Touched By Him (The Untouched Series Book 3)

by Lilly Wilde

  I was miserable—I didn’t want to be here. I removed my sweats, sat on the edge of the pool and sighed. I looked up at the glass pyramid skylight above. The brilliant blue sky and the overstuffed clouds were easily visible through the huge ceiling window. I followed the ray of sunlight to where it sparkled on the water. The beautiful autumn day poured into every area of the room, filling it with a bright energy that flowed through the rows of tall windows. I just needed some of it to flow into me.

  Wading into the pool, I pushed the water behind me as I stepped from the shallow end and lunged forward, losing myself in the revitalizing water. Each stroke was therapeutic, propelling me, taking me from the remorse of last night to a calmer place in my psyche. After several laps, tinges of hunger crept toward me but I continued swimming for a while longer.

  I eventually emerged from the perfect temperature of the water and stepped out of the pool. Not quite ready to leave the bright respite this room provided, I sat in the elevated spa for a few moments, extending the time in my newfound retreat. I laid my head back and let the water flow over me, further eradicating my dismal thoughts.

  The calming sound of the water trickling from the diving platform reminded me of the soothing musical interludes that played in the background of my many visits to the spa. That’s what I needed, a spa day. Maybe Allison and I could schedule something later in the week. I noticed the pool also had a space for children to splash and play—I was excited by the thought of bringing Lyric here.

  My stomach growled again. I sighed, deciding it was time to leave my short-lived escape. I stepped out of the warm water, grabbed my clothes, and went in search of a shower. There was a lounge area on the opposite side of the pool room. It was cozy and quiet and like most of the mansion’s architecture, there were walls of windows. Gorgeous woodwork was found throughout the space, and as in the pool room, there was another magnificent skylight. On the back wall, was a large TV positioned above a fireplace. I walked behind the wall to find the shower room and was relieved to also find a kitchenette.

  I showered, dressed, wrapped a towel around my hair and went in search of food. I grabbed some fruit and yogurt from the kitchenette and took a seat in the lounge area. Grabbing the remote and turning on the TV, I flipped through a few channels as I ate. After a while of watching the travel channel, I turned it off and headed out of the lounge area.

  The light of the gorgeous day was calling at me as I walked past the tall windows in the pool room. I wanted to get out—I’d been trapped inside this fortress for far too long. So had Lyric—it would be nice to take him outside the walls of the Raine Mansion.

  Trotting back upstairs, I went to my room, dried my hair, pulled it into a ponytail and headed to the nursery.

  “What’s going on?” Aiden asked. He stepped into the room as I was packing Lyric’s bag.

  His sudden appearance startled me, and I nearly froze. Being in the same room with him did crazy things to me. There was always a tension between us, but after last night, it felt different somehow. It was compounded by so many powerful feelings, and they were all varying levels of the same extreme.

  “I’m taking Lyric out,” I said, lifting Lyric from the crib and turning toward Aiden. Still embarrassed by the previous night, I averted his eyes and placed Lyric in his carrier. “He’s getting so big and I want to get some new things for him.”

  “Why can’t you look through the tons of clothing he has in his closet?” Aiden asked.

  “Because I would like to personally select some things for my son, Aiden. Or is that forbidden?” I snapped.

  He didn’t reply but I knew he didn’t approve. He went for the phone. “Ms. Cason would like to take my son to a few baby boutiques this afternoon. Can you pull the car around and also bring someone along in the event she needs assistance?” He placed the phone in its cradle and walked over to Lyric and me.

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “You want to go shopping. I’m making that possible. Don’t make this an issue, Aria.”

  “I don’t understand how you can treat me this way. I fucking hate you.” The words tumbled out before I could stop myself.

  Glancing up from Lyric, Aiden’s gaze narrowed as he studied me. “Well. That’s rather unfortunate. If we’re to successfully co-parent, negative feelings like that aren’t exactly ideal, Aria. I’m surprised I have to point that out to you.”

  He was so calm, completely untouched by my words.

  “You’re such a fucking dick.”

  “And what does that make you?”

  I reached up to slap him, but he grabbed my wrist. “You don’t want to do that, princess.”

  I jerked away from his grasp. “The hell I don’t. How long is this going to last, Aiden? How long are you going to punish me for doing something that was well within my rights?”

  “You had no fucking right!” he snapped.

  “I had every right. He’s my son!”

  “And you didn’t create him by yourself!”

  “Will you guys please stop!” Allison walked in, glancing from Aiden to me. I knew she was exasperated by the constant bickering—we all were.

  “Allison, this doesn’t concern you,” Aiden warned. The icy glare he’d inherited from Sienna was aimed directly at me.

  Allison typically conceded to Aiden’s authoritative tone, but she didn’t this time. She stalked toward him, staring up at his tall, intimidating frame.

  “It’s just as much of a concern for me as it is for you. He’s my nephew, and he doesn’t deserve to be pulled back and forth between your egos!”

  Her statement didn’t faze him in the slightest. “Aria’s taking Lyric shopping. A couple of the staff will be going along with them. I have nothing further to say about it.” He leaned down and gently kissed Lyric’s forehead.

  “Aiden…” Allison started.

  “Allie, if you want to go with them, I’m sure Aria would love the company,” he said, and strolled out of the nursery.

  Allison looked at me and I was sure she felt as small as I. And after last night, I was even more humiliated that he would pull this shit. I glanced at Lyric. He was looking up at me with his thumb in his mouth. He really didn’t deserve this. I was suddenly livid.

  I was pissed that I’d behaved that way in front of Lyric, and I was pissed that Aiden had all the control over how and where I took my son. How could Aiden not see this was bad for him? I fought back heated tears and lifted Lyric from the carrier and placed him in his crib. Then I reached for the phone.

  “Hi, Pauline,” I said when the nanny picked up the line. I passed Lyric’s rattle to him. “I’ll need you to watch Lyric the rest of the day and possibly into the night.”

  “Yes, Ms. Cason. Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, everything is fine, Pauline. Thank you.” I ended the call, then grabbed the bag I’d packed for Lyric and placed it in the closet.

  “What are you doing, Aria? “Allison asked.

  “I need some time alone. I shouldn’t be around the baby when I feel like this.”

  “Are you just going to mope around here? You should get out, have a drink. I can come with you.”

  I hadn’t considered going out without Lyric, but it was actually an excellent idea. I needed to get out of this freaking house—to place some distance between Aiden and me. I wanted to strangle him!

  “I think you’re right.” Turning toward the crib, a twinge of guilt hit me. I didn’t want to leave him.

  “If you’re worried about Lyric, he’ll be okay. As much as it pains you to even think it, Aiden is excellent with him. Plus, Lyric has grandparents who adore him, and he has two nannies and a house full of other staff. He’ll be okay. You can’t devote every minute to being a mom. Have you left this house even once since you’ve come here?”

  “No,” I replied glumly.

  “Then let’s do it today.”

  “A drink, or several actually, sounds like heaven but I don’t want alcohol to blur my j
udgment. And I don’t want Aiden to have any more ammunition. Besides, are you forgetting I breastfeed?”

  “Aiden is not going to fault you for being human, Aria. As for the milk, I fed Lyric yesterday, and unless he’s gone through the bags and bags of milk you’ve pumped, there’s more than enough set aside for him, so you’re free to have a night of booze. What’s your next excuse?”

  I didn’t reply. Allison was more like Aiden than she realized.

  “Come on. Let’s go have some fun,” she urged.

  I knew she was right, but this somehow felt wrong. “Okay. What time?”

  “How about in an hour?”

  “So early?”

  “We can make a day of it. We can get in some shopping for Lyric, grab lunch, do some more shopping, get dinner and start our girls’ night early. I know a great bar with live music.”

  “Cool. Sounds like fun.” I hadn’t had any in months.

  * * * * *

  We’d been at the bar for about an hour. I’d started sipping my fourth drink, which probably wasn’t the best of ideas, because I was already beyond relaxed. Allison had invited her friend Libbey along, and she certainly made things interesting. She told story after story of her adventures with Allison, and she was also a serial flirt—cat calling and winking at pretty much every hottie who walked by. The guy that Allison had been dating, William, was also planning to join us, but he hadn’t shown yet. I wasn’t sure why she’d ask him to go out if she was planning to dump him, but hey, who was I to say anything after the stupid shit I did last night?

  Allison glanced at the glass in my hand and then eyed me cautiously. “Aria, you’ve had enough to drink. Don’t you think?” she asked.

  “What? No, I’m fine.”

  “I don’t think you are. Maybe we should head home.”

  “Damn, Allison. You’re starting to sound like your brother and that’s the last thing I need tonight.”

  “Excuse me. Would you like to dance?” I followed the sound of the voice and looked up into the light blue eyes of a handsome man. He was of average height, with a low haircut and a tattoo that trailed along his arm.

  “I’d love to,” I said, stumbling as I rose from my seat.

  “Aria,” Allison said, grabbing my arm.

  I shrugged her off. “Allison, stop it. I mean it. I don’t need another damned body guard.”

  Turning back toward the sexy stranger, I asked, “What’s your name, cutie?” I couldn’t help but notice how his T-shirt stretched over his chest, accentuating his huge muscles. I glanced at his bulging biceps and then scanned his large frame. He was a bit too muscular for my taste, but he was fun to look at.

  “I’m Jeremy. And you are?”

  “Aria.”

  He grabbed my hand, enveloping it in his large palm, and led me to the dance floor. I glanced over my shoulder at Allison as Jeremy tugged me behind him. A scowl marred her pretty face. Why the hell was she upset? This was her idea, and I was having fun as she’d suggested.

  The closer we got to the dance floor, the louder the music seemed. I felt it pulsing through my body. It was a fast-paced song—one I hadn’t heard but I immediately liked. The beat, the energy and the alcohol were a heady mix, and I was enjoying the step outside of crazy town.

  I grinned at Jeremy as he started to move. He leaned toward me. “What is it?”

  “Nothing. I like the way you dance.”

  “What?”

  He couldn’t hear me over the music. I shook my head, signaling that it was nothing. We didn’t attempt any further conversation. We just eyed each other, grinning ever so often as we danced.

  The music eventually changed, fading into a slower song. Jeremy lifted his eyebrows suggestively. I nodded that it was okay, and he pulled me closer to him. I placed my hands on his shoulders, and the first thing I noticed was how solid he was. I wouldn’t have imagined him to be such a good dancer, but he had some serious moves. The combination of his cologne and perspiration was not agreeing with me though. I was about to release all of the alcohol I’d managed to pour into my body.

  As we swayed to the music, I looked at the other couples, staring wistfully as they moved in time to the soft beats. Jeremy’s hands eased down my back and cupped my ass. I looked at him and reached behind me to remove them.

  “Nice ass.”

  “Thank you,” I replied. “You can look, but don’t touch.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He grinned and leaned in as if he were about to kiss me, and then he was suddenly gone.

  I looked up to see Aiden glowering at me. “What the fuck are you doing?” he demanded.

  “Hey dude. What’s your deal?” Jeremy asked from behind Aiden.

  “She’s my deal, dude, and it’s probably best if you get lost.”

  “Jeremy, don’t listen to him,” I said, peering around Aiden’s immovable frame.

  “On the contrary, I suggest Jeremy listens very closely, unless Jeremy wants a problem he can’t solve,” Aiden warned.

  Allison and Libbey had joined us.

  “Did you call him, Allison?” I glared at her, knowing Aiden’s appearance wasn’t a coincidence.

  “I didn’t know what else to do, Aria.” She shrugged, helplessly. “You wouldn’t listen to me and you’re drunk. You should go home.”

  “Well, I’m not leaving, and you can call the National Guard and it won’t change a damned thing.” I stumbled and turned to leave. After the next wobbly step, I was being tossed over Aiden’s shoulder.

  “Hey! Put me down!”

  “I will, as soon as you’re in the car headed home,” he said.

  He turned toward Allison. “When I suggested you go out with her, this is not what I meant,” he scolded.

  “But Aiden—”

  “I don’t want to hear it,” he replied and stalked toward the exit.

  My head was spinning. I was going to throw up. I raised my head to see Allison, Libbey, and Jeremy staring after us. And they weren’t the only ones. How dare Aiden do this to me! I started kicking and pounding his backside, but he didn’t break his stride, easily carrying me out of the bar.

  “That place is not my home. Put me down, asshole.”

  “Stop it, Aria,” he ordered.

  “I will not!” I yelled, as I continued hitting him.

  He reached up and pinched me. “I said, stop it.”

  “Ouch! Why did you do that?”

  “Because I’m not your punching bag. Now stop it, and stop the damn yelling.”

  Out of nowhere, I burst into tears. Aiden took a few more steps and then placed me on the ground in front of his car.

  “Seriously? All of this to stay at a bar?”

  “No, you jerk. It’s not the bar. It’s you. It’s me. It’s Lyric. I wanted to get out tonight and just forget about how fucked everything is.”

  “You know why that is, Aria. You did this. I don’t like it any more than you do.”

  “Yeah, but I’m sure it makes it a hell of a lot easier for you since you have the upper hand. I’m not even allowed to take my child shopping without someone watching me.”

  “I don’t know of any other way right now.”

  “We can work something out. Anything is better than this,” I pleaded.

  “Right now, things stay as they are.”

  “Why? Because you’re rich? Because you have power and connections?”

  “No! Because you took my son, Aria. You took my son! And you had no intention of ever allowing me in his life!”

  “Aiden, you just don’t understand. I want out of that place. You can visit Lyric as much as you want,” I begged. My lips trembled, and huge tear drops flowed down my face.

  “Save the fucking tears, Aria. You’re not getting him!”

  “So…what? You’re planning to let him be raised by fucking nannies!”

  “Get in the car, Aria. We’re not doing this here.”

  “I’m not one of your minions. I don’t take orders from you.”

  �
�You’re getting in the car.”

  “I told you, I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  Anger was fuming from his fluid green eyes. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah!”

  “Either you get in willingly or—“

  “Or what? You’re going to make me? You’re going to do it by any means necessary?” I air quoted. “Isn’t that your M.O.? Well guess what? Fuck you, Aiden Raine. I’d rather walk.” I spun around and stomped away, only making a few steps before he’d picked me up again.

  He opened the car door. “Get in!” He was furious.

  I looked up into his stormy eyes. He was getting madder by the second. I tried to bolt again and he grabbed me again. “You’re really pissing me off, Aria.”

  I looked around, considering my escape and quickly surmised that there wasn’t one. I also noticed that our drama had drawn the interest of several people. Aiden stood over me fuming and unaware of the two police officers headed our way. I considered how this could possibly play out. I may have been inebriated but I was coherent enough to know this would not end well for me if I didn’t go along with him. The last thing I needed was for this to end up as an official record that he could use against me in court.

  Letting out a sigh, I gave up. He followed me to the passenger side and stood beside the door. He didn’t look at me; he looked over my head as he waited for me to follow his fucking orders. It infuriated me, but it wasn’t worth another fight. I slid into the car, and he promptly closed the door and stalked to the driver side.

  “Put on your seat belt,” he ordered when he’d closed his door.

  “You put on your seat belt, asshole.”

  “If you continue to behave like a child, I’ll continue to treat you like one.”

  “As if you know anything about how to treat a child. The fact that you’re forcing your child’s mother to reside in a hostile environment tells much of your parenting.”

  “I could say the same of your behavior tonight.”

  “Fuck you.” I secured my seat belt and stared out the window. The first few moments of our car ride were quiet. It was uncomfortable. I was relieved when he flipped on some music.