The Awakening Aidan - By Abby Niles Page 0,50
anyone who traded family for material things had somehow lost their way in life, and she only hoped I could one day find the path back to mine.”
“Ouch.”
“Definitely, but her parting words made me take a long hard look at myself, and I found I no longer liked who I saw. In fact, I hated who I’d become. Money was the only thing that was important to me, and I’d steamroll anything or anyone who stood in my way, including an innocent woman. I started selling my companies, one by one. The day I signed the last company away, I bought the cabin and started getting acquainted with the new me. And you know what? I like him.”
Jaylin smiled. “I like him too.” She tilted her head to the side. “What happened to the woman?”
“A couple of months after she’d left, I went back to the general store. This time I thanked her for reminding me who I didn’t want to be. She said she was glad I’d found my path. I always make sure to stop in when I’m up that way and check in on her.”
“And you work as a consultant for failing businesses now?”
“Yep. I decided to use my evil for good. Who wouldn’t want a reformed bad guy working on their side to help keep other bad guys from poaching them?”
“Yeah, I can see how there is a market for that,” she said, laughing.
The skin between his brows folded. “You really don’t think less of me?”
“Aidan, I know you’re not that man anymore. If you hadn’t pulled the kidnapping stunt, I would’ve never known you could be like that.”
“I hated being him again—especially with you. He’s gone for good, Jaylin. I promise.”
“I believed you when you said it last night and I still believe you. This story didn’t change that, it just helped me understand you better.”
“It’s a scary thought to think that if that hadn’t happened I’d have never met you.”
She forced a smile. That was what he thought was scary?
What scared her was him one day wishing he’d never laid eyes on her. That one day she’d bump into Aidan on the sidewalk and he’d look at her with nothing but detest in his eyes.
Her heart twisted at the thought. As much as she hated to admit this to herself, she’d never regret meeting Aidan, even if letting him go would be one of the hardest things she’d ever do.
And if a cold reception was her possible future, she needed to grab what time she had left with him and make the most of it.
She hopped up from the chair. “Walk along the beach with me.”
He smiled, not even hesitating to stand. It made her feel awful. He never wavered, knew without a shadow of a doubt they were meant to be together, and a part of her wished she could have the same certainty.
As they started off down the sand, Aidan grasped her hand. The feel of his warm palm against hers tugged at another piece of her. For now, he was hers. The wind whipped a strand of hair that had worked its way out of her pigtails into her face and she tucked it behind her ear, leaning her body closer to Aidan, just absorbing his strength, his presence. It was so easy to do, as if he was supposed to help keep her anchored, help her through the whipping winds of life.
Unnerved by her thoughts, she concentrated on the water lapping over her toes. “It’s gorgeous here. How did you find it?”
“I’ve rented it a few times in the past.”
A wave of jealousy even more violent than the one she’d felt during his story swept through her. Had he brought another woman here? Treated her the same? She looked up at him.
The smug, satisfied expression on his face made her wish she hadn’t been so transparent.
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever brought here, Jaylin. You’ll always be the only woman I bring here.”
Her breath caught at his words. “Why?”
He shrugged. “This is my own little piece of paradise. I’ve never had the urge to share it with anyone else. But you’re my mate, and if we can’t have a future together, I want memories of you on this island, so when I do come back, I can feel like I’m with you again.”
Tears pricked her eyes. So he still knew that when they returned home they’d go their separate ways, had accepted it. It should have made her feel relief,