Missing (The Brannock Siblings Book 3), page 10
"You've been off for a few days now, Aiden. I think it's time to spit it out."
She could feel Lily's glare on the back of her head, but it didn't affect her tonight. Nothing could. She was shutting it out and just going with the flow like she always did. Like she always would.
That was who she was and that was who she would always be.
"I'm fine, Lil. Just tired."
"Tired," Lily repeated.
"Yes. Tired."
Lily left the room without another word and Aiden sighed her relief. She couldn't talk about it. Not yet. Not until she knew how much she was willing to give of herself. She needed to keep her priorities in order. Lily needed her and so did Aidy. She needed to remember that.
Tonight was going to be painful. The gallery she had sold so many of her paintings with had begged her to bring more and spend the night at a public showing with a few other artists. She never liked schmoozing people into buying her work, that's why she had always left it up to the galleries to find buyers. However, she got roped into it tonight thanks to her nosy sister.
Lily had been there when she got the call and literally ripped the phone from her hands, making all the arrangements in a matter of minutes. So now she was stuck wearing a perfect fitting little black dress with perfect heels and - if Lily was going to continue her rampage - perfect hair and makeup.
Aiden wanted to vomit.
Normally, she wouldn't have even allowed her sister to be any part of the night, but after threatening to tell Gus about the showing, Lily won again. Having Gus there would bring her agony to a whole new level.
Why?
Because she wasn't just falling in love with the man. She had already fallen. Hard.
"Be in the bathroom in two minutes or I'm dragging you in there by your hair," Lily shouted from the kitchen.
She heard Aidy in the living room giggling at one of the cartoons she was watching and wished that there was some way the little princess could save her. It was no use. Aidy loved Gus just as much as her mother did.
So unfair.
Lily didn't say a word to her the entire time they sat in the bathroom curling her hair perfectly. She didn't say a word when she spent ten minutes doing Aiden's makeup - perfectly - and she didn't say a word when Aiden walked out of her bedroom ready to go. She knew she looked good and Lily was always ready with a compliment, but tonight was different. Her sister was done with her crap.
They took a cab to the gallery, Lily in the front and Aidy with her in the back while her paintings and photos were carefully set on the remaining seat and in the trunk. She didn't care if they were destroyed, it would give her a reason to get out of this whole night and just go back home and sleep. Maybe eat a carton of ice cream in bed.
Unfortunately, there were people ready to help the second they pulled up to the building and all of her work was treated with the utmost care. She spoke with the owner and manager briefly and set her base prices, then hung back with Lily waiting for people to arrive.
Her sister was still not talking to her, but Aidy was keeping a constant line of conversation with both of them. It was when Lily glanced at the door for the hundredth time that Aiden finally bit the bullet.
"What's wrong?"
Lily turned to her, eyes narrowed and lips pursed, "Nothing. You?"
Aiden sighed and turned away, "Nothing."
"That's what I thought."
Did she say this night would be painful? More like agonizing.
Chapter 6
Gus
I followed Evan and his wife, Kristie, as they pulled their car into the parking lot behind the gallery. Lily had already texted me twice asking where the hell I was. I would have been there an hour earlier, but thanks to a last minute call from a guy reporting his girlfriend had been missing for two days, Linc and I ended up in the middle of downtown Detroit with a black eye for each of us, bloody knuckles for me, and both our guns drawn.
We arrived at the apartment complex when the guy who had called came bursting out the door with four guys on top of him along with a haggard looking woman screaming bloody murder. Turned out, the girlfriend had actually left him two days before and he never got the message since he had been drunk and stoned ever since. She'd shown up at the apartment just before us to pick up her things with her new boyfriend and his back up. The new guy wasn't necessarily a step up from the ex and we ended up arresting all of them for possession of drugs and other paraphernalia.
I could fight with the best of them, but Linc barely got a scratch. The only reason he got the black eye was because he had three guys on him at the same time and one of them threw his elbow and nailed him. I don't even think the guy had meant to hit him. He was just trying to get away.
Me? I ended up with a bloody nose, black eye, and what I thought was a broken hand from how hard I'd hit one of the bastards.
We spent over an hour at the clinic getting cleaned up before Linc looked me right in the eye and told me I was rusty. He meant it as a joke, but I knew the truth. I wasn't on my game tonight and it was noticeable.
Having a kidnapper out on the loose and all the other shit flying our way was becoming too much. This case was getting too personal and I felt like I was about to snap in two. I couldn't let my job interfere with my personal life anymore than it had to, but the lines were getting too blurred.
Aiden didn't know it, but I was constantly checking up on her sister and niece. The constant worry that Aidy could be taken away from her mother was burrowing itself deep in my chest.
Every time we thought we got a handle on this guy, we ended up even further away. Captain Payne agreed that we needed a fresh start, so we hit the reset button. Sent evidence back in, planned to return to all the businesses near the station, security footage was being reviewed again and those poor families had to be questioned once more. Our only upper hand was knowing when he had been at the station.
That's it.
Needless to say, we were all crossing our fingers.
Not seeing Aiden since the night I almost kissed her wasn't helping either. I knew she was avoiding me, but it didn't change the fact that I was more than anxious to see her tonight. Almost every night, I had found myself at her door staring at it and wishing it would open on its own to let me inside. When it didn't, I forced myself to walk away. If she wanted some time, I would give it to her.
These girls had gotten under my skin. Aidy, with her quirky humor and never ending curiosity, was always ready with a question that threw me. Realizing a 5 year old could make me question everything I had ever done in my life was an eye opener.
Linc and I had been at a local deli for lunch a few days before when I heard that sweet little voice. Lily and Aidy were standing near the counter and the little firecracker waved frantically, her bright red curls bouncing on her shoulders.
"Gus!"
"Hey little Red, how are you doing?"
She'd pulled away from her mother's hold and marched right up to me with a purposeful expression. I crouched down so we were almost eye level and her lips pursed when she studied me, just like her mother's did. This little girl was every bit of her mother except for the red hair and freckles, but her sass must have come from Aiden seeing how Lily was as sweet as they come.
Aiden only pursed her lips when she was mad. When she was confused or nervous, her brow furrowed. She would bite her lip and tangle her fingers together when she wanted to ask me something she thought I might not like.
Aidy, on the other hand, didn't care if I didn't like the question.
"Do you like my Aunty Aiden?"
Her question had obviously thrown me, but I didn't hesitate with an answer. The only answer. "Yes, I do. Very much."
"Have you told her you like her?"
"Not exactly."
"Why?"
I'd chuckled and glanced up at Lily who had been watching us warily. When I looked back to Aidy, her bright green eyes waiting impatiently, I smiled. "It's not that easy."
"Why not?"
Two words. Two perfect words that I would have never expected to strike me as hard as they actually did. Why not.
Why couldn't it be that easy?
When I had looked up at Lily, her expression was no different from her daughter's.
Linc's phone rang before I could think on it anymore and after saying a quick goodbye, we rushed out of there.
Why not?
A tap tap tap on my window yanked me out of my thoughts. Evan and Kristie were standing just outside my door, worried expressions covering their faces. I needed to pull myself together.
Avoiding as much eye contact as possible, I climbed out of my car and took a deep breath.
"You alright, man?"
I nodded.
"Nervous?"
I shook my head.
"Alright."
Kristie smiled at me and took her husband's offered hand. She knew I was a mess. Women know these things all the time, it's a damn mystery how, but they do. I smiled back, thanking her for not pushing for more.
Evan and Kristie didn't have it easy when they first got together. She had wanted nothing to do with him and he couldn't get her out of his mind. It took months for him to finally convince her to go out on a date with him and one night to convince her to fall in love with him. Blissfully happy ever since, the only issue they had was getting pregnant. I hoped to God they were able to have kids because she wanted a child more than anything in the world and so did Evan.
I followed behind them, answering Kristie's questions about Aiden's paintings. There were a variety of them - all different - from abstract to portraits to landscapes. The woman had talent, but she didn't put it all up for sale. I didn't even know what pieces she would have available tonight.
The number of people crowding the open room wasn't surprising. Lily told me there were a few other artists involved in the night, but Aiden's work was what the gallery was dependent on selling. No wonder she didn't want to participate. The pressure was too much and she hated buttering people up anyway. She didn't care how much money her work sold for, she just loved doing it and as long as she could support herself, she would continue doing it.
I immediately spotted Lily who was sitting with Aidy in a corner away from the crowd. She waved me over and Linc and Kristie followed.
"Hey, beautiful," I said and gave her a hug.
She scoffed and patted my cheek affectionately, the same way Ash would. "You're too charming, Gus. If I was Aiden, I'd be all up in your business right now."
I laughed weakly, the reminder that Aiden was not all up in my business causing a twinge of disappointment. I had come to love Lily like a sister over the last few weeks and she hadn't been the least bit subtle about her wish for Aiden and me to get together. Hence, the secret mission she took upon herself to get me here.
"Aiden is going to kill me when she sees you, especially since you look like you had a rough day, so try to run a little interference, okay?"
"Why didn't she want me to come?"
"Well, that depends on what you believe. The excuse she gave me was because she knows you are stressed with work and she didn't want to inconvenience you. Big fat lie. She's an idiot sometimes, Gus. Doesn't mean anything but that she is overwhelmed. Just be patient. It doesn't help that I'm always pushing her."
"Well, stop then. I care about her a lot, Lil. I just… I need her to see it for herself."
"I know, sweetie." She patted my cheek once more and gave me a weary smile. "I've been waiting a long time for her to see herself. If she doesn't soon, she's going to lose you."
I shook my head, the decision already made the night I saw Aiden running away from me in that green dress and ridiculously sexy pair of heels. The memory of it was just as powerful as the actual experience.
"You know she'll never lose me, Lily. I'm here to stay."
Lily's eyes started to tear up, but a tug on my leg brought my attention down to Aidy. "Hey there, princess. You look really pretty tonight."
She smiled and tried to wink but ended up just blinking instead. We had been working on it and I didn't have the heart to tell her she wasn't actually winking. "I know I'm pretty, Gus Gus."
The familiar nickname that Ash had always used since we were kids made me pull in a sharp breath. No way this little girl didn't already have a tight hold on my heart, just like her aunt.
I introduced Evan and Kristie and the two women immediately started in on woman talk. Pregnancy, children, schedules for ovulation. Evan and I nervously stepped off to the side and stared over the crowd.
I searched for a head of bright red hair, desperate to see her even if she didn't want to see me.
"You're in love with her, aren't you?"
I certainly hadn't been reticent in my feelings about Aiden, especially to Evan. He was the one always snapping me out of it when we were on the job, so it didn't take much for him to figure it out. I looked down at my feet, no response on my lips, but he didn't need one. He could see it all over me. The same why I saw it all over Con with Emily and the same way Con and I saw it all over Luke with Ash.
I was not just in love with her. I was utterly gone for her.
Her smile, her laugh, her terrible cooking and twisted sense of humor. I was gone for all of it. She was who I saw each night I closed my eyes and she was all I could see when I opened them. It was her arms I wanted to fall into every day when I found myself being pulled under by the weight of my job. It was her I wanted to protect, to take care of, to spend the rest of my life with.
And it was her that wouldn't let me in.
"Gus?"
That husky voice was like a fist clenched around my heart, reminding me of how much I wanted her and how little I already had. I looked over my shoulder where Lily and Kristie were now eagerly staring at us. Aiden was standing there in her little black dress looking every bit the goddess she was. Her red hair was curled and held by a loose clip so it draped over a slender shoulder. Her legs were smooth and creamy and looked longer than normal with the heels she was wearing. The same heels she had been wearing for our date. I groaned as my eyes traveled back up over her curves to her soul searing brown eyes.
She was furious, but I was ready for it.
"Red."
Her steely gaze zeroed in on my black and blue eye then down to my bandaged hands. That beautiful face went from enraged to terrified in a split second. "Oh my God, what happened?"
Evan was now back at his wife's side and Lily was slowly backing away from our little group with Aidy in her arms. No one was going to help me out.
"Just a little altercation. I'm just fine, babe."
She tangled her fingers together and shifted on her feet as her face paled and her shallow breaths made her breasts strain against that dress. It would have given me an immediate hard on if she didn't look like she was going to burst into tears. "I've been worried."
"Hey, I'm okay," I said gently and reached for her. She willingly stepped into my open arms and buried her face in my chest, her anger temporarily forgotten. The warmth she radiated was like a balm to my aching body. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my chin on the top of her head, unwilling to let her go anytime soon. "It was nothing. Just part of the job."
Her fingers gripped my jacket, "That's the problem."
Although her voice was muffled, I heard it loud and clear.
That's the problem.
"Aiden." I pulled back slightly and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look me in the eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
She didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. She didn't believe me. I looked into her eyes, seeing the hurt, the worry, and finally noticed how tired she looked.
"You haven't been sleeping?"
Her fingers loosened their hold and she started to pull out of my arms, but I didn't let her. No way was she going to brush away my concern. "Why haven't you been sleeping, baby?"
For a moment, her eyes darkened to such a rich chocolate swirl, I could almost taste her desire. Then it was gone, her resolve set to being guarded once more. "It's nothing," she snapped, throwing my words back at me.
I knew what she was doing and it killed me to know there was nothing I could do to stop her. "I deserve that."
Her face fell and her eyes glistened with tears. "Do you?"
I nodded and pulled her back into my arms, letting her feel how sorry I was that she had been so worried about me. It reminded me of the tears Mom had shed for Dad whenever she didn't get the five o'clock phone call he always promised her. She knew it meant something had happened, but bad or good? None of us ever knew until he finally called.
All these years I thought she was the one who held it together so easily. I didn't realize it had been pure torture every day.
"I promise you, Aiden. I won't let anything happen to you, Lily, Aidy, or even me. I'll be careful because I can't stand the thought of you hurting because of me."
She nodded against my chest and I felt her take a deep breath as I buried my face in her hair. When I glanced over at Lily, she had her hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. She just wanted her sister to be happy and this is what she couldn't tell me herself. Even if she had, it wouldn't have made any sense. Not until I saw for myself how much Aiden felt for the people closest to her. She gave everything to her family, so much that there was hardly anything left for her.
Just like I had done with my own family.
"Ms. Murphy, is everything alright?"
I looked up to see an older woman staring at us with apprehension. Aiden pulled away from me and wiped under her eyes with a nod. I cupped her face in my hands and ran my thumbs over the tracks left on her cheeks from her tears. "You good?" I whispered.
She smiled weakly and nodded once more. "Yes, just had a moment. Sorry."
"Never be sorry for being you."
Her smile widened, "I need to get back out there."
I kissed her forehead, inhaling her sweet scent and torturing myself a little more. The only sign that she was affected by me was her sharp intake of breath before her hands dropped from my shirt. The separation felt like a crack in my chest so I grasped her empty hand and lifted it to my lips, brushing another kiss over the soft skin. "I'm coming with you."
