Page 8 of Vain (Tempest #2)

Chapter Eight

MATILDA

The drive home is done in silence. I have no idea what to say, and Aiden is being uncharacteristically quiet. I veer from wanting him to tell me he agrees we should pretend the kiss never happened to wanting him to refuse to back down.

As we pull up to the gates, I see the headlights of the car following us in the rearview mirror. Davey is on duty, so I introduce him to Aiden before he waves us through.

By the time Aiden parks the car, I’m ready to crawl out of my skin. “Aiden I?—”

“Hang on a little longer for me, okay?” He’s out of the car and rounding it to open my door before I can form a response.

I take his hand. This time, I’m not surprised when he doesn’t let go of it. I can’t say the same for Daniel, though, as he comes out to meet us and his guys.

His eyes zero in on our joined hands as he addresses his men. “Any issues?”

“No, sir. No one noticed her at all, and there was nothing unusual to report from outside the studio gates.” The last sentence has a slight tone, enough for me to look at him sharply.

Aiden must hear it because he tenses. “So you missed the actress being escorted out by security, then? How far away did you park exactly?”

“We were told not to make it obvious,” the guy answers tightly.

I speak up before Aiden can say anything else. “There was an issue. It was dealt with. Your man is correct. They were asked to keep their distance. Let’s face it, none of you are exactly low profile. In those outfits, you scream bodyguards.”

“We are bodyguards, Miss Carson. That’s what you employ us to do. Guard your body.”

“Actually, I employ you to guard my property, but let’s not split hairs. I need you to blend in. Aiden blends in.”

“Doesn’t he just?” Daniel drawls, his eyes dropping to our joined hands. His expression is pinched, but I refuse to let him make me feel bad. “So the no-touch rule has been lifted?”

Aiden growls, stepping forward, but I place my hand on his chest to stop him.

“You’re overstepping, Daniel.”

“He’s been here five minutes and is all over you.”

“Listen, asshole,” Aiden snarls, but I step between them, my own anger riding me hard.

“You work for me. What I do or don’t do with Aiden is none of your business. This is your last warning, Daniel. Either act like the professional I know you to be, or I’ll fire you. This is my home, goddamn you.”

Daniel tenses, his hands fisting at his sides before he sighs, his head dropping. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get hurt again. I can’t?—”

“It wasn’t your fault. You have got to let it go.”

He blows out a deep breath, but he says nothing. I can see Aiden watching the play between us, but he keeps his mouth shut.

“Again, I’m sorry for acting unprofessionally. It won’t happen again. Good night.” He indicates that his team should leave first before he follows them without looking back.

“What the fuck was that?”

I tug my hand free of his so I can rub my throbbing temples. “Daniel was part of the security team the studio hired. He feels like he failed me because of what happened.”

Aiden sighs as I start walking up the steps to the house. Moving up beside me, he waits for me to key in the code before he speaks.

“I get it. Comes with the job. You’re entrusted to keep someone safe, so if it goes wrong, you feel responsible. It doesn’t matter if it’s rational or not.”

I lock the door and arm it, knowing Marley and Greyson will have retired for the night.

“I understand it. I still feel guilty for those other people being hurt in an attack that was aimed at me. But as you said, I didn’t hurt them.

An asshole did.” I head to the kitchen to see what Marley has left us to eat, avoiding eye contact with Aiden.

I feel him behind me, but I ignore him as I open the fridge and pull out a large tub of chicken Caesar salad.

I fetch two bowls and fill each before grabbing silverware and handing a bowl to Aiden. He holds on for longer than necessary before letting go. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” I force some cheeriness into my voice.

We take the same seats we sat in last night and eat in silence.

I’ve had this meal a dozen times, so I know the lettuce is crisp, the chicken is juicy, and the dressing is to die for, yet everything tastes like ash right now.

The atmosphere that crackled around us before feels heavy with unsaid words and expectations.

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say or if I should ignore the elephant in the room, but?—

“Fuck this.” Aiden’s snarl is the only warning I get before he shoves his chair back and stands up.

I look up at him in surprise. He reaches for me and, in one smooth move, lifts me from my seat onto the island, narrowly missing my bowl.

“Aiden—”

He presses forward, my legs opening instinctively so I don’t gouge his stomach with my knees. Once he’s between them, his hands cup my face, holding me still. “We need to talk.”

Everything in me cringes at that. “We really don’t. We can just pretend it never?—”

“If you say pretend it never happened, I’m going to put you over my knee and spank your ass.”

My mouth drops open in shock.

He traces my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “I swore I was going to hold myself in check. We’re from two different worlds. I told myself this will never work. I’m your bodyguard, for fuck sake. You don’t get much more cliche than that.”

“I agree this is stupid…” My voice drifts off as he bends down, his nose skimming mine.

“Then I realized there could be a hundred reasons why I should stay away from you, and I still wouldn’t give a fuck. I want you, Tilly. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”

Before I can say anything else, his lips are on mine, firm and insistent, as he takes them without a hint of regret or hesitation. I try to resist, but I’m weak, dammit.

I melt into him just like I always do. It’s like a chemical reaction. Every time he touches me, I turn into every stereotypical book heroine I love to loathe.

I’m so lost in the moment that I don’t realize his hands are on the move until they slip under the hem of my shirt.

He freezes first, yanking his hand away from me as if it burns.

It’s that shock that breaks me free from the madness, letting reality rush back in, punching me in the face with such force I whimper.

“Tilly?”

I shove him back violently, catching him off guard as I throw myself off the counter and run at a dead sprint for the stairs, even though my legs threaten to give out.

I hear him following behind me, but I keep going, ignoring the tears running down my face. He reaches out, his fingers grazing my arm.

I whirl around, panic bordering on hysteria as I back up, almost tripping up the stairs. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss.

“Baby?”

“Stop it,” I whisper, my words making him flinch. “Just do your job, Aiden. That’s all I need from you. And stay away from the top floor.” I shut my eyes to the jerk of his head. My caustic tone had hurt him, but I can’t stop. My pain and fear are taking over, and it’s impossible to rein it in.

I run up the rest of the stairs to my room, crying when I turn the handle and find it locked. I turn the knob twice more before I unlock it and repeat the steps in reverse on the other side, hating myself a little bit more for it.

I don’t even reach the bedroom before I collapse onto my knees in the middle of the floor. Pulling them to my chest, I let the floodgates open and sob my heart out, wishing I wasn’t such a fucking freak.

What am I even doing? I shouldn’t be out there trying to be a director. I’m weak and pathetic. When my voice begins to sound like my mother’s, I cover my ears with my hands, hoping to somehow shut it out.

Eventually, I cry myself out, but sleep doesn’t bring me any peace.