’s a father to you more than he could ever be to me. I am his dirty little secret.” The words were spoken with such contempt that even I could feel it in my bones. 

“Don’t worry, Ares. Your secret is safe with me. The only reason I targeted your little friend was to get you all out of your hiding place, especially this guy.” She pointed at her father. 

Ares had stiffened slightly when Charlotte said something about ‘secret safe with me.’ He appeared normal to the eyes near him, but I could see the change in his approach. He had suddenly turned defensive. 

“What is the reason behind all this? You’re doing nothing, but causing trouble to us and more importantly, yourself.” Her father spoke gently. 

“Does everything have to have a calculated motive behind them, father? Maybe I am just doing this for the kicks. Or to make you both suffer.” She added the last part. 

“FYI, you were successful in causing us both immense trouble. You won. Are you happy now?” Ares grew frustrated. “What more do you want from me? I’ve done everything you asked of me—“ 

“—for your own sick convenience behind it. You wanted to hide the truth from me, to keep in the dark.” Charlotte’ voice turned a level high. 

“No, I did it to keep you sane and happy. Because I loved you!”

“It was because you pitied me. You always did everything out of pity for the girl who lost her mother and couldn’t have her father even if she wanted to.” 

Ares’s face remained impassive, but his eyes spoke a thousand words. “That’s n-not true.” 

“Don’t lie to me. It is true.” 

The scene unfolding in front was nothing more than painfully cruel. I watched Charlotte who was on the verge of collapsing or unleashing all her pent up anger on the guys and then there was Ares, frustrated and hurt, Mr. Torrance, who like me, felt helpless. 

I wouldn’t intervene because it wasn’t my place to have a say. 

“Both of you, stop with your act. I can finally see through it. Take your bloody doctor with you. I am not going anywhere with you people.” Charlotte, out of breath, and furious. 

Someone should do something before things went even more unruly. 

“There’s something you should know, Charlotte,” Mr. Torrance spoke, desperate to get her attention. “If you want to punish anyone it should be me, not Ares.” 

Charlotte scoffed,”Who said I wasn’t angry at you? Stop dreaming, old man.” 

“Please, give me a chance to explain—“

“EXPLAIN?!” Charlotte exclaimed. “You’ve got some nerve—“ 

“Just listen to me, will you?” Mr. Torrance raised his voice which immediately quittened Charlotte. “Just listen to what I have to say, then do what you want to. I’ll accept your verdict.” The poor man, who no doubt was extremely powerful, commanded meetings in the boardroom, sounded helpless. 

Charlotte straightened her back. Mr. Torrance took it as a sign to say his piece. 

“The first time I met Ruth, I had fallen helplessly in love with her. Everything about her was admirable, beautiful. She was everything to me, but later I found out that she was schizophrenic. I meant nothing to her. Some days she wanted me and some days she hated to even breathe in the same room as me. 

“I was broken to learn that my love couldn’t even tolerate my presence so I let her go, but on one condition. That she would undergo medications and therapy. I even insisted on paying for it. She agreed and promised to be in contact with me. I had my PA follow her, to keep me posted on her. She had moved on. 

“It broke me, but I wanted to move on from the girl who could never be mine. That’s when I met Evelyn. She was everything I wished Ruth could be, but she had been hiding a secret from me. She never told me her secret, but I had discovered it already. I was in a place where I just wanted to forget my past and move on, so I did. With Evelyn. I loved her in my own way. I didn’t hide my past from Evelyn, she knew how much I loved my ex. 

“A year later, I received an email from Ruth. Like a fool, I went to her. I was drawn to her. She still held my stings and one thing led to another, I got her pregnant. Evelyn freaked out when learned what I did. It took a lot of convincing on my part to let her know that I wouldn’t be abandoning her.

“I told Ruth that I would take care of her and our baby, she wouldn’t listen to me. She got protective and ran away from me, taking my baby with her. My PA kept me posted on her. She wouldn’t let me see my baby girl. I didn’t want to trigger her schizophrenic state, so I let her be until I found that she had relapsed. 

“I had threatened to take everything away from her if she didn’t abide by my rules. I admitted Ruth to a mental illness facility and took my baby girl with me. I was juggling to keep my life at bay. Evelyn couldn’t handle the reality. I didn’t want to be the reason to send her running for the hills so I decided to keep my worlds separated. 

“Evelyn’s secret was her son, whom I had accepted as my own. I loved him as much as I loved my own girl. But then, Ruth’ condition improved and Evelyn’ declined. She told our son the truth behind his paternity and he then did what his mother asked of him. 

“He drove his sister to a new home, away from him and before he could act on his mother’ other request, Ruth got in an accident which claimed her life. I was shattered. There was no way I could function on my own anymore so I pulled myself back from both of my family. I didn’t realize when things went out of hand. My son had become his sister’ puppet.

It drove me absolutely mad to see what had happened because of my absence. The biggest issue was that my daughter was slowly turning into her mother and I had overlooked it completely. Please, don’t punish yourself and Ares for my mistakes. I beg you.” 

The room fell silent and I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. 

No sooner, I heard a small mewl and realized that Charlotte had fallen to her knees. Ares immediately went to her side, so did her dad. 

“Damn, Charlotte, hold on to yourself. We can’t keep going this way.” Ares had her pressed to his chest. “Hush, now.” 

“Charlotte,” Mr. Torrance's voice tore up. “Sweetheart, I’ve got you.” 

“She may get hysterical. I’ll have to sedate her.” It was the doctor that spoke. 

“Dad,” she cried. “Dad.” 

“I am right here, sweetheart.” Mr. Torrance gently consoled her. 

“I feel so tired.” 

Axel held her in place while the doctor gave her the dose. 

“I just feel so tired.” Her voice got drowsy 

“She’s out for now. I believe we should have her admitted immediately.” They nodded. 

“We’ll take her now.” Mr. Torrance turned to me. “I apologize for all this. I would appreciate it if you kept all this to yourself.” The man looked worn out and I could do nothing other than nod my head. 

Despite having confessed such a tragic history. If the man wanted to, he could easily unnerve anyone, including me. 

They carried Charlotte out and I thought I wouldn’t be seeing Ares again for sometime, but my boyfriend marched back into my house and had me backed up against the kitchen table.

“You little stubborn woman, you really chose this time of the hour to defy me? I swear to God, if I didn’t had important places to be, I would spank that ass right now.” He chucked her under the chin. “I want you to wait for me, do you understand me?” Even emotionally exhausted, Ares didn’t miss any chance to dominate me. 

Not wanting to argue, I nodded and hugged him. “Text me, will you?” I asked. 

“Yes, I will.” He pressed his cheek on top of my head. “I promise, I will.”