Theirs to Treasure (Beyond Monogamy Book 1) (5 page)

She took another bite of chicken before setting her fork aside. “I’d say there was nothing better than growing up with three parents. I spent most of my time with Mom in the kitchen, but London was always out with one of our dads throwing the ball around. I got plenty of attention from my dads. I just never had much interest in sports. Instead, they taught me self-defense, gun safety, and martial arts. Things I could use to protect myself and in the end that was more valuable than learning to throw a baseball.”

“Oh, a girl who can take care of herself, I like that.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Is that why you’re without guards?”

“Why would you think I travel with guards?” She tried to brush it off without going into details, but the smirk on his face told her it wouldn’t be that easy.

“We’ve all done our research and I know your family has received death threats. Last week there was an attack at Mathew’s law office. Are you really going to try to tell me you don’t have a group of your own guards?”

“You’re right, I do, but they didn’t come on this journey. Only Jake—our pilot who’s waiting for me at the jet—and I made this trip due to the delicate nature of this situation. As I told Kain on our way here, I’m not some helpless woman. I can take care of myself if it comes to it.” She took a drink of her tea and tried to regain her control of the situation. She was supposed to be questioning him, not the other way around. “Since one of you were supposed to pick me up at the landing strip, and when I return home my guards will be waiting there to make sure I make it safely home, there was nothing to worry about.”

“If you say so.” He shrugged and popped a piece of broccoli into his mouth.

“How did you know about the attack at the law office? We kept that very quiet and it never made the news.”

“Aiden has his ways, but you’d have to ask him about them. I just heard about the attack when we were discussing the company and your father. Were they able to determine if it was based on the case he’s working on, or because of his stance on this lifestyle?”

She pushed her plate aside. No matter how delicious the food was, she’d suddenly lost her appetite. The attack on her father’s law office had shaken the family to the core. They had known it was dangerous for them before, but this had brought it home because one of their close friends suffered burns on his arms and chest from being in the way when the Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think before—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “There’s nothing to apologize for. If you’re concerned that having Beyond Monogamy find you a match will bring danger to yourself and the others, I can’t put your mind at ease. The laws are still new and people are still fighting or protesting them. Some of them might take more physical actions to anyone known to be committed to more than one person. That is something all three of you need to consider.”

“That’s not why I asked.” He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. “I asked because I care if people are putting you and your loved ones in harm’s way. No one deserves to live in fear, no matter how they choose to live their life.”

“It’s been a part of my life for so long I don’t know if I remember how to live without being on constant guard. The only time I feel completely safe is when I’m home because it’s like a fortress and there’s little chance anyone could penetrate it without inside help. The guards we’ve hired add an additional layer of security.”

“Aiden has had his share of irate fans but our home has never been a prison. We’ve never had to live with the constant fear your family does, and we’ve never had to have bodyguards follow us when we go out. Due to some issues, we prefer that Aiden doesn’t leave our home alone often, but that’s for his safety. Once this comes out it could be more dangerous for him but we’ll take our chances.”

“Irate fans? What kind of danger is Aiden in? Has he received threats from people?”

“There have been threats, minor to extreme, but no attempts on our home or his life if that’s what you’re concerned about.” He paused as Diane cleaned up their plates before continuing. “There are fans who haven’t been too happy that he’s retired, others who disagree with his business decisions. In life, you can’t please everyone so it’s best to do what’s right for you. He’s done just that.”

She nodded and decided it was time to steer the conversation back on track so she could get to the other two and back to the plane before nightfall. “That’s good advice, and something you should remember once I find you a spouse. The four of you are going to have to work together and be damned if you let the world stop you.”

Coming into this meeting with Cody, he had been the one she was the most unsure about. His appearance made him seem younger than the others, and she had worries that they might be leading him into something
they
wanted without considering his feelings. For a relationship like this to work, it had to be something they all wanted and it appeared she had him all wrong.

She’d thought he was the one who would want it the least, but his reasons for wanting this relationship to work were the strongest. First impressions weren’t always right and he had proven that. Actually, they were all proving it.

Aiden had tried to busy himself with the work that needed his attention, investment decisions Kain was waiting for and other busy work, but his thoughts were on Paris. He hadn’t expected the woman they’d been waiting for to walk through his front door, but there was an instant connection between them he wouldn’t have believed possible if he hadn’t felt it within every cell of his body.

He glanced at the picture of his parents that sat in the center of his desk. They were there guiding him even if they weren’t close enough to pop in whenever he needed someone to talk to. Both of his mothers would be proud of how everything was working out. Thinking of them had him reaching for his cell phone; he needed to hear the reassuring voices of his parents. He was a grown man, on his own for more years than he cared to count, but his parents were still a huge part of his life.

He scrolled down the list of contacts on his cell phone until he reached his parents’ number and hit the call button. He brought his cell phone to his ear just in time to hear his father’s rough voice as he answered.

“Hi, Dad, got a minute?”

“I’ve always got a minute for you, son. The interview with Mr. Nelson not going well?” He could hear his father shut the table saw off, which meant he was out in his workshop doing another project. Last time they spoke, it had been new cabinets for the house.

“It’s not with Mr. Nelson, but his daughter Paris.”

“Ahh. That pretty brunette. Is she impossible to work with?”

Aiden turned the chair until he could look out the windows that spanned behind him and to one side of him, affording a grand view because his office was situated on the corner of the house. “Just the opposite, Dad. When you met your wives, did you know they were the ones?”

“I thought you weren’t paying attention when Mom told you that you’d recognize the people you were destined to spend your life with. You were young and wanted nothing to do with serious relationships, let alone marriage, all you wanted to focus on was football.”

“So you knew when you met both my moms?” He pushed, wanting a more direct answer.

“With Christine, I knew immediately. I walked into her father’s hardware store and the moment your mother turned around to see if I needed help finding anything, I was gone. She tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and our eyes met. There was an instant connection. One that was there every day, and even now…though she’s not here with us, sometimes I swear I can feel her presence.” Charlie paused for a moment and Aiden gave him time to enjoy those memories. “Don’t get me wrong, son, she never made it easy for me. Not one single day, but I loved that woman.”

Aiden’s second mother, Susan, had confided in him that his father blamed himself for Christine’s death. Aiden didn’t want him to ruminate on it. “What about with Susan? Was it the same way?”

“I was attracted to Susan, but it was your mother who pushed me. She knew our family needed something more and she was right. Susan completed us.” There was a pause. “What’s this about?”

“I think we’ve found her.” He didn’t need to go into details. His father already knew the three men were looking for a woman to spend their lives with. Neither of his parents even batted an eyelash when he’d told them. It was actually the opposite. His father asked why it took them so long to come out with something he’d suspected long ago.

“Good for you, son. Who is she?”

Aiden rested his head against the back of the leather chair and let his eyes drift shut until he conjured her image in his mind. “Paris Nelson.”

“She’s a beautiful young woman but there’s a danger level surrounding her because of her family’s part in the legal battle for this lifestyle. You have to realize you and the others will be targets as well.”

“Just as you and Mom will be,” Aiden reasoned.

“Don’t worry about us. We want you happy, and you know Mom would have both of our asses if you didn’t follow your heart for fear of what danger might come to us. Now instead of talking to me, you should be telling her this.”

“Dad, it’s not that simple.” He ran a hand through his hair. “How do I tell her that she’s the one? She came here for business, nothing more.”

“Well, don’t rush in like a bull in a china shop. Take things slow and everything will fall into place.”

“Hey.” Kain stood in the doorway. “She’s ready for you.”

“Tell her I’ll be right there.” Aiden turned his attention back to the phone. “Dad, I should go. She’s waiting for me.”

“Go, and good luck. Remember things will fall into place.” His father gave a light laugh before adding, “It’s going to be fine. We love you, son.”

“Love you too, Dad.” He ended the call and turned to Kain. “How did it go?”

“She’s more relaxed than she was. Cody seemed to have softened her some, which worked for me, and allowed me to make amends for earlier. Now it’s your chance to go in there and sweep her off her feet. I’m assuming you were talking to Charlie. Did he give you the kick in the ass you need to get the job done? We’re all counting on you.”

“No pressure.” Aiden stood and came around the desk. “Dad said it will all fall into place, but I’ll do my best. I don’t know what you expect, it’s not like she’s just going to drop everything and stay here.”

“No, but it will give her something to consider when she’s flying home tonight. Maybe she’ll come back and we won’t have to go to her to convince her. There’s no need for her to use valuable hours searching for a wife for us if we’ve already found her,” Kain reasoned as he leaned against the door frame.

“I’ll do what I can.” He strolled past Kain and headed toward the dining room where she waited.

He knew she wouldn’t stay, but it was what he wanted. He wanted her close so they could begin to learn about each other, explore one anothers wants and needs, and eventually explore each others bodies. He wanted to start their lives together, not let her get back on that plane and fly back home.

The soles of his dress shoes clicked against the hardwood floors as he made his way closer to her. With each step, he knew he was nearing his destiny and the woman he was meant to be with. He drew a deep breath and turned the corner to enter the dining room. “Are you ready for me?”

Paris looked up from the notebook she was writing in, turning her beautiful hazel eyes to him. “Yes, Mr. Dalton, please have a seat.”

“I thought we were past the
Mr.
phase. Please call me Aiden.” He took a seat across from her.

“Aiden.” She gave him the brightest smile he’d seen on her since she arrived. “When my father asked me to come, I was pretty sure we wouldn’t be able to help you. I was convinced the media was right in how they portrayed you. However, in the last few hours you have convinced me what was done to you was the same thing that happened to my family. The media portrayed us as monsters, there were even articles claiming we were abused because of the life my parents chose…but I’m straying from the point.”

“What is your point?”

“I believe Beyond Monogamy can help you find a wife. When I return home, I’ll search our available women and determine the best matches for you. I’ll return in a week or two and go over the ones that I think might be the best for the three of you, and we can go from there.”

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from announcing they already found the woman they wanted. Instead, he leaned forward, placed his hands on the table, and looked her directly in the eyes. “When you were given our file what did you actually think? That I was a playboy?”

Her cheeks turned red with embarrassment, which he found completely adorable, before she forced herself to look away. “That’s not the point.”

“I want to know.”

“The media portrayed you as a playboy, going out with different women all the time. When I found out it was you…” She paused, wringing her hands.

“Go on. I promise not to hold it against you or the company.” He smirked. He had to admit to himself that he was enjoying her moment of discomfort, but that wasn’t the reason he’d pressed her to continue. No, he needed to know so he could find out if her opinion of him had changed. If not, he might have to work harder to convince her.

“I wanted to know how many wives you wanted,” she blurted out before closing her notebook. “Now that you know what I thought of you, should I assume you will be going with another company?”

He reached over the wide custom table that extended across the length of the dining room, and cupped his hand over hers. Soft cool flesh met his warm fingers and he had the desire to rub his hands over hers until they were warm. “I told you I wouldn’t hold it against you or the company, and I’m a man of my word.”

“You’re still going to use Beyond Monogamy?” The surprise was thick in her voice.

“Tell me, has your opinion of me changed? Or do you still think I’m a playboy?”

She shook her head, sending her honey brown hair slipping gently around her face. He wanted to run his fingers through it, nudge it away from her eyes. “No. I already said you and the others changed my mind. If I still had the same impression of you, I wouldn’t be willing to help you.”

“So you don’t think I’m a chauvinistic pig, at least that’s one good thing.” He leaned back against the chair. “Clubbing was never my scene, but my agent demanded that I go out. I had an image to uphold, promotional agreements that forced me to attend certain events, and club openings I had to go to. None of it was my idea, but…”

“It was your career,” she supplied. “I understand that, but before I came here I thought it must also be a part of you or you wouldn’t be doing it.”

“Sometimes in life we have to do things we don’t like. Then there are times we find something or someone we didn’t expect, and we have to hold onto it with both hands.”

“I’m hoping I can find the one you’re looking for quickly.”

“Sometimes people are brought together for different reasons and instead they find love. I have no doubt everything is going to work out just fine.” He dropped the first hint of what he was thinking before quickly changing the subject. He wanted to plant the idea without giving her too much time to consider it. “I thought you had questions for me.”

As if remembering she was here on business, she picked up her pen again and looked down at her notebook. “The others answered a lot of my general questions. The biggest question I have now is what do you want and need in a wife? What are you looking for in the woman you’re going to spend the rest of your life with?”

Over the next twenty minutes, he answered her questions, going into details about what he wanted. It wasn’t like he had a list of demands, but he wanted a wife who would understand there were still threats upon his life because of his business transactions. He didn’t want someone who was so headstrong they wouldn’t take the precautions his life demanded. That was one of the reasons she was a perfect fit; she already understood the need to take steps to remain safe.

As they talked, he was able to learn a little more about her. Not as much as he’d like, but enough to know she was completely dedicated to her family’s company. She needed to get out of the office, enjoy life. She spent all her time helping others find a happy-ever-after, but was neglecting herself. He was determined to see that things changed there. Work was just that; it shouldn’t consume her life completely.

“Those are all the questions I have for you. Whenever Kain is ready I’ll be on my way.” She closed her notebook and slipped it into her laptop bag.

“Actually, I’m going to drive you back to the plane.” He watched as she paused, and he wondered why she hesitated. “Does that bother you?”

“I just assumed you’d have other things to attend to, that’s all.” She stood and lifted her bag on her shoulder. “I’m ready then.”

“I’d like to show you something before we leave.” He came around the table and nodded to the door. “It won’t take long.”

He guided her out of the room with his hand on the small of her back, then led her down the hall and toward the far staircase. He wanted to show her the lookout room. It was the one place in the house with views that went on for miles. The house was everything he wanted and so much more, but this room was more than just a room. It had become a sanctuary for him, a place where he organized his thoughts, where he escaped the stress of his work. He hoped taking her to see a place that was special to him would make her realize there was more to life than just work. It was something Cody and Kain had shown him years ago, and now he was going to do the same with her.

“Where are we going?”

Her question invaded his thoughts, forcing his attention back on her. “Upstairs.”

“For what?” She stopped in her tracks, refusing to move as he tried to lead her forward. “Mr. Dalton—”

“
Aiden
, please…and there’s something I want to show you before you leave. It’s completely innocent, and before you start wondering it’s not a bedroom.” He smirked as images of taking her to his bedroom played through his head, and his shaft began to respond to the fantasies. “Down the hall to the back staircase, and up two flights of steps. I promise when you get up there all will be revealed, and it will be worth the few minutes. Trust me.”

“Okay, but then I should get back to the plane.”

“Directly after, I’ll take you there.” He let her go in front of him as they began to climb the stairs for his own selfish reasons; he wanted to watch her ass move. With every step he wanted to reach out and touch it, or her in general.