Chapter 97 INTO IT AND

Chapter 97 INTO IT AND
Leah

It was a hot afternoon. 

I sat on one of the porch chairs as I watched Roman and Aiden playing football in the yard.

Roman kicked the ball with dramatic aggression while I cheered for him. "Go, baby!"

Aiden shot me an offended glare. "Why do keep cheering for only him?" he whined.

Fuck. He looks cute when he does that.

Roman puffed up proudly. "Because I'm better than you."

"Oh. I'll show you," Aiden scoffed.

"Aiden," I warned, but it was too late.

He had already kicked the ball and finally scored his first goal in two hours. 

"Goal!" He shouted, throwing his hands into the air in victory as he circled their makeshift goal post.

Roman stood still, watching him not the least bit excited about his opponent winning. 

Aiden turned to see him not smiling then to me who shook her head slowly in disappointment. His celebration died instantly.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, lowering his head like a kid who was ganged up on.

They started again after he spent hours convincing Roman to keep playing.

Roman kicked the ball again, too hard, and he tripped over it and fell face flat onto the grass.

My heart stopped, and I shot up from my chair too quickly, ignoring the pain.

"Roman!"

Aiden was already there reaching for him, but before he could grab him, Roman pushed himself up and started giggling. 

"I'm fine, mummy," he announced, waving at me.

I exhaled, lowering myself back into the chair.

Aiden brushed the grass off his shirt. "You planning on kissing the ground again, or are we playing?!"

"Hmph." Roman grabbed the ball. "I won't let you score again!"

They continued playing with Aiden, letting Roman score and acting like he was sad he lost.

If you had told me five years ago that a place which held so much bad memories would be filled with laughter from the two people I loved one day. I wouldn't believe it.

Aiden's phone rang, and I turned toward the chair beside me just as it lit up with Storm's name.

"Aiden!" 

He jogged toward me, slightly out of breath. And my traitorous eyes trailed down the sweat glistened over his chest, sliding slowly down the hard lines of his abdomen. 

I swallowed as my gaze followed the trail, dragging lower over the sharp cut of his hips, into that sinful V that disappeared beneath the waistband of his black sweatpants that hid his big...

Jesus christ, Leah!

"Pervert," Aiden accused. 

My head snapped up. "Pervert? Me?"

He leaned against the porch rail, pushing his damp hair back. "Yes, you. I can see the dirty thoughts written all over your face."

Heat crept up my face. "You must be imagining things."

"Am I? Because I definitely caught you undressing me with your eyes."

"I wasn't," I insisted, standing and stretching my hand out to give him his phone.

He took it from me his fingers brushing mine on purpose.

The teasing smile was still there when he looked at the screen then it disappeared.

Without saying a word, he locked the screen and tossed it back onto the chair.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"Later."

I knew that call was too important to ignore. I'd overheard enough of his conversations to figure out who it was he kept making promises to visit and giving excuses when he didn't.

Maybe I had been selfish keeping him here and pretending I didn't know someone else needed his attention too.

The phone rang again, and I held it out to him.

"Roman isn't the only child that needs your attention."

He stilled, shock flashing across his face. 

I nodded toward the phone in my hand. He took it without a word and started walking away as he answered. "Yeah."

"Aiden! Catch!" 

Roman launched the ball at him from behind, and he caught it one handed without looking and tossed it back smoothly.

"Wow," Roman gasped, shocked.

"I'll be back, little man."

Roman's eyes lit with excitement as he ran toward me, sweaty and dirty.

"Mummy! Did you see that?"

"Yes, I did." I handed him a bottle of water.

"I can do that too."

"Yes, you can." I laughed softly and looked past him to where Aiden stood farther away now, his back turned.

I could see it from here, the tension, the way his posture went rigid, and his hand clenched around the phone.

Whatever Storm was saying wasn't good.

When he finally turned back toward us, his face was different.

He looked like he could kill someone.

"We have to go."

"What happened?" I asked immediately.

"It's nothing to worry about."

He was already walking into the cabin.

"Stay here. I'll be back," I said to Roman, then followed Aiden inside.

"Aiden, talk to me."

He kept walking.

"Aiden."

Still nothing.

I stopped. "AIDEN!"

He halted and turned his jaw clenched.

"Freya escaped."

The words didn't make sense at first.

"What do you mean escape? Escaped from where?"

He hesisted for half a second. "I had her locked up after I found out she had people following you."

The room felt smaller as my heart pounded in my ears.

"Why would she..." my voice faltered. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know." He tugged at his hair then slammed his fist into the wall. "That bitch... she took Laura with her."

I could hear the fear in his voice for the little girl.

I inhaled slowly. "I understand."

The softness of the afternoon was gone, and something darker had replaced it. I only hoped it wasn't going to get darker than it already is.

During the drive back, Aiden's jaw was locked so tight I thought it might crack.

His hand gripped the steering wheel hard enough for the veins in his forearms to bulge more than usual, thick and tense beneath his skin. His elbow rested against the window, fingers rubbing along his jaw repeatedly like he was trying to grind down the rage building inside him.

He was also driving too fast.

I reached over slowly and placed my hand on his forearm.

"She will be fine."

There is no way she would hurt or own daughter, right?

He exhaled through his nose, sharp and controlled.

"Freya wouldn't hesitate to hurt Laura just to get at me."

I squeezed his arm. "As long as she needs something from you, she won't hurt her yet."

I hope.

His eyes flicked toward me for a while before returning to the road.

Then he said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I was supposed to be with you and Roman for your break, but now I can't."

Saving Laura was more important, and we both knew it.

"Go get your daughter."

He leaned toward me slightly, trying to press a quick kiss to my lips.

"NO KISSING!" Roman shouted from the back.

We both jerked, then chuckled.

"Yes, boss," Aiden said, eyes on the road.

When we reached my apartment, I was greeted with five huge men standing outside my door.

"What's going on?"

"It's until I find Freya," Aiden said calmly.

"This is too much—"

"Leah, please." His voice dropped. "I won't be able to focus if I'm not sure you two are safe."

I looked at the men again, then back at him.

"Okay."

"Make sure you call me if anything happens."

"I will."

He leaned down and kissed me.

Roman immediately ran forward, trying to push Aiden's thighs apart with all his five year old strength.

"Stop it."

Aiden smirked without breaking the kiss.

When he finally pulled back, he crouched slightly and ruffled Roman's hair.

"Be a good boy to mummy, okay?"

Roman slapped his hand away.

Aiden laughed and peeked his forehead. "Protect her for me until I'm back, little man."

Roman's cheeks flushed red. "Don't tell me what to do."

Aiden's eyes lifted to mine as he straightened, and I saw reluctance flicker in them. 

I pushed against his chest. "Go. So you can come back to me early."

He clenched his fist and then turned to his men. "Protect her with your lives."

"Yes, boss," they chorused.

He walked towards the elevator.

"Don't get hurt," I said after him.

He stopped but didn't turn.

"I'll be waiting for you," I added.

The elevator doors slid shut, and he was gone.

Roman slipped his hand into mine as I unlocked the door.

"Mummy, is Aiden going somewhere?"

"Yes," I said. "He is going to fight bad guys."

"Will he win?"

"Of course. He always does."

My heart dropped the moment the lights flicked on to reveal Freya sitting on my couch.

She leaned back, legs crossed with a gun resting in her hand.

"How was your little family vacation?" She asked sweetly. "My ass was just about hurting from waiting for you."

Roman's fingers tightened around mine.

What was the use of all the men standing outside my door when the danger was in my home all already?