Page 25 of Aaron

“I see why you live up there. It’s peaceful, the air smells so clean, and it’s like I can reach out and touch the stars…”

Aaron chuckles as his arms squeeze me a little tighter. “That’s not the only reason we’re here, but it is definitely one of them. And peaceful? Yeah, until a family of mafia hotheads invaded.”

“I’m sorry about that.” I wish I could roll back time and stop my brothers. Though I’m not sure I’d have been able to do that, even if I’d told them I needed to check on Jac before getting on the plane. “They are total jerk-burgers. Being the youngest would have been bad enough, but I’m also the only girl in the family for generations. They’re always telling me what to do and threatening to tell our parents if I don’t.”

“That sounds horrible.” His voice carries a hint of laughter. “It seems like Matteo might be the weak link, though.”

Aaron’s right. I’m surprised he saw that with everything going on when they stormed into the Gallants’ home.

“Sometimes. But I have a question.” With such an enormous house, why would they live elsewhere on the property? It is weird.

“You can ask me anything, princess. As I said before, I don’t like liars, and I’ll always tell you the truth. If there’s something I can’t share, I’ll explain that I can’t. I expect you to do the same.”

He’s talking about us like we’re a couple. I must be misunderstanding. We’ve known each other for a couple of hours at most, even if being in his arms feels right. When all hell broke loose earlier, I needed Aaron; he made me feel safe. Not my brothers, not Jaclyn—just him. It’s crazy to think we could have more, even though Andrew decided Jaclyn was his when she first arrived, but that was under extenuating circumstances. Lightning wouldn’t strike twice on the same mountain, would it?

“Are you going to ask me, or did you change your mind, baby?” This time, I know he’s laughing.

“Sorry. I got lost in my head for a minute—occupational hazard of being an author. I was just wondering why you don’t live in the house. It’s huge. Surely there’s enough room for everyone. It seems strange to me, especially since you eat together there.”

“We think of the main house more like our office space and guest accommodations⁠—”

“But you don’t invite anyone up here, do you? At least, that’s what Jac said. Ugh, sorry. Bad habit of mine.” Merda. I hope the darkness hides my embarrassment.

“It’s okay. And Jaclyn is correct. We rarely have guests, but it does happen. We have friends who visit, or business associates we need to meet with in-person. Having that space comes in handy since there’s nowhere to stay nearby.”

“I guess that makes sense. But isn’t there a hotel, or at least a motel around here? What about in Maple Creek?”

“A B&B opened about a year ago in town. It’s not that big since we don’t get enough visitors around here to warrant it. Or we didn’t until word got out that we’d moved back to the mountain. Now the visiting press keeps them booked up most of the time, hoping to catch a glimpse of us in town.”

Totally understandable, especially after Jac explained what happened to their family. Even I know the story you can’t get easily is the one you need to track down.

“It’s beautiful. Seems a shame to leave it empty most of the time,” I muse as he makes his way across the property. It’s so dark, but not scary dark, just peaceful, or maybe that’s being in his arms. I don’t know how large their property is or how far away his cabin is, but before long, I see muted lights in the darkness.

“We use it every day. The offices are located there, and so is our security hub. Even as close as we are, everyone needs time away from each other occasionally. Now that four of my brothers are married, it’s even more important.”

“That was a surprise. Jaclyn didn’t know any of you were married.” Leaning forward in his arms, I make out the silhouette of a building. “Is that it?” I point toward what I think is a cabin.

“It is. We just passed Andrew’s; Adrian’s is over to the left, and mine is up here. Adam and Aaric’s are that way,” Aaron explains.

“What about Asher? He’s the scary one who had the gun, right?” When he popped up behind Cris, I was sure he’d kill my brother. I kept seeing Cris’s brains splattered everywhere, covering my brothers and painting the walls. Yeah, I need to lay off the hitman movies, for sure.

“He’d be happy you think so. Asher was much more feral before he found Emma, but that’s their story to tell. His cabin is at the edge of the forest. It’s why he showed up late to the party. When the rest of us left after our parents’ death, he stayed. He’s been here ever since. Asher likes his privacy and keeps to himself, although he caused quite a few Bigfoot rumors, the way he stomped all over the mountain ferreting out trespassers. Eventually, he built his own cabin—the first one, and the blueprint for the rest of ours.”

“That’s so sad, to be alone like that. My heart hurts for him. Why wouldn’t he want to be with the rest of you? But I’m glad he has Emma now.” A tortured hero is one of my favorite tropes to write, but I never thought I’d meet someone who fit the description.

“It was rough on all of us, but our life is good now. And mine got a lot better when I found you trying to break in earlier.” He kisses my forehead, making my insides all warm and fuzzy. I don’t understand my reaction to him, but maybe I’m getting sick. It would explain why I’m reacting so weird.

Before I can say anything, he’s climbing the cabin’s porch stairs. I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but definitely not this. While small compared to the main house, it’s beautiful. I’d thought that maybe they would look rough since the brothers built them on their own. Who knew these billionaires were so talented?

The front is mostly windows, and even with the drawn curtains, the lights inside make the porch easy to see.

“You have a swing?” Excitement bubbles up inside me. I can just imagine sitting out here in the morning, cupping my mug and watching the sunrise—not that I’d ever wake up early enough to see it. Still, it sounded amazing.

“I do, Little one. We can sit outside tomorrow. It’s late. You need to get to bed,” Aaron replies as he opens the door and carries me inside. The first thing I notice is my suitcase against the wall, just like he’d said.

Aaron’s cabin is another open floor-plan space. Considering how big all these guys are, it makes sense to want a lot of space. “You can put me down now,” I say, turning my head left and right, trying to take in everything. When he hesitates, I think I’m going to have to beg, but then he lowers me to the gleaming hardwood floor. “Thank you.”

His smile sends my heart racing. Then I notice his dimple and melt into a puddle at his feet. He’s strikingly attractive. But when he grins like that, it’s next level and ignites my nerve endings. Turning to keep him from noticing my flush, I wander around the main room to put some distance between us.