“I’m aware,” Aiden said, an edge of irritation creeping into his voice.
He took everything Thomas said as some kind of challenge, some kind of criticism. He was so relaxed and at ease with everybody else, but with Thomas there was a resentment and bitterness there that Aiden just refused to let go. He wanted to hate Thomas. Part of him wished he could do the same. But it just wasn’t possible.
“I simply want to keep you safe,” Thomas said, voice gravel, the ache in his chest growing.
Aiden’s expression remained grim. “I’m almost forty years old, Thomas. I can take care of myself. I’ve been taking care of myself since the day I was born. If you’re worried about me ratting out the family, I would like to think you know better than that.”
Of course, he did. Thomas sighed. “You know that’s not my concern.”
“Then what is your concern?” Aiden spit back. “Why the sudden influx in meetings? Why do you suddenly have an apartment in my town, cars, contacts, business meetings? You’ve never done business on the west coast yet now you’re here twice a week? Why are you suddenly here all the time?”
Thomas’s heart twisted.Because I miss you.
He didn’t say that. Could never fucking say that. Aiden wouldn’t believe him anyway. Not after last time. Christ. Thomas ran a hand over his face, then blew out a breath throughhis nose, wishing he’d just brought the bottle of whiskey to the table. “I have my reasons.”
“Are you spying on me? Keeping tabs on me? Why not just let your pet investigator do it?”
“It’s not like that…I have business…contacts…It’s just a coincidence,” Thomas lied. “It’s not?—”
“Why can I never get far enough away from you?” Aiden spit, his fury obvious.
Memories came roaring back into Thomas’s head unbidden. Aiden’s mouth hot on his, his hands curling into Thomas’s shirt, shoving him back into his chair to crawl into his lap, whispering, ‘Why can’t I stay away from you?’
The images in his head took his breath away. There was so little difference between what Aiden had whispered into his mouth that night and what he’d just said, but the meanings were light years apart.
That was the last night Aiden had voluntarily come home. The night Thomas had slipped and given into the one thing he’d sworn he’d never fucking do. The night he’d proven how weak he really was. The night they’d… He pushed the thoughts from his head.Fuck.“Is that what you want?” he croaked. “For me to leave you alone?”
“Does it matter?” Aiden countered, not answering the question, as usual.
Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose, half wishing he’d made sure at least a couple of his sons had been there for this conference call. It was always easier when there were witnesses, when there was a buffer to keep Thomas from saying the things he desperately wanted to say. “What you want has always mattered to me, Aiden.”
Aiden snorted. “I have years of anecdotal evidence that says that’s a fucking lie. But you’re a great liar, aren’t you? You’ve been lying to yourself for years.”
“You don’t know what?—”
Aiden cut him off. “I knew what I wanted when I was sixteen years old. You’re fifty-five and you’re still running away, you fucking coward.”
“That’s not fair?—”
Aiden’s face twisted. “Fuck fair. And fuck you, too.”
Thomas leaned back in his chair. “You’re breaking my heart.”
“Yeah, well you broke me first.”
With that, he was gone, leaving Thomas alone to stare at nothing.
As soon as the screen went black, Thomas picked up the heavy crystal tumbler, sending it hurtling towards the wall, the crescendo of glass shattering doing nothing to quell the fury bubbling within.
He hit the button on the speaker, only listening to it ring twice before Calliope chirped, “Yes, my fearless leader.”
“Can you please touch base with Aiden and make sure his alibi is airtight?” Calliope’s silence set his teeth on edge. “Hello?”
“You asked me to do that yesterday. What’s wrong?” Calliope asked, sounding like she knew full well what’s wrong.
“Nothing. Just do what I asked.”
“Thomas…” she said, her words drenched in sorrow. “Why do you keep doing this to yourself?”
