"I don't think she actually planned on going back to him at all, but it was a deal made out of desperation. He agreed and let her go, but kept close tabs on her. We met the day she arrived and were inseparable for the four weeks she spent there."

  I could hear the wistfulness in his voice as he remembered that month with her. She had spent hours telling Ash how romantic Dad had been when they first met, how they fell in love with each other so quickly. Con and I heard the stories, too.

  "What happened?" I asked, knowing this was the point in the story where the other shoe dropped.

  "She got scared and tried to leave me. Said she didn't want to drag me into her mess and needed to take care of it herself before we could be together. I gave her enough space to take a deep breath and get her head straight, but that was it. She didn't like it, but I didn't care. It was worth the risk if I had any chance of keeping her. Then the bastard came for her. She'd called him and told him they were over, didn't realize how crazy he actually was. No one did. He showed up out of the blue to take her home. I'd gone to her hotel to beg her to stay and all her things were gone. Long story short, I got to her just in time and put the asshole in the hospital."

  "And?"

  "It was worth it."

  I smiled at the thought of Dad avenging his woman, but that wasn't what I wanted to know. "Where is he now?"

  "In prison for almost killing another woman. I kept tabs on him when he got out of jail for all the shit he did to your mother. He's going to rot in that cell and he deserves to."

  Relief washed over me knowing the dickhead got what he deserved. You would never know that Isabelle Brannock had been through a hell like that. She hadn't really been close to her parents, but she talked to them often and loved them. None of us had ever suspected something like that could have happened. She was pure steel and never in a million years did I ever think someone could control her. No wonder she loved Dad so much.

  From what I gathered over the last few weeks, pushing Aiden would only make her run. The flirting at the park could have just been her having a good day and relaxing completely, but I couldn't know for sure unless I asked. She was apprehensive about the risks I took with my job and I didn't blame her. Waiting for her to decide she wanted more than friendship was killing me, but I could endure it. And when she did decide, I wouldn't let her go.

  "Do you love her?"

  I dropped my head back on the couch and shut my eyes, calling up the image of Aiden in that button up shirt with paint all over her. "Yeah. I do."

  "Then why haven't I met her yet?"

  My chest ached pleasantly at the image that popped up in my mind of her interacting with my family. They were going to love her.

  "You will."

  Chapter 9

  Aiden

  Someone was watching her again. Aiden could feel it the second she started back across the street to her apartment. She'd spent the morning working on a new piece that Marjorie had requested for her own home and hadn't been able to get out of her mind the panic she had heard in Gus' voice the day before.

  Now she was panicking all by herself. She thought it was just nerves, but when she was hit with those same vibes she had felt so potently at the park with Gus and Aidy earlier that week, she couldn't be so sure.

  Every time she left her apartment, she felt a heaviness that just wouldn't go away no matter what she did. Being in the studio helped. She could distract herself with painting, but the minute she left, it started all over again.

  She needed to talk to Gus even if doing so might cause the whole situation to possibly blow out of proportion.

  Lily was waiting for her when she walked into her apartment and Aidy flew into her arms before she even had a chance to shut the door.

  "Hey, sweetie. You ready for lunch?"

  Aidy nodded excitedly and stared up at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Gus Gus is at the store buying ice cream right now. I told him to make sure he got my favorite, but I think he got your favorite instead. But that's okay because I like all the flavors."

  She spoke so quickly, it took Aiden a second to realize what she said. "Gus is coming over?"

  "No, we're going there," Lily answered. "He insisted on having lunch with us since he's home today. Said something about a Skype call with his family, too."

  Her heart stopped with a loud thud and the blood in her face drained away. Lily noticed.

  "Whoa there! Calm down, Aid."

  "Oh God. What if they don't like me?"

  "They will."

  "But-"

  "They. Will. Love. You."

  She didn't get a chance to argue because Gus' angry voice came from the doorway. "How many times do I need to tell you girls to lock the damn door even when you are inside?"

  "Gus Gus!"

  Aiden watched as her little niece flew past her and into Gus' strong arms with a massive smile on her face. He had become her hero from the very first time she saw him at her door spouting complaints about the loud music she insisted on playing. She hadn't even been upset with him, not the way Aiden had been.

  "Hey, pretty girl," he chuckled and the glare he had been sending her way faded quickly.

  "I'm sleeping over here tonight with Aunty Aiden, you want to sleep here, too?"

  Gus' nervous smile was almost as sexy as his flirty one, but Aiden couldn't focus on the awkwardness Aidy had just welcomed into the room because this sleepover was news to her. She spun around to find her sister looking guilty and anxious.

  "I have a date tonight," Lily blurted out before Aiden could even ask.

  "What?"

  "God, Aiden. He's sexy as sin and I couldn't say no if you paid me to. I've been talking to him for the last couple weeks and I like him a lot."

  "What?" she asked again.

  "I really need to get laid, Aid."

  "What's laid?" Aidy asked loudly and the awkwardness turned up about a million notches.

  Lily only took a second before she answered with, "It means I need a hug."

  "I'll give you a hug, Mommy."

  She couldn't help it. Aiden burst out laughing right along with Gus and a moment later, Lily joined in. The shock at the news her sister just dropped on her wasn't unpleasant. She was happy for her, but they would definitely have words later for not telling her about the guy. For now, she was hungry and ready to spend some time with the people who meant the most to her.

  "I guess we're having a sleepover then," she stated with a shrug.

  Gus winked at her as he shifted Aidy behind him for a piggy back ride. "Let's eat."

  ***

  By the time they finished lunch, Aiden had relaxed completely. It felt so good to finally stop holding back when it came to Gus and every time he looked at her, she felt that warm, slow building pressure that always started in her chest. He made it hard to breathe.

  Lily told them all about this man she was so excited to go out with. When they asked his name she answered with a breathy 'Chad' and smiled like an idiot. Aiden took in all the details about how they met. He was a doctor at the same hospital Lily worked, how he was always showing up at Lily's station just to see her , and how one of these visits ended in a janitor's closet with him pinning her to the door and kissing her 'like there was no tomorrow'.

  After that, Aiden couldn't get her mind off of what it felt like to kiss Gus, even if their only kiss had just been a brush of lips. It had been like nothing else she'd ever experienced before, which was honestly a little sad. She could only imagine the things this man could do to her and she finally gave up on trying to pay attention to her sister at all.

  "I've got to leave in like an hour so I can get ready," Lily stated and glared at her watch for a moment before grabbing Aiden's hand. "Are you sure you're okay with keeping Aidy tonight? I can come and get her after, I'm just not sure what time it will be."

  "Lil, it's fine. Go have fun tonight."

  "Thank you, Aid."

  Gus' phone rang and her stomach rolled. This was it. She was going to meet his family. She hadn't even talked to him about what she wanted and she was going to meet his family. What if it didn't work out? What if she had been reading him wrong this entire time and he didn't want anything more with her?

  God, she was going to get an ulcer.

  She was just starting to think she should make a run for it when her ears perked at the ringtone coming from Gus' phone. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun? She raised a curious eyebrow at him and he blushed.

  "Ash always changes my ringtone for her whenever I see her. I haven't gotten around to changing it back."

  "Mmmhmm," Lily smiled. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

  He laughed as he answered the call. "Hey, sis."

  Lily winked at her. Maybe meeting his family wouldn't be so scary after all. Ash seemed like someone she would get along with.

  "Calm down, Ash. There are still a few weeks to figure things out. Worrying about it isn't good for the baby… Yeah, she is." His eyes shifted to Aiden and a mischievous glint filled them. "Here she is."

  He held out the phone and she gaped at him. "W-what's going on?"

  "Ash wants to talk to you."

  "Why?"

  "Ask her," he chuckled.

  She slowly lifted the phone to her ear and tried to keep her voice from shaking. "Hello?"

  "Aiden! Thank God you are there. I didn't know if he was going to introduce you to us tonight or not. Anyway, I'm in a crisis. My photographer just backed out of the wedding in a few weeks and I swear to God if I see her face anywhere around town, I'll rip her hair out. She made some lame excuse about going on vacation and not being able to cancel the trip. Can you believe that? She's had this event scheduled for months and she tells me this now? Oh, I'm Aislinn by the way, Gus' little sister."

  Aiden's head was spinning. This woman could talk just as fast as Aidy. "Umm, nice to meet you."

  Gus covered a smile with his hand and she smacked his shoulder. He could have warned her that his sister was a hyperactive, slightly crazy, rambler.

  "You too! I know you two are just friends, and yes, I am using air quotes because come on… but I've heard so much about you and I feel like I've known you forever. You'll have to fill me in on all the shit you did to my brother when you guys were battling it out, but that will have to wait for another day."

  "Okay." Aiden's mouth turned up into a grin. Aislinn Brannock was hysterical.

  "Please, please, please be my photographer for the wedding. I've had my bridals taken, but I didn't really like a lot of them so if you could maybe take some after the wedding, too, I would owe you."

  "Whoa, hold on. I don't know if I can do that. I mean, you've never even seen my work."

  "Yes I have. That picture Gus has of you is breath taking and I don't even know how you took it. He's told me about all your other work, too. I totally trust you."

  She narrowed her eyes at Gus who had apparently heard his sister and was doing everything possible to avoid her glare. "What picture?"

  Aislinn giggled. "Oh this is priceless. Do you know how long I've waited to throw that man under the bus? The shit they did when we were teenagers. It's so nice to finally get even with them. I'm assuming he still hasn't told you he bought it."

  "Nope."

  "Good. I can tell you now." Aislinn laughed maniacally and Aiden's anger quickly drained away. Gus' sister was pleasantly evil when she wanted to be, a woman after her own heart.

  "The picture you had displayed at your gallery showing, the one of you on the roof, he bought it. Sent me a picture of it and I gotta say, holy shit! You are good. So say yes to being my photographer."

  Gus finally looked up at Aiden with a sheepish grin, trying to pretend he wasn't nervous about her new discovery. She fell in love with him a little bit more right then and there.

  "Under one condition," she said, not taking her eyes off of him.

  Aislinn's smile was practically palpable, "And that is?"

  "You tell me every gory detail about Gus' awkward teenage years."

  Gus didn't even get a chance to argue before Aislinn agreed.

  "Deal!"

  He groaned and dropped his head to the table with a thud.

  "Please tell me he looks terrified," Aislinn begged.

  "Oh, it's worse."

  "Perfect! Babe, she said yes!"

  Aiden heard a man's relieved voice in the background and she could only imagine what kind of man Lucas Shade was to put up with a woman like Aislinn. He must be completely devoted to her.

  "Okay, tell Gus to be ready in a few minutes. We are going to get, Dad, Con, and Em on Skype and call you guys back."

  "Luke's created a monster," Gus groaned when she handed him the phone. "My little sister used to be so sweet and shy. Never had an inkling of the evil she now possesses. Not until Luke and her got together."

  "Well, good for her. I like her just the way she is."

  He smiled. "Me too."

  She stood and cleared the rest of their plates while Gus watched her carefully. "Um, are you mad?"

  "About what?"

  "The picture."

  She sighed. "No, I'm not mad. Just surprised. You didn't have to buy it."

  "Yes, I did," he replied sternly. "I didn't want anyone else to have that…"

  He trailed off and looked away quickly. Before she could ask what he meant, his laptop started chiming.

  Time to meet the rest of the family.

  Lily and Aidy stopped washing dishes and they all gathered around him, Aiden at his side with his insistence, and Lily and Aidy behind them. Aiden watched as multiple screens popped up revealing his family. Lucas and Aislinn were there first and Gus immediately started in on how beautiful his sister looked.

  "Pregnancy is good for you, sis. You look just like Mom only you're glowing."

  Aislinn Brannock - soon to be Shade - was gorgeous. She had the most beautiful long brown hair and her gray eyes twinkled the very second she saw her brother. No matter what she said about the amount of crap they gave her in life, you could tell she loved them fiercely.

  Luke's hair was dark like Aislinn's and his eyes were a light blue that reminded her of the sky on the clearest day. But it was the pair of dimples that appeared when he smiled that told her exactly why Aislinn 'worshipped the ground he walked on' as Gus had so eloquently put it. Luke kissed Ash on the cheek when she blushed at Gus' compliment and murmured something in her ear, making her eyes widen.

  "Hey now, Shady!" Gus snapped. "Don't you dare be saying dirty things to my sister in front of me."

  Luke laughed and flipped him off right as another couple appeared in a box next to them. Gus' smile widened, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Aiden could see how much he missed his family and knew the pain. It's what she felt when Lily had moved away to marry Brandon.

  Conall looked like a harder, more serious version of Gus. He smiled when he saw his younger brother, but there was a slight amount of relief in there, too. Almost as if he had been waiting to see if all was well with his little brother and finally had. His blue eyes were darker than Luke's, but they shined at the same level of brightness when he looked over at the woman sitting next to him.

  Emily's green eyes sparkled when she got a first glimpse at Gus. She was blonde, and not just any blonde. Her hair was the perfect blonde that Lily had been dying to achieve her entire life. Aiden even heard Lily gasp behind her before she felt the excitement flowing off of her. The moment the opportunity presented itself, Lily was going to beg for Emily's secrets.

  "Emily, when are you going to leave my grumpy ass brother and find love with me?" Gus teased, making Conall glare dangerously.

  Emily giggled and shook her head, love shining through when she replied. "Gus, you know you talk too much for me. Some girls just need the strong silent type." She turned to Conall and smiled, "You can be grumpy with me any day, baby."

  They kissed tenderly and Gus pretended to gag. Conall caught Aiden's eye and asked her to smack his little brother on the back of the head. She was only too happy to oblige.

  A third box appeared on the screen and an older version of the two brothers appeared. William Brannock. Legend to his sons and hero to his daughter. He was extremely handsome and she could only imagine what the younger version of him must have looked like. No wonder Gus' mother had been so passionate about her husband. William's blue eyes were like Conall's and it finally became clear how Gus got the blue and gray in his own eyes. They had to be a perfect mix of his mom and dad's traits.

  "Fergus, Conall. You boys look well," William said with a smile. "Emily, my dear, you are just as beautiful as ever."

  Emily blushed and blew a kiss to the screen. This family loved each other. Intensely. It caused the warm grip around Aiden's heart to tighten. This is the kind of love she had with her own family.

  "I see that gorgeous red hair my son has told me so much about, but I can't decide which one of you he was talking about when he said the words 'most beautiful girl in the whole world'. Both are stunning, son. Especially that little one I see behind you."

  Aidy giggled and Gus turned and smiled at her. "They both mean the world to me, so take your pick, Dad."

  Ash and Emily gushed while Luke and Con both smiled wickedly. Gus was going to get the teasing of a lifetime the minute they could get him alone. Aiden, on the other hand, wanted to maul him right then and there.

  "And you must be the little one's mother, Lily?" William added, his eyes still looking behind us.

  "Yes, sir," Lily replied.

  "Liam, please. I get enough sir from my sons."

  "How is everyone doing?" Gus asked, leaning back and putting an arm over the back of Aiden's chair.

  "First things first, asshat," Luke started. "Introduce us to Aiden."

 

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