14. Chapter 14
Saint
We get a driver to take the group to Aidan's place.
It didn't take much convincing and Logan, Dom, Bear, and Damián have joined us for the trip.
The latter offered to drive separately in a small rented moving truck, to have a vehicle where to pack Ames' things.
The rest of the guys, Ames, and I ride in a large SUV.
"Tell us the plan again," Dom says. "Whose ass are we kicking?"
"No one is kicking Aidan—" Ames tries, but I interrupt her.
"— without notice from Ames herself. But if someone is going to kick him, it should be Damián. His specialty is in punting balls, after all."
"Saint—" Ames starts to scold me, but I'm not intimidated. She's not successful at hiding her delight at my comment. "We're not here to be mean to Aidan. We're here to pick up the things I still have in his condo, and to make sure my piano makes it to Saint's place with no scratches."
She gives me a worried look. As we planned for this trip, she told me of this heirloom piece.
It once belonged to her grandmother and, when she moved in with Aidan, Ames brought it with her.
She offered to put it in a storage unit, not to have it getting in the way in my place.
I said it was nonsense and that we couldn't risk it getting damaged in a random glorified locker room without humidity control.
As usual, she didn't fully believe me when I said I didn't mind.
"Wait." Dom frowns. "You play piano?"
"I don't," Ames says, "but my grandmother did. I didn't spend enough time with her to learn, as she lived in Uruguay, but she left it to me. It's a connection to my roots, you know?"
"And are we sure we're not maiming Aidan?" Bear asks. "Not at all?"
"Not unless he refuses to release my stuff," she says. "In which case we're only intimidating him."
"We're perfectly set up," I explain. "Logan, you focus on scaring him with your murderous frown. Bear, you intimidate him with your size. Dom…"
I study the man who's a tight end. He's tall and muscled but has a friendly face, and I'm not sure he can play a fearsome role.
He stares at me like he takes offense at my hesitation.
"Dom, you do your best," I say. "At the very least, you can look pretty and challenge him that way."
Bear chuckles. Logan smirks. Ames laughs.
"Hey!" Dom complains. "I thought you're here to be the pretty one. Show Aidan you're a threat and you're living with his ex. Intimidate him that way. Who knows what you two get up to alone at night, right?"
I grin and gaze at Ames. "Should we put ideas in his head?"
She bites her lip, but there's a hint of humor and nerves in the gesture.
She settles for a nod. "That might be fun, if it comes to that. After throwing that smoothie in his hair, we all know I'm not above a little petty revenge."
"Then we'll see if it comes to that," I say.
Like I'm not neatly split in half, wondering if I should push it while in front of Aidan, or if I should be good and simply follow her lead.
We get to Aidan's building and wait until Damián arrives with the truck. Once he has parked in the right spot, the group goes up to the musician's condo. All of us carry armfuls of moving supplies, a few boxes and moving blankets included .
Aidan's condo is one of the larger ones on the top floor. We stop at his door.
I motion Ames forward with a wave of my hand, and give her a little bow. "Do you want to do the honors?"
She nods and rings the doorbell. "He'll be waiting."
Her eyes are locked on the door, and she doesn't notice how the guys and I fall into formation behind her.
The door opens. A shift in Ames' posture betrays the tension she feels, and I put a comforting hand on her back. The handsome Irishman finds her first, mouth set in a meek smile. It curls into a tense, fake version when he sees the five of us standing around Ames.
"Oh— hi," he says. "I didn't realize…"
We didn't plan it, but my friends square up their shoulders in unison. It makes them look bigger, taller, stronger. The moving supplies turn into shields. I don't take my hand off Ames.
"I brought help," Ames says.
We are her guard.
Aidan moves aside and lets us all in. We spring into action at once. The guys wrap the piano in the blankets, while I shape up a box and follow Ames.
Aidan follows us as well. "Ames… can we talk?"
"You can talk." She leads me to the bedroom and I can't lie, I'm not comfortable. "I make no promises that I will respond."
This is the place where they slept together. Where he read poetry or whatever to her. This room knows the sounds she makes while I don't.
I feel sick, but I hide it. I'm in no position to feel a burning distaste in my stomach. Still, I follow her.
"I get it," Aidan says. "You're hurt."
We move into the walk-in closet, where I help her grab her clothes and put them in the box.
Ames scoffs. "You could say that. You cheated, Aidan."
"It was only a kiss. "
I snort but keep to my task. Even without looking, I can sense Aidan bristling at my presence.
"Can we talk in private?" He asks.
"Saint," she says. "Do you think kissing counts as cheating?"
I nod. "Of course, if you were monogamous. You?"
"Yeah. I can understand attraction to someone else. A crush you have on a friend for example. But the moment you take action to make something else happen, that's too much."
I glance at her. I shouldn't make much of the tone with which she said crush on a friend , so I fold a sweater and put it in the box.
I nod again. "You're supposed to choose each other, always."
"Ames—" Aidan runs his fingers through his curls. His accent comes out stronger. "Please. I wasn't going to risk what we had but—"
Ames stops putting clothes in the box and faces her ex.
Her mouth is pursed with anger. "But you did, Aidan. You did. Whether it was a kiss or more it was something that broke the trust I had in you."
"We were so in love, Ames—" Aidan tries again. "I broke up with her. I choose you."
Ames shakes her head. "It's too late."
"It's been a month. Your things were still here. I thought it meant you needed some time…" He straightens and stands up taller to look me in the eye. "Let us speak in private, please."
"I'm not leaving unless she asks me to," I say. "And even then, I'll fight it. I don't trust you, Aidan."
Ames grabs my sleeve and pulls me closer, even if her eyes stay on her ex. "I didn't want to confront you. Have to look at your face and say goodbye. I'm here now. I'm taking my things— especially Abuela Meche's piano."
Aidan's eyes land on the point where Ames touches me. "I wrote my album on that piano— Ames— we can fix this."
By instinct, I step closer to her. Aidan's eyes narrow on me.
"You know how important that piano is to me.
" Ames glares at her ex. "I brought it here so high with the hope it was meant to be.
I don't know how to play the piano, but the man who promised me forever did.
How special, I thought. How meant to be.
Then you went and decided to, what? Give it a go with someone else?
Kiss her and see if she would be there to catch you after you grew the balls to break up with me? What was it, Aidan?"
I keep a short distance from her— use the momentum to stand even closer. I'm only happy to be her bodyguard, if she needs one.
"Come on, luv." Aidan palms come close in a pious pose. "Is a kiss really enough to break us up?"
"Yes, it is," she says. "A kiss can ruin everything. Just seeing you come out of that room with her— Aidan, I simply don't trust you anymore."
"Ames…"
"Just tell me why. Where did we fail?"
The guys come into the walk-in closet, unconcerned by the tight quarters. We're all about the same height, just about the same as Aidan, but packing twice as much muscle mass.
"Bloody hell." Aidan takes a step back.
Logan's frown is severe on the musician. "The piano is safe in the truck."
"The piano bench, too?" Aidan asks.
Ames rolls her eyes. Bear and Logan glare at him. No one responds to his question.
"Let's help you with anything else you need," Bear adds in Ames' direction.
"What these gentlemen want to know," I say, "is what else can they pack for you."
"Fuck it," she says. "I don't need things to be neatly packed. Please bring boxes and we'll go from room to room grabbing my things."
"We're at your service," Dom says.
They leave to bring boxes .
"Why did you feel the need to come with an entourage?" Aidan complains. "I'm not a scary bloke. All I want is a chance to explain."
My friends return and we make good work of putting Ames' stuff in boxes. First here in the closet, then in the room. Ames doesn't leave our side, giving easy directions.
She never responded to Aidan, but he follows us anyway, asking for privacy to talk to Ames.
Twenty minutes later, all but two boxes are waiting for us in the truck. Five football players and one angry woman make one hell of a team.
"Ames." Aidan tries one more time. "Please. After four years I think I deserve to be heard."
"Then have your say," she responds.
The guys and I close lines around her.
Aidan tsks. "Not in front of them."
"Then we'll see if and when I feel like hearing you speak."
"Anything else you need?" I ask, ready to escort Ames back to our condo.
"I think I'm good," she says.
Without saying a thing, Logan breaks the rounded wall we keep around Ames. He moves slowly, unworriedly, toward the remotes that lay on the coffee table in front of the TV. In full view of everyone in the room, he proceeds to remove all the batteries.
"Just in case you need these too, Ames." With full aplomb, Logan puts the batteries in his pocket, picks up one of the remaining boxes, and leaves without saying goodbye.
"Hey!" Aidan frowns his way.
Bear chuckles, picks up the other box, and leaves. He doesn't say goodbye either.
"At least tell me where you're staying," Aidan says. "Jo didn't reply to my text and I don't want to worry… "
I can't help it and roll my eyes. The way he phrased that was about him feeling well, not taking care of Ames.
"Do you have a problem, mate?" He asks me.
"A few problems, actually," I reply. "Should I list them?"
"Don't bother," Ames says and puts a hand on my arm.
Aidan sees the gesture and his eyes narrow further.
I smile. "She moved in with me, actually."
He pales. "What?"
My grin is full of the thrill I feel, that I can affect him this way. Ames gets a delighted face so I keep going.
"Yeah. It's been wonderful. We're having the time of our lives. I have people at home right now making room for the piano. I love having Ames with me."
"You do?" Ames asks. "The piano, I mean—"
I nod. "All of it is true. I even have an expert booked to come in later today to do maintenance. Make sure everything is taken care of."
"That's sweet," she says. "Let me make dinner for you tonight—"
Dom clears his throat.
Aidan crosses his arms. "I'm right here."
"— for you all tonight," she amends, ignoring her ex. "It will be lovely."
"Please." Aidan scoffs. "Don't try to make me jealous. Saint can't stick to only one woman."
The comment is a blade to my chest but ignore it.
"And you could?" I challenge. "Because we're here for a reason. At least I would never cheat."
"It was barely—"
"'Barely' nothing , Aidan," Ames says. "It was a betrayal. A kiss or sex is only part of the issue. The real problem is that you didn't respect me or our relationship enough to do things right."
I surround her waist with an arm and give her a small squeeze. It's a reminder that she's not alone. If I'm honest with myself, it feels better like this to me, too .
"That's right, Ames." I kiss her temple. "You tell him."
Ames gives me the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. I bring her a little closer. The soft curves of her body come in contact with the hard planes of me. Her eyes sparkle, and I could fall to my knees if this means she enjoys being so near to me.
"Really?" Aidan's voice is more than skeptical. It's acidic. "You and Saint? You think I'm going to believe that?"
"Why wouldn't you?" I act as if I am at her feet— in my mind, I am. "I can't imagine a better fate."
I take her free hand and kiss her knuckles. It lingers. I never break eye contact with her.
She gasps. There's a true reaction in her eyes— heat I hadn't seen there before. That sweet, sweet pink tints her face again.
I drop my head closer, until I can see the subtle changes in the shade of brown in her eyes. Her pupils dilate.
I'm pushing it, but it's a chance to show Aidan what he lost. Even if it torments me with what I wish could be mine.
"Who knows what will happen now that you're staying with me," I tell Ames.
"If you start… flirting with me…" she breathes.
"I'll flirt with you," I say. "See what happens next."
A whirlpool shows up in my chest. My cock twitches. Is she interested, or is this pretend? She would have to be one hell of an actress.
The thought that this could be real wrecks through every reason I've listed for why this would be a bad idea. Right now, I don't remember a single one.
Damián is the one to clear his throat. Like we need to be reminded we're in public.
Aidan's words come at the wake of the sound. "I get it, Ames. You're angry. No need to make a spectacle—"
She stills in my arms. She stays close, but she glares at Aidan. "It's not up for debate. Whatever happens between Saint and me, it's for us to know. What I do with my life is none of your concern anymore. "
"Okay, I apologize." Aidan lifts his hands as if claiming innocence. "I'm sorry you're angry. Let's talk. I just need a chance."
She shrugs. "You lost your chance when you kissed someone else."
She grabs my hand like we do this everyday, and we leave. It seems natural when she lets go of my hand as we get in the car. My hand cools fast without her warmth. It's a visceral loss.
I think about it all the way home, and while we put her boxes away the condo. She starts to make dinner for us, and the memory latches to my ribs and weave a net on it, until I wonder if it will ever go away.
Something tells me it won't.