Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“Son,” he said in a broken voice. “You were twelve years old. If you’d been there and gone downstairs, I’d have lost you too, and I know I couldn’t have coped with that.”
Aiden managed a nod. “The adult me knows that, but the kid? I suppressed the feelings.” Everyone was having a hard time getting over the trauma, and he’d never wanted to add to their pain, so he’d kept his own hidden.
“Taking the traveling journalism job was an escape. I thought I’d be able to leave the memories and guilt behind. Instead, I realized it followed me wherever I went.”
His father shook his head. “I wish I’d known how much pain you were in. Maybe I was too wrapped up in my own to realize what my kids needed.”
“Dad, no. You were our rock. None of us would have survived the days after without you. Never doubt you were the best father we could have had.”
“Thank you.” Alex swallowed hard. “I wish I had a goddamned cigar,” he muttered.
Aiden grinned. “Lizzie would have your head.”
His father chuckled. “I’m a lucky man to have found two such amazing women in my life. Luckier still, none of you kids gave me a hard time about moving on.”
“We just want you to be happy. And healthy,” Aiden felt compelled to add.
“I want the same for all of you. Which brings us to the next thing you kept hidden.”
He opened his eyes wide. “What’s that?”
“Brooke.”
He shook his head, knowing he couldn’t talk about her. Not until he’d made things right.
Chapter Three
On Aiden’s first day at Sterling Investments, he sat in a chair beside Jared in the main conference room. His brother was guiding Aiden in learning everything he needed to know about the company, and they’d hit the ground running. Though there was a lot to take in.
After a long morning session, Aiden stared out the glass window, startled when Brooke walked by, the sexy sway of her hips capturing his attention. Clenching his jaw, Aiden forced his stare back to the papers in front of him, but he inevitably took a peek at Brooke again, the see-through glass allowing him to track her progress down the hallway.
Considering she worked for the company and he, as acting CEO, was her superior, him watching her was beyond inappropriate. Which was a joke. She’d been employed here for a long time, and she knew more about his family’s financial firm than he did.
At that thought, his gaze wandered again, and he got another glimpse of her, specifically her ass, just before she turned a corner and walked out of sight. Her narrow black skirt ended just above her knees, revealing her long, toned legs, and the sleek purple camisole with a V-neck that was driving him crazy.
Beside him, Jared cleared his throat.
Aiden straightened in his chair and returned his attention to where it belonged. But going over the finer points of the job Jared had been handling for years without a break already made Aiden dizzy.
“Hey. You seem to be having trouble focusing,” Jared said, lifting an eyebrow with a what’s going on? look.
“Sorry,” he said, stifling a groan, and shoving thoughts of both Brooke, and other things, to the back of his mind.
Jared didn’t know about their history. Aiden had kept their brief romantic past to himself, though clearly his father had sensed something emotional had happened between them. Brooke wasn’t just an employee, she’d been part of their lives ever since Aiden’s dad bought the mansion he still lived in, where Aiden was staying for now.
Brooke and her mother, Lizzie, had lived in the gatehouse and remained there as part of the original contract of sale for the main house. Lizzie had kept her job as the housekeeper, but they’d quickly become part of the Sterling family. All four of his siblings looked at Brooke like a sister, especially Fallon.
Aiden had once thought of her the same way, but that changed when they were in college. He’d started to see her in a completely new light. A dark-haired temptation with the most gorgeous hazel eyes he’d ever seen. Despite the time that had passed since he’d held her in his arms, he was still drawn to her in ways he’d never felt for another woman.
Unfortunately, he’d burned that bridge. She wouldn’t even look at him now.
Jared cleared his throat again.
Aiden had drifted off. Again. Shit. “I guess I just need a break. We’ve gone over a lot in the last couple of hours.”
Jared nodded. “There’s a lot to the job. Are you sure you’re up for it?”
Aiden frowned. “Of course I am.” He hoped he was telling the truth.
He’d majored in business because his father had always planned on him entering Sterling Investments, so he had the schooling required, but Aiden lacked the experience his brother had.