Chapter 42: Alexander's

The thought of being used as bait for my slimy uncle scares the shit out of me.

But after coming this close to losing Ethan, after watching him collapse in my arms, blood staining my hands, it gave me strength. we already agreed no more running. If something ever happened to him because of me again, I wouldn’t survive it. That was scarier than anything my uncle could do. And to think my father couldn't do anything to stop his idiotic brother from harming his son.

“So what do I do to lure my uncle out?” I asked, looking directly at Noah.

Ethan doesn’t support the plan one bit. It’s obvious from the look on his sexy, annoyed face,like the idea physically offends him. I don’t blame him. My uncle is so shameless that he would go to any length just to make Blackwood Empire his.

“You’ll ask him to meet up. It would be at an open place like a café,” Noah said.

“He’s definitely going to be taped so we can see and hear whatever will go on there.” Ethan’s voice came out sounding final, like nobody could object, and nobody did.

“Ummm excuse me, are you guys forgetting I’m still here?” Aiden spoke up like he had been waiting for the perfect time.

I smiled a little and looked at him, but before I could say anything, Noah beat me to it.

“You’re with me.” He didn’t even lift his head.

“Ohh… ok… ok.” Aiden’s voice cracked a little. It was honestly funny.

The way he was looking at Noah, like he didn’t want to offend him but also kind of wanted to climb him, it was hilarious and painfully obvious.

I didn’t say much. I just went around the table, grabbed Aiden’s hand, and said, “Where is the bedroom here?”

“Down the hall, second door by your left. Why do...”

I didn’t let Ethan finish.

“Excuse us,” I said, and off to the bedroom we went.

The moment we entered the bedroom, I shut the door and turned to Aiden.

“How long?”

“How long, what?” He asked with a confused look.

“Oh don’t give me that crap. How long have you guys been fucking?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

A small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Then I’ll go ask him myself. I’m sure he won’t leave a single detail out of it.” I turned to leave the room.

“A few weeks.”

“Ha! Gotchya.” I faced him again with a very wide smile this time.

“Fuck you!”

“No thanks, I have my soldier for that.”

“I hate you. I really do.”

The words left his mouth, making an uncontrollable laugh roll out of me.

“No you don’t. And just so you know—you guys are doing a shit job hiding it, if you were trying to. Because Noah doesn’t look like he wants to hide. Anyway, how did it happen?”

“First of all, we’re not trying to hide anything. And secondly, we had an argument after Ethan was discharged from the hospital. Remember it was a Friday and he offered to drop me off at my place but I refused. I had my place open and ready for my weekend party.”

“And?” I was eager and excited about the two of them, honestly.

“And he dragged me to his car. I refused to enter so he picked me up and put me inside the car.”

“That’s so Noah.”

“Stop interrupting me.”

“Okay, fine. Go on.” I gestured for him to continue.

“When we got to my place, he followed me inside and said he wanted to make sure I got home safe,blah blah blah and then he stumbled upon a stripper. A very hot one. I told him why they were there and explained everything.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “To cut the long story short, he stayed without permission and wouldn’t let me have my fun, but we ended up fucking on almost every surface in my apartment—including the kitchen island. He kept going at it all night, fucking my...”

“No. Nope. Too much. Too much information, man. I get it,he fucked you, and now you look at him like he holds the air you breathe.”

“Shit, is it that obvious?” he asked.

“Yes, man, it is. I’m happy for you, but we need to get going before they come looking for us.”

Back in the living area, Ethan and Noah were leaning close, speaking with their voices low. Ethan looked completely relaxed, one hand in his pocket, the other resting casually on the table. It was almost comical how unbothered he looked after I dragged Aiden out like a stolen wallet.

I cleared my throat loudly.

They both stopped talking immediately.

“What are you big boys gossiping about?”

“How to make you watch while I bend your best friend over this table and fuck him,” Noah’s calm and annoyingly steady voice said.

Aiden gasped beside me like someone slapped oxygen out of him.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. You have a terrible sense of humour. But I won’t mind watching. Ethan, would you?”

“Nope. They look like they would enjoy the audience.” Ethan answered without even blinking.

“Excuse you, why are you all talking about my sex life while I’m right here?” Aiden complained.

“Weren’t you two talking about me too?” Noah asked, raising a brow.

“How the hell did you know that?” Aiden asked.

“It was pretty obvious why Alex dragged you out. You couldn’t keep your eyes off me. You practically gave yourself away.”

We all stared at Noah.

I stared not only because he figured out exactly why I’d dragged Aiden away but also because that was the longest normal sentence Noah had ever spoken.

Aiden looked like he wished the floor would swallow him whole.

“Okay, can we please get back to exposing Joe and not about who is fucking who?” Aiden said in an awkward but dramatic way.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Right. My uncle,” I said. “So… the plan.”

Noah nodded, switching back into mission mode frighteningly fast. “Once we get Clara Hayes, and make sure they can't find her , you'll meet with your uncle then.

“As the bait,” I murmured.

“You’re not going alone,” Ethan said immediately.

His voice wasn’t loud,but it said alot..

"Yeah I know, you've already established that."

I walked closer to him and he looked down at me like the sight of me alone was enough to undo his arguments.

“I can handle it,” I whispered.

His eyes softened. “I know. Doesn’t mean I’ll like it.”

Aiden cleared his throat loudly. “Please. get a room. If you two start kissing, I’ll go blind.”

Ethan shot him a look that promised violence.

I snorted.

But then my stomach tightened as reality settled back in.

We were planning to catch a monster. A monster with my last name.

And I was about to stand directly in front of him.