Modern Arrangements: Complete Trilogy (Modern Arrangements #1-3)

by Sadie Grubor

  Henry was cut off by James, who placed his hand on Henry’s shoulder.

  "Father, we know about Becca and using her to switch the birth control pills."

  Henry’s face drained to a pale white sheet of what was once there. His eyes widened and he opened and closed his mouth a few times.

  "I think that this may be the first time that I’ve seen you speechless." I snorted out at him. "How could you do that to me? To Lilli?!"

  "I...I simply…Aidan, I was terrified that we would lose everything that my father built up. Perhaps, it wasn’t the most honest way to…"

  "The most honest?" Liam snapped before I could.

  "How could you?" Viola hissed and wrapped an arm around Lilli.

  "Did you not think of her when you hatched this little scheme?" Liam pointed to Lilli.

  I took that moment to really look at Lilli. Her eyes had yet to waver from my uncle’s face. She was intent, but calm.

  "Lilli?" I whispered and everyone quieted down, turning to Lilli.

  "I want you out of this house and away from me." She stood up and walked directly in front of my uncle. "You will have no, and I mean absolutely no, association with my children." Her arms crossed over her chest. "You’re lucky that I don’t have you thrown in prison!" She spit out and my Uncle Henry’s face filled with fear. "Stay out of my life and out of my way!"

  "Lilli…" James spoke softly "I am so…"

  "James, this isn’t your fault." She placed a hand on his shoulder before she left the room.

  "You should be put in prison, just to learn a lesson." Viola spit before she hurried after Lilli.

  "You’re fired." I said without looking up.

  "What?" He exclaimed. "You can’t..."

  "LIKE HELL I CAN’T!" My head snapped up and if looks could kill, he would be dead in that large leather chair. "Who do you think you are talking to?"

  "Aidan Walsh—"

  "Don’t you dare! I am not just your ‘little nephew’, Henry. I own and run AIS! You may have vesting, but you no longer have a position."

  I realized that Liam and James were both looking at me wide eyed.

  "Your things will be sent to you. I’ll be making the call as soon as I leave this room to remove your security clearance into the building." I stood and headed for the doorway. "Oh, and James?" I turned around at the doorway and found James looking at me with fear. "Congratulations, you’re our new Vice President of Pharmaceutical R&D." James’ eyes widened.

  I left the room and went to check on Lilli.

  Liam had taken Henry out of the house that night, with James’ help. The first week at work without my uncle was unusual and chaotic. James was trying to acclimate into the position, but my uncle had many longtime associates that were concerned with my uncle’s absence.

  We had kept the departure’s true nature a secret, only announcing to our associates and clients that he had left due to personal reasons. No specifics were released, only the family knew the true cause and that it was a dismissal.

  By the second week, the bustle about his departure had died down to whispers within the company. Our associates were becoming acquainted with James, who was making special trips to meet with them, attempting to put them at ease. I felt bad that James was missing so much time away from Elora and Jimmy, but he assured me that she understood.

  From what James told me, Elora had laid into Henry about his actions and threatened to keep Jimmy away from him. Aunt Anne was devastated at the threat, on top of my uncle’s actions and dismissal from the company. The last that I had heard, Aunt Anne was staying with James and Elora.

  It had been three weeks since my uncle’s secret had been exposed. Lilli was more nervous and cautious about everything. I could see something eating away at her slowly and hated to see that the previous sparkle I had always seen in her eyes was only there when she was with the twins.

  The house had to be stepped up in the safety department, because of the twins becoming avid walkers. Gates, security latches and corner bumpers had to be installed all through the house. Walsh was the most curious child and Livy, well, she was clumsy, which I was told she got from Lilli.

  They were growing up so fast and I couldn’t believe the features that they had developed. Walsh had my wild hair, crooked smile and Lilli’s eyes. His porcelain skin and the blush that would grace his cheeks was all Lilli. Olivia, my sweet little princess, had Lilli’s pouty lips and my green eyes, hair and a hint of my smile. Her skin was also porcelain and she had also inherited the blush that I had loved to watch on Lilli’s face.

  Another day in the office and all I longed for was to go home and spend my time with the twins, as well as any minute amount of time that Lilli would participate in our playtime. It’s all I had. Instead, I was buried in paperwork and contracts while fielding phone calls from the Pharmaceutical division that James was currently reorganizing. I heard the large wooden door to my office open, breaking me from my work.

  "Aidan." I looked up and saw Liam looking at me, extremely worried.

  "I'm fine, Liam, you can stop checking up on..." He cut me off.

  "Aidan, we have a problem."

  I looked up him with a furrowed brow, suddenly I started to panic. "Is it Lilli or the twins?" I stood up at my desk.

  "No. It's Gideon." An unfamiliar look crossed Liam's face. "He is stating that you slept with his daughter and...."

  "And?" I growled out.

  "She's pregnant with your child." He choked out.

  "You have got to be fucking kidding me! I couldn't have slept with her, I was completely knocked...Oh God." I sat down as realization took over.

  Who fucking knew what they had done to me while I was asleep? Who knew what Loreley had done?

  "Where are they?" I spat, my head in my hands.

  "They?" Liam asked.

  "Gideon and Loreley." I clarified.

  "It's just Gideon." Liam tensed. "Loreley hasn't been seen since, well, you are probably the last person to have seen her."

  "Fuck!" I exclaimed. "Wait!"

  "Wait for what, Aidan?"

  "If she hasn't been seen, then perhaps he is lying." I felt hopeful.

  That hope only lasted about ten minutes. Until Gideon burst into my office, James close behind him.

  "Who do you think you are to burst into my office?" I yelled at him.

  "How dare you use my daughter and get her pregnant!" Gideon shouted as if he truly cared.

  "Use your daughter?" I exclaimed. "Oh, that’s rich, since she drugged me!"

  "W-what?" Gideon looked more surprised than shocked. He clearly was aware of something, that asshole.

  "That's right, Gideon. I got tested after everything and, turns out, plenty of drugs were found in my system. Do you know anything about that?" I spat at him.

  He straightened his shoulders.

  "How would I know about your drug habits?" He snapped back.

  I smirked. "Go ahead and announce what a whore your daughter is, Gideon, because I have proof that I was drugged that night."

  Gideon glared at me. "Well, once the child is born and a blood test is conducted, I suppose that the truth with come out!"

  "Oh, I will definitely ask for a blood test! If there even is a baby, which I doubt!" I sneered over my desk at him.

  "I wonder if your 'wife' will feel the same way." He smirked and left the room.

  "Leave her alone, you fuck…" I ran around my desk, only to be subdued by Liam and James. "Let me go! I’ll kill that—"

  "Calm down, Aidan." Liam grunted out, holding my right arm.

  "Come on, Aidan, you can’t attack him. That’s what he wants." James held my left arm.

  I yanked out of the hold and stood there breathing heavy, trying to regain some kind of composure.

  "Fuck…Lilli…" I looked at Liam and he furrowed his brow. "Fuck!" I went for my cell phone on my desk.

  It rang and rang, but no answer. I called Viola.

  "Aidan?" She answered on the second ring.
r />   "Is Lilli with you?" Please, please let her be with Viola.

  "Uh, no…is something wrong?"

  "Liam will fill you in." I hung up and tried Lilli again as I walked out of my office. I could feel James on my heels. "Fuck, she isn’t answering!"

  "This way, we will take my car." James pulled me toward the garage level and into the private parking for VP’s.

  We got into his Porsche and sped through the city. I repeatedly called my wife like a stalker.

  The car wasn’t even in park, let alone stopped, when I flew out of the passenger door and into the house. My head almost spun off of my shoulders with the way I looked around for her. Dining room empty, living room empty, bedroom empty….Library.

  "Lilli?" I shouted and pushed the door open.

  My heart shattered into million pieces when I saw her. Her shoulders were jerking from the silent sobs. She looked up to me with swollen red eyes and tear stained cheeks. One sniffle and then her wrist flicked a glossy piece of paper at me.

  "Lilli, it’s Gideon, he is trying…" She put her hand up to stop me.

  "I can’t do this. I didn’t sign on for this. It’s too much." She shook her head almost violently as she stood from the lounge chair.

  "Please, I doubt that this is even real. He is a bastard who is trying to get control of the company. I never realized how sick he was, but apparently it’s…" Her sobbing broke off my words. I moved to her and wrapped her in my arms.

  "Don’t." She sobbed. "I can’t take it. It’s all just too much Aidan." She pushed away from me and looked me dead in the eyes. "I’m sorry."

  She hurried out of the room.

  My emotions took over and I destroyed the lamp sitting on the side table. One hit and it flew across the room, shattering against the wall. I slouched down into the chair with my head in my hands. She was going to leave again. I was going to lose her, this time for good.

  Chapter Nine

  Reunions

  Lilli

  I didn’t know what to do when I opened the priority message envelope that had been delivered.

  Having just dealt with Uncle Henry and now this, I was coming undone mentally and emotionally. I stared at the ultra sound picture and the sobs tore through me. I heard my cell phone, but couldn’t move. Frozen in a whirlwind of mixed emotions and tears, I read over the included letter. Loreley was now pregnant and it was supposedly Aidan’s. Another sob tore through my lips.

  I knew that Aidan had been drugged and that this was some big ‘plot’, but I just…I couldn’t cope anymore. Mentally, I was exhausted, and emotionally, I was spent. Paranoia had become my new best friend and I hated it. I despised my life right now.

  As my sobs became silent, I heard Aidan come in yelling for me. When he tried to talk or touch me I just couldn’t do it. I was beat, utterly destroyed, everything that has happened has taken such a toll on me that I just….can’t do it. I give up.

  I left him in the library as I hurried to the spare room that had now become mine. Hearing a loud crash from behind me, I could only imagine what he had broken.

  Lying in bed, crying into my pillow, the past two years played through my mind. Finding out I was pregnant, having been drugged, courtesy of Henry, Aidan drugged and naked with Loreley, and now…fuck…now Aidan may be the father to her child. These events would never have taken place if I just said no to the arrangement with Aidan. I was angry with myself.

  Then thoughts of the McDonald’s dinner, the small tokens and kisses, the night that I attacked him for the first time, the way he watched and looked at me, how doting he was as I carried his children, the love that he pushed and pushed into my face every day, the moment I gave birth to his children. I would never have had those things if it weren’t for being with Aidan.

  Of course I could have eventually met someone and had a family, but it wouldn’t have been what I have now. I loved Aidan, deeply and immensely. He wasn’t the issue, not completely anyway, the events of our life were. Would it always be this way? Will it always be something or someone trying to hurt us or take something away from us? Will I always feel like a pawn in the greater scheme of someone else’s plan?

  Eventually the mental and emotional stress did a number on my physical strength and I fell asleep. When I woke up it was dark. I rolled over and turned on the lamp next to the bed. I took a deep breath and sat up on the edge of my bed.

  "Ahhhh!" I screamed and jumped back on the bed, my hand to my chest as I rapidly tried to catch my breath. Jesus, he scared me half to death.

  "I’m sorry." He whispered out.

  "Fuck, Aidan, you…fuck…you scared the shit out of me." I was still calming myself. "What are you doing?

  "I didn’t want you to be alone. I’ll go now." He stood and headed toward the door.

  "Wait." I stood up from the bed and unconsciously straightened out my clothes.

  He turned around, waiting for me to speak. I took a few steps closer to him, defeat shone brightly in his eyes.

  "Do you remember anything about that night?" I asked looking away from him.

  "No, nothing." He answered firmly.

  I nodded and looked back at him.

  "I don’t blame you, Aidan. I know that it wasn’t your fault…that this, all of this craziness, isn’t your fault."

  "But?" He choked out.

  "No but. I just want you to know that I don’t think that it’s your fault." I took a step closer.

  "You forgive me?" He stepped closer to me.

  "Forgive you…no." I shook my head and his face fell. "Aidan…" I moved closer and lifted his face. He immediately cupped my hand, holding it to his face. "There is nothing to forgive. You didn’t do this."

  "You don’t hate me or regret being here, with me?" I saw hope flicker in his eyes.

  I shook my head. "I can’t say that thoughts of regret haven’t passed through my mind, but I don’t regret us." I took a breath as he pressed closer to me. "Can you forgive me?" I choked out.

  "For what?" He wrapped his arm around me. "You’ve done nothing wrong."

  "I didn’t listen to you about Loreley."

  He shook his head. "Lilli, I love that you tried to be friends with her, that you try to see people for their better qualities. Loreley was not your fault."

  The smell of his skin and the feel of his body against mine broke down any walls that I had been building around us. I wrapped my arms around him and he immediately pulled me into his chest tightly.

  "Fuck, I’ve missed you!" He whispered into my hair and then kissed the top of my head.

  "Aidan…" I felt him tense up, "I still don’t know if I can live like this."

  He pulled back and looked at me. "I understand. Just…please don’t leave me." He dropped to his knees and wrapped one arm around my thighs, the other around my waist, his head pressed against my stomach. "I can’t live without you and will do whatever it takes to protect you and our family. You are my life! Lilli, please…"

  I hushed him by pulling his face toward mine and leaned down to kiss him. The kiss wasn’t deep, nor passionate, but loving, compassionate. His arms tightened as we kissed.

  Then he stood up with me still in his arms, lifting me from the floor. He spun us and I broke off the kiss and laughed at him.

  After laying me onto the bed, he crawled up my body and pulled me into his chest. This wasn’t about sex. This was about reconnecting. Once we had lain there for a couple of hours, we went to eat dinner.

  Immediately after we had finished dinner, we took the kids back up to the room to play. On our way to their room, Aidan stopped short in front of Jay and immediately requested that my things be moved back into our room. I still wasn’t completely sure everything and I really hadn’t planned on moving back into our room just yet, but I didn’t argue.

  That night Aidan had plans for us.

  Having just kissed the kids goodnight, we walked into the bedroom together.

  "I’m going to shower." I said over my shoulder and headed to the bat
hroom.

  I turned on the water and, as I was undoing my jeans, I felt arms wrap around my waist. His fingers quickly replaced mine as he unbuttoned my jeans and then slid them off of my body, kissing the bare skin of the back of my thigh and then my calf. I stepped out of my jeans as he tugged them away.

  Slowly, his hands slid up my legs and over my ass. He gripped the hem of my shirt and pulled it up, ever so slowly, over my torso, kissing my hip, my shoulder blade and the back of my neck as he went. Once he pulled the fabric over my head, he kissed my neck and shoulder, while unhooking my bra and slipping it off of my shoulders.

  His smooth hands caressed the exposed skin of my shoulders, sliding over my collarbone and bare breasts. I took a sharp intake of breath when I felt him rub over my nipples and then cup my breasts. Too soon, he moved away from my chest and slid his hands back down my body. When he reached my underwear, he hooked his fingers underneath the elastic waist and pulled them down. Every move he made was in slow motion.

  The bathroom had steamed up from the running shower and it simply intensified the slick feeling of his skin against mine.

  Aidan reached for the shower door and opened it, coaxing me to enter. Reluctantly, I climbed in alone, waiting for him to follow. He undressed himself in record time, joining me only a few moments later.

  I felt his naked body pressed against my back and leaned into him. He kissed and sucked on my neck and shoulder while rubbing my water saturated body tenderly. I could feel the intense sensation between my legs grow and grow, begging for him to touch me between my thighs.

  He pulled away and I turned to look at him.

  Grabbing the body wash and putting some into his hand, he proceeded to wash my body for me. He used massaging, circular motions over my skin, from my shoulders to my feet, and back up. I was literally putty in his hands.

  When he tilted my head into the water, I was a little confused. He, then, started to massage my scalp with shampoo and then rinse it out, leaving me in complete awe. I had never felt this intimate with someone in my entire life. Even sex had never felt like this.

  Pressing my chest against his, he pressed his lips to mine, both of us under the water. The water disappeared and I assumed he had turned it off. I pushed to deepen the kiss and he allowed me access to his mouth. Eagerly, I tangled my tongue with his.