Mia
Mason
We’re having a party for Robby next weekend at the club if you wanna come. I’m making the trip home for it and to get a break from here.
I can probably come.
Mason
It’s family, Mia, and it would be good for you to be around people besides Briggs.
I said I can probably come.
And maybe I’ll bring the man who just popped my cherry, and we can all be one big happy family.
Mason
You know I’m here if you need me, right?
No, you’re not, you’re in Virginia. But I’m fine.
Mason
Smart ass.
Small details register as I set my phone down and refocus my bleary eyes. Everything was hypothetical before. Now it’s real. I’ve slept with the president of the club that has been known to rival my brother’s more than any other. Not only have I slept with him, I’m in deep, and I’ve kept secrets from Mason, like knowing another man was involved with Nic’s rape.
I have no idea what this is with Aiden, but the reality is that Mason will be home soon and will wonder where the hell I’m hiding out. When he finds out, I don’t know who I fear for more, Mason or Aiden. Both beasts in their own right, both scare the shit out of me when it comes to self-preservation.
I push off the covers of Aiden’s comfortable bed and force myself to stand. Everything is sore, and the last thing I need to do is worry about my brother. That bridge is one I don’t have to cross today.
I can tell it’s early, but I feel relaxed after sleeping through the rest of the night. I make my way to the bathroom, smelling the scents of coffee and bacon coming from the kitchen.
My ruined dress was long gone as Aiden carried me in and pulled his shirt from my body before climbing into the shower with me. He said nothing, working diligently to wash every part of me, adding shampoo and conditioner that smelled like mintand eucalyptus. Aiden cleaned me like it was a ritual he had to conclude, and when he finally shut the water off, he wrapped a towel around his own waist and then dried me from head to toe before helping me into a clean T-shirt and carefully brushing my hair.
I was still a little high through it all, and when he tucked me into bed, he bent down and kissed my head and spoke in a low whisper. “Tomorrow we’ll start looking for answers about the man your sister saw with Marco and Gator.”
“You’re going to help me?” My words came out slowly, pure exhaustion starting to take over. “You believe her? You believe me?”
His dark brow furrowed.
“There’s one thing I won’t tolerate, and that’s any kind of assault on a woman. If there’s still a man in my club, or anyone I’m associated with, who did that, I’ll fucking kill him myself.”
My eyes stayed closed then, warmth washing over me. My lids were too heavy to open, but I could feel the stroke of his thumb.
“Sleep well, little goddess. I’ll never go this easy on you again.”
Even in my dazed state, those words made my body heat, and I realized something must be very, very wrong with me. Because words like that should have scared me, but they didn’t.
* * *
I slip on a pair of panties under Aiden’s T-shirt, and I pad down the hall. Sunlight streams in the windows as I round the corner to the kitchen and find Aiden there, shirtless, freshly showered. There are still tiny water droplets clinging to his skin, and hisdamp hair is pushed behind his ears. He’s wearing a pair of black sweatpants, his feet are bare, and he’s slicing avocado with his heavy, inked hands. He plates it as he realizes I’m standing here, adding sliced tomatoes to the plate. I pull down a mug and fill it with coffee then head to the kitchen table as his eyes roam over me.
He moves to the table behind me, setting a glass down, then back to the fridge, pulling out a large glass pitcher of lemon water. He pours some for me.
“This will help rehydrate you. Drink all of it.” He watches as I take a sip.
Not realizing how thirsty I was until I started drinking, I quickly down it.
