Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“I know.”
His da studied him for a moment. “But what you did was worse. You understand that now, right?”
“I shouldn’t have kept it from Carys. I should have insisted he bring her in so she wasn’t alone.” He’d definitely thought about this for the last couple of days. When he wasn’t in bed with them. Playing with them. Being with them.
“Has anyone talked about what Carys did wrong?” His father glanced over to where Carys stood, looking so pretty it hurt. The private airport lounge had skylights, and the morning light bathed her, making the gold and brown highlights in her auburn hair striking.
“She didn’t do anything wrong. She was innocent in all of it.” If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Carys didn’t deserve anything from the torture of the last few years.
His father frowned. “Now see, I’m worried again. Until you all understand what went wrong, what each of you contributed to the problem, I don’t know you can solve it. Something will come up and the wedge will be there again because the problem can’t be solved by simply getting back into bed together. Tristan knows damn well what he did, and I hope he doesn’t falter under the weight of it. Like I said, he got in over his head, and there’s nothing shameful about it. His mistake wasn’t trying, it was refusing to ask for help. It was cutting you two out. You should never have followed his orders, son. I understand he’s…”
Aidan felt a flush go through him because he knew what his father had been about to say. Had everyone known but him? Was he going to avoid saying it? This was another thing he’d thought about endlessly over the last few days. Was he ashamed of who he was? He’d been more present because Tris was back and insisting they spend real time together. Not the turn on the TV, eat some take out and read a medical journal and call it quality time. And what did they call it in their world? “Just because he’s my Dom doesn’t mean he’s always correct, and when he’s not I have to push back and do what’s right for all of us.”
“Exactly,” his da said.
“Does it bother you?”
“Like I said, I wish you’d been honest with Carys,” his da began.
“I didn’t mean what happened with Carys. I was talking about my relationship with Tris,” Aidan said, opening a door he’d thought he would keep locked forever. “Does it bother you and Mom?”
“Why would it bother me? Son, if I could get over the whole weird threesome thing, I can handle anything.” He sighed. “Sorry. Somewhere your mother is slapping me on the back and telling me to use my grown-up words. So I’m going to. Aidan, there’s nothing you can do in this world that would make me turn from you. Not a damn thing. I could be disappointed in you for harming others, but it’s not in you, so it’s easy to say. You needing Tris in the way you do, there’s nothing to be bothered about. I’m actually quite proud because you never really questioned it. I think your mother and I did well. You didn’t sit around worried something was wrong with you.”
“I’ll be honest, I don’t think I even recognized it until he was gone and I tried to be the top,” Aidan admitted. “I tried to give Carys what she needed, but what we both needed was him.”
“I have no doubt in my mind if Tris was gone forever, you would find your way.” His father put a hand on Aidan’s shoulder and stared him in the eyes. “You would adapt, but you don’t have to because I believe him when he says he’s coming home. But it is up to you to figure out everything that went wrong so you can look for the signs and not let it happen again.”
Aidan sighed. “Or you could tell me, Da.”
His da patted his cheek. “Oh, with things like this, revelation is half the prize. Now you be safe, my boy. Are you sure you have everything?”
“Li, leave the kid alone,” Big Tag said. “Aren’t you supposed to be running the company while I’m gone?”
“Alex is doing fine,” his da groused back. He turned to Tag. “Don’t you dare get me boy killed. I spent too much on his education. He’s my retirement plan.”
His father had done well for them all. He’d invested wisely and wouldn’t need to sponge off his kids. His father was actually everything he wanted to be. “Da, thanks for coming down to see me off.”
His father smiled and pulled him in for a manly hug. “Of course. I love you, son.”
“I love you, too.”
“I promise I’ll take care of him.” Carys had joined them, grinning at his father. “He thinks he’ll be the one saving me, but I’ve been told on this team the men are usually the ones who need saving.”