Through the Lens

by Laura Sutton

  “Relax. Claire's right, we won't say anything.” Alyssa said. “I'm glad that you told me... us.” She smiled as she got up from the couch and came over to Topher, kissing him. “Is that all? All you are hiding?” She asked Topher looking down at him. “Your past that you told me... was it true?”

  “Yes, that's all and yes it was true. I've never lied to you and I never will.” Topher stood up kissing her deeply.

  Claire smiled watching the two of them. They were in love. Something that she always thought was just in the movies. She loved that her friend was happy. Claire looked and saw that Aidan was smiling and looking up at his brother and Alyssa. She had seen that same look when she saw him out in the snow after he scolded her for not paying attention and almost falling. Claire burned with questions but kept silent. The need was great to go back and look at the pictures that she just took after knowing the truth. They were family. Not a blood family but a family made up of people who wanted each other.

  Quickly they all went back to the reception and Claire went back to work. She changed out her almost full memory card with another card and went back to something that calmed her. Being behind her lens was something that filled her mind so she would not think about anything or anyone else. She gave a side glance at Aidan walking back into the reception.

  She did not understand why but knowing the truth, something changed in her eyes with Aidan. She had been attracted to the arrogant, emotionless, man the moment that he caught her in the snow, it is why she fought so hard to stay away from him. Remembering what he’d said in the room, she knew that an arrogant man would never have adopted a young girl after getting out of the system himself; or build a family as he had. He was commanding but he had a fierceness about protecting the ones he loved. Claire looked away quickly before he caught her staring and quickly got to work.

  The day passed by in a blur. Once the bride and groom were away on their official honeymoon, Claire was finally able to collapse into one of the abandoned chairs, as almost everyone had already gone. She really wanted a piece of the cake, but it was gone before she had a chance to grab a piece. She looked at her watch, surprised to see that is was dinner time. She had been going for almost ten hours. She kicked off her high heels and stretched out her legs. She hated wearing heels, especially while taking photos, she truly missed her colored converse shoes. She closed her eyes for a second and rubbed the back of her sore neck from where her camera strap had rubbed it almost raw.

  “Put this on your neck,” Aidan commanded as he handed her a bag of ice and a towel. “Eat this. You haven't touched any food this whole time.”

  Claire's eyes widened as she saw the cake. She would have said something about his commanding nature, but she couldn't get past the large slice of cake. He had been busy with his position the whole day, but he was still taking care of her. He’d been watching her close enough to know that she had not grabbed any food, not even a nibble from a passing tray. She grabbed the fork and dug in. Her first bite she leaned her head back as she moaned loudly, licking her lips. It was a couple seconds before she opened her eyes. “Thanks. I was mad I didn’t get a piece before it was gone.”

  “You were busy.”

  “I couldn't miss any of the shots... the memories. They are too important.”

  “You're big on memories. Capturing shots.” Claire just looked at him, taking another bite of cake, as he went on. “The picture you took of me in the snow... you captured something that is rarely seen.”

  “Why is that?”

  “It's the way I am,” Aidan said curtly.

  Claire nodded as she understood the way people were. The way that she had always found people to be. Knowing Aidan’s background made her more curious about him and why he was the way he was. She looked at him and a part of her imagined a life with him, finally safe and protected.

  “Dance with me.”

  His command jolted her from her thoughts.

  “I can't... my heels have officially killed my feet.”

  Aidan stood up, putting out his hand, “Dance with me. Shoes optional.”

  “There's no music.”

  Aidan raised his eyebrow as Claire smiled, giving up she took his hand. She had been thinking about what it would be like to dance with him since they had come back to the party. Walking out just a few steps to the dance floor. The cold marble floor felt nice on her aching feet and she was glad that she hadn’t put her shoes on.

  Music started to play as he slid his arm around her waist, grazing her back. Claire tensed at his touch. Claire tried to keep him a little away from her as he leads them around the dance floor. Soon she relaxed in his arms, making Aidan smirk. He pulled her closer to him. Looking down at her as she looked up into his eyes, staring. She parted her lips as she looked up to him.

  Aidan leaned down. Before touching his lips to hers, he barely breathed, “Ask me.”

  For several seconds Claire stood there, her mind rushing a million miles an hour. She knew the truth, she wanted him. “Kiss me.” She barely breathed, unable to take her eyes off of him.

  He closed the small gap between them as he lightly pressed his lips to Claire. Claire ran her hand farther around Aidan's waist and pulled herself closer to him.

  “So hasty,” he whispered through the kiss with a smirk.

  He kissed her as they had kissed in his living room. She felt like she was on fire all the way down to her toes. Aidan pulled away first, just enough to look at her in the eyes.

  “Come home with me.”

  “Yes,” Claire whispered before she could even think about it.

  Aidan smiled as he took her hand and led her off the dance floor. “Gather your stuff,” he said as Claire went over to table in the hallway. Grabbing her laptop, she pushed it into her bag with her special cords. She gently placed her camera into her camera bag and all the extra memory cards and put them into their cases within her case. Clinton walked over with a plate of food, “Where did you get that?” Claire asked at almost a whine. Her stomach growling.

  “Kitchen.” He said with a smile. “Oh, these all have wedding pictures on them.” He handed her a bag with more memory cards. “Want to go grab a drink? Little wedding celebration?” He wagged his eyebrows.

  “Sorry. I have... plans.”

  “Right.” He said looking at a hovering Aidan who was glaring at him. “See you later.” Clinton kissed her cheek and walked off. Claire goes to pick up the bag and Aidan takes it from her.

  “Have everything?” He asked, his shoulder very tense.

  “Yes.” Claire looks over to him. Giving him a quizzical look.

  Aidan handed the valet his ticket. He keeps watching her as his silver BMW i8 is driven over. Claire looked at the car with her jaw almost dropping. The car had all the right curves and she could almost see the pictures that she could take of the car. She ran her hand over the car as she walks to the passenger door. Aidan's hand on her back as he opened the door for her. Once she is inside Aidan strode to the driver's side.

  “Strap in tight.”

  Claire looks at him with a smile and snaps the latch and tugs on it. “Tight enough sir?”

  Aidan’s look was guarded. Something burned behind his eyes. “It'll do.” He said gruffly. She noticed that his voice had gone an octave lower. The sound of his voice made her stomach tighten again. She squeezed her legs tightly together, crossing her ankles. They drove over an hour; she knew that if they were going back to the city, she would be in this car for another two hours at least. Two hours of torture as she sat in the car with his hand resting on her thigh touching her sex area through her dress. She wished that her dress was not so tight. She bit the inside of her mouth as she looked over to him.

  Aidan slowed his car as they got off the interstate. He drove out into the country.

  “Are you a serial killer? Because the country drive, this late tonight, is getting kinda creepy.” Claire said as she looked out at the window to the darkness that surrounded the car.

&nbs
p; “Do you think that Topher or Alyssa would allow you to be left alone with a killer?” Aidan smirked as he looked over at her. He turned on the car’s high-beam lights.

  Slowly driving on a winding pathway, Claire gaped as she saw the mansion that sat in front of her. She looked around, this was not a hotel, it was a private residence.

  “You live here too?” Claire asked almost in a whisper.

  “I have many places,” he said huskily, “but this is closest.”

  Chapter Eight

  Inside the mansion, Claire could not help but be curious as she looked around the place. The ceilings stretched high as if they were reaching into the night sky. The wooden floors brought a feeling of home to it. She had expected a cold home seeing Aidan's gruff side, but she had a feeling that this was a look into the real Aidan. The walls were lined with different kinds of paintings. The man beside her was an art collector. The thought made her smile as she looked at all the pictures.

  “Care for some food? I've heard your stomach growling for almost an hour.” He smirked as he walked through one of the many archways that were inside the mansion.

  “Food sounds great. I didn't realize I hadn't eaten all day except for the cake you saved for me.” Claire smiled towards him. He was considerate and it was a strange feeling for her. “Alyssa usually has to remind me to eat since I normally forget when I'm working.”

  “You should set alarms. It's dangerous, forgetting to eat.”

  Claire looked at him. She could hear a memory in his voice. Something that she heard from herself many times.

  “I've grown used to it over the years,” Claire said in a whisper, her head hung low. She was not sure he heard her or if she even wanted him to know.

  She looked up as she heard the refrigerator open. She smiled as she saw kid pictures under magnets on the refrigerator. “Nice artwork.”

  “It's from one of the galleries that I support. The kids like to draw pictures. Plus, my nieces think that it's their own little art gallery. All our fridges are covered and change frequently.” Aidan said with a loving tone in his voice as he pulled out containers and dished the food onto plates and stuck them into the microwave.

  “So, this is your home? Not the apartment in Ashby Enterprises.”

  “I use both places. This is more a weekend spot if the business is slow. I can do any work I need to do from here, but I prefer to be in the office to deal with situations.”

  Claire sat there smiling when he put the plate in front of her and saw the chicken with sauce, vermicelli rice, and green beans. “You cook?”

  “No.”

  Claire looked at the food and let her mind wander as she took a bite. A few minutes passed as they ate in silence.

  “May I ask a question.”

  “You have asked several since we got here.”

  Claire smiled, resting her head in her hand. “How old are you?”

  Aidan chuckled, making Claire look up.

  “That was your question you were so nervous about?”

  “Um... yeah.” It wasn't but it was the safest question she could think on the fly. “Ella barely seems eighteen, so I wasn't sure.”

  “I'm 29. Ella is 19.”

  “How old was she when you adopted her?”

  “She just turned eight. She is like my daughter, though we all raised her in many ways. When I got out of the orphanage, I adopted her and Rebecca. Topher got out a couple months after I did. Kylie, six months later. I could not get her out sooner.”

  Claire could tell that he did not like that he could not get her out any sooner than he did. She could see his protectiveness of his family and respected him for allowing her and Alyssa to be brought in. “I like Ella.”

  “I know. She likes you too. Her exact words are 'I want a photoshoot.'”

  “You said no.”

  “No. Ella may do as she pleases. She is planning to wait until after the wedding and her classes end for the semester. She wanted something crazy I'm sure. She's a free spirit.”

  Claire finished her food on her plate, licking a little bit of sauce that was on her thumb. When she looked up Aidan had his eyes locked on her.

  He walked around the island that they are sitting at, leaning down he kissed her. She spread her legs to each side as he stepped closer to her, deepening the kiss. He clasped her thighs, lifting her into his arms. The tight dress riding high around her hips. Her purple satin panties rubbing against Aidan's shirt. The sensation making her groan as Aidan carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. Before she knew it, he's pulled back and lowers her to stand in front of him. “You are beautiful,” he complimented huskily as he moves a stray hair off her face and tucks it gently behind her ear.

  Claire blushes at his words. “So are you,” she barely whispers.

  He reaches for the zipper on the back of her dress. Sliding it down slowly, his fingers trailing her back as he keeps his eyes locked onto hers. His hands come to her shoulders as he gently slides each strap off her shoulder and the dress slides down her body, hitting the ground. She was glad for the first time that she had gone all out for her friend's wedding, getting a matching bra and underwear for the first time. At the time she was kicking herself but now she was glad that she was not in any of her old stuff. His hands ran down her arms, brushing her breast gingerly. He kissed her and her bra was falling to the floor to join the dress. Soon his hands were full, cupping her breasts. Her nipples hard with excitement as he laid her down on the bed and takes one nipple into his mouth as he massages the other breast.

  “Oh Aidan,” Claire moans, arching her back, feeling that she would explode in pleasure at any moment.

  “What do you want?” Aidan asked as he leaned up from her sensitive breast.

  “You,” she whimpers.

  He pulls himself up to her lips as he kisses her. Taking one of her wrists into his hand, as his weight settled on her almost naked body. He ended their kiss as he moved down her body.

  Her deep purple underwear still in place as Aidan moves his hand down grasping both sides of her hips, pulling the lacy underwear slowly down her legs and tosses them to the floor.

  “Spread your legs.” He started to kiss down her chest and stomach.

  Claire obeyed as her legs opened wide as his tender kisses were laid on her flat stomach.

  He joined her as he kissed her, his fingers stroking her gently as her wetness grew. Plunging two fingers into her, Claire gasped, closing her eyes in pleasure and biting her lip. His hands moved up to her neck as he kissed her deeply.

  The pleasure changes quickly the moment that her eyes shut. Memories, dreaded nightmares reared up like monsters. She could hear that voice in her ear, the screams in the darkness. Claire gasps as she struggles to move quickly. Aidan notices the change and quickly releases her so she doesn't hurt herself. She falls from the bed; Aidan tries to stop her but doesn't get to her in time. The moment that Claire hits the floor her eyes pop open and she sees Aidan's face not the monster's.

  “I'm sorry. So sorry.” Claire grabs her dress and runs from the room. She pulls on her dress over her head. She can't reach the zipper, but she doesn't care. She needs to run. Run far from those memories, from the humiliation of the attack, in front of Aidan. Run far from herself.

  Aidan sat on the bed, stunned, for one second as Claire ran from the room. “Claire, stop,” Aidan commanded. She didn't stop. She kept running even as the house alarm sounded when she opened the door. Aidan quickly turned off the alarm and ran after her.

  She did not have on any shoes and the driveway was hard beneath her feet, especially when a stray rock found the pad of her foot. She winced but the pain kept her running. Her breathing labored.

  “Claire, stop.” She could hear Aidan running behind her. Soon he had a hold of her arm.

  “Claire.” He spun her so she could see him. Seeing the fear in her eyes he let her go. It was a look that he had seen many times. “The driveway alone is six miles long. You may stay in the guest room, I won't
touch you, and tomorrow I will take you wherever you want to go. Please. It's dark and not safe out here alone.”

  Claire silently nodded in agreement as she hung her head. She could not believe those memories still haunted her. It had been four years since the last attack. She thought that she was ready to move on. To finally have a future but she knew the truth... those memories would always be there. She followed Aidan, holding her arms crossed in front of her.

  Aidan kept looking over at Claire. He saw the defeat in her shoulders and the fear earlier. What had happened to her? His protective nature was set off. He wanted to kill anyone who touched her, who hurt her. He never wanted to see that fear in her eyes again. He walked back in the door. The phone in his pocket vibrated, “Ashby. All is safe. I set the alarm off. Goodnight.” As quickly as he answered he hung up.

  Claire finally looked up at him, “I'm sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for,” Aidan said as he looked back. It was then that he noticed that she was bleeding, seeing her footprints on the wooden floor. “Shit.” He said picking her up. He felt her stiffen. “You've cut your foot.” He pushed open the door with his foot, getting the lights with his elbow. Claire saw that it was a huge bath. He sat her gingerly on the counter. “Stay here.” He commanded as he disappeared.

  Claire turned and saw a different reflection in the mirror. The haunted look in her eyes stared back at her. She saw her old self, a small broken girl with dirt on her face and starving sunken eyes. Scars, bruises, and handprints marred all her exposed skin. She was looking at herself when Aidan came back into the room with a t-shirt and a large first aid kit.

  He wet a washcloth, kneeling, he washed the bottom of her foot. Wetting a cotton ball, he gently put alcohol on the wound. When she gasped at the pain. He looked up about to say something but kept his mouth closed in a grim line. There was nothing else she could say but apologize again but she had already done it twice and she refused to allow herself to do it again. He pulled out the gauze and tape, wrapping her ankle and foot. Soon he moved to the other foot and washed it down. Luckily it wasn't cut but he still washed the dirt from it. Soon he stood up grabbing another washcloth and washed the tear streaks that ran down her face. “Put this on.” He gave her the t-shirt. “The guest bed is through that door.” He pointed to the second door in the bathroom. “If you need anything my room is just down the hall.”