Bought by the Badman

by Hayley Faiman

  I thread my fingers through his hair with a moan, holding onto him as he makes love to me. That’s exactly what he’s doing, there is zero urgency to his momentum. He’s taking his time, slowly and carefully to please me. I allow it, happily, closing my eyes as I lie back on the bed.

  My body slowly heats, building higher and higher toward my release. I know when it happens it’s going to be long and it’s going to feel amazing. Aidan continues with his ministrations, never speeding up or slowing down, keeping his same rhythm until I finally fall over the edge, crying out as I come.

  Shaking, I release my grip on his head. He kisses up my stomach, then my neck until he slips his arms around my back and buries his face in my neck. His breath is hot, and his weight heavy, but I never want him to leave.

  “I love you, Giovanna. Remember that,” he rasps against my skin.

  I run my fingers up his back, wishing that he’d taken his shirt off. “Love you, too, Aidan,” I exhale.

  We stay like this for the next several minutes, then he slowly stands to his feet. “The driver should be back from school soon with the kids. I don’t know what’s in the refrigerator for dinner. What if we go out tonight to celebrate you moving in?” he asks.

  My mouth opens slightly in surprise before I smile. “All of us?” I breathe.

  He smirks, then gives me a wink. “How about the whole fucking family? I’ll call the brothers.”

  “Oh, no, it’s too short of notice,” I gasp.

  He chuckles. “We’re a big close family. They’ll be happy to come, especially if I’m footing the bill. I’ll call my sister, too, but I don’t expect her Russian will bring her. Maybe though,” he shrugs.

  I watch him walk around the room, picking up my jeans and panties, then handing them to me. “Dress up if you want to, A rùnsearc.”

  A smile curves on my lips. “Okay,” I breathe.

  “Remember the wedding is coming up. Your dress is hanging up in Elowen’s closet. I’ll try finding a new decorator, too, maybe tomorrow,” he offers. “I sure as fuck am not letting that cunt back into my house.”

  I can’t stop the giggle that escapes from his obvious dislike of the blonde bitch. He grins, reaching for my hand, then pulls me up and against his chest. “I know you were jealous,” he whispers, running his nose alongside my own. “It was sexy as fuck, A rùnsearc.”

  I gasp, trying to act offended, but I’m not. I was jealous, and it surprised me, and on top of that, I didn’t like how it felt. I wanted to pull her hair and claw her eyes out. Then I wanted to stomp on her with my heel, I felt downright violent.

  “Being jealous isn’t a pretty thing,” I admit, downcasting my eyes.

  Aidan chuckles. His hand slides up my back and he gently tugs my head back by my hair. “Vanna, if a man were that close to you, touching you and flirting with you, I’d have shot him dead where he sat. It may not be a pretty thing, but it’s a fucking real thing. You were jealous, and I loved it. Now if you were jealous all day every day of every single woman I came into contact with and tried to control me and acted like a fucking nut, then we’d have problems. But today, it was cute,” he smirks.

  I shake my head. “It wasn’t, and you’re terrible,” I exhale.

  His lips touch mine, his tongue sneaking out to taste me before he releases me. “Let’s go downstairs and wait for the kids. I’ll call the brothers, and then we’ll get ready, have some good food and good company, that sound okay?”

  My smile is bigger than anything I’ve ever felt before, it’s so big that my cheeks actually hurt. “Yeah, that sounds amazing,” I breathe.

  I press my thighs together, wishing that our evening included something else as well. However, I’m still aching, and I want to be fully healed before Aidan re-claims me completely. I don’t want the marks of another man’s crazy littering my body. I only want his marks, only his touch, and only him—forever.

  We walk downstairs, hand-in-hand, and I look down. Maybe I do want his ring on my finger. I never thought that it would mean anything, that I would need something like that, but I can’t deny that it would be nice to have that token of his love to look at any time I wished it. Nothing huge, maybe just a simple thin rose gold band.

  Just as I’m thinking about the jewelry, the front door swings open and all four kids come rushing into the house. Every single one of them comes over to me and hugs me before they proceed to simultaneously, tell me about their day. It’s completely deafening, and perfect all at the same time.

  It’s everything I have ever wished for, and nothing I dared to imagine all at once.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  AIDAN

  Her head is bent, and I watch her talk to Elowen. Every time that I look at her, she seems to become even more beautiful than the last. She’s like a flower, blooming before my eyes. What was once a beautiful shell is now blossoming. The way she clearly adores my children and has welcomed them without reservation into her heart, that has made her ten times more attractive to me.

  “You are truly gone, brother,” Mannix chuckles from beside me.

  I grin, turning my head to face him. “I am,” I admit.

  The family dinner is loud, and I’m glad for the private room we have, otherwise, I’m sure we’d be getting sideways glances from the rest of the patrons. I’m not upset by the sheer volume in the room, though. I’m happy to hear it.

  A big, happy family, it’s something we haven’t ever really been. Sure, we did Sunday dinners with my father, but the kids were always threatened within an inch of their lives to be seen and not heard, something my father demanded.

  Personally, I feel like the louder the better. When can you be loud, if not being a fucking kid? Giovanna lifts her head from Elowen, and looks up at me, a smile playing on her lips. I’m sure the two girls are up to something, possibly something no good, but I could give a shit less.

  “Nothing about that missing shipment still?” Mannix asks under his breath.

  I grunt. “Out of the fucking cash. Goddamn, I’m pissed about it, too,” I admit. “I want to know where the fuck it went,” I grumble.

  “We all do. We’re all out of the money,” he mumbles.

  I snort. “I don’t want it to happen again. Once is enough,” I state.

  “Agreed.”

  I stare off into space, not really seeing anything around me as I think about Casey Walsh, his women, and the fact that he stole my product and left not a single fucking breadcrumb of a trail. He wasn’t a smart enough man to do it on his own, he had help, somehow.

  I just can’t connect the dots to figure out who the fuck helped him. We’ve combed through his phone, his computer, and his bitches’ phones and computers to no avail. It doesn’t fucking make sense, and that’s what is the fucker of it all.

  “Dad,” a voice calls. It takes me out of my thoughts, and I turn my head to see Isla standing next to me.

  I hum, my eyes focusing on her gaze. She looks so much like her mother that it should upset me to even look at her, but it doesn’t. I only see the beauty her mother held, instead of the sour, jaded, selfish aspects of her.

  My Isla is all that is good in the world, she harbors none of the bad traits from either me or her mother. I thank God for that.

  “Yes, my sweet?” I ask, lowering my head.

  She slips her little arms around my neck and gives me a tight hug. “Thank you for saving Vanna,” she whispers.

  Then as quickly as the moment comes on, it’s gone. She releases me with a giggle and runs off to play with her cousins. I track her for a moment, a smile tugging at my lips. Then my eyes find Giovanna’s. She gives me a smile and I lift my chin for her to come over to me. She understands my gentle demand and stands immediately.

  Spreading my arms open once she arrives at my side, she sinks into my lap. Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her close to me, enjoying the moment. My brother chuckles from beside me, but I ignore him. This must be what heaven feels like, although I’ll never really know b
ecause my sins are greater than a normal man’s. I’m sure I’ll be joining my father in hell, but if I can make heaven on earth, then I will.

  “You seem off, Caro,” Giovanna remarks, her hand wrapping around the side of my neck.

  I hum, leaning against her hand with a sigh. “Just enjoying the moment, A rùnsearc,” I truthfully admit.

  “Let’s go home, it’s late.”

  My fingers grip her waist tighter and I let out a soft grunt. “I’m hanging on by a thread, Vanna,” I admit.

  “I’ll take care of you tonight, Aid,” she pants.

  I chuckle, holding her a bit tighter, assuredly leaving bruises on her body. “You always take good care of me, Vanna.”

  She gives me a smile, leaning forward and brushing her lips with mine. Without another word, I stand, placing her on her feet. “Let’s go home,” I rasp.

  It doesn’t take us long to gather the children and say our goodnights. Everybody else has the same idea, as the night is getting late. Once we’re outside, we make our way toward the SUV. I don’t drive it often, unless all of the kids go with me somewhere, as I prefer the easy mobility of my car.

  The drive home is quiet, all of the children in different states of tiredness. Isla and Ronan are passed out asleep, and the elder two children are staring out the window, their eyelids obviously heavy as I glance at them through the rearview mirror.

  Once we’re home, we quickly gather the children and get them into their beds. By the time we make it into our room, I can see just how tired my A rùnsearc is. I don’t cash in on her promise of taking care of me, not tonight anyway. I take her in my arms, holding her against my chest, glad just to have her in my grasp. I happily, fall asleep almost instantly.

  GIOVANNA

  Noah’s eyes widen as he walks into the foyer of the home, then I watch as his nose crinkles. I know immediately that I like him. He thinks this place is over-the-top as well. “Hello, Ms. O’Neil, I’m Noah,” he offers, holding out his hand.

  “Just call me Giovanna or Vanna,” I offer, taking his hand.

  He smirks as his eyes dance around the house. “Please tell me we get to change all of this pretentious bullshit?”

  I can’t contain my laugh, which turns into a giggle. “God, yes, let’s.” I grin.

  We walk into the living room and he makes a fake gagging noise as he sits down. We spend the rest of the afternoon going over ideas, and he shows me his impressive portfolio. I can already tell that I’m going to love working with him.

  His style is exactly what I want, stylish and classic, yet comfortable. I want the kids to feel like they can laze around the living room, and I want to feel comfortable myself, walking around barefoot. As it is right now, I feel like I have to be perfect with each step I take, it isn’t a home.

  “What’s going on in here?” Aidan’s deep voice rings.

  Noah stiffens next to me, but my face breaks out into a huge smile. “This is the new designer, Noah,” I explain.

  Aidan leans against the doorjamb, a smirk playing on his lips. “You’re happy, A rùnsearc?” he asks, his voice deep and husky.

  I nod, biting the corner of my lips. “Noah has a beautiful portfolio,” I offer.

  Aidan lifts his chin, turning his gaze to Noah. “No budget. Whatever she wants, yeah?”

  Noah clears his throat, but I can’t look away from Aidan. He turns to me and gives me a wink, then he pushes off of the jamb, turns, and walks away.

  “Well, that was semi-terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time,” Noah breathes.

  “Why?” I ask.

  He snorts. “Aidan O’Neil, that’s why. I know who he is.”

  “He’s like a teddy bear,” I wink.

  Noah barks out a laugh. “Yeah, a teddy bear wielding a machete.” Turning to him, it’s my turn to bark out a laugh.

  “Maybe you’re a little bit right,” I grin. He shakes his head with a laugh and then we get down to business.

  We spend the rest of the afternoon mapping out color schemes, and he pulls out his iPad so that we can shop a little online. I’m having so much fun that I forget what time it even is. When the front door swings open and the children file inside, I’m surprised.

  “I’ll get everything organized this evening. Then start to call crews in to tear down what needs to be torn down. Hopefully, we can start shopping tomorrow?” he asks.

  “That sounds great,” I agree, standing to my feet. He kisses each one of my cheeks and waves as he walks away.

  “Who was that?” Elowen asks.

  I explain that he is going to help redecorate as I twist my hands together in nervousness.

  “Really?” she breathes. “Can he do our rooms, too?” she asks.

  I’m a bit surprised by her request, but maybe I shouldn’t be. I’ve seen her room, and it’s very princessey for a girl of fourteen, almost fifteen. “If that’s what you would like, sure,” I smile.

  “Me, too, I’m tired of the little kid stuff in my room,” Caleb grunts.

  Even Ronan and Isla chime in with requests to change their own rooms. “What’s going on here?” Aidan asks as he walks into the living room.

  “We’re changing our rooms,” Elowen squeals.

  “You are?” he asks.

  I stand and walk over to him. “When they heard we were redecorating the house, they asked, I couldn’t tell them no,” I murmur.

  Aidan’s eyes almost glitter, they dance so much. He lifts his hand up to cup my cheek. “You’re a pushover, A rùnsearc,” he chuckles. “I can’t deny that I don’t love it, though. Change their rooms, nothing crazy though.”

  A smile twitches on my lips. “Nothing crazy, I promise.”

  Aidan shakes his head with a grin. He knows my promise is fairly empty. If the kids want something crazy, I’ll probably approve it. They own my heart, between them and Aidan, they own every single part of me.

  I’ll give all five of them the world if I have it to give.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  AIDAN

  A week into remodeling and I’m wondering why on earth I allowed this shit. The house is loud from morning to night. At least this weekend we get a little break from it as we have the weekend off from remodels to spend it celebrating Shaughan’s wedding.

  I’ve booked a hotel suite where the wedding reception will be held and asked Mannix and Nora to babysit the kids in a different suite for the evening. This weekend, I’m claiming my woman again. Her body has had time to heal, and now I’m going to show her that she’s completely mine, never to be touched by another again.

  “Let’s go, we’re going to be late,” I call out.

  We aren’t.

  However, I want to be early to get all settled into our rooms before the rehearsal dinner tonight.

  I keep my eyes trained on the staircase as my family slowly begins to trickle down. I have another surprise in store for this weekend, aside from spending alone time with Giovanna. I finally have a ring for her. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I squeeze the small box, unable to control my grin.

  “I hope I didn’t forget anything,” Giovanna mumbles as she grips her suitcase handle in her hand.

  My eyes widen as I look around. Each child has a suitcase, and Vanna has two. Then every person has a garment bag as well.

  Reaching for her bag, I take it from her grasp. “If you did, I would be surprised.”

  Her eyes narrow as she looks over at me. “It’s your brother’s wedding, I don’t want to forget a single thing. This is the first big family party I’m attending. I want everything to go perfectly,” she rambles.

  Taking a step closer to her, I wrap my hand around her waist, tipping my chin down and brushing my lips across her own. “A rùnsearc, I’m sure it will be perfect. You’re too stressed, c’mon let’s get on the road,” I smile against her lips.

  It takes us far longer than it should to load up into the SUV. I don’t complain about a single minute of it though, I’m too excited for what’s to come.
Once we’re on the road, I reach over and take Giovanna’s hand in mine. She gives me a squeeze and I just enjoy the ride to the hotel.

  We have to stop a few times for gas and bathroom breaks, but nothing can get me down. I’m waiting at the front door of the SUV when my phone rings. Frowning, I look at the number, not recognizing it. I almost ignore the call, but I decide to accept it, for whatever reason.

  “Hello?”

  “Aidan,” a female voice rasps.

  My brows knit together, I recognize that voice because I heard it every day for fifteen years. That voice belongs to my ex-wife. “How can I help you, Fallon?” I ask, keeping my voice even and low.

  “Did you get my letter?” she asks, her voice breathy, in an attempt to be sexy, I assume.

  I clear my throat, trying to hide my laugh. Her letter was laughable though. Not because I think that it was anything sincere, I know without a doubt that it wasn’t. It’s laughable that she thinks she can come back into my life, into our lives, that easily.

  “I did, Fallon,” I state, offering her nothing else.

  I hear her faint growl, knowing that I’m riling her up. “And?” she snaps.

  Letting out a breath, I shake my head. “I’ve met someone, Fallon. There’s no more us because there’s someone else,” I admit.

  “You don’t have a history with her like you do me. I deserve a second chance,” she grinds out.

  I squeeze the phone in my hand. “No, you really don’t. I gave you fifteen years of chances, and you shit all over them, time and time again. We are done, and you better not make an appearance. You know the rules,” I grind out.

  “We’ll see,” she warns. The line goes dead and I pull my phone away from my ear with a growl.

  “Do I want to know?” Giovanna asks from my side. She places her hand on my forearm and I let out a grunt.