15. Aidan
My heart feltlike it had been ripped out of my chest when Emilie called me to say that Blakely had been stabbed. I still don’t know what happened, but seeing her body like that makes me want to burn everything around me.
Once I find who did this, I’ll take my sweet time with him before ending his life. Or maybe I won’t. He will have felt the agony of a thousand lifetimes when I’m done with him. I’ll give them a real reason to call me The Spectre.
Bailey’s face is drained of colour, and tears threaten to spill from her eyes.
“Aidan, I know you don’t want to leave her side, but I need space to work.” Bailey puts surgical gloves over her hands, and the sound of the rubber snapping echoes in the room.
“I’m not moving.” Simple and clear.
She is trying not to lose her shit. I can see it.
“I wasn’t asking. I need space. I need to check on her wound. You’re distracting me, and I won’t take any risks regarding my sister. I know you love her, but right now, I need you to take all these goons out of this room and let me do my job.”
She is right. I know she is. She is a talented doctor, but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about letting Blakely out of my sight. Am I willing to risk her life when we don’t know how deep the wound is? Absolutely not.
With a groan, I step away from her, making my way over to her team.
At the same time, Bailey shouts, “Everybody out!” In perfect unison, they all exit the room and head towards the main room.
“What the hell happened?” I shout at them once we’re in the living room. “And do not bullshit me. What. The. Hell. Happened?” My da’ and Scott are standing nearby, their eyes fixed on them, waiting for their answers. One guy, I think his name is Cailean, looks towards my da’, waiting for something. I can see the slight nod that my father gives him. What the hell is happening?
“We were in Linlithgow.”
“WHAT?” Scott and I yell at the same time. Cailean’s eyes dart around with uncertainty, hinting that he may not wish to continue the conversation.
“Exactly what I said. We were in Linlithgow for reconnaissance. We know the Snakes are not working alone. And we needed information for—” Cailean is cut off by Scott.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You thought it was a good idea to go there by yourself? And to take my sister along?”
“Listen. First of all, our team is competent enough for a mission like that. Second of all, yoursister is the boss, so we follow her orders. And third of all, you asked for help if I recall properly.” Cailean’s anger is palpable.
“We asked for internal help, not for her to almost get killed.” Now it’s my turn to shout, my hands clenching into fists. I need to hit something. What the fuck was she thinking?
“That was not our first rodeo, and it won’t be the last. How do you think we get most of our information?” says Emilie. I’m so confused.
“You’ll have to elaborate because what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense to me,” spits Scott. My da’ shifts his position.
“She’s working with me.” That’s all he says. I think my father has lost his mind.
“She’s working with you?I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate as well, father.”
“She’s working with me. Has been for years now. It was a few months after she left Scotland when I reached out to her for the first time,” he pauses, “At first, she helped me with some simple cases, but I recognise a talented lawyer when I see one. And she has more than talent. She has been working closely with me since a little bit after your sister”s death and when some of The Twelve tried to bring us down. Did you think you were the only one destroyed by that? She was as well.” He passes a hand through his hair, showing his agitation. “Damn, she even agreed to work with me when I called her because you were in prison.” He takes a deep breath. I am seeing red. Walking slowly towards him, I repeat.
“You implicated her with The Twelve?” I can feel Scott’s anger reflecting mine. “You had her working with criminals that could kill her?” I grab him by the collar of his shirt. Everybody gasps at my move. “Are you out of your fucking mind? Everything I’ve done was to keep her safe and out of this shit. And now you’re telling me that you’ve put her in danger for years now?” Pushing him against the wall behind him, I lean closer to him. “You. Put. Her. In. Danger.”
Trying to speak despite my grip, he says. “I told you she wasn’t the girl you once knew. I didn’t send her unprepared.” I release my grip because if I don’t, I may kill him right now. Touching his throat, he continues. “She has been trained. Physically trained because I knew something could happen.”
“Physically trained? Explain,” asks Scott, anger in his voice.
“I sent Tim to train her. They’ve been training together for almost seven years now. She knows how to defend herself.”
This explains the familiarity with Tim at the dojo.
It’s so obvious now. How did I miss it? I’m going to kill the mother fucker.
“So, in addition to that, you’re telling me that you sent one of my men to prepare her in case something happened?
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because you trust him with your life. So, I knew you would trust him with hers.” While I’m not happy with what I’m hearing, I can’t disagree with the fact that Tim is one of the few I would trust to keep her safe. That’s why I sent him to Paris eight years ago. Call it passive stalking. I’m not crazy. I’d never let her go for years with no one watching over her, so I sent some of my men to keep an eye on her. But they were not supposed to interact with her or to let themselves be known. I really am going to kill him.
“Ahem, ahem.” Blondie clears her voice. I think her name is Eilidh. “If you’re done with the revelations, I have something that may interest you.”
“Which is?” I ask, raising a brow.
“Before the attack, we overheard people talking. From what we gathered, although we already knew this, we have confirmation that the Snakes are not working alone. It was the Italians. And I quote, ‘They’re so focused on the Snakes that they’re not looking elsewhere.’”
“Damn, girl,” says Emilie. “Your memories scare the shit out of me sometimes.” Scott’s eyes bore into hers with a disapproval scowl, which she waves away with her hand.
“Thank you. As I was saying, the Italians,” continues Eilidh.
“We knew that already,” I say, my impatience showing.
“I ken. But I think Blake recognised one of the voices. There were three. And she’d heard one of them before.”
“Shit. Shit. Shit. If she’d heard it before, that means it’s someone close to us,” Scott says, pacing back and forth as he speaks. My da’s lack of input is an indication that his mind is working at lightning speed.
“Guys.” I’m jumping from my place as I hear Bailey calling for us.
“How is she?” I need to see her. I’ve been patient long enough.
“The wound is not as deep as it looked. She’ll need a few days to recover, but she will be fine.” She wipes the sweat from her forehead as tears threaten to spill from her eyes.
“She can stay here as long as she needs to,” my da’ says.
“Absolutely not. She is coming back with me. Don’t think for a moment that I will let her out of my sight for a second.” I look at Scott.
“You’re going to make me stay with Bailey, aren’t you?” He looks resigned because he already knows the answer. As much as I’d like to have her in my bed, she needs space to recover, and I don’t think she will be willing to share my bed yet.
“No. Nuh-uh. He’s not staying,” Emilie begs, looking at Bailey. “You’re not staying,” she adds, pointing a finger at Scott.
“Sorry, Cherry, but I don’t think you have a choice here. Caveman isn’t going to let my sister out of his sight, and we don’t have enough room for me to stay with them.”
Emilie groans when Bailey mouths a silent “sorry.”
“Glad we’re all on the same page. Bailey?” I give her a pleading look.
“Aye, you can go and see her. Just make sure not to put any pressure on the wound.” I raise an eyebrow.
Lifting her hands in the air, she says, “Okay, Okay, I said nothing. Oh, and Aidan?” she adds. “I don’t believe for one second what happened in the past. I presume you had your reasons, and I don’t know them, but if you hurt my sister ever again, don’t forget that I know a dozen different ways to murder a person and make it look like an accident, understood?” Damn, she can be scary sometimes.
I hear Scott laugh under his breath. Dick. And I have no other choice but to nod at her threat. With that, I move fast to see my girl.
“I can do it by myself,” Blakely says, not happy about my help. It has only been a few days since she moved in with me, and it is quite clear that she is not pleased with this living arrangement.
“I’m just trying to help you stand. It’s not a big deal. Now take my arm.” My voice is a bit more harsh than I intended, but she is too stubborn to accept my help. “Tink.” I can feel my impatience growing.
Since she has been here, she has refused most of my help. And I’m done being patient. She is just hurting herself more.
“Don’t ‘Tink’ me. There’s no way you’re helping me go to the bathroom. I can do it myself.” She tries to stand, but the pain causes her to grimace and hesitate.
“Are you done now? Or do I need to carry you?” Her eyes narrow, and her gaze is sharp as if she could pierce me with them. “Fine,” I say before lifting her.
“Aidan. Put me down. Damn it.” She struggles to break free, causing my grip to tighten.
“Stop moving,” I say, walking towards the bathroom.
“I’m too heavy for you. Put me down.”
“Oh, baby. Thinking that I’m not able to lift and carry you is an insult alone. You think I can’t walk with what is mine in my arms?” She takes a deep breath.
“Not yours,” she grumbles.
I gently lower her to the centre of the bathroom floor, making sure not to cause her any further pain.
“What are you doing?” she says as I try to undress her. “Nope. Not happening.” With my hand on her chin, I gaze deeply into her eyes.
“Listen to me carefully. You’ve been stabbed. Nobody else is here to help you with what you need now. There’s no way in hell I will let you suffer when I can help you. Look at me.” She redirects her gaze to mine. “I’ll help you get undressed. I’ll help you get clean. Then I’ll help you get dressed. Am I clear?” She shivers at my words. But I’m not done yet. “I know you can do it yourself, but I’m not leaving.”
She mutters under her breath, “Controlling arsehole.”
“Now, lift your arms.” She obliges, defeated.
Taking my time, I remove her top from her good side, passing it over her head and trying my best not to touch the bandage around her waist. She isn’t wearing a bra and fuck, what a view.
Not the time to be aroused.
Getting on my knees, I slowly remove her leggings and try not to be distracted by her underwear. They’re nothing fancy. Plain black cotton, but this view never gets old. I hear her breath becoming heavier, but I’m trying to block the sounds coming out of her mouth. Otherwise, I’ll have mine on her pussy in a second. Once I remove everything, I turn on the water and wait for it to warm up.
The temperature is so hot that it could only be described as something that could burn the devil himself. Her ability to tolerate it without burning has always been a mystery to me, and I don’t think I’ll ever figure it out. She takes a seat on the stool I installed for her, and I can see the tension in her body ease as she lets out a sigh of comfort.
“Are you going to let me help you wash your body, or do I need to fight with you for that as well?” Her gaze is fixed on me as she remains silent, observing my every move. “Good girl.”
As I swiftly shed my t-shirt, her gaze involuntarily shifts towards me, and I raise an eyebrow at her. I take my time removing my joggers, leaving me in nothing but my briefs, revealing a noticeable bulge. I can’t help it. She is unbelievably beautiful; the curves of her body make me want to venerate every part of it.
Focusing on my task, I pour the shower gel onto the cloth and slowly wash her shoulder. I can see the relaxation spreading through her body, starting from her face and working its way down. I move my hand, the cloth ghosting over her breast. She gasps, and her nipples harden at my touch, betraying her arousal.
Focus. Now is not the time.
Ignoring my dick pressing against my briefs, I take my time, moving the cloth in slow circles over her soft skin, savouring each moment as if it were my last. Her body responds to my touch, arching towards me, silently begging for more.
“Aidan.”
Her breath hitches as I continue washing down her body, feeling the tension in her muscles loosen under my touch. I can feel her eyes on me, watching my every move as I carefully wash every inch of her skin.
I move down to her waist, pouring more shower gel onto the cloth as I trace circles and lines across her hips and thighs, avoiding her bandage. She lets out a soft moan as I brush against her inner thigh, teasingly close to her most intimate places. With a sly smile, I continue exploring her body with my hands, drawing patterns on her skin with the soapy lather. Her body reacts to my every touch, her breathing now quick and shallow as she becomes more and more aroused.
“Aidan,” she calls out again.
“What do you need, baby?” I say, continuing to move my free hand over her body.
“Your… Your mouth, please.”
Kissing her thighs, I ask, “Where do you want my mouth, Tink?” To avoid putting too much pressure on her wound, I part her legs, so I now have her pussy on full display in front of me.
“My pussy. I need your mouth on my pussy.” She is breathing heavily, her breaths coming out ragged.
My mouth starts to water at the thought, and I lean forward, my tongue slowly exploring her warmth. She gasps as my tongue finds her clit, teasing it with gentle thrusts. I start to increase the pressure, pushing her further and further into ecstasy. My hands roam over her body as my mouth continues its exploration, licking and sucking her most sensitive areas. She moans and writhes beneath me, her body quivering with pleasure. She grabs my hair as much as she can, bringing me closer to her.
“Not enough?” I ask, lifting my head. “Look at you. Look at me. On my knees for you. A King kneeling for his Queen.” Inserting one finger into her, I feel her clenching around it.
“Fuck. More. Please. Ade, more. I’m so close,” she begs. Moving my finger, I add a second one, putting pressure on her clit. Removing my fingers from her cunt, I bring them towards her mouth.
“Suck. See how good you taste.” As I press my fingers against her lips, she eagerly takes them into her mouth, her tongue lapping and sucking at them. With every flick of her tongue on my fingers, my cock twitches, and my desire for her grows stronger.
I detach myself from her and stand up, causing her to give me a puzzled look as I grab the shower head.
“What are you doing?” she asks. A smirk creeps up from the corner of my mouth as I lean closer to her.
“You need relief, and that’s exactly what I’m going to give you.” Changing the setting for the jet so it’s a bit stronger, I part her legs and place the jet on her pussy, avoiding her clit, teasing her, which makes her scream in surprise.
“Ade. What are you—” She’s cut off when I position it right onto her most sensitive area. “Fuck. I…”
“You what, Tink?”
“Stop. Teasing,” she rasps.
I lean closer to her ear and whisper. “I think we already had this discussion. Brats don’t give orders. I’ll give you what I want to give. Wounded or not, your pleasure is mine and mine alone.” I clench my teeth around her earlobe, increasing the intensity of the jet until she screams out in pleasure. “Was that what you wanted?” She nods, her voice caught in her throat.
Moving both hands between her legs, I insert two digits inside her tight cunt, the jet still on her clit.
Damn, I’m ready to come in my briefs if she keeps making those noises.
Her breathing grows heavier as I increase the speed of my fingers. She throws her head back in pleasure, moaning loudly as I continue to stroke her.
”Yes, Aidan, just like that,” she moans as her hips start to buck against my hands.
I can feel her body start to quake, and I know she”s getting close. I pull my fingers out, the jet still on her sensitive bundle of nerves, and lean forward. Placing my lips on hers, I kiss her with enough passion to take her breath away. My tongue finds its way inside her mouth, exploring and tasting her sweetness. Our tongues intertwine as I slide my fingers back inside her and start moving them in an intense rhythm.
“Fuck, baby. You taste so good. Give me what’s mine. Let me see my goddess shatter in front of me.” My breath is as laboured as hers, my cock pressing more and more against my briefs. I can feel her body tense up as her orgasm builds.
“That’s it. Give it to me.” Her cries become louder and louder as her body convulses against me, her orgasm taking her over. As I wait for her to calm down, I carefully rinse her under the shower head, enveloped by the warm steam of the shower.
“Wait here,” I say, moving to grab a towel.
“I can barely move after what happened,” she replies, her breath still shallow. I smirk at her. “No need to be cocky,” she adds.
Coming back with a fluffy white towel, I envelop her with it, smelling the fresh scent of vanilla from her body wash. She ogles me, head to toe, the water dripping from my body, my underwear leaving nothing to the imagination of what is hidden beneath. I try my best to ignore her gaze, my cock already screaming to come out to play.
“How is your pain?” I might be overbearing, but I still wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about the call I received. We didn’t talk about what happened yet. And I’m taking it upon myself not to bring it up because she’s already not happy about the living situation. Right now, I’m carefully considering which battles to pick.
“It’s fine. Bailey gave me a lot of pain medication. Speaking of her, she’s supposed to come by at some point today.” Helping her get dressed, I nod in acknowledgement.
Bailey called me to let me know she’ll come by at some point today and that she doesn’t want my overbearing arse with them.
“I know. She called me to let me know.” Her gaze is suspicious.
“Since when do you exchange phone calls with my sister?”
“Jealous?” My grin is showing my amusement.
“In your dreams. Why would I be jealous?” She ties her dry hair in a messy bun. The curls falling down her face make her more sexy than she already is. My cock is still painfully hard under my boxer briefs. I’ll have to take care of that later.
“Okay, Miss I”m Not Jealous. Let’s get you back to bed. I’m not going to change your bandage since your sister wants to have a look at your healing process.” Bending over to place my arms behind her knees, I lift her again to put her back in bed.
“Seriously. You need to stop carrying me around like a bairn. I can walk.” I drop her softly onto her bed, adding a cushion behind her head without acknowledging her.
Leaving the room quickly, I get to work on her iced coffee, adding a generous amount of syrup just like she likes it. I take a sip, and I am pleasantly surprised by the taste. She’s always had a sweet tooth.
When I bring her drink and Kindle back to her, she gives me a questioning look.
“Why are you being so nice?”
I wink at her before saying, “Stop fighting me.” I lean closer, kissing her on the top of her head. “It’s just making me want to fuck this bratty mouth of yours.” I can hear a muffled “prick” before I leave her room.