“No, I was renting a place but my lease ran out. I don’t mind staying here with them. At least they’d have someone here at night in case he shows up again.”
Grant gave me a twisted smile. “I suppose a few more days wouldn’t hurt. Robert’s gone to ground again, but I have a feeling he’ll be popping back up soon. At that point, we may have to look into placing the family in an alternative location until he’s caught.”
Brenda sucked in a sharp breath. “I willna leave my house or my business. I’ve lost many things over the years. It’s all I have left, and I’ll be damned if he’ll chase me away from it.”
Grant dipped his head, acknowledging her. Or better yet, it was more like pacifying her, because if it came down to her safety, he’d move her kicking and screaming to a safer location.
My gaze lingered to the stairs that led to Airen’s room as Brenda walked Grant outside.
With a sigh, I pushed back from the table and put everything back on the tea tray. It was the only thing to do, or else I’d bound up the stairs two at a time and make a complete ass of myself.
Mina’s hand came down on mine. “Do ye think ye can go and check on Airen for me? I don’t think she’d be up for a visit from her auntie or me right about now.”
She gave me a soft smile and patted my shoulder as she moved past me to carry the teapot to the kitchen.
Shock rolled through me at Mina’s request. Ever since I’d met her, she’d given me the stink eye. Hearing her ask me to check on Airen threw me for a loop.
I HEARD THE SOFT KNOCK on my door, but ignored whoever it was on the other side. I had nothing to say to anyone. Especially to Mum and Aunt Brenda.
To think they not only thought that damnable house was cursed, but that it had been the reason my da had died made me ill.
I’d known the both of them to be superstitious, but the stories Aunt Brenda told to Agent Jackson had made a chill roll through me that I couldn’t shake.
There was another soft knock, and then the door swung open. Buried under the covers like I was, whoever had come in wouldn’t know that I was awake unless they walked over and peeked down at me, so I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.
The door closed softly and footsteps, soft ones, walked round my bed, but didn’t come close to where I was cocooned against the world. Aiden. I knew it was him the minute I heard his bag slide across the floor and then open. Maybe he was putting his stuff together to leave. I couldn’t blame him after the fiasco downstairs. I’d run too, if I had somewhere else to go.
He didn’t leave though. He spent a couple of minutes moving things around in his bag, or at least, that was what it sounded like. There was a subtle shift in the air. A swish of fabric. The creak of shoes being toed off and moved. Then a zipper being lowered. The rustle of denim. My eyes snapped open. I moved the blanket enough to see Aiden standing in front of my window, outlined by the soft touches of moonlight through the sheer curtains.
The slope of his shoulder up to the curve of his neck was illuminated as if the moon wanted me to see him. Shadows played peek-a-boo with the ridges along his chest and arms where his muscles curved. He stood so still that he could have been man or statue in the moonlight.
It was eerily beautiful and all mine to witness. Lifting his arm, he pushed the curtain aside, allowing more light to spill into the room.
It moved along the carpet slowly and I closed my eyes, knowing his intentions were to bring enough light to see me in my nest of blankets.
The last glimpse I got of him nearly took my breath away. The image of him standing beside my window bathed in moonlight with nothing more than a pair of briefs on would stay with me forever.
I didn’t dare open my eyes again until I heard him move away from the window. After that, I couldn’t see much of anything but a flash of movement here and there as he pulled on a shirt and pants, lying down on the floor with the pillow I’d given him earlier.
I felt a little guilty that I didn’t get up and offer him a blanket. The house always had a slight chill to it, but the floors were always cold. He’d be freezing by morning. I’d wait him out, and after he fell asleep, I’d drape a blanket over him then. Unless, of course, Mum or Aunt Brenda stuck their head in and did it first.
Having Aiden no more than a few feet away from me did two things. One, it made me aware of the attraction he stirred in me, and two, it made the anger I felt earlier move on to something close to melancholy.
I missed my da with an ache that never really went away. Aunt Brenda’s words had ripped the scab on my heart wide open again with an ache so deep it threatened to consume me. I’d lost him too young, and I would give anything to have him back. Knowing that could never happen made the ache spread and my heart want to shatter.
Aiden shifted, and I heard his breathing change as he gave over to sleep. The ache receded a bit, making me wonder if Da had a hand in seeing that someone like Aiden would come along and take care of his little girl for him. What if Aiden was that person? It was a fanciful thought that helped chase away the sadness.
Pinching my finger against the bridge of my nose, I took a slow, deep breath, willing myself to relax. The headache from earlier had crept back up on me as I’d cried what felt like a river of tears into my pillow before Aiden had appeared in my room.
My eyes, puffy and raw, ached to close and stay that way. My shirt clung to my skin, damp I realized, as I smoothed the covers and shifted to the edge of the bed to look down at Aiden.
He’d lain down on his stomach, tucking one arm underneath the pillow he’d turned lengthways under his head and chest, as if hugging it.
I fell asleep wondering what it would be like to have his arms wrapped around me like that.
MY ENTIRE BODY FELT HEAVY, all but my head. That ached a low, dull throb with every heartbeat. I’d wrapped myself up so tight in the covers the night before that I’d well and truly pinned myself inside of them.
I shifted my leg, pushing against the blanket to wiggle free as the pillow behind me mumbled and a band of muscle tightened against my chest, pulling me closer to a solid warmth against my back.
My heart skipped a beat as I realized Aiden had moved from the floor to my bed at some point. But when? I hadn’t felt him climb in beside me, and surely, I would have realized it the minute he did. Wouldn’t I have?
I wiggled, trying to put some space between us. When he moved with me, I realized it wasn’t the blankets holding me in place. It was him. He was under the blankets with me. He’d thrown his leg over mine and was using me as a body pillow. Quite literally.
I didn’t know how to feel about that since there were several feelings trying to invade me at once. I needed room to breathe. Room to think. I moved slowly, very slowly as to not wake him, until I was on my back with Aiden’s arm sliding down my body.
He stirred then, only slightly though. I blew out a breath of relief that hitched in time with the skip of my heart. If I moved slowly enough, I could make it out of bed without waking him and go downstairs to the couch.
Leaving the bed and Aiden’s warmth held no appeal to me. And really, it wasn’t as if we were doing anything wrong. Both of us were sleeping, or at least, he was.
Honestly, it felt nice having someone there beside me. I didn’t feel quite so alone. I could pretend, just once, that I had someone who cared for me, slept beside me, and chased away my fears. I’d make the most of the moment in the quiet solitude of my room.
Closing my eyes, I let myself pretend that he was mine and I was his. Shifting closer, I took the warmth I’d needed for so long. His hand flexed against my hip, pulling me closer as his breathing changed slightly.
The weak light that came as night gave over to morning touched my face and I turned my head away, not wanting the moment of peace I’d found to slip past me before I was ready.
My forehead bumped into Aiden’s shoulder, and he stirred. Keeping my eyes closed, I waited for him to move from my bed and make a hasty retreat back to the floo
r. But he didn’t.
His hand on my hip squeezed tightly as he propped himself up on his elbow, and I knew he was looking down at me. Probably wondering what the hell he was doing in my bed and why I hadn’t woken up when my head bumped into him.
His hand moved from my hip, taking away his heat immediately. I felt him move away, putting some distance between us. His slow movements took him further away, inch by inch, and I wanted him to stay. To share his warmth. To hold me.
I opened my eyes and found him looking down at me, searching my face. When his eyes met mine, he reached out with his fingers, tracing them along the side of my face and pushing my hair behind my ear.
I sighed, moving my cheek against the palm of his hand. It was like throwing a lit match onto a trail of gasoline. He surged to life, pulling me against him, straining to line our bodies up so that we touched everywhere.
His lips sought mine, hungry and scorching, each kiss deeper until I ended up on my back with his body pressing me into the mattress pushing against the barriers of our clothes.
His labored breaths pushed against my chest, and I trembled in response. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. The question was—how far would either of us let the moment take us? Could we take away all the barriers and allow what we both desperately wanted? If we did—what then?
The questions tumbled fast in my mind until his hand slid underneath my shirt, gliding up to cup my breast.
All thoughts ceased, spinning into a vortex of need, clawing at my tingling nerves all the way to the core where his body pressed firmly against mine.
What felt like electric shocks broke out along my skin, tingling as each wave burst, shattering around me until I could do nothing but push myself back against him, seeking the only thing he could give me, a release for whatever it was building up inside of me.
I’d known the feeling of need, but never like what Aiden built up in me. It was consuming me, bringing me to a madness that had me digging my fingers into his back, whimpering as he brought me closer and closer to the breaking point.
He gasped a ragged breath against my neck and let go of my breast, sliding both hands under my shoulders. His lips blazed hot kisses along the side of my neck, and then he bit down lightly.
I shattered, crying out against his shoulder as his hips dug into my thighs. His breaths came in short pants until he shuddered against me.
It was the most intimate moment I’d ever had in my life.
I opened my mouth to say something, but just sighed with a mumble of appreciation as to the way I felt.
Aiden rolled over to his back, taking me with him, tucking me against his chest. I snuggled in, draping my leg over his and resting my hand over his drumming heart. Closing my eyes, I willed the moment to stretch out and stay with us.
Niggling worries tried to push their way past the cloud of euphoria we’d created, but I beat them back by recalling the feeling of our bodies straining against one another. It worked, and I drifted off in Aiden’s arms. I’d deal with whatever happened next, but not until I had to.
I FELT HIM MOVE AND reached out for him, mumbling incoherent words of protest. He was pulling away from our little haven of passion. When he did, it would be over. I could feel it.
Forcing my eyes open, I saw him sitting on the side of the bed, head in his hands.
My heart sank, but I refused to allow him to punish himself for what happened between us. I was just as guilty of it as he was. So I reached out, putting my hand on his back.
His hands dropped from his head and he turned, facing me and taking my hand.
“Airen, I—”
I squeezed my fingers against his tight hold. “You don’t have to say anything, Aiden.”
“But I do. I have so much to say. I just… can’t.” He sounded tortured, afraid.
The pieces sort of clicked together for me as I watched him struggling with what to say. I’d felt it the night before, but after Aunt Brenda had pulled the rug out from under me, talking about my da, I’d forgotten about it. “How long have you worked for Agent Jackson?”
His head snapped up, eyes searching mine. “I’m not working for him.”
“Pull the other one, it’s shorter, aye?” I said, nudging him with my foot.
He turned away, no longer willing to look me in the eye.
I nudged him again. “Just tell me I’m not some sort of conquest. That ye didn’t use me because you were told to.”
“You were never that,” he whispered.
“Than what am I to you… to this?” I couldn’t help the anger that crept into my voice.
Aiden pulled my hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to my palm. “You’re something I want desperately, but can never have.”
He dropped my hand and stood, making his way over to where his bag lay on the floor.
Grabbing his discarded jeans, he changed as I sat stunned by what he’d said. He pulled his boots on, stuffed the pants he’d worn to bed inside, and pulled the strap onto his shoulder. He was leaving.
I scrambled out of bed and moved in front of him. “Why?”
“Because you deserve so much more than what I can offer you. And it fucking kills me that I can’t be enough.” His hands came up, cupping my neck as he kissed me one last time.
I let him go. I let him move his fingertips away from my neck and brush past me. Let him take the stairs one by one and head out the door without a single cry of protest.
When I heard him fire up his car and drive away, I stayed in the same spot he left me. Because if I moved, I’d crumble into a million pieces.
Feeling that way wouldn’t do. I needed to be whole. I needed to be strong. I needed to find out just what in the hell Aiden, Agent Jackson, and Uncle Robert were really up to. Then I’d figure out how to handle Aiden’s rejection.
One thing at a time, Airen. Patience is key.
It would have been so easy to let my anger take control—to curse Aiden for using me to seek release in a willing body. But he hadn’t used me.
If anything, we’d used each other, both needing the comfort one another could bring. Had he not said what he did before he left, I’d be ready to cut his balls off and feed them to him, but he’d been just as upset about his leaving as I was.
I called on every ounce of inner strength to push past the hurt his leaving caused and forced myself to keep moving.
Grabbing a change of clothes, I set out for the shower. After that, I’d have a nice chat with Mum and Aunt Brenda to get the details of last night’s conversation with Agent Jackson. Because somehow, someway, Aiden had something to do with it. And I wasn’t going to rest until I figured out what it was.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE up and left?” Aunt Brenda asked, stunned by the lack of Aiden’s presence.
“Like I said, he probably figured it was all a little too much for him,” I answered, trying my best to sound truthful.
Aunt Brenda’s eyes squinted as she stared at me. “I don’t believe it for a second, Airen. He’s no one to just up and leave. Especially knowing the danger it puts you in.”
That admission startled me more than I was comfortable with. “I think you have a lot of explaining to do, Auntie.”
The doorbell rang, startling both of us.
“That’ll be Agent Jackson. He’s taking me to the bank this morning,” Aunt Brenda said, making her way to the front door.
“To the bank for what?” I asked, knowing I wouldn’t get a reply from her.
I pulled out the chair Aiden had sat in the previous night and sat, waiting for Aunt Brenda to come back to the kitchen with Agent Jackson.
“What the hell are you doing here?” The tone of Aunt Brenda’s voice made the hair on the back of my neck prickle.
I shot up from my seat and came to a screeching halt when I saw the gun pointed at Aunt Brenda’s chest.
Mum came down the stairs, stopping midway with her hand to her mouth.
Uncle Robert filled the doorway, his gun never wavering. “Move a
n inch and I’ll drop you where you stand.”
Neither Mum nor Aunt Brenda moved, not even to breathe. I didn’t know what to do, but I damn sure wasn’t going to stand there and let him kill my aunt.
His eyes flicked over at me, and then back to Aunt Brenda. “I’ll be taking the girl now.”
His hand came up, gesturing me to move over to where he stood. “Make one stupid move and I’ll kill the both of them.”
I knew he was talking to me. Knew he wanted me to walk over to him, but I couldn’t. I’d locked up like a frozen lake.
“Now! Or she’s dead,” he shouted, poking the gun closer to Aunt Brenda’s chest.
The action brought Aunt Brenda to life. She lunged at him like a feral cat, and the gun went off.
Mum screamed in terror as Aunt Brenda hit the floor, blood pooling underneath her unmoving body.
Before I could react, Uncle Robert lifted the gun at Mum and fired. Mum’s body curled over, shock registering on her face, and then she tumbled down the stairs until her body lay in an unnatural heap on the floor.
Screams of horror lodged in my throat as my brain scrambled to try to make sense of what happened. Blood—it was everywhere—but it didn’t belong. Not in Aunt Brenda’s house. And especially not pouring out of Aunt Brenda and Mum’s bodies.
Stepping around Aunt Brenda, Uncle Robert grabbed my arm, twisting it as he pulled me behind him.
Madness filled me as I yanked my arm free, falling to my knees beside Aunt Brenda. Warm, wet blood soaked my jeans. Hot and metallic. My tongue pressed down as saliva pooled in my mouth.
“No, no, no! Please wake up, Aunt Brenda. Ye have to wake up!” I cried as I tried to roll her limp body over. But there was so much blood. Too much. My hand slipped and slid over her arm every time I tried to get a good grip.
“Enough!” Robert shouted from behind me. Twisting his fingers into my hair, he jerked me to my feet and dragged me out the door.
The metallic smell of blood followed us out into the yard in what felt like a sickening cloud. It was all over my hands as I clawed at the air in desperation.
If Ever I Fall: Book 3 of The Six Series Page 12