44: Another Chance
AIDAN
In all my thirty–four years on planet Earth, I’ve only considered a handful of people to be perfect, if any. And if one of them had told me that my list of those people would include the eight- year–old that was currently sleeping in my arms, I would have laughed in their faces.
She was perfect in every goddamn way, and I still couldn’t believe that she was mine. That she was my daughter. My flesh and blood.
Hours with her felt like minutes, which was why I was currently struggling to hand her over to her mother.
“Thank you so much for keeping an eye on her, Aidan. I ope she didn’t stress you out too much or try to burn down your place?” Tara asked, chuckling nervously, and I only shook my head.
“She was good like she promised.”
“Okay, good,” Tara breathed, and memories of how I could practically taste her lips from how close to me she was in this same suite just a while back resurfaced. She continued speaking, but I could hardly focus on her words.
I did not trust myself to not do something stupid like try to kiss her again, so I gestured for her to come outside.
“Come on, I’ll drop you both off.”
0 CON
44 Anetha Chance
288 Wouchers
“No, Aidan, you’ve done more than enough already. You must have things that you couldn’t do while she was from here.”
here. I’ve got it
I stared at her like she was a stubborn child refusing to take a
bath.
“You know how much she weighs when she’s asleep, right? I’m guessing you are going to carry her all the way back home and shift your shoulder in the process. Get in the car, Tara, and stop refusing my offers. I won’t be stopping anytime soon.”
Sighing, she packed Nadia’s things into her bag, and we headed to the car.
All through the car ride, I thought of things to say to her, but I came up with nothing. I just cursed myself the entire way.
Shortly after, we were parked in front of Tara’s home, and just like the last time this scenario played out, I helped Tara carry our baby to the doorstep.
Goddess. I didn’t think I was going to get enough of this anytime soon, or anytime ever.
Even though I would have wanted nothing more than to watch my daughter sleep in her own bed for the first time since she was born in eight years, I quietly handed Nadia over to Tara, my hand lingering on the back of her neck for a tad bit longer.
This time, I didn’t ask to come in, knowing how uncomfortable it made Tara the last time. We had all the time in the world, and since it was me who pushed them both away without giving them any logical reasons, I’d rather die than push for us to do things differently than Tara wished now that I had another
19.69%
1421
- Another Chance
288 Vouchers
chance.
After Nadia was balanced in Tara’s arms, we both stood still, neither of us making the first move to say goodnight.
So I spoke first. “Thank you for trusting me to do this, Tara, it meant more to me than you could imagine. And she had a great time.” I pointed to Nadia.
“You’re welcome,” Tara said, looking nothing short of beautiful.
“I should let you two get some rest. Long day and all. I guess I’ll see you around soon.”
Watching her pretty face to see if I could read any meaning into her expression and getting nothing of note from it, I gave her a curt nod and turned my back.
Getting to my car, I turned back around to make sure that they were both inside with their doors locked before I could bring myself to get inside my car.
If I wasn’t so aware of my surroundings, I would have missed it, but when I felt a subtle, yet persistent presence around me, I knew that I was being watched.
Pretending like I didn’t know that there were a pair of eyes on me, I silently searched for where my stalker was hiding. I felt it before turning sharply, and I saw her.
From the singular lit room of the building right beside Tara’s, a petite woman with familiar features was peeping behind a curtain, watching me.
She retreated as soon as she noticed that I had traced her, but
44 Another Chance
288 Vouchers
she was still there.
I tried to recall where I could have seen her face before, and it hit me that she was one of Tara’s friends. I remembered seeing her at one of the events from my early days here.
I would have asked why she was so cautious of me, but anyone would be if they were in the same shoes, so I let it sit at the back of my mind.
It didn’t take long for me to return to my suite, and I got right into the pile of work that was waiting for me.
Since Vermont pack became my responsibility, much to my displeasure, might I add, complaints had been coming my way, along with numerous things that needed to be done.
I got behind my work desk and started to attend to those that I could from my end.
Attica pack was not left behind. I still had a responsi “ty to them, and even if I made sure to leave the order of things in trusted hands, I had to follow up to make sure that things weren’t going sideways, or that my father wasn’t causing problems where he shouldn’t.
Jace had also been suggesting that I move out of the hotel suite and into the pack house, but I wasn’t ready for that yet.
The phone on my table rang, disconnecting me from my
thoughts for a split moment, and picked it up and pressed it to my ear.
“Hello?”
44 Another Chance
288 Vouchers
The person on the other side of the phone was hesitant, but they finally spoke. “Is this Alpha Aidan?”
It was a lady.
“Yes, it is. How can I help you?”
More hesitation. “I didn’t know if this was okay, but I learned that you are the Alpha now. I didn’t know who else to call, but our building has been flooded. Not just ours, but at least half of the buildings on the block,” the woman complained. “We have nowhere to go.”
I responded. “Just remain calm, and send me your address, and I will see that it is fixed immediately, is that okay?”
I could only think of the many ways that Collin had this pack fucked over.
Ending the call, I added that to the list of things on my orkload.
