When her breathing started to get back to normal and she didn’t sound like she was being chased by zombies, she wondered how it would feel if she could have felt his warm seed squirting her from the inside but that was something that would have to wait for another time, if ever. They were in a hell of a pickle, and a baby wouldn’t make their situation any better. Where in the hell was her mind going? Kids with a killer? Not that she was thinking about having a baby, her thoughts were more in the line of feeling him without the thin film of latex between them. That was almost as scary as trying for a baby. It wasn’t like most of her family and some of her friends weren’t in the same occupation as her current bed mate, but she’d done everything she could to stay away from this life. She’d distanced herself from her criminal father as much as she could and tried to lead a normal and healthy life, but without her knowledge, this thief of hearts stole hers away before she’d known who he really was. He thought there was no such thing as fate, but she knew differently. It was real, it was powerful, and it was non-negotiable. Whatever he thought was going on he’d have to deal with, but the one thing she did know was she must have done something really messed up because fate was kicking her ass.
CHAPTER TEN
There was a lot to be said for this relationship with Lorna but damned if he would say it. As a foster kid that had been left by his parents early on, he learned that nothing good stayed around long, and this woman that he’d inadvertently met while trying to compete a mission was no different. Aiden sat on the balcony as he waited for a call and tried to reel his thoughts away from Lorna and onto business that would keep her happy and her cousin not dead. Here he was on the run from his place of employment and the job he was set to complete. He’d come up with a plan to keep Lucca from getting killed, but in the end, he hoped he was able to draw breath on his own and not from a tube. Actually that would mean that he was alive and that is one thing he was hoping for, but not if he couldn’t at least see Lorna. She was the number one thing he was trying to keep safe. He was so lost in his thoughts when his phone rang, he almost dropped it. He pushed the button to answer it but didn’t say a word. It took a few seconds for the person to realize that there was going to be no voice with a cheerful greeting during this call.
“Aiden?” Lucca’s voice filled the line, and he knew that it was safe to talk. He’d gotten in touch with the man after they’d gotten to the cabin because he was going to need some assistance if this plan of his was going to work. It seemed that his mark would be an unlikely bed fellow for him, but he knew the man had a dog in this race and would appreciate being kept up to date.
“Yeah, it’s me. Did you talk to anyone with the Undertakers?” Those were the guys that would have to be alright with the plan since they set up the hit. It was practically suicide to give up the information Aiden had left with Lucca, and if there was a war started, it could probably be a black mark on the face of The Devil’s Stepbrothers, but what else could Aiden do? If he killed Lucca, there would be hell to pay from the Giovanni’s in general and Lorna in particular, but if he didn’t complete the mission, he would lose social standing with his mercenary motorcycle club and possibly his life. The life of a criminal wasn’t an easy one, and when the people in charge didn’t need a judge or jury to decide your fate, it made you think about all the actions you were making. Didn’t mean he’d make the right choice, as Aiden was notorious for making bad choices, but he would be aware that there were choices that had to be made.
“It’s in the works. How are you treating my cousin? There is a lot of speculation about what you’re doing and now it’s you that’s been marked. I’m hoping that you are far enough out of town not to be spotted, but I’m also wondering why you don’t just let Lorna go.” Lucca hadn’t been anything but helpful with this whole situation, and that was a feat. Aiden didn’t know if he’d be this pleasant with someone in the same situation. That the man had questions was understandable. Lorna and Lucca had a strong bond, and as much as she cared for him, it was apparent that he felt the same way about her. He’d not told Lucca about the phone that Lorna had. They didn’t need to be in such constant contact until they could all be cleared. It wasn’t like he didn’t trust him, but…. Fuck that, he didn’t trust him.
“It’s not that I’m keeping her here out of duress or holding her against her will.” That would be a concern of his if someone were holding his cousin in a cabin far away from her family and friends.
“Oh, I know that. If I thought that it wouldn’t matter where you were I’d find you and end your days here on earth. That’s not what I was asking. The fact of the matter is there is now a price on your head, and it would be lessened if not vanished if you just let Lorna go and be on your merry way. So why don’t you do that and save your ass the trouble?” Lucca didn’t pull punches when it came to his question, and Aiden liked that no bullshit directness the man had, but he wasn’t sure what to say that wouldn’t make him sound like a love sick puppy.
“That would be the best thing to do and don’t think I’ve not thought about it, but the fact of the matter remains that there would still be a marker for your death, and I wouldn’t want to leave like that for both Lorna and my sake.” He gave the man a direct truth back even if he omitted a few things about his feelings for the woman in the mix.
“What you’re saying is you’ve let the pussy pull you under its spell, and you’re not ready to let it go.” Lucca didn’t seem like he would be talking about his precious cousin like this, but Aiden wasn’t opposed to his way of talking. It also seemed like Lucca was good at reading situations or at least reading between the lines.
“That’s not how it is, man, and I don’t like you talking about Lorna like that. I know that’s your cousin, but show some respect. Yes. I am enjoying the time I’m spending with Lorna, and I’m not ready to let her go yet, but there is a reason why she is still here with me, and that reason is her own.” Aiden didn’t really want to talk to this man about his cousin because he didn’t really think their relationship was any of his business, and he just needed him to keep himself alive so he wouldn’t have to face what being a part of Lorna losing her cousin would mean for him.
“I’d like to talk to her if she’s available, and I didn’t mean any disrespect to Lorna. I just wanted to see where your head was at.” Lucca seemed to be changing his tune a bit or maybe he just wanted to hear from her that she wasn’t being kidnapped and used as a sex toy, but Aiden didn’t know if he was just using the time to get a grasp of their location. No honor among thieves was the saying that was coming to Aiden.
“She is asleep, but I’ll have her call you soon. I’ve got to get going, but you need to find out what’s going on with Leon since he’s not the big boss, but he’s the one that put the call for your head in the works.” Aiden waited for the man on the other end of the line to say something, but there was a large silence that filled the space.
“Leon?” Lucca sounded really puzzled about that one, but he didn’t go into detail about why. “I’ll see what I can do about that guy. In the meantime, you need to figure out what your escape plan is going to be. I know in my heart that Lorna wants to be there with you, but you can’t keep her. She’s a high maintenance broad, and you are low on the totem pole potatoes. Think about what her living her life with you will man for her. No woman wants to leave paradise for greasy diners no matter how well you’re laying the pipe.”
Aiden had already thought about that, and he didn’t have an answer or response for the man’s concerns. “Whatever, dude. I’ll tell her you want to talk to her when she gets up, and you keep me up to date on the status with Leon.”
When he disconnected the phone, it was all he could do not to hit something. He’d seen her home and the fancy items she always had with her. Hell, she went to the bank and withdrew sixty thousand dollars the morning before they left, and the teller didn’t even blink an eye when she said she wanted that in manageable bills. That was more than a lot of people made in a ye
ar, and she had it in her fun fund for easy access. Was that the kind of woman who would be happy with his hand to mouth way of life? Why was he even thinking about this any way? This was going to be a short term affair, and when he got himself out of this he wanted her to have fond memories of the hood rat she hooked up with for a while. To ask for anything more was dangerous because it couldn’t happen. She probably thought of this as a vacation from her regularly scheduled life… well minus the people after them and her precious cousin Lucca.
He heard the balcony door open and hoped that she hadn’t heard any of the conversation he’d just had with her cousin. It wasn’t something he wanted to worry her about even though she had a lot riding on what was going on as well. As far as he was concerned, they were going to treat this like a private getaway and just have fun. She didn’t need to be concerned about whether or not he was going to live or die because it looked like there was going to be too much mess to just allow him to fade into the sunset.
“Who were you talking to?” Lorna sounded sexy as her sleep husky voice made him rethink answering her question. It would be better if they just remained in bed or some other horizontal position where they wouldn’t have to go into this. He put on his most charming look and moved closer to her.
“Let’s not talk about that now.” He tried to see if his plan would work as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her warm neck. Was it the fact that they’d been together for the last few weeks with them being inseparable the last week that let him know that she wasn’t going to put up with this or maybe it was the way her body tightened up? Either way, he wasn’t surprised that she pushed him away.
“I’m not a child, Aiden. I appreciate the way you make me feel and I like that you take charge sometimes, but I have been handling myself for a good long while, and I won’t tolerate you treating me like I can’t handle grown up information.” She was spectacular when she was in a huff but damned if he would tell her that now. That one would put him on the couch or worse, and with him not knowing how much time they actually had together that wasn’t the best plan of action.
“I know you aren’t, but there is nothing that can be done by hashing out what I’m trying to do. There are a lot of pieces involved, and my main concern is keeping you safe.”
She looked into his eyes, and he knew she was trying to figure out if she should trust him or keep up the questions. Moving entirely out of his embrace, he didn’t know what she was going to do next, but he knew she wasn’t done.
“Who were you talking to?” she asked again as she sat on the lounge chair in the middle of the balcony.
There was no way he was going to be able to leave her totally out of it, so maybe if he gave her some information it would be enough. “I was talking to Lucca.”
Her wide eyes let him know that was not the answer she was expecting, and he watched her put that piece of information away like she was going to use it later. Sitting next to her on the edge of her chair, he watched her and could almost see the questions whizzing through her mind. She had a peaceful way about her, and he’d learned so much about her in the week they’d spent together. When they weren’t fucking on every flat surface, they’d talked about a lot of things.
“Lucca? Why? What was he saying? Are they looking for me? How is everyone?” She looked like she was starved for information about her family, and he wished he had a bit of family that would be worried about him. All he had was a group of guys that were getting impatient that he’d not done his job yet. He’d try to answer all of her questions to the best of his ability, but in all honesty there wasn’t really anything he and Lucca had talked about regarding her family or even if they were overly worried about her. This wasn’t a tea and crumpet conversation the two men were having, but she didn’t look like she realized that.
“Lucca wants to talk to you to make sure you’re alright and not being held here against your will.” He thought he would give her some information that she could deal with without going into what he did or didn’t know about her family.
“He knows that’s not the case. There is no way in the world he could think I’d withdraw as much money as I did from the bank for a kidnapper. I’d rather take the bullet.” She looked offended that Lucca would even suggest something like that but at least it took the wistful, homesick expression off her face.
Why her she-power ‘I will fuck something up’ facial expression made Aiden proud, he couldn’t say, but listening to his woman talking like a bad ass was quite a turn on. His woman? What the hell was wrong with him today? He couldn’t keep her; of that he had no question. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her, it was quite the opposite, but Lucca’s words just now hit him so hard because in the back of his mind that is exactly what he’d been thinking. He couldn’t give this woman the life that she deserved and had grown accustomed to. How long would it take before she regretted her decision to be with him? If she would even make that decision at all. This little getaway was funded by her, and he was sure she knew that he didn’t have this kind of money. Most kings didn’t have the money to live the way she’d purchased for them to live this past week. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy it, but he’d rather just have her.
“I’m sure he just wants some verification from you.” He attempted to settle her down from the perceived insult it sounded like she thought she received.
“I’d love to talk to him, but I’d really like to know what plans you have to get us out of this. I’m having a great time, but I know my mother and brothers are worried about me, and that makes me feel rotten. It’s not that I don’t have the greatest faith that you’ll get us out of this, but my mother has anxiety, and if her children are involved it’s doubled.” That she cared about her family and wanted them not to be concerned for her was very touching to Aiden who didn’t know exactly how family dynamics worked. He just stayed beside her while she worked out what was going on in her mind.
“Thanks for having such confidence in my ability to get us out of this, but after talking to Lucca and now you, maybe it would be best if you went home to your family.” Those words felt like broken glass as they traveled up his throat and out his mouth. He didn’t want to look at her too closely while he said them because he knew she’d see that he didn’t mean it. Not one word of it. He didn’t want her to leave him, he didn’t, but he knew that it might be better for her and much safer. She put her hand on his cheek gently turning him to face her, and he wanted to kiss her for all that she was and all that she did.
“You realize that I chose you over my family. I was told that they were going to kill you, and I escaped my home after knocking over my father and made sure you didn’t die. There will be hell to pay when I return… if I return, and that is going to happen whether we working things out with Lucca or not.” She looked away, and it was then that Aiden knew that there was more to this than he planned on. He was so busy trying to please Lorna and not have Lucca be killed, he’d forgotten what she’d done in this mess.
“Things are not the best right now, for either of us, but they can get better. You know your family loves you so you can’t be worried that you’re in grave danger,” he tried to gauge her response, but she looked so worried he wondered how it was in her family. “Do you think your father would kill you for saving me?”
She looked over the balcony like she could find the answer to the question in the beautiful sunset in the horizon. “I’ve never done any of the things I did before I left. I was always the one who did what I was told, and I did it without fuss. My family knows that I don’t like violence, so the outburst when I physically came at him, I’m sure, was shocking. Not only did I save a man who was going to kill my cousin, but I also knocked my father down because I thought he was going to hit me. The thing I didn’t tell you is when my father got up off the floor, there were at least 5 men with guns pointed at me. Lucca saved me that night so I could come and save you.”
“Things happen when tensions rise in a situation, and I’m sure that your fa
ther just wants to know that you haven’t been abducted and are alive and well.” He pulled her hand into his and was shocked at how cold it was. Maybe her body was reacting to the story she was telling and the fear was causing physical changes, but he wasn’t going to let her deal with this herself. He made her stand up so he could sit back on the chair and then wrap her up in his embrace.
The deep sigh was the only thing that let him know she appreciated what he’d done because she continued to look out into the distance. “I’d just like to make sure my cousin is not going to die because of any mark on his head and make sure you’re safe as well.”
“Thanks for thinking of my well-being but I think you are the one I want to make sure is alright. Do you think your father would hurt you? I asked that before, but you didn’t give me a straight answer. If I need to make additional plans to get you away from here, I can do that too.” He turned her to face him so he could judge the truth in her answer. “Let me be clear. Your answer to that question is going to change the way this all plays out.”
Insatiable - Devil's Stepbrothers MC Page 10
