Healing Aiden (Lords of Discord 5)

Cursing his ridiculous nerves, Aiden knocked on the door once, signaling to his driver to open it and let down the stairs. He refused to let himself wonder what the man thought of his panicked indecision. He handed over the large box resting in his lap and the extravagant bouquet of flowers he’d chosen from his own hothouse. As he climbed to the sidewalk, he slipped the box under his left arm and carefully took the bouquet in his right. He could do this.

Of course, it wasn’t until he was climbing the stairs to her home that he realized that he didn’t have a free hand to knock on the door. Luckily, the butler was watching for him and swept the door open before he had to pause.

“Good evening, sir. Lord Martin, I presume,” the butler said in stiff, officious tones that nearly brought a smile to Aiden’s lips. The title and last name were fabricated, but the money he’d amassed over the years convinced most people to not look too closely at either.

“Yes. Lady Varik—”

“Aiden!” Julianna greeted him excitedly as she descended the stairs. No, she floated. Julianna possessed hidden wings and Aiden, besotted fool that he was, believed she floated everywhere she went. Her raven-black hair was artfully swept up, and her pale cheeks were flushed with excitement. Her figure was so incredibly thin that she appeared almost fragile, and yet this slender frame housed an incredibly strong will. She had the spirit of a warrior within her and the face of an angel with brilliant blue eyes.

Forgetting the grim-faced butler, Aiden briskly walked toward her, meeting her halfway across the foyer. “Lovely Lady Varik.”

“I knew you’d be right on time.”

He permitted a small chuckle. “Only because I’m sure you saw me sitting in my carriage in front of your house.”

She giggled softly. “You’re not afraid of them, are you?”

“A wise man always recognizes when he’s outnumbered.”

“But you’ve arrived with excellent reinforcements. These flowers are gorgeous,” Julianna said, reaching for the bouquet.

“Not nearly as gorgeous as the lady receiving them,” Aiden murmured, and he meant every word of it. Julianna was a ray of sunlight. His own personal sun brightening his long, gloomy existence. He watched as she cradled the flowers in both arms as if she were holding a newborn, her face glowing with happiness.

“They are perfect, Aiden. Just perfect.” She turned toward the butler, her expression becoming serious. “Carter, could you see these put into water and placed in my chambers? I want them to be the last thing I see when I fall asleep and the first thing I see when I wake.”

Carter accepted the flowers with the same care Julianna was showing. “Of course, my lady. As you wish.”

The butler disappeared into the house and Julianna turned to him, her smiling growing as her eyes fell on the large box under his arm. “More gifts?”

“Mind you, I’m not trying to buy their affections, but I thought it could help to convince them that I’m not all bad.”

Julianna closed the distance between them, placing her hand on his free arm. She cuddled up against him and released a happy sigh that hugged his heart. “Oh, my darling Aiden. I know you have nothing to fear. They will love you.”

Aiden could only smile and pray that she was right. He’d survived more centuries than he cared to remember. Fought in bloody battles, been scorched by the sun time and again, been sure that he would not survive to see another sunset, and none of it felt as terrifying as climbing the stairs with her. Any future and happiness he might have with Julianna hinged on these next few moments.

At the top of the stairs, she brought him over to a pair of doors. On the other side, he could hear the soft tinkle of piano keys being played, along with a pair of raised voices in argument. She placed her hands on the handles but paused, sighing loudly.

“Obviously, not the first impression we were trying for,” she muttered under her breath, and Aiden bit his bottom lip to hold back his smile.

She threw open the doors and they stepped inside in time to see two little boys wrestling in the middle of the room while an older boy was sitting at the piano, playing. The youngest of the four was sitting on the floor, leaning against the piano bench.

“Rafe! Bel! What are you doing?” Julianna demanded sharply.

The two wrestling boys parted and pushed to their feet. One looked up at his mother with wide, tear-filled eyes while the other stood apart, his expression mutinous as he glared at his brother. No…his twin. They had many similarities, but it was clear they were both the same age.

Aiden’s heart pounded as he took in all four boys with their thick black hair and sharp blue eyes. Little replicas of their beautiful mother. But it wasn’t just in their looks. There was a riveting intelligence in each pair of eyes, a stunning sharpness that warned Aiden there would be no pulling any tricks on them. She’d told him she had children, but she’d given him no details beyond that. Yet, there had been something in her look, or maybe her voice, that hinted to him they were her entire world.