“Here, let me help you.” I turned her panties right side out as I stood upright with them in my hand. She snatched them out of my hand.
“No, thank you. I have it and am fine.” She wouldn’t make eye contact with me.
“Taylor—”
“I said I’m fine.”
I took hold of her wrist and pulled her close to me. My arms wrapped around her, and I guided her head to my chest. I kissed the top of her head.
“Just because you say it, doesn’t mean I believe it,” I told her. I rubbed my hands up and down her back. “I’ll let you in on two secrets, Taylor. Michael used to tell me that he was fine all the time when we were younger. I never bought his lines of shit either. And second, I’m not the monster who made you hate men.” I made my points loud and clear. Taylor was a smart woman; she understood. I kissed the top of her head again, and as I started to pull away, she wrapped her arms around my back and held me close to her.
“Um… could you… I mean, would you mind—”
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart,” I easily whispered the words she struggled to say.
“Okay.” She cleared her throat as her head settled against my chest. “But I still don’t like you.”
I smiled and rubbed her back again.
“Good, because the feeling is mutual,” I replied.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Michael
My business had taken a back seat for the past few days while I’d helped Aria’s family get settled in their new lives. Sawyer’s assessment about Aria’s mother being dead weight was right on.
Anna had hardly paid any of her children attention, including Aria, whom she hadn’t seen in years. She came across to me as being disconnected to the point of not caring. While that simply could be due to the fact that one of her kids was still missing, like Sawyer, I wasn’t buying it.
Aria, however, stepped in and had been very motherly with her siblings, and Alek had helped out as much as possible. As I watched Aria care for the kids, I couldn’t help but urgently want this woman to carry a child of mine. And as soon as things were settled, I’d make sure that happened.
My Cooper and Belle had been helping out as well and playing with Aria’s brothers and sister. Belle and Aurora are basically best little friends now and instantly bonded over playing with Belle’s dolls. Alek and Cooper were the same age, but Alek was very thin and underweight.
I accompanied Anna and her kids to the doctor to be examined. I wanted to ensure I was aware of everything going on with them, and Anna didn’t seem like she would retain much. Even though I knew Phillip would bring me up to speed on any issues, I wanted to be there to show Anna that I cared and would handle the bill.
Alek was by far in the worst shape of all the kids. He had several injuries that couldn’t be seen. Among those were a concussion, swollen inner ear, and several bones in his hands were broken. All of the kids had physical trauma, and I knew from first-hand experience that the physical trauma was the easiest to deal with. Those things healed in time, and that pain stopped. But when Phillip told me that the boys had been sexually abused, the switch in my head flipped, and I wanted nothing more than to kill their father.
Taylor had alluded in her texts that Jensen was a mess and that the situation with him broke her heart. She didn’t say much more about it via text, but I planned on having a conversation with her and Sawyer later today after they had a chance to catch up on sleep.
I reached across the seat and took hold of Aria’s hand as we sat in the back of the SUV close to the runway. It wasn’t even seven in the morning, but Vin’s jet would be landing any minute now with Sawyer, Taylor, and Jensen. Even though it had just been a few days, it felt like much longer than that. Anna sat in the front seat, staring blankly out the window. Maybe things would change for her once she saw Jensen. I looked down at my cell phone when it vibrated in my hand.
Should be landing within a couple of minutes.
Good. We’ll meet you at the jet. I’ve got a driver with another SUV who will make sure you and Taylor get home.
“Sawyer said they’re just a few minutes from landing.” I said it loud enough so Anna would be able to hear, yet she didn’t react at all.
Once the jet landed and the stairs were pushed over to the door, Aria and I got out of the Escalade and waited in the designated area a short distance away. Anna finally got out of the SUV and came to stand beside us.
Eventually, Sawyer and Taylor appeared as they helped Jensen down the stairs. The boy was practically swimming in Sawyer’s puffy coat as he hobbled toward us. Aria let go of my hand and ran to Jensen and wrapped him up in a hug. Anna and I walked toward them, and as I hugged Taylor and Sawyer, I could hear Anna reprimanding Jensen for having run off.
“You should not have run, Jensen!”
“I didn’t!”
“Lies!” Anna yelled at him. I stepped out of my embrace with Taylor when we heard a hand slapping flesh.
“Mother, no!” Aria exclaimed.
