CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
AIDAN
“Hey, Kieren, thanks for seeing me quickly,” I said, stepping through the door that he held open for me.
“That’s what I am here for.” He stretched out his arm. “Go on through.”
I lowered myself onto the armchair, and immediately, my muscles relaxed into the comfortable cushions. As always, whenever I visited that room, my eyes zeroed in on the colorful fish swimming behind the glass tank. I reminded myself to arrange for a large tank to be installed at the estate. If only to give my mind, which tended to overthink, a meditative focus. Art did that for me most of the time, but the floaty little exotic creatures took me somewhere else.
Kieren sat down. “I read about the abduction. It was in the media.”
I scratched my prickly jaw, which was crying out for a razor. “Yeah, the goddamn circus is out and about. I tried to keep it out of the spotlight, but with the police involved, it’s not possible.” I exhaled a tight breath. “John Mansfield, Jessica’s father, cornered me, and with that dogged businessman persistence, tried to make me agree not to press charges, even though that’s up to Clarissa. He promised he’d send Jessica overseas for a long stint. He assured me he’d deal with her his own way.”
“You don’t sound too pleased with that arrangement,” said Kieren.
“You got that right.” I sat forward and rested my chin on my hands. “When I was in the Forces, I had to make decisions on the spot. Decisions that had life-or-death consequences. But in the war zone of love and romance, I’m in a fucking haze. My training has gone out the window. I’m just a muddled mess.”
“I take it you left it open for the moment.”
“I didn’t tell him my decision. I need to discuss it with Clarissa. It will be her decision in the end, though I suspect she’ll probably leave it up to me, because being the kind-hearted soul she is, Clarissa will find it difficult to press charges. For a moment there, after hearing Mansfield’s proposal, I was fine with the idea of sending Jessica off and strapping an order against her not to approach Clarissa or me, but then, as she was leaving she threw me this smug look, telling me she hadn’t finished with me yet.”
“She’s determined.”
“Jessica’s a deranged drug-addict. She’s a spoiled brat who has had everything given to her all her life. If she can’t have something, it takes over her life. I will do my utmost to get Clarissa to press charges.” I sighed loudly.
“Your voice is filled with dread, Aidan. It is the right thing to do, though. She had murderous intentions.”
“I totally agree. But it’s the court hearing and media frenzy. And it will go on and on. All my dirty laundry on display to the world. I couldn’t give a shit about me. It’s Clarissa that I’m trying to protect here. She’s such a sweet, sensitive girl, and to be dragged through this bullshit...”
“I can understand your predicament. What about Clarissa? Have you asked her how she feels about pressing charges?”
I shook my head. “I’m trying not to bring it up. She’s teetering on the verge of leaving me, I think.”
“What gives you that impression? The gossip columns show constant images of love between you. I can see it in her eyes.”
“You’ve seen those?” I was unable to hide my surprise. Kieren was a pipe-and-Hemingway kind of man, similar to Julian.
“You forget I have an eighteen-year-old daughter.” He cocked his head.
I nodded. “Clarissa was so cold and withdrawn last night. I felt that she was blaming me. And to be honest, it is my fault. If I hadn’t been with Jessica, all of this wouldn’t be happening. Clarissa was also the victim of an incident on the highway that nearly took her life. Jessica hired a hitman to kill Clarissa.”
Kieren sat up, his brow lowered. “That’s very serious. Clarissa must be traumatized by all this. Anybody would be.”
I nodded. “She is. I’ve tried everything to get her to a counselor or to visit you, but she doesn’t want to. Instead, she has her close friend, Tabitha, who she talks to about everything, I suspect.”
“You told me that her mother died in a car accident that Clarissa was a passenger in. And that she didn’t speak for a year after that.”
“Yeah, poor baby,” I said. “You know, it’s not indecision about Jessica that brings me here, even though I wouldn’t mind getting your thoughts on that. It’s this rage that’s burning inside of me. I wanted to knock Jessica out. Even when she tossed me that smarmy, I-get-whatever-I-want gaze, my fists were so tight, I had to use all my inner strength not to hit her.”
“Are you frightened that you might try to hurt her?”
I exhaled a tight breath. “When I was in that room with her, I squeezed every ounce of self-control I could muster. I ended up putting a hole in the wall above her head.”
Kieren peered down at my knuckles and noticed the bruising. “But you didn’t, which proves your cut-off switch is functioning.”
“Yeah, well, sort of, I suppose. It causes tightness in my chest that hurts. But look, I just needed to speak honestly about it to someone. I can’t tell Clarissa that I wanted to knock Jessica out, because I don’t want her to get the impression that I’m one of those uncultivated brutes.”
“It’s instinct, Aidan, that desperate need to protect those we love dearly. The primal survival mechanism in the brain doesn’t distinguish between genders. As it is, Jessica was threatening Clarissa.” He paused to reflect. “Tell me, what did she make you do?”
My back stiffened. “She wanted me to have sex with her in front of Clarissa.”
His brows drew in tight. “That’s wielding an ax, for sure. Had it taken place, it would have strained your relationship. I take it you didn’t get that far?”
I shook my head. “To be honest, I was flaccid. But she was about to blow me.” I shifted awkwardly. It felt as if I were confessing something sordid to an old relative. “You know how the male anatomy is when it’s coaxed.”
“One does hear of females raping males. It’s not common, but it happens.”
“Anyway, it didn’t, thank God. My wedding is four weeks away.”
“Oh good, you’ve made a date.”
“You didn’t get the invite?” I asked.
He shook his head.
“I’ll get onto it. I’d love you to come along with your family, and for you to finally meet Clarissa. I only hope…”
“You only hope?”
“It goes ahead.”
“Aidan, I’m sure it will. With regards to the media circus and getting Jessica put away... I, personally, would charge her. But do what you think best. Would her father be able to tame her?”
“He told me he’d cut off her funds. Jessica has lived a very privileged existence all her life, so I imagine that would be serious punishment.”
“Well, then, you could try to risk it, I suppose. But she doesn’t strike me as someone who will stop harassing you.”
“That’s what I think. I have enough evidence to link her to the attempted murder. That alone would see her taken down.” I stood up, feeling decisive and determined. “You know what? I’m going to make sure she has her day in court. I won’t be able to rest, knowing that she could harm Clarissa again.”
“I agree, Aidan. It’s for the best.”
I shook Kieren’s hand. “Thanks for finding time for me. And I look forward to seeing you at my wedding.”