Aiden (Grim Sinners MC Book 4)

by LeAnn Ashers

  I pull back and look at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

  “She is going to have you.”

  “You're so damn sweet to me, Aiden.” I kiss him softly before letting him hold me for a few minutes. I love feeling so safe in his arms; it’s like everything outside of those arms just melts away.

  “I need to fix her some food.” I finally pull away and he follows me into the kitchen, where we make her a sandwich and a glass of milk.

  “Her house didn’t have anything but a box of crackers,” he informs me.

  “Luckily, the center fed her and sent food home.” I am beyond thankful for that.

  I hear the creak of the steps, and I anxiously wait for her to walk into the kitchen. She steps inside, her hair wet, in a pair of pajamas.

  “Hi, honey. Do you want to eat in here or in the living room?” I ask her.

  She thinks for a second. “Is the living room okay?”

  “Of course!” I take the plate and her drink, and I follow her into the living room. I set the food on the coffee table.

  Aiden comes out, a second later, with some pills. “Here’s some Tylenol, honey.” He sets it down for her.

  We all sit down on the couch, and she is in the middle between me and Aiden. I can tell she is unsure.

  “So do you want to watch The Mummy? It was my favorite show when I was your age.”

  “Really? I love that movie!”

  I click on the TV.

  She finishes all her food and settles in, her head lying against the back of the couch.

  “Do you want a blanket?” Aiden asks her.

  “Yes,” she says timidly.

  He takes the blanket off the back of the couch and lays it over her gently. She looks at him fully for the first time. I could tell that she was unsure of him.

  Aiden does look a little scary with all of the tattoos and being a big guy, and it’s natural for her to be wary of him after being beaten by her stepdad. But Aiden is just a big softy.

  “Thank you,” she says.

  He smiles at her. “You’re very welcome, sweetheart.”

  She returns his smile, and her little shoulders drop as some of her anxiety is lifted.

  An hour into the movie, I notice her eyes closing every few seconds. She finally gives in and scoots over until she is lying against Aiden. I cover my mouth at the sight of his shocked face, and I try not to laugh. He pushes her hair out of her face.

  “Do you want to carry her to her room?” I whisper softly so she doesn’t wake up.

  Aiden picks her up off the couch, and she clutches onto the blanket and brings it up to her neck. Her eyes widen as she takes everything in. I make sure to reassure her of what is happening. “Aiden is carrying you to your room, honey. You fell asleep.”

  “Okay.” She yawns, and I walk ahead of them to her bedroom and pull back the blankets.

  Aiden gently lays her in her bed, covering her up. I love seeing how kind he is. He is a dad right down to his core and the very best kind.

  She looks up at him and reaches out to take his hand. “Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

  My heart warms. “I will go check on Reid.”

  Aiden

  She wants me to stay with her, so I sit on the floor by her bed, still holding her hand. “You’re scared?” I ask.

  She nods. “I’m scared because this is different from everything I know.”

  “I bet it is, honey. Just know nothing will ever hurt you again. I will make sure of it.”

  She studies me for a minute. “I think I know that. I’m just sad because of my mommy. She left me.”

  My fucking heart breaks into a million pieces. I cannot fathom the thought of leaving Reid, and I can’t stand the thought of leaving Leah.

  I smooth her hair off her face. “I know she did, baby. I’m so sorry for that. I won’t ever leave you, and Gracelyn won’t either.”

  She nods and a tear falls down her face. I catch it and she smiles. She takes my hand and wraps both of hers around it. “I believe you. I think I’m going to be happy.”

  Fuck if I am not about to cry; this shit is so sad. “I will make sure of it, angel.”

  She closes her eyes, and her smile doesn’t leave her face.

  12

  Grace

  When I wake up the next morning, Aiden is still asleep. He stayed with her for an hour last night, and I sat outside the door listening to them talk.

  I love that she feels safe around him; I know the feeling all too well. Aiden just has a presence about him that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay.

  I look at the clock on the wall—eight o’clock. I groan and rub my eyes, resting my face on Aiden’s chest.

  “What time is it?” he asks and I yawn.

  “It’s eight o’clock.”

  “Lane will be here in thirty minutes with all the paperwork.”

  Waiting for Lane is torture. I want to get all of this settled before someone comes along and tries to take Leah from me. I know that is not really possible though. If anyone in her family really cared about her well-being, they would have taken her in long before now. And she told me she has no family.

  Lane knocks on the door before he steps inside the house. Reid has woken up already, and I’m cuddling him on the couch, feeding him a bottle.

  Leah is still fast asleep. Before last night, I’m sure she hadn’t slept well in a long time. If you’re in a dangerous situation, you never fully rest. You’re always alert and waiting.

  Lane sets the papers on the coffee table, and he points to some lines. “Both of you sign here and sign here, and it will be final.” I am beyond thankful for the MC connections at this moment. Aiden bends down and signs; then I shift Reid to my hip and sign too. Lane puts the papers in a folder, and he looks at both of us like he wants to say something.

  “You’re doing an amazing thing. It’s going to take some adjusting. I remember the story of a woman Lane had dated hid Tiffany from him for years and years until she was finally discovered.

  “We just want to make sure she has an amazing life. She deserves that,” I say.

  He looks upstairs. “She does…that shit should never happen. We are doing our best to make an impact when we can.” I am proud of the way the MC tries to help those who need it. Lane shakes Aiden’s hand and sees himself out.

  “Have you guys ever thought of setting up an office of specialized people who can track, monitor, and then track down human trafficking operations?” I ask, shifting Reid to my other arm and patting his back. “I mean it would be fitting. They could reach further than just this town. Further than Texas.”

  Aiden looks at me for a few beats before grinning. “You know, that is an amazing idea.” He takes out his phone and starts texting away.

  Footsteps on the stairs bring me out of my thoughts, and I look up and see Leah.

  “Good morning, honey, are you hungry?” I pat the couch next to me.

  She sits down and stares at the coffee table in a complete daze. I rub her back gently. “Honey.”

  She finally looks at me. Her eyes are red and puffy; I can tell she has been crying for hours. I put Reid into his walker and pull her to my chest, and she latches onto me, crying.

  Aiden comes back from the kitchen. He takes in the scene and slowly walks over and sits on Leah’s other side. I want to cry right along with her; I hate this so much. I hate that she is still hurting. This is such a huge adjustment for her, and I’m sure she is so confused.

  Aiden holds her hand and we sit in utter silence, aside from her crying and Reid smacking his hands on his toys.

  Little by little, her crying slows, and she lifts her head off my chest. “Are you okay?” I help her dry her tears.

  She nods, breathing deeply. “I’m sorry for crying like that.” Her face reddens, and I can tell she is embarrassed.

  Aiden touches her chin, getting her attention. “Never, ever be ashamed to show your emotions. There’s nothing wrong wi
th being sad, and there’s nothing wrong with crying. Do what is needed for you and not others.”

  My poor heart can’t handle any more of Aiden.

  “I am not sad because I miss my own home. I’m happy because I thought, at first, that I dreamt that I got out of there. When I walked downstairs and saw Grace, it hit me that everything is better.

  “Oh my sweetheart.” I hug her and Aiden hugs me, resting his head on top of mine.

  “How about we get dressed and all of us go out for breakfast before we go shopping?” I suggest and Leah’s eyes light up.

  “I would like that, Gracie.” She runs upstairs and I lean back into the couch, relaxing for a moment.

  “She is one tough little girl.”

  I nod. “It’s time for her to be a little girl.”

  Leah

  It feels like a dream; it’s like I’m going to wake up any second and I’ll be back at home. Last night, for the first time, I was not afraid. I used to be so scared to close my eyes, knowing he might barge into my room in a rage. He got mad at me over everything.

  My mom was always passed out in the living room, from the drugs she had taken, and I would only come out of my room to go to school. I never even ate the food they had bought; I used the food I got from the center.

  Now Grace said I am going shopping—I have never even been to the mall—and she mentioned getting breakfast. What would it be like to order any kind of food you want?

  I am sitting on my new bed, in my own room with a lock and my own bathroom. I can shower without the fear of someone just walking in.

  But, on the other hand, I am so scared. What if they get tired of me and just get rid of me?

  That is my worst fear.

  There’s a knock on my door, and I walk over and open it. Grace and Aiden are standing there with some papers in their hands.

  “Oh yeah, we forgot to tell you. We officially adopted you this morning.”

  “You mean?”

  They nod and it hits me that they’re not going to get rid of me. I am officially theirs, and there’s no going back from it.

  “I am going to get ready.” I grin and shut the door, and I walk over to my bed, grab my pillow, and scream into it. I can’t contain my excitement.

  Grace

  Leah’s eyes are huge as she takes in everything at the mall. I can tell she is overwhelmed, but I love that she grabs Aiden’s hand for comfort. It’s the small things that really matter; she’s letting me know that she trusts us.

  After we told her that she was officially adopted, we could hear her squealing with excitement inside her room.

  I am taking her into a kids’ clothing store. Aiden is sitting outside the store on one of the dad couches.

  Leah thumbs through every single one of the racks. She points to an outfit she likes, and we put it in the basket. Little by little, we have enough clothes for a brand-new wardrobe. We make sure to get accessories, undergarments, and toiletries for her.

  I love the look on her face; it’s like she is floating on air. She is staring at all her stuff in disbelief. I know how she is feeling. I remember when just getting a new outfit was a huge deal. All my clothes came from god knows where, and they were stained and full of holes. I am thankful for my grandparents, because I am able to live the life I live because of them.

  I know that Aiden would happily pay for all of this but, after much arguing, he agreed to let me pay for the clothes. He insisted on handling everything else.

  Next we will be getting things to decorate her room, a TV, and a cell phone—it’s important for all the MC kids to have one in case of an emergency. Plus I know she secretly really wants to talk to Tiffany. She is excited about Tiffany coming over to practice softball.

  “Tomorrow I have to go to the center. Do you still want to go?” I ask her, as we wait for everything to be rung up.

  “I know that I don’t have to be there anymore, but I still have friends that go there. I can help you help them.” She is the absolute sweetest.

  “Then it’s settled.” I press my palm to the top of her head, and she hugs me slightly.

  The total comes up on the screen. “It’s too much,” Leah tells me and tries to put some of the stuff back.

  “No, honey, this is just making up for all the things you never had,” I tell her softly .

  She agrees and I pay, and we walk out of the store with all our bags. Aiden is sitting on the couch looking beyond miserable. We were probably in there over two hours.

  Reid is sitting in Aiden’s lap, chewing on a teether. “How is my boy?” I ask and put my stuff down so I can pick him up and smother his face with kisses.

  “Did you girls have fun?” Aiden asks Leah. He is such a trooper. Not many people would be completely fine sitting there for hours.

  I put Reid back into his stroller. Aiden puts as many of the bags as he can in the compartment below the stroller, and he carries the rest.

  See? This is why you bring guys along!

  Leah is talking to Aiden every second about everything she got, including some biker boots.

  “Biker boots, huh?” He winks at me, and she goes into detail explaining everything. “You want to be a biker one day?” he asks her, dead serious.

  She rubs her arm with her thumb. I’ve noticed she does that when she is nervous. “I think so, but instead of carrying a gun I would like knives.”

  Aiden grins. “I think we can get you some knives so you can start practicing.”

  The rest of the day was a complete blur. We spent the whole day together, leaving our phones in the vehicle to avoid interruptions.

  Now Leah is in bed, Reid is asleep, and Aiden and I are lying together, watching TV. I’m exhausted.

  “Tomorrow I am going after your uncle.” Aiden is trailing his finger up and down my arm.

  I stare at the wall and ask myself why am I okay with this? But I know that everything happens for a reason, and I am the way I am because it’s meant to be that way.

  “Okay,” I say simply.

  I hold no real feelings toward these people but complete and utter hatred. I am not someone who generally hates people, but I hate them.

  Just the thought of my father makes me so sick to my stomach. When I was younger and still lived outside the city, I would pass him on the highway. I wanted so badly to push him off the road. I thought of many different ways to kill him.

  “You’re okay with this?” Aiden rolls me over onto my back so he is looking down at me.

  I bite my bottom lip for a second. “I’m fine with it.” I drag my hand from his shoulder to his forearm. “I have wanted both of them to suffer for a long time.”

  Over the years I barely remembered the details—until I got older and then, little by little, it started to come to me. When I was twenty-one I got to the point I was depressed and anxious all the time. I went to a therapist and that changed my life. I told them every single detail, and it was the most freeing experience of my life. But I still had issues with being touched until I met Aiden.

  He just had ways of making me feel so safe—all those walls just drifted down. “My uncle touched my cousins too but, as far as I know, I was the only kid my father did all of that to.”

  He closes his eyes, his jaw tight. I haven’t really given him that much detail because, honestly, it makes me feel embarrassed. I shouldn’t feel that way, but the instinct to feel shame is real. But now I need to let everything out. If Aiden is going to make them suffer, he needs to know all the details.

  I go into more depth about everything that happened to me sexually, verbally, and physically. Carrying all of this inside has been hard. Talking to therapists helped me a ton, but speaking to someone I love is different; it’s so much more personal.

  My fear that no one could love me ran deep. I knew Aiden wouldn’t leave me but, nonetheless, the fear is still there.

  He listens while I tell him all my fears and insecurities and, in the end, he just holds me and tells me I’m absolutely beaut
iful, strong, and amazing.

  Aiden

  The next day

  I am standing outside her uncle’s place, and the guys are surrounding the house. There is no escaping, especially since I found out that Grace was not the only girl he abused.

  We allowed him to grieve for a day or two after his wife’s funeral. Not that this was necessary. He has no soul. He is probably the one who put her in the hospital. Her medical records state the cause of death was blunt force trauma to her head.

  It hurts Grace that the only person in that family who cared for her died this way. She wanted Mary to get out of that family.

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” I taunt, waiting for him to come outside. One big mistake he made was living right in the middle of nowhere. This makes our job so much easier.

  A minute passes and the door opens, little by little, until I can see him standing in the doorframe. “You know why I’m here,” I tell him.

  He pales and raises his hands. “Why don’t you just leave me alone? My wife just died.”

  I roll my eyes. Does he think using her is really going to work? “We let you have a few days to grieve, and we both know how she really died, don’t we?”

  He drops his sad expression, knowing he’s been caught red-handed, and he steps further out onto the porch. My hands are itching to be wrapped around his neck. I want to choke the fucking life out of him, and I would enjoy every second of it.

  “Is the bitch really worth it?” he asks.

  I see red and, beside me, Wilder laughs. “Do you want to fucking die?” he says. He is surely asking for it.

  “Get your ass down, you have two options.”

  He walks down the stairs, like he isn’t seconds away from having his life taken from him. He stands in front of me cockily. I hate him so fucking much.

  “First I want you to call your brother. I want you to tell him that I’m coming for him.” He starts to argue, and I smash my fist into his mouth. “Do as I fucking ask!” I yell in his face.

  He slowly takes out his phone and dials the number. His eyes connect with mine, and I know his brother answered. “I have a message for you,” he starts and I nod, telling him to go on. “Aiden wants you to know that he is coming for you.” He hangs up, and I take the phone and throw it to the ground.