Aran: Love me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance (10 page)

“Now I get my things, head to a hotel room and plan my next move.”

“I know the perfect place. Let me help you pack.”

She was not hurt. Yeah, she had thought he would want her to go back to his house, but who wanted the kind of trouble that was following her.

She packed in silence. At his urging, she actually packed more than she would have if he hadn’t been there. All the things that meant something to her got packed. Funny how her place was full of things, but there weren’t many of them that she would miss if they were gone.

The pictures of her parents she wanted. Yes, the picture of her baby sister, she wanted that. No, he could not meet her. Why? Because that was the last picture taken of her alive. Not one tear leaked when she told him. As long as no one could see her heart, she was good.

He asked what was important and she told him and they moved on. Finally, the things she would treasure forever were all packed away with her clothes and her laptop and accessories.

She should have waited maybe and packed them later, but in the end she guessed it didn’t matter. She would never live here again because she would never feel safe here again. She should be happy for the small luxury of being able to relocate rather quickly.

The trunk and the back of his car were packed. What hotel was going to take her with all of this in tow? Maybe she could find a storage locker?

“Where are you taking me?”

“Some place I know you will be safe. Close your eyes and rest.”

She knew better, but his voice was so soothing and before she knew it her eyes had closed, and darkness overtook her.

He had known the house was empty before opening the door. One of the senses his kind had kept secret kicked in. She was gone and darkness had over whelmed him to the point that his brothers had felt it. Darkness and madness traveled together as a pair.

He had wanted to storm out and find her, but Sergey had managed to be on his doorstep before he could leave. The fight to keep him in had not been easy. The others had appeared, helping Sergey.

Where would he go? That was their argument. He would be hunted, shot before he ever reached her. His animal had come out and it wanted blood; not hers; never hers. He was sure something had happened, someone had scared her and he wanted their blood for trying to take what was his.

Bonded. He was bonded to a human who may not want him. He wanted to believe it didn’t matter, that he could make her stay, but it mattered. So the war had started, the part of him that wanted to cater to his mate against the part that wanted to dominate her in every way.

She really was beautiful, curled up in the front seat of his car. He had sent her to sleep. She needed the rest. He needed the peace before she protested. It was another sign that he had bonded with her. This power to encourage her to sleep for her own good. One she could resist is she wanted too.

“Wake up.” He used his voice to bring her to the surface naturally.

She sat up and yawned. “Guess I really was tired.”

She looked out the window to see where they were. “This isn’t a hotel.”

“No, but it is a safe place.”

She looked out again as his house came into view. They were driving down the long driveway to the house. It sat several miles back from the street that turned into the driveway.

“Someone threatened to kill me. Why would you want me here?”

“More than one person has tried to kill me, yet I live. Now someone threatens you, doll. Did you think I would let you fight this on your own?” He threw his hands up in the air. “Yes, I know you’re very capable of fighting your own battles, but every battle doesn’t have to be fought alone.”

She dropped her head, unable to meet his eyes any longer. “I have been fighting my battles alone for a long time.”

“Then allow me to help. Let me show you that I am not here for a cheap thrill, but that you mean more to me.”

She nodded her head, opening the door to get out. “I guess we better find a place for all of this in your house for now.”

The front door opened and his brothers came out. They walked to the car and began to unpack it. None of them said a word, but all of them gave, her a smile of greeting.

“Did your brothers come in case I said no? A shoulder to cry on?”

“Something like that.”

They had come to keep him sane, if for some reason she had rejected him. He never feared for his hard won control until a certain dark skinned beauty walked into his life.

Chapter Sixteen

With all of his brothers helping, it had taken almost no time to unpack the car. He had taken all her personal belongings and set them in an empty room. He had said, ‘when you are ready to put them out, they will be here.’

Her clothes and toiletries had gone back to his room and her electronics back to the office. It almost felt like she had moved in, something she wanted to avoid.

Needing a break, also known as hiding out, she took her time putting her clothes back in the closets and drawers. This time she had more, so it took longer.

With nothing else to do, she walked down the stairs, taking the time to examine the smooth wood and the beautiful carvings. The house was magnificent! What was she doing there?

She squelched her uncertainties and consoled herself that it was just until she got back on her feet.

She walked into the big game room to find the brothers playing or sprawled out on one of the many love seats in front of the big screen TV. They looked natural and relaxed. It was obvious that they all spent a lot of time here.

“We should leave.” Niko stood when he saw her hovering around the door.

“No, please stay. I would hate to run you away.”

“We came to make sure you were ok. Now we know you are.”

Rena found herself smiling. She never had a brother. Now it looked like she might have just gained five.

“That’s even more reason for you to stay. Now if we just had something to eat.” She hadn’t eaten all day and it was catching up to her.

“Take out.” One of the brothers yelled.

“Dante’s.” another suggested.

They had all started laughing, trying to place their orders at once.

“Wait Dante’s does not do take out.”

Dante’s was one of the best, most exclusive restaurants in Pittsburgh. Its exclusivity was the reason it was not as well-known as the ones that sat on Grand View Avenue. She had been hired to do a job for them when she was free-lance. That was the only reason she knew they existed. The president himself had eaten there the last time he was in town.

“Dante’s does not do take out.”

“They will for us.” Sergey said that with a small smile.

“Let’s just say they needed help and we were able to provide it. What would you like to eat, doll?”

The appetite that she had been missing came back with a vengeance. She had only eaten there twice and it had been amazing.

“They make a shrimp and scallop dish to die for. That along with a salad and a dessert – triple chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, sounds delicious.” She was trying not to get her hopes up, but her taste buds were awake and her mouth was watering at the thought.

Sergey had picked up his phone and called to place the order. The conversation was quick. “They will deliver it as soon as it is done.”

“They agreed to deliver it?”

Who were they? They were aliens, Aran had made that clear. How did aliens get the hook up? Dante didn’t seem the type to break his own rules and anyone know knew about his restaurant knew he didn’t deliver.

She had chosen to sit on one of the smaller love seats that were unoccupied. She sat there casually, all the while feeling Aran’s eyes on her. She had skirted the seat he was on, which had more than enough room for her.

She was feeling awkward in a room filled with his brothers. She was sure they knew what had happened and that she had all but run away earlier. Combine that with the threat and her apartment and she was feeling unsure about all her decisions.

He got up and walked over to her. “Is this seat taken?”

She wanted to nod her head yes, but that sexy smile was making her wet and uncomfortable.

“No.” It was all she was able to manage without choking on the words.

He sat next to her, eating up all the empty space. The love seat that seemed too big a minute ago was too small now. He was too close. She couldn’t trust her hands to behave themselves, so she slid them under her legs.

Aran’s phone rang as another of the brothers’ phones rang. They all looked at the television, as a breaking news story came on.

“A warehouse just exploded. We are live on this breaking story.”

“Ash.” He was the red haired brother whose phone rang with Aran’s.

She had noticed the brothers had a habit of answering the phone by saying their names.

“I am on my way now.”

“How could that warehouse have exploded?”

“Sabotage.” There was hesitancy to the answer.

Rena found herself shivering. What was happening here?

She listened quietly as Aran fielded phone calls like he was an expert. Yes, he was sending someone. No, he had no prior knowledge of this. No, none of his properties had been threatened to his knowledge. Yes, he would be happy to give the police a full statement in the morning.

She jumped when the doorbell rang.

“That should be Dante.” Aran got up and went to answer the door.

She tried not to gasp as she saw Dante walking in with bags and Aran carrying the rest of them.

Dante was tall. She had decided he had to be at least six six some time ago. He had beautiful black hair with piercing ice cold blue eyes. He must have been a fighter at one point in his life. He had a broken nose and a small scar on his left cheek that only made him look sexier.

“Did someone say food?” He held up the bags in his hand and walked to the dining room like he had been here more than once. Rena found herself at Aran’s right when they sat to eat.

“How did you meet Rena?” Dante asked quietly, maybe too quietly. She didn’t like the sudden tension in the room.

“She came to one of our parties with a friend that works for us.”

“Rena’s special.” He gave her a lopsided grin and wagged his brows at her.

“And here I thought you forgot me.” She had been quite taken with Dante when she first met him. Nothing had ever happened, he had treated her like a little sister whenever she was around.

“I never forget a face of someone who has helped me. I am also there if they need me. I heard what happened.”

She gave him a slightly shocked smile. That was more than she was expecting.

“It looks like Aran and the boys have your back.”

She blushed thinking about Aran and what exactly he also had had. “They do, but I don’t want them to get hurt.”

Dante choked on his wine and several of the brothers offered to beat on his back or give him CPR if needed. They then laughed so hard, she thought they might fall on the floor.

“Now that you mention it, several of the brothers are fragile. You may be right not to want them to get hurt.” He smirked at them.

There were several growls that would have made her flinch if she didn’t know the source. OK, she was flinching, but hopefully just on the inside.

“Stop.” That command came from Aran. Seems she had not hid her flinching well.

“Why did Ash go to the warehouse?”

“Ash heads security. He would have had that place wired from top to bottom. If anyone can find out what happened, it will be him.”

“What happened to your warehouse?”

“Someone blew it up.”

If she had not been staring at Dante, she would have missed his ice blue eyes become totally black and then ice blue again. She would have dismissed it as her eyes playing tricks on her a couple of days ago, but now, she was a little freaked out.

“The world is so much bigger than you ever imagined Rena.” Dante smiled at her. “Funny, who would have thought Pittsburgh would be a hot bed of alien activity.”

He stood, cleaning up after himself. “Eat before your food gets cold. I made that especially for you. Aran, you can thank me later. If you need anything, let me know.”

He hit the kitchen, then left, leaving Rena to look at her uneaten food. Taking a fork, she dipped it in, spearing a piece of shrimp. She moaned, it was so good. She ignored the conversation going on around her as she ate. Dante was a great cook and she ate every bit of it.

When she was done, she looked up to find Aran’s eyes on her, watching her lips.

“I was hungry.” She said defensively, licking the sauce off her lips.

“I am hungry too.”

Her nipples started to throb in the nipple ring she was still wearing. They felt large and sensitive against her bra. Her clit ached and her juices were coming fast, all from that low voice that was seducing her.

Had Dante spiked her food with something? Like she needed help in the ‘I want Aran’ department.

She saw the brothers get up and begin to clear the table, but she couldn’t focus on them. She was being held captive in Aran’s emerald gaze.

His gaze was making her melt without him even touching her. If she didn’t get him soon, she was sure she was going to go up in flames.

Chapter Seventeen

He picked her up, not caring that his brothers were still there. “We will lock up,” they called after him. Then he carried her up to the bedroom and laid her on the bed like she was a breakable china doll.

Now she was left looking at him and licking her lips, like she was some heroine out of a gothic novel. Would he be the hero and love her or the bad boy and own her?

“Shower?” He was raking his hands through his hair. His unsteady hands.

Taking the escape offered, she sprang up and headed to the bathroom. “A shower sounds good.”

Closing the door behind her, she sighed. She had been so sure he was going to jump her. She had wanted him to jump her. She had needed him to show her how rough he could be. Instead, he showed her restraint. She wanted him even more, knowing he could pull back if he needed to.

Dropping her clothes to the floor, she stepped into the shower. Her compulsive neatness was screaming at the mess, but she ignored it. That was how she knew something was wrong. She had never been strong enough to ignore the urge to straighten things up before.