“What?”
“I started the motions for divorce.” Aiden watched me closely. “There’s a prenup.”
“I know, Richard told me.” I cut him off again.
Aiden looked at Raphe with a frown. “That could be a problem,” he told him.
“I’ll deal with the lawyer,” Raphe answered with a negligent wave of his hand.
Deal with him how? Despite this morning’s argument, Richard was still my friend. Wasn’t he? “Who are you?” I demanded, and I forced myself to stand strong when those icy blue eyes met mine and I felt fear slither down my spine.
“I’m no one.”
“Jem, can you please just listen?” Aiden asked me quietly.
“No.” I started to pace. “I’m asking the questions, and I want answers, proper answers,” I demanded, trying hard to ignore the snort from Murdery Pants.
I stared at both of them, and I just needed a moment to process. Aiden stood in the middle of the room in his dark grey three-piece suit, looking impeccable. The other one was wearing a black shirt and black dress pants, his shirt pulled tight over his shoulders, and even in my frenzied state, I recognised taut muscles. How I ever thought I was going to get the better of him if he had come into the room was beyond me. Thank goodness it was Aiden that I launched myself at. I still didn’t understand how it was Aiden who had told Murdery Murderson to get me. This didn’t make sense. I looked between the two of them, and the smile hovering over Creep of the Century’s face was making me angrier.
“How about I start, and then if you have questions, you can jump in?” Aiden suggested gently, talking to me like I was fragile. You are fragile, Jemma. Dickhead traumatised you! I avidly avoided looking at the dick on the sofa, who was laughing openly.
“Okay,” I nodded.
“I have been putting feelers out about my marriage contract,” Aiden said again. “I need to terminate that, and due to the contract, it will be costly for me to do so.”
“Lots of money.” I nodded sadly.
“He told you the amount?”
I bit my lip as I nodded. I was betraying a confidence, but Richard had betrayed me this morning when he suspended me. Aiden looked over at the scary one again, and I saw Raphe nod. I did not want to know what he just agreed to.
“As you can imagine, I don’t want to incur the charge.” Aiden smiled tightly. “Plus, there is the fact it would be considered disrespectful to her family.”
“Maybe they shouldn’t have bartered her for a debt then!” I snapped angrily. Honestly, what was wrong with these people?
“They didn’t,” Raphe spoke up. “Kat wanted the marriage. Her family isn’t particularly keen to have your boyfriend tied to them.”
“What?” I blinked. “She chose to do this?”
“Yes.” Aiden nodded. “She saw a business arrangement and jumped at the chance.”
“But you told me she was as much a pawn as you!”
“And that’s what I thought until San Diego.”
“What the hell happened in San Diego?” San Diego? Isn’t that a Blink-182 song? Jemma, you need to focus…I know this is a lot, but can you just…stop.
“I can’t tell you.” Aiden smiled at me gently. “I need you to trust me on that.”
“There are far too many secrets,” I muttered angrily. “What does this have to do with Murdery Psycho coming for me this morning and me being suspended?”
“Murdery psycho?” Raphe asked me, his eyes narrowing.
“What? You’re shocked I have a low opinion of you?” I glared at him. Much to my consternation, he laughed.
“Do you know Richard’s wife?” Aiden asked me.
“Of course I do. That day you frogmarched me in the rain to Lou’s, I was meeting Karen for lunch.”
“Really?” Aiden made a face and then continued. “Do you know her maiden name?”
“No, I only know her as Roberts.”
“It’s Vialli,” Raphe said with a grin.
“And?”
“She’s Kat’s sister,” Aiden informed me.
“What!” I knew my shriek was ear splitting. I saw both men wince. “That’s ridiculous.” I shook my head. “No, she saw you that day—she asked me who you were!”
“She’s only seen me once, and that was at the wedding. I didn’t stay long. “
“This is insane.” I sat down in disbelief. “That’s why Richard didn’t fight you on the roof repairs.” I snort laughed. “I thought it was because he trusted me to know the job.”
“I’m sure it was, Jem, but yeah, he’s one of the family.”
Richard was married into a criminal family? My mind was spinning. How had I never suspected? Well, it isn’t something you think of, is it? It’s not like there’s a quiz! Ten ways in which to identify a criminal family syndicate.
“So I got suspended the day after you and Kat had a fight in my apartment,” I guessed miserably.
“Yes. It would seem so. Karen doesn’t get involved much, but Kat is her little sister after all.” Aiden looked at me apologetically. “I didn’t think you would know, and I didn’t think I should be the one to tell you.”
“Why would you not tell me this? I almost told him everything!” I was on my feet again.
“I didn’t think it would be relevant.”
“Ugh, you’re just…insufferable.” I rubbed my arms. It was so cold in here. “Seriously, can she not afford heating?”
“Who?”
“Your wife who isn’t your wife but who lives next door to you,” I grumbled.
“This is my penthouse.”
“Why does he have fingertip access to your penthouse!” I yelled. Raphe was grinning again, and I realised I may actually hate him. For a serial killer, he was certainly happy. Just underlined his psychotic-ness, if you asked me.
“It’s complicated,” Aiden offered.
“Is there anything that isn’t complicated?” I asked with heavy sarcasm. “Why am I here?” I asked tiredly.
“I wasn’t sure if there would be repercussions,” Aiden said as he watched me closely.
“Repercussions from what?” I looked at him in confusion. “Yesterday?”
“No, the papers were served today.”
My eyes widened, and I looked at him in shock. “You have ten million dollars?”
Aiden looked at me, barely concealing his amusement. “I won’t go into the details, but I do believe I have the penalty covered.”
“If you had that money, why haven’t you already done this? Why am I here? And why did he kidnap me?”
“He didn’t kidnap you,” Raphe spoke up. “I saved you from being held against your will.”
“You think what I went through today was voluntary?” I looked at him incredulously.
“Oh please, cupcake, you got it easy.”
“I told you not to call me that.” I was back to glaring at him. “And what part of this was easy? If you weren’t set out to harm me, why couldn’t you explain in the car? Or here? Instead of locking me into a room that I couldn’t get out of?”
“Because you yap like a deranged chihuahua,” Raphe said dryly. “I couldn’t be bothered listening to you.”
“Aiden…” I looked at him with pleading eyes. “I can’t stay here with him grinning at me.”
Aiden looked at Raphe and sighed. “He has to stay for the moment.” He came over to me and rubbed my shoulder in a conciliatory manner. It did not help me. “But you don’t need to stay in the same room with him,” he conceded. “Do you want to watch TV or something?”
“No!” I was going to kill both of them. “I don’t want to watch TV. I don’t want to be here with him, and at the moment, I don’t want to be here with you.” I ran my hands over my face. “There are far too many secrets, too many lies, too many half-truths. If you can’t tell me everything—tell me nothing.” I raised my eyes to meet Aiden’s concerned gaze. “I want to go home.”
Raphe snorted.
“What is your problem?�
�� I demanded.
“You.” His eyes ran over me, and I was suddenly reminded how dangerous he looked. “We’re protecting you, you stupid little girl.”
“I have to be a few years younger than you at most. And what are you protecting me from?”
“Katalina Vialli,” Raphe said coldly. “You think the daughter of a mob boss is going to let someone like you take her husband?” He laughed with no humour. “She’s embarrassed. Humiliated. Her father is questioning her skills, because not only does her husband disrespect her and the family at every turn, now she has a secretary to contend with? She’s out for blood, and it’s your blood she wants.”
“I’m a PA.” Yup, that was exactly what you should have focused on from that speech.
“You’re insignificant.” Raphe looked away from me in disgust.
Aiden pulled me into him. “You’re not insignificant. That’s the problem for Kat.” He kissed my head. “You’re mine, and she doesn’t like to lose.”
“Maybe you should have just had sex with her.” I was only semi-joking.
“What?” Raphe’s look was hard.
“She wanted to sleep with Aiden. She asked for one night, and she would give him a divorce.”
“You should have fucked her,” Raphe bit out harshly.
“You know I wouldn’t,” Aiden told him, and the two of them seemed to have a conversation between themselves without saying a word.
“Aiden.” I tugged his arm. “I want to go home.”
“It isn’t safe for you,” he told me miserably.
“Then let me tell Tyler.”
“Who?” Raphe asked Aiden.
“The cop,” Aiden said with a tired shake of his head.
It suddenly dawned on me I had never told Aiden this. “How do you know Tyler is a policeman?” I asked warily.
Aiden gave me an apologetic smile. “I may have had them checked out.”
He did what? “I want to go to Tyler,” I said with determination.
“The cop?” Raphe asked me with a light laugh. “Absolutely fucking not. Are you stupid?”
“You don’t tell me what to do.” I looked at Aiden.
“I really do, cupcake.”
“Aiden—”
“Shut up,” Raphe barked at me. “Get this spoiled little brat under control, Aiden, or I will.”
“I already told you not to talk to her like that.” Aiden gave Raphe a hard look before he turned to me. “Come on, you need to lie down.” Aiden took my hand and started to walk towards the stairs. When I went to pull away, his hold tightened. We went up the stairs, and we walked past the door I had been in. Well, I think we did, there were a lot of doors. Aiden opened a set of double doors and led me into what I realised was his bedroom.
The room was amazing. I looked around at the white and black finishes of the room. It was decadent yet welcoming. I wasn’t even sure how the contrast worked, where the masculinity of the room faded into somewhat almost feminine touches. And the view. My goodness, the view was stunning. Aiden closed the door behind me as I stared in wonder at the room.
“You want to lie down?”
“No,” I answered even as I sat on the biggest bed I had ever seen.
“Come on.” Aiden shirked his jacket off and unbuttoned his waistcoat. “Lie down with me.”
“I’m really, really angry at you.”
“I know, you can yell at me more if you like?” He smiled softly. “Just come lie down first.”
“No funny business,” I warned as I lay back on bedding that was obviously made from clouds.
“No funny business.” Aiden bit his lip to stop the smile, and I almost groaned at how sexy he was.
“So I’m in danger?” I started. “And not from the psycho killer downstairs?”
“Raphe isn’t psycho.”
“I notice how you don’t clear his name of killer,” I teased and then saw Aiden’s face and blanched. “Oh.”
Aiden kicked his shoes off and then was pulling me into his side. “You okay, babe?”
“No.”
“I know, I’m sorry, I didn’t know he would be so heavy-handed.”
“You thought he would give me flowers?” I asked irritably.
“He was to watch you, but he told me you came out of the building, and he saw two of Vialli’s guys coming for you. So he acted.”
“I don’t understand why I’m important.” I turned to look up at Aiden. “Despite his terminology, I really am no one.”
“You’re someone.” His hand caressed my face. “You’re important to me.”
Oh shut up. How am I supposed to be all righteous anger if you’re all loveable and saying shit like that? “Which still doesn’t explain anything,” I reminded him as I tried to ignore the squirmy feelings I was having at his words. “And how come you’re safe? I mean are you even safe?”
“I can get out of the marriage, we just need consent from Kat and then it’s done.” Aiden rolled over to prop his head on his hand as he looked down at me. “Her father is only interested in the money.”
“She’ll never do that though!” I wailed. “She wants you to be miserable.”
“Yes, she may. Which is why we’re protecting you.” Aiden nodded. “But her father likes money, and money is what he’s been offered.”
“You’re waiting for her father to make her do it?” I guessed.
“He’s very influential in her life.”
“Tyrant?”
“No.” Aiden smiled. “He’s actually quite pleasant.” Aiden laughed lightly. “If you ignore the other things.”
“Uh-huh.” I rolled my eyes. “Like psycho downstairs.”
“He’s an acquired taste.”
“I don’t want to spend that much time with him to find out,” I said honestly.
“I know.”
“When does he go?”
“Soon.”
“Aiden—”
His lips cut me off, and his kiss was soft but persistent. I did resist. I did. It may have only been a few nanoseconds, but it was resistance. The events of today, the adrenaline, the fear, it all came out when he kissed me. It didn’t make sense to me, but I opened up to him, and he took control of my surrender with his normal assertiveness.
His hand slipped up my skirt, stroking me outside my tights, and he had me moaning into his mouth. “I need inside you, Jem,” Aiden whispered into my neck as his tongue and lips travelled over my skin.
“No, I’m not having sex with you.” Oh God, who was I kidding?
“Do you know how long I’ve wanted you in my bed?” Aiden asked me as he sat up and looked down at me. “Far too fucking long.”
His hands tugged at my tights, and then they were dragging down my legs. I’d kicked my shoes off when I got on the bed, so Aiden drew one leg up and untangled my foot from my stocking. With free rein and me seemingly incapable to stop him, his hands were running over my bare legs and then tugging on my panties.
“Aiden,” I gasped as his fingers slid through my wetness. “The murdery one is still downstairs.”
“Shh, he can’t hear.” Aiden’s tongue replaced where his fingers had been before, and I resented myself for how easily I widened my legs for him. “God, you taste so fucking good, Jem,” Aiden murmured as he licked at my core. My moans were ridiculous; I was embarrassed for myself as he continued to reduce me to a panting mess. My skirt was removed—I don’t even know how he did it. My top was pushed up along with my bra, and then he was at my entrance, pushing in.
I looked up at him, and his shirt was unbuttoned but hanging off his shoulders, and I could see his arm tattoo. His pants were at his knees, not even taken off. “Aiden.” My back arched as he slid all the way in. “God!”
“Your pussy is the best place to be,” he told me as he teased my nipple with his tongue. “I fucking love this.” His hips started to move faster, and I cried out in pleasure as he slammed into me. “That’s it, baby,” he encouraged me. “Moan for me.”
If som
eone had said to me this morning, you’re going to get kidnapped, locked in a room, and then Aiden’s going to have mind-blowing sex with you after you’re free, I would have been knocking on Tyler’s door, asking for protection from the crazy person. But no, the crazy person was me. Because I was begging Aiden to give me more as my nails were digging into his forearms as he moved over me. Suddenly, I was on my knees as he flipped me over and slammed into me. His hand slapped my ass as he did so, and I didn’t even complain, because I was too busy screaming into the pillows as I finally crested the precipice. I screamed out again as Aiden’s mouth was on my sex, lapping at my centre as I squirmed underneath him. Another orgasm hit me from nowhere, and I clutched the sheets as extreme pleasure coursed through my veins and over my body.
He was inside me again, moving relentlessly as I almost sobbed with pleasure. Long fingers gripped my hips as he thrust, each one feeling deeper than the last. “Fucking hell, Jemma.” I heard him groan. “Fuck!” His fingers tightened, and I winced from the pain, but the orgasm was building again within me. We both exploded at the same time, and as I collapsed completely on the bed, Aiden rolled us over so we were on our side, still joined together.
“You weren’t supposed to be able to do that,” I breathed out, trying to control my panting. “I’m still not talking to you.”
“I can’t resist you.” He chuckled behind me. “And we didn’t really speak.” I felt him kiss the back of my head.
“You didn’t speak, but fuck you were loud.”
I screamed as I scrambled to cover myself, and Aiden glared at Raphe, who stood casually in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. “Soundproof rooms only work with closed doors.”
“You watched?” I cast him an accusing glare.
“If you’re gonna put on a show, cupcake, you can’t complain about spectators.”
“Raphe!” Aiden barked as he stood and pulled his pants up.
“I heard you.” He smirked at me. “I didn’t see fuck all. Peeping Tom isn’t really my style.” He winked at me, and it was not in a flirty or friendly way. “Still, your lungs are healthy, makes me wonder why you didn’t use them earlier.”
Her Greatest Mistake Page 28
