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“Darlin’!” Kill’s voice rang out, jolting us all.
In the next second, he was dropping his massive tub of ice-cream on the bookshelf, then rushing over. He completely caught us off guard, managing to get past Lance because of it.
And then he was throwing his arms around Aurora and basically jumping into the chair with her.
“I missed you! I missed you so much!” he told her, then actually had her giggling as he kissed her hair, her nose, her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips.
Lance growled and started forward, but I held him back.
When he went to push through me, a hand wrapped around his good shoulder behind, and I looked to see that stealthy fucker, Aaron now there.
Lance turned to face him.
“It’s late,” Aaron said. “Let’s get you cleaned up and get you settled for the night. Cooler heads will prevail in the morning.”
Asher appeared in the doorway, leaning against it, his arms folded across his chest and Caleb then joining him.
Lance caught Asher’s eye and an extremely hostile glaring match ensued, both of them looking primed to attack like wild animals at any moment.
Aaron squeezed Lance’s shoulder. “We’re all allies here, aren’t we? That’s why you came here. Neither you or Asher can do this without the other at this point. Focus on the mission, or we’re all fucking done for.” He lowered his voice and only I was close enough to hear him as he said, “Besides, don’t you think the kid has suffered enough?”
Lance grunted and broke eye contact with Asher, then looked out at his daughter giggling and being cuddled by Kill.
“You know he’s a puppy dog with her,” Aaron spoke quietly to him again. “And even if he wasn’t, believe me, as somebody who trained her for months on end, she can handle herself. She’s in full control, more than you’ll allow yourself to admit.”
Surprising the fuck out of me, it actually worked, Aaron getting through to him.
And then Lance was pulling from his hold and muttering, “Fine. Let’s take a beat.” He walked to Aurora. “Angel.”
She extricated herself from Killian and rose to face him. “Dad?”
“I’m gonna call it a night, rest up.” He glared at Killian. “I’m an incredibly light sleeper. Years of being on the run, wanted by your fucking fathers, has seen to that. Double up with one of your brothers all the while she’s here. Aurora gets her own sleeping space. Clear?”
“Dad, that’s not—”
“Am. I. Clear?” he ground out at Killian, completely ignoring her and what she wanted.
Hmm.
I caught Asher’s eye and he nodded, picking up on what I was.
“You’re clear,” Killian responded. Calmly.
Calmly? Kill when it came to Aurora?
What was happening?
As Aaron led Lance away to settle him for the night, likely in the spare room by the gym, Aurora showed that she’d had the same thought about Kill, frowning at him and asking, “You’re clear, are you?”
He stroked her cheek. “You’re already in the middle of all this drama, torn between it all, and I heard from Aaron on my way into the house what happened when you guys first arrived.” He glared at Asher, then softened again and told her, “I didn’t want to add to that for you.”
A huge, beaming smile spread over her face and she threw her arms around him and buried her head in his chest, fisting her hands in his hoodie. “I missed you too. I missed you three so much,” she uttered on a broken whisper.
Killian stroked her hair soothingly. “It’s all right. You’re here now. You’re here, darlin’.”
I walked to them and wrapped my arms around Aurora too. She reached out and clung onto my bicep.
She looked up from Killian’s chest at Asher.
