Book Two: Chapter Twenty-Four


    Ava woke feeling rested and secure. Dim gray light filtered past the edges of the thick curtains. It was


    morning. She shivered thinking of the chill that should have pervaded her bones. Yet she remained


    warm andfortable. An arm tightened around as Ss held her secure against himself.


    After they finished dinner he carried her back to bed and made love to her again. Her body quivered


    remembering how he touched her. His caresses were strong but gentle, tempered to bring her the


    greatest pleasure. She wasn’t sure if it was intuition or learned but he found and teased every sensitive


    spot. Her father always imed sex was a dirty thing. Was it wrong for it to feel so good?


    “Morning beautiful,” Ss said in a voice gruff from sleep. His embrace tightened and he kissed the


    nape of her neck.


    “Good morning,” Ava replied her skin tingling where he touched.


    He chuckled at her reaction. Ava felt her face warm but there was no denying how good it felt to be in


    his arms. She wouldn’t mind waking up every morning like this.


    “What are you thinking about?” Ss asked nibbling on her ear.


    “Oh just…how nice it is to wake up like this,” Ava blushed, “and that I wouldn’t mind waking up like this


    all the time.”


    “I agree.” He sighed. “I could stay here with you forever.”


    “But you have to work today,” Ava argued. He had been spending more and more time with her and the


    kids never once mentioning work.


    “Nothing I can’t do from home.”


    “Are you sure that’s all right?”


    “I’m the boss. It’s fine.” Ss smiled stroking her hair. “Besides, who is going to argue if I want to spend


    the day with my fiancée?”


    He imed her as his own so easily it made her shiver. It seemed he waspletely earnest his gaze


    smoldering as he gazed at her. His eyes were intense, possessive yet tender, just like his touch. Did he


    really care so much about her? She couldn’t deny how good it felt to think so.


    “What are you thinking about?” Ss asked sensing her mind was wandering.


    “Last night you said, you said you loved me. It feels good to think it’s true.”


    “Would you like me to say it again?” Ss asked. “I’ll say it a hundred times if you want. Because it’s


    true. I love you Ava.”


    “Ss…”


    “Shh.” He caressed her lips. “You don’t have to say it back until you’re sure. We have time…and a


    wedding to n.”


    “A wedding?”


    “Of course.”


    “Y-you’re serious?” Ava raised her hand to look at the ring on her finger.


    “I have dreamed of the day I would make you mine, Ava. Every night it’s all I think about. I would have


    married you right there in the courtroom. But I want you to have the wedding you deserve. It can be


    anything you want, anywhere you want. Whatever kind of wedding you’ve dreamed about.”


    Ava’s eyes watered. Did he really mean it? He wanted her to have the wedding of her dreams. He


    wanted her to have a job she wanted and believed she could do anything she wanted. It was too much.


    It was too different from what her father always told her. She couldn’t reconcile the difference.


    “Ava? What is it?” Ss frowned gently wiping away a tear.


    “My dad…always said it was a woman’s ce to be quiet and serve her husband. He said I should be


    obedient…”


    “Ava,” Ss caressed her cheek bringing her to silence. “Never mention that man again. And forget


    everything he ever said to you. He’s a fool. You are so much more than he could ever imagine. And


    you’ll show him how wrong he was about you…I can already see it. And I’ll do anything you need me to


    do to help that daye faster.”


    “Thank you.”


    “You don’t have to thank me for that.” He kissed her. “Are you ready for breakfast or do you want to


    stay in bed? I’m good with either.”


    Ava blushed butughed at his candor. Ss chuckled kissing her again pleased he could make her


    as happy and confident as she deserved to be.


    “I should get up. The kids will be awake soon.”


    “All right. I won’t argue.” Ss sighed letting her sit up.


    Ava winced and groaned as she tried to move. Her body protested every attempt and it almost brought


    tears to her eyes.


    “Ava, what’s wrong?” Ss sat up beside her.


    “It’s just…really hard to move.”


    “I’m sorry.” He hugged her. “I might have overdone itst night.”


    “Overdid it,” Ava muttered and blushed.


    “I know the perfect cure,” he whispered. “Wait here.”


    Ss slid out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Ava watched him go with a mixture of curiosity and


    apprehension until she realized he was naked. Blushing she hid her face in her hands mentally


    chastising herself. A few minutester she heard the bath running. Clutching the nkets to her chest


    she sighed, bath did sound nice. Was that his idea?


    Ss returned she looked up then immediately turned away. Her face burned. He was stillpletely


    naked. Chuckling he pulled the nkets away from her before gathering her in his arms and carrying


    her bridal style.


    “You have nothing to be embarrassed by Ava,” he said. “It all belongs to you. No one else is allowed to


    touch it.”


    Ava shivered, “Ss that isn’t funny.”


    “I’m not trying to be. I’m very serious. You’re the only woman I’ve been with and the only one I’ll ever be


    with. I’m yours and you’re mine Ava.”


    She rested her head on his shoulder. It felt nice to hear him say such things. Was it wrong for her to be


    happy he hadn’t slept with anyone else?


    Carrying her into the bathroom he brought her to the tub filled with steaming water. A rxing aroma


    wafted from the water no doubt from some sort of scented oil. It wasn’t an overpowering smell and she


    felt some of her tension ease as he stepped into the tub himself and slowly lowered them both into the


    water.


    Holding Ava across hisp he turned on the tub’s jets and gently caressed her as the heat and water


    soothed aching muscles. Ava sighed leaning against him. Ss kissed her temple loving how she fit


    against him. He would love nothing more than to stay like this forever but he couldn’t.


    Though he told Ava not to worry about his absence from work there were things he needed to catch up


    on. In addition he had to look over the invites he had been sent. Ava had not appeared in high society


    for ten years and now she was his fiancée. Her reintroduction must be perfect. He would not allow


    anyone to look down on her or hurt her. Soon enough everyone would treat her like a queen, as they


    should.


    “Ss.”


    “Yes beautiful?”


    “Um…I think…Are you aroused?” Ava hesitated to ask feeling his member stiffen under her.


    Ss chuckled, “Well it’s to be expected when I’m holding you.”


    “Really?” she looked back at him with confusion in her eyes.


    “I’m afraid so. Only the woman I love can affect me like this.”


    Her face flushed. He kissed her and held her.


    “Just because it’s there doesn’t mean we have to use it, luv.”


    “It’s not like we could right now anyway.”


    “I wouldn’t say that.”


    “No?” Ava asked. “Then how would we…”


    “I’ll show you.”


    He slid her from hisp, turning her and pulling her close so she now faced him straddling hisp. She


    gasped feeling his member press against her entrance as he kissed the nape of her neck caressing


    her.


    “Oh…um…”


    “You are the one in control,” Ss chuckled.


    “Me?”


    “Mhmm. What happens is all up to you.”


    “But I don’t…”


    “Just do what feels good,” Ss suggested gently pulling her hips toward him letting his member ease


    into her.


    Ava gasped clutching him close. Ss sighed. This wasn’t what he nned but he certainly wouldn’t


    “S-Ss.”


    “Like I said. You’re in control,” he whispered gently rocking her hips to start. “As fast or slow as you


    want. Whatever feels good to you.”


    Ava bit her lip shifting to take over the motion herself. It seemed precarious at first and she was afraid


    to cause him pain. But his expression was rxed as he groaned softly.


    “Mhmm. Just like that…”


    * * *


    “Hey sis, you awake?” Theo knocked before he and Sean entered.


    In their old apartment the trio had shared a bedroom with the boys in a bunk bed. It was strange to


    have separate bedrooms even though the shared bath made visits simple.


    “Yeah,” Alexis said. She sat propped up on her pillows. In truth she had been up for some time


    contemting their next move. They had to figure out a way to keep their grandfather away from their


    mother or interfering with their parents’ budding romance.


    “You think mom’s okay?” Theo asked lying across the foot of her bed.


    “You heard Duncan. All of her things were moved into our father’s room so I’m sure they are together.”


    “Yeah I know. That’s the problem.”


    “Really? You didn’t seem to have a problem when you and Sean helped him pick out the engagement


    ring.”


    “Well…yeah…”


    “You seemed pretty excited when he proposed.”


    “It was kind of cool the way he did it in the courtroom,” Theo admitted. There was no mistaking the joy


    on their mother’s face and it did seem like their father wanted to make her happy. “Okay. Fine. I guess


    he’s not all bad.”


    Sean and Alexis snickered.


    “So what do we do now?” Theo sighed.


    “Now we have to focus. Our grandfather’s going to cause problems if we don’t do something about


    him,” Alexis dered. “Everyone seems to be content to just react to him but I say we go on the


    offensive.”


    “So are we finally taking him down?”


    “That’s not going to be easy,” Sean argued. “He’s a terrible person and a trash father but he’s a good


    businessman. Hispany is clean.”


    “What does that mean?” Theo snorted.


    “It means we have our work cut out for us,” Alexis said. “If he had shady dealings we could leak all of


    that and let the FBI do the heavy lifting.”


    “But we got nothing.”


    “More or less,” Sean agreed.


    “What about another cyber attack?” Theo suggested. That had actually been kind of fun.


    “We could but they’ve probably ramped up security,” Sean said. “Plus it only dropped their stock maybe


    two percent? They’ve already recovered most of that. Not to mention each time we do it’s going to draw


    attention and we run the risk of being found out.”


    “True,” Alexis agreed. “We need to hit his weak spot.”


    “And what is that?”


    “His family,” Alexis announced. “Sean said it himself. He’s a shitty person and a terrible father. Our aunt


    is his weakest point.”


    “So we take her down…he goes down to?”


    “It’ll definitely take him down a few pegs,” Alexis said, “and it will keep him too busy to bother us.”


    “But we’ve already been attacking our aunt,” Theo protested. “It hasn’t really affected him that much.”


    Sean nodded. He maintained surveince on all of their aunt’s social media and regrly posted


    didn’t stop her from partying and their grandfather continued to support her.


    “About that. I’ve been thinking we’ve gone at this all wrong,” Alexis announced. “Everyone has limits


    and our grandfather is no different. As long as our aunt doesn’t cross the line he’ll continue to support


    her.”


    “Okay.” The brothers nodded in understanding.


    “Think about it. Our mom is a wonderful person. She’s kind and gentle and never stepped out of line


    but he tossed her aside like she was garbage.”


    “Meanwhile our aunt is lewd, self-indulgent and crazy,” Sean added.


    “Right. So what separates them? What’s the one thing our mom has done our aunt hasn’t?”


    “Well…she’s had us,” Theo hesitated.


    “That’s right. She’s not a virgin,” Alexis dered. “That’s our grandfather’s line. Cross it and you’re out.”


    “You think we if we prove our aunt is not a virgin he’ll toss her out too?” Theo finally caught her


    meaning.


    “Yes. But we won’t know for sure until we can find the evidence.”


    “I don’t know. Our aunt it smart,” Sean said. He had been deep-diving her social media for years and


    never found any concrete evidence.


    “She’s not that smart,” Alexis insisted. “And sex has consequences or else we wouldn’t be here. Unless


    our aunt is infertile I guarantee she’s had to cover them up.”


    “How could she hide a pregnancy?” Theo asked.


    “I don’t think she hid it. I think she got rid of it.”


    Her brothers shared a shocked look but it made perfect sense. Their aunt was a sociopath so she


    would do anything to maintain her status and she wouldn’t harbor the least bit of guilt.


    “If she did that she hid it very well,” Sean said.


    “Maybe we’re just not looking in the right ce,” Alexis said. “Because of thosews they passed a


    while back a lot of state’s ouwed it right? And she wouldn’t get it done here…too many people would


    recognize her.”


    “So you’re thinking she went out of state,” Sean nodded heading to herputer.


    “She might have even left the country and our aunt doesn’t fly coach.”


    “Right.”


    “I’m also willing to bet it wasn’t a one-time thing. We need to look for multiple, infrequent trips to the


    same ce.”


    “You don’t think she’d switch it up?”


    “She’s not that smart. If it worked once she’d keep doing the same thing.”


    “Okay then. Let’s see where our aunt has been traveling.”