Aiden Hale
Waking up to a squabble was not how I expected to start my morning.
Opening my eyes to see a woman standing next to Cassian was beyond the many expectations I didn't have of Cassian.
But it was still funny.
"I didn't know you were into women as well"
I said to tease him but he didn't seem to look like he was in the mood for such.
After everything we did last night, I hoped to wake up with his bare ass waiting for round two but when you're with Cassian nothing seems to go as planned.
It's almost as if Cassian, seeing her, had shifted his mood immediately. There was an obvious argument in his attitude but he stayed quiet.
He didn't hide his suspicion. He tried to dismiss it. But I could clearly see him overthinking.
I stood up, looked for my pants, wore it and poured a cup of coffee and handed it over to him.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two make a lovely couple"
I said as I eyed Cassian from the corner of my eye.
"Aw, thank you. I think we compliment each other well"
She said as she planted a peck on his cheek.
Cassian returned it with a look of disgust and irritation that he didn't fail to hide.
"I don't think we've had a proper introduction. I'm Aiden. Aiden Hale and you?"
I say as I request her hand and she hands it to me.
"I'm Charlotte, Charlotte Pine. Cassian's fiancee and soon to be wife"
She said with a hint of pride. Which I found funny at first but then a little jealousy settled on me.
Don't get it twisted, from the moment I woke up. I knew who she was. I knew that she had come here to play a role. That role was simply to get paid.
She wasn't desperate to be in his bed. She knew everything. She was probably even given a contract that spelt her purpose. Let's not forget the fortune that Alaric had offered her in exchange for this. So I knew.
But what I hated to admit was that I might have been helplessly falling in love with Cassian. Which shouldn't be happening.
"Well, future Mrs Cassian Rourke. Would you like breakfast? While your future husband loses his mind"
I said jovially but there was a bit of jealousy attached to it. Cassian on the other hand didn't look impressed.
His face reeded of disappointment and anger. Dragging me to the corner I excused myself.
"I'll be right back. Your future husband doesn't want to share somethings with you"
I giggled away but I also felt a little satisfied to say that.
"What is wrong with you? Can't you see that she's not supposed to be here"
Cassian says as he breathes so close to me, I am clearly losing my mind. I want to kiss him but I hold myself back.
"If she wasn't supposed to be here, she wouldn't have had access to your room. I mean we know who she is. The very last thing we can do at this point, is to be nice to her"
Cassian wasn't having it. But he pointed out details I that overlooked and honestly I didn't care
"Her sudden appearance, her silly introduction, the way she seems to already know things she shouldn't. Can't you see she's just a pawn to mess with me"
Cassian had a point and in as much as I wanted to, I pretended not to care, but the truth was just unsettling.
As Cassian was busy ranting, from the angle of my eye I noticed that Charlotte was watching us the way a predator studies a threat.
Her smiles were too sharp when we were obviously within range.
I sensed tension simmering between them, but I couldn't care less, unfortunately.
The situation was definitely a weight pressing on Cassian's shoulders, especially when I would start ghosting him. It was definitely going to hit him hard.
He'd pretend to distance from me again. I'd pretend everything is under control, even though nothing would feel that way.
"Aiden, are you even listening to me?"
I turn to face him and come back to reality. That's the moment that I made up my mind to leave.
I was getting too drawn into his world. I had forgotten that this was none of my business.
I had to leave to clear my head.
"Look Cassian, this looks like a you problem not ours. So, I gotta go. Last night was great but I really got to leave you to handle this"
On that note, I picked my things from the floor and headed towards the elevator.
"Aiden, Aiden, where do you think you're going?"
He calls me, as he follows me but his words fade the moment the door opens. I take another glance at his face as I wave at him. As the closes I say:
"Have fun with Charlotte"
I say it out of spite because obviously he was stuck on me. I hated to admit it but leaving them alone with her made me a little jealous. I hated it.
***
Damon Rourke
My father summoned me privately. He doesn't give a speech. He only gives instructions. I wondered why he was so cold with me at times?
I mean I was his blood. Why he so cold?
"Remove Aiden. Permanently."
He spoke about him like Aiden was a problem for us. But the last time I checked that was Cassian's issue.
"You make him sound like a stain that needs to be wiped. Like he's a threat to the empire you spent your life building. Why is he so important we have to make him a target?"
I just didn't know why we had to disturb the loverboy and his toy. This was so unnecessary. Honestly.
My father didn't say anything but with a stern look on his face. I already knew
I took the orders without hesitation, even though I felt something twist uncomfortably in my stomach.
I didn't want to do this. I had questions but I had learnt from experience that obedience was the order of the day as a Rourke.
***
Meeting the hitman late at night in a parking lot far from the Rourke estate was risky because what If someone saw me.
We didn't talk. I passed along the details, including Aiden's schedules, the places he frequents, his weaknesses in a folder. All this I had gotten from the men I sent to watch him.
The hitman didn't ask questions, he was emotionless and I heard he was efficient.
When the meeting ended, I realized that my hands we
re shaking. I breathed in to ignore the feeling and told myself this that:
"This is what being a Rourke was all about."