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CHAPTER TWENTY
Aidan
Seven Years Later
The sound of heavy fists pounding into punching bags filled the gym, grunts of exertion echoing off metal walls and concrete floors as I strolled across the room. A few people moved out of my way as I passed by them, their eyes casting down, part out of respect, but I sensed a little fear there too. I recognized some, but I didn’t acknowledge them.
My sights were set on the boxing ring, namely the blonde occupant sparring with her trainer.
There was something incredibly sexy about the way she moved. Light on her toes, quick jabs distracting her opponent, her other hand sweeping round to deliver a hit to the ribs. She was fast, the ideal fighter.
“Cait,” I called, turning her head. I winced as I watched her trainer prepare to strike her as a punishment for the distraction, but Cait dodged easily, smirking.
She hopped down from the ring and leapt at me, throwing her still gloved hands behind my neck.
“I missed you,” she murmured against my ear, and I smiled.
Good. I want you to miss me every second we’re not breathing the same air.
“I’m on my way to meet Enzo and my father. I thought I’d stop by and see how you were getting on.” I pulled back to study her face. There were no bruises.
Good.
I’d been very clear with Jordan that he should train her, but he shouldn’t mark her. Especially with such an important event so close.
“Hmm, it’s okay. I’m exhausted though.” She backed up, leaning against a stack of soft mats to unlace her gloves.
“I’m sorry, but you know why this is important, yes?” I closed some of the distance, folding my arms so I wasn’t tempted to reach out for her. I hated having her too far from me, but she also needed her space. Me? I wanted as little space as possible.
“Yeah, I get it. But why doesn’t Bree have to do it?”
“Because Enzo has a ton of free time to be her own personal bodyguard. I, unfortunately, do not.” And it was unfortunate. I’d have spent every day watching Cait if it were possible, but as the future King of New York, I had other things to deal with which didn’t include perving on my fiancée. I was already running late for a meeting.
A pensive look crossed her face, but I didn’t have time to delve into things with her now.
“We will talk later, okay?” I unfolded my arms and pulled her into me, planting a kiss on her temple. “I’ve got to run.” I shot her a smile as I walked away, wishing for the tenth time that day that I hadn’t left our bed this morning.
* * *
“Nice of you to join us,” Cullen O’Callaghan grunted from his position at the head of the room.
“Sorry, Dad.” I muttered, feeling like a scolded schoolboy under his glare.
My relationship with Cullen had improved dramatically over the last few years… mostly due to Cait. A few months after we’d gotten together, he’d accepted Bree and Enzo’s relationship but hadn’t yet approved of me and Cait. He’d given me Grandma’s ring, but he hadn’t been happy about it… although that was more because of me than Cait. He thought I was going to take off with her. He thought I was going to abandon them again.
We’d been arguing one day. I’d been trying to apologize for leaving, I’d been trying to mend fences but he wouldn’t have it. So, Cait stepped in.
“Aidan was a lonely, angry kid who’d already had to face he was on the outside of his own family, who then lost his mother and his baby sister. He suffered a trauma, Cullen, like the rest of us. He needed his father to pull him closer, not let him run. We should have gone after him. We should have made him come back and made sure he knew he wasn’t on his own… and I’m sorry.” She looked down at me. “We all let you down.”
I stared at her, emotion clogging my throat…
“He wanted to leave,” Cullen choked out, his face going red.
“Because he didn’t feel like there was enough room for him… because he thought that everyone else’s feelings and needs were more important than his own.”
My father looked shell shocked for a second, and I imagined I probably looked the same…
From that moment though, my father and I called a truce, and things had been fairly smooth. Until recently anyway.
