Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole

16

Aidan

Scarlet's confused, but I'm unsure how to explain to her that nothing will ever be the same between us. Once Alaina and Brody are in the picture, I'll be powerless under their rule, and so will Scarlet.

I pass the guards and pull up to Brody and Alaina's house. As soon as I open the car door, they appear on the steps. She runs down and yanks open Scarlet's door before I can get to it. She cries out, "I thought I'd never see ya again."

Scarlet gets teary and swings her legs out of the vehicle.

I bark, "Careful, you're still recovering."

She freezes.

Alaina turns her head and fumes, "I'll take over from here, Aidan."

"Like hell, ya will," I declare, even though she's the one who gets to call the shots now.

"Don't piss me off more than I already am," she seethes.

Scarlet glances between Alaina and me with worry on her face. She tries, "Don't be mad at Aidan."

Surprise fills Alaina's expression. She states, "He kept ya from me."

"He did what he thought was best," Scarlet refutes.

"Ya don't need to stick up for me, petal," I declare.

Alaina's glare shoots darts at me, and she snarls, "What did ya call my sister?"

I cross my arms and lift my chin, answering, "Petal. Not that it's your business."

Her emeralds turn to hot fire. She steps in front of me, threatening, "Don't ya dare—"

"I'm going inside. Not interested in this scuffle," Scarlet announces.

Alaina steps between my petal and me. "Let me help ya up out of the car."

Scarlet shakes her head. "I'm fine."

"Ya just had surgery," Alaina says, reaching in to help Scarlet out of the vehicle.

I step on the other side of her and pick her up, tearing her out of Alaina's grasp.

She cries out, "Aidan, what are ya doing? Let go of my sister!"

I shoot her a dirty look, warning, "Don't come between your sister and me."

Another shocked look fills her face, then she looks at Scarlet in question.

Scarlet's cheeks heat.

Alaina's eyes widen further. She shakes her head, declaring, "Tell me that ya two aren't—"

I brush past her, carrying Scarlet into the house.

She protests, "Aidan, I'm fine. I can walk."

"Steps aren't good for ya. They could rip your stitches," I point out.

She groans. "They won't. I'm fine."

I hold her tighter to me, my heart thumping faster. I murmur in her ear, "I don't want things to change between us."

She blinks hard, whispering, "Then don't let them."

"Put her down. Now," Alaina orders.

I freeze, clenching my jaw, staring in my petal's green orbs.

Alaina growls, "I said now."

"Ya better start listening to my wife," Brody demands.

I grunt, turning toward my brother. "Ya should stay out of this too." I slowly put Scarlet on her feet, holding on to her.

Disapproval fills his expression. He announces, "There are consequences to be paid."

"Tell me something I don't know," I mutter.

Scarlet blurts out, "Aidan rescued me. He took care of me. Be nice to him. He doesn't need any consequences!"

Alaina steps forward and puts her arm around Scarlet. In a concerned tone, she states, "You're just confused right now. I think they call it Stockholm syndrome. In a few days—"

"I don't have Stockholm syndrome!" Scarlet seethes.

Alaina points at me and snarls, "Ya took advantage of my sister, and now she's confused."

"He did no such thing!"

"Ya don't have to try to protect me, petal. Your sister's going to think what she wants," I state.

Alaina snaps, "Do not call her that!"

I scoff. "Jesus. Never pinned ya as a busybody."

"Don't disrespect my wife," Brody barks at me.

I scowl at him. "Don't get involved in this."

"Don't get involved in this?" He steps closer, fuming, "Ya defied our orders. Ya kept Scarlet away from Alaina."

I eliminate the gap between us, lower my voice, and remind him, "The O'Learys are not supposed to be together. Your wife is supposed to show no mercy toward any O'Leary. Or did ya forget about the vow that she took?"

Scarlet's eyes widen. "What are ya talking about?"

"Nothing. Don't listen to him," Alaina interjects.

I spin on her. "So the vow ya made to the O'Connors isn't real?"

She glares at me with her most intimidating expression, but I don't miss the hint of fear in them.

Brody steps in front of me, jabbing my chest. "Don't talk to her that way. Show some respect!"

"So it's not real?" I repeat.

"I'm warning ya," Brody threatens.

I continue, "Ya want to get mad at me for keeping Scarlet safe and both of ya out of trouble. And I'm the one in the hot seat. Jesus. Have both of ya listened to yourselves lately?"

"Safe? She had her appendix out!" Alaina shrieks, which is the first time I've ever heard her voice rise so high.

"That wasn't Aidan's fault," Scarlet insists.

"Like hell it wasn't," Alaina proclaims.

I sarcastically laugh. "Really? It's my fault that her appendix almost burst?"

Brody shakes his head. "Alaina, take your sister upstairs. Show her where she can stay. Aidan, don't ya dare move."

"I'm not leaving Aidan," Scarlet states.

"He's got work to do," Alaina snarls.

"Nonnegotiable work," Brody adds.

Fear fills Scarlet's expression.

I put my hand on her cheek, ordering, "Go with your sister."

"What? No. Aidan, come with me," she demands.

"He's not going anywhere with ya," Alaina announces.

Scarlet turns her head toward Alaina, seething, "Don't—"

I put my finger over her lips, forcing a smile and commanding, "Go with your sister. Ya have a lot to catch up on."

Tears fill her eyes. "When will I see ya again?"

I fight the emotions building in my chest, answering, "As soon as possible."

"That's not an answer, Aidan," she sniffles.

"Everything is okay," I reassure her.

Alaina steps over and wraps her arm around her. "Come on, Scarlet. Let me show ya where your room is, and ya can rest."

"You're not being fair," Scarlet argues.

Alaina huffs. "Ya can tell me all about how I'm not being fair once we get to your room. Come on." She moves Scarlet forward.

She turns her head. "Aidan—"

"Go on, petal," I order and wait until she gets to the lift. The doors open, and they step inside. We lock eyes until the metal cuts off my view of her. I turn back to my brother.

Brody shakes head. "What the fuck were ya thinking?"

"Really? You're going to lecture me? After all the shit ya did with Alaina, you're lecturing me for saving her sister?"

"Don't even try to act like the hero."

"I'm not trying to act like anything."

"We told ya to come back. We gave ya orders."

"Aye. And ya can't always follow orders when you're doing what needs to be done, now, can ya?"

Brody crosses his arms, but instead of his face turning angry, an eerie calm passes over it.

I've not seen my brother control himself like this before. I'm not used to it. It makes me uncomfortable.

Devin walks in, and Brody snaps his head toward him, accusing, "About fucking time ya got here."

Devin holds his hands in the air. "I was following him just like ya told me to."

"Just like I told ya to?" Brody repeats, shooting him a nasty look.

"Why are ya pissed at him? He's a rat, after all," I state, scowling at Devin.

He shakes his head. "You're both impossible."

"Well, you're both on cleanup duty," Brody announces.

Fuck.

I knew it was going to be bad. Cleanup duty's the worst. It means I'll be at the warehouse all night, possibly even for several days, and I won't get to see Scarlet.

As soon as I stepped foot in here, I knew they'd keep me away from her as a punishment, and this is only the start. Alaina isn't going to let me anywhere near her anytime soon.

Devin argues, "Why am I on cleanup duty? I didn't do anything wrong."

Brody scowls. "Ya knew where he was, and ya helped him. Ya didn't tell me. How many times did I ask ya if ya knew where he was?"

Devin clenches his jaw, lifting his chin, staring our brother down.

Brody warns, "Both of ya need to shut up and get to the warehouse. Until further notice, you're on probation."

"I can't be on cleanup duty. Tommy's still out there, and I need to end things with him," I declare.

Brody shakes his head, announcing, "I'll handle Tommy."

I seethe, "He's on my list."

"I don't give a shit. Ya lost your privilege to take him out when ya disobeyed Alaina's and my orders."

"He hurt my woman. He's on my list. I will take care of him," I insist.

"Your woman?" Brody murmurs with disapproval.

"Aye. Ya got a problem with that?" I hurl, clenching my fists at my side.

"Ya kidnapped her, and now she's your woman?"

"I rescued her," I state.

"Well, we'll see how she feels about ya once she's free of ya and doesn't have to be under your close watch. I bet she'll feel different when she's not subjected to ya in close quarters, doing God knows what, while I was ordering ya to get your ass back here."

I cross my arms. I step closer to my brother, warning, "Don't ya dare get involved between Scarlet and me."

"Too late. Now go get your ass to the warehouse."

I almost argue further but stop. There's no point right now. I just need to do what I'm supposed to and take my punishment.

"I suggest ya get moving!" Brody warns.

I leave with Devin and get into the car. I snarl at him, "You're such a fucking rat. I still can't believe it. I never in a million years thought that you'd be one."

He groans. "What was I supposed to do?"

"Not be a rat," I reply and gun the engine.

He retorts, "Ya know what? If it weren't for me, Tommy would've caught ya. So stop being a dick. And thanks for getting me involved in your fucking punishment."

"Whatever. Fucking rat," I mutter.

"Oh, go fuck yourself!" He slouches down, pulls his hat over his eyes, and adjusts the seat so it's flat.

"Really? You're going to pretend to go to sleep?"

"Nope. I'm drowning out the sound of your stupid fucking voice. Now, shut the fuck up," he demands.

I mutter, "Rat," and accelerate the vehicle, driving faster than the speed limit the entire way to the warehouse. I pull into the garage, get out of the car, and Devin and I cross the main room.

The stench of death seeps out of it. Devin buries his nose into his arm, declaring, "Fuck's sake."

I open the door and groan. There are at least a dozen dead men, all with different causes of death. Some were shot, others stabbed, and a few were burned.

The charred corpses make me want to strike a match so badly, I start itching my thigh.

Devin taunts, "Didn't bring any matches?"

"Jesus. Shut the fuck up," I warn again, then walk over to one of the burned ones, grab his arm, and tug him toward a bigger area.

"Figured you'd take that one," Devin mutters and chooses a guy with a bullet hole in his head.

The door opens, and Tynan strolls inside.

I ask, "Why are ya here?"

He scowls. "Thanks to your stunt, Alaina thought it was best to remind me who's in charge and not get any ideas about loyalty and where it should lie."

"Loyalty, eh?" Devin quips.

Tynan fumes, "Aye. She wants to make sure I remember my first loyalty is to her and Brody and not either of ya." He gives us another nasty look.

"Fucking bitch," I mutter and motion to the chair, ordering, "Just sit down and watch, then. Ya shouldn't have to deal with this shit because of what me and your rat brother did."

"I'm not a fucking rat," Devin barks.

"Really? Seems to me like ya are," I accuse.

Tynan's eyes turn to slits. "You've been gone a long time, brother. Things are different."

My gut drops, and my chest tightens. "What are ya talking about?"

He points to the ceiling in the corner. "Alaina and Brody made some big changes since they got to town. One of them is that all of our moves are watched."

"Control freaks," I snarl.

Tynan shakes his head, relaying, "They're also listening, so I'd be careful what ya say, because you're going to get in more trouble."

I look up at the camera, and more anger fills me. I hurl, "You've got to be kidding me. We're not even allowed to dispose of bodies without being recorded?" I turn back to my brothers, acknowledging, "There's no way Dad would ever approve of this. This is reckless. All it has to do is get into the wrong hands, and we'll all get locked up."

Tynan shakes his head. "Nah. Alaina has Brody erase it daily unless there's a reason she needs it to prove a point. She covers her tracks. Ya know how smart she is."

My gut drops. I do know how intelligent she is, but I still glance up at the camera and state, "I don't know if I'd call her smart. More like a pain in my ass." I kick the corpse in front of me. Ashes fly in the air.

"Don't have a fucking tantrum," Devin states.

"Shut up, rat," I bark, then put my middle finger toward the camera.

"Don't make it worse for all of us," Tynan mutters.

Pissed, I shake my head but turn back toward the bodies. I point to the pile and order, "Go pick your guy. Let's get this over with."

I refocus on my corpse, determined to quickly finish so I can return to Scarlet, but every part of me knows one thing: Alaina's not going to forgive and forget.

This is only the start of my punishment, and there's no way she'll make it easy for me to see, much less touch, her sister.

The truth only makes me more determined to figure out how to defy Alaina further. Nothing is going to stop me from being with Scarlet.

Nothing.

Not Alaina, nor Brody, and definitely not Tommy.

And no matter what my brother says, Tommy's on my list. I'll be damned if he takes him out instead of me being the one to do it.

But I'm going to have to figure out how to get back into his good graces, and that includes Alaina's too.

Yet nothing has ever felt more impossible.