Mission: Protect the Ex(6)

Sean groaned and rubbed his forehead. “How the fuck should I know, Aiden? Criminals are dangerous. They blame everyone for their downfall.”

“Criminals?” Aiden smirked and sat up straight, tugging on Sean’s arm until he got into a sitting position. “Come on, tell me everything Tom said before sending you here.”

Sean took a deep breath and spilled the beans. The interlopers on trial, the death threats against the prosecutor and everyone else involved in the case. He told Aiden about Tom’s desperate call and his plea to protect his little brother, about his speedy departure and long trek through the woods. He explained about the motion sensors, the alarm, and what had triggered it.

“I couldn’t take you with me, and I couldn’t just leave you alone in your bedroom. I had to know you were relatively safe, so the basement was my only option.”

Aiden started laughing. A deep belly laugh that had him in tears in no time. Sean had expected a thousand reactions, but not this one. Not Aiden falling back on the couch, laughing like a man possessed, wiggling about and slapping the backrest in his humorous frenzy. Maybe he was in shock or scared out of his mind. Whatever it was, it wasn’t looking too pretty.

“Aiden, calm down. I know this is a shock.”

Aiden struggled to calm down, but he still chuckled and giggled. “Oh, you’re the one who’s going to have to calm down. I was wondering how that bastard managed to have you come all the way over here to see me.”

“What the hell are you saying? This is serious, Aiden. You’re in danger.”

Aiden sighed and cupped Sean’s face. “Oh, Sean. Tom is working on a case now. But not for the prosecutor’s office. He’s investigating someone caught in a custody trial. Over a dog!”

Sean felt as though his jaw had dropped all the way to the floor and his eyes had bulged out. No, this couldn’t be happening to him!

“A custody battle over a dog?” he asked, staring blankly at Aiden and hoping he’d heard wrong.

“Yeah, not really his thing. But the husband paid a lot of money for Tom to tail his soon-to-be ex and determine she was an unfit dog-mommy.”

“You’re joking, right? This is your way of coping with the death threat?” He nodded encouragingly and tried a smile.

Aiden hung his head and sighed. “No, I am quite sure there is no life and death situation. No high-profile trial that Tom is involved with.”

“Then… why… I don’t…” Sean stuttered along, unable to form a proper sentence or question. It was all fucked up. What had Tom been thinking?

“I’m sorry,” Aiden whispered. “I think it’s because of me.”

“What do you mean?” Although he’d asked, Sean thought he could guess the answer if he tried. The sunken expression, the weight loss, Aiden being secluded here without a major threat to chase him out of town… Something was clearly wrong with him.

“I’ve just had a hard time lately.” Aiden shrugged and looked away.

It was Sean’s turn to cup Aiden’s face and try to reassure him. “What’s wrong, Aiden? You know you can still talk to me.”

Aiden huffed and shook his head. “Yeah, of course. I could talk to the man who’s caused all this.”

“Caused what? What did I do?” Sean asked, defensiveness pushing him to release Aiden and pull back.

“I just… fell into depression after our breakup. The more time passed, the worse it got. About a month ago, I came here and Tom started his nagging. I just needed a break from it all, but he insisted I see a therapist.” Aiden rolled his eyes and tilted his head. “He couldn’t get me to agree to that, so he pulled out the big guns.”

The big guns being Sean himself, of course. He knew the issue was real, but still couldn’t help getting angry. Why was Aiden depressed? He’d been the one to dump Sean in the first place.

“I don’t get it, Aiden.”

“Well, I don’t get it either, but that’s my brother for you.”

“No.” Sean shook his head and steeled himself for what he was going to say and the reaction it would trigger. “Tom, I get. He’d do anything for you. It’s you I don’t understand.”

“What is it that escapes you?” Aiden asked mockingly.

“You broke up with me, remember? You told me you couldn’t deal with it anymore and wanted out. What the hell are you depressed for?” Sean realized he was shouting and silenced himself immediately. In the end, did it matter why Aiden had been so affected?

“You think it was easy?” Aiden spat. “Damn you, Sean. I’ve wanted you for so long. Hell, I practically drooled all over you since I hit puberty. Do you really think it was easy to walk away from what we had?”

“It was easy enough for you to do it,” Sean yelled. “I could barely function after that.”

“You functioned well enough to be sent on another mission,” Aiden challenged, narrowing his eyes.

“So? It’s training kicking in. It does not make it easy.”

“Fuck your training!”

“Fuck you, Aiden! What the hell do you want from me?”

Aiden laughed dryly and straightened his back. “All I wanted was for you to live. To be with me, safe and sound.”