Claire didn't know what to do. Her calculations had failed. Nothing was supposed to start so soon. And because of that painfully incorrect assumption, she was now in an inescapable situation.
One where Aiden was looking at her for answers she shouldn't provide yet.
Yes, she was comfortable with him. Of course she was filled with warmth every time she saw the way he was with Lily. And obviously, she was slowly opening up more to the idea of letting him in to the deepest levels of herself bit by bit. But regardless of all of the wonderful things he had started to fill her life with, it wasn't enough to simply spill out years and years of secrets and harmful truths!
What should she do? What should she say? How can she avoid opening up about about so many past ghosts when they were practically knocking at her door? Or even worse, Aiden's door!
She could see the need for answers in Aiden's eyes as clearly as she could see stars in a midnight sky. And he had legitimately earned the right to have them the moment her past caught up to her so quickly. Not that she wasn't expecting it to at some point, but it was not the right time. Especially not the right place. What needed to go down wasn't supposed to begin while she and her little flower were visiting Aiden's estate. Let alone while they were cuddling in bed!
The clock was ticking and she knew that whatever reservations she had about letting him risk his life out there weren't going to stop him from doing so. Leaving her with no other choice than to let him know about a part of her life that she would never be able to outrun from.
"Okay." She said in a sad and defeated voice. And even though Aiden hated hearing her that way, he knew that there wasn't enough time to deal with the situation much differently.
"Okay." Aiden said as he gave her forehead a kiss. "You can tell me what I need to know while we gear up." He gave her another kiss on the forehead before he lifted her and stood her on the ground. As soon as he did, they both sprang into motion.
"Like I said before their numbers are just a distraction for a special ops team to take out their target. In other words, me." Claire began to explain as she went looking for the knives Aiden had mentioned before. While she opened the cabinet where he had them stored, she continued to give him as much information as she could.
All while editing out parts she decided she wasn't ready to share yet.
"Since they decided to come after me here, it means they've already studied the layout. So I have to make an appearance before they decide to go searching for me in the places I would most likely hide in." She'd rather die than risk them finding Lily.
"My panic rooms are very well hidden and designed." Aiden replied understanding she felt unease with the fact that Lily was in the house with them. He made sure all of his weapons had enough ammunition.
Although he didn't like the thought of letting dead men walking search through his house, having her go out to look for them was even less to his liking. He would much rather have her wait there with him and have his people engage and finish the soon to be buried enemy. But it didn't take an expert to know she wouldn't simply sit still. Hence he had to prepare to accompany her.
"Not today they aren't." Claire responded as she tightened the straps she put on her thighs. Each one of them containing twenty perfectly sharpened blades on them. "Like I said before, the skills these men posses are unlike neither you or your people are prepared for. That much of I'm sure. Waiting here for somebody else to come to our rescue is like serving ourselves on silver platters. We need to make our move before they manage to claim the house."
"Judging by how I haven't heard from my best trained men yet, I'm starting to believe you." Aiden's house had always been surrounded by the best of the best. World class even. So to hear radio silence from them while they were about to be under attack was evidence enough that what she was saying was leaning towards the truth rather than not. Making his original idea of convincing her to stay hidden be quickly discarded.
"With that in mind, I need you to take out the distractions." Claire had taken her large sweater off and replaced it with one of the black t-shirts Aiden had in the room. It was extremely baggy on her do to their difference in overall size, but it would have to do. "You'll look like you're hiding me from them which will give me enough time to take out the ones hidden in the shadows....." As she was explaining her game plan to him, she suddenly turned around and threw one of the knives she had strapped to her thigh towards the other side of the room without a second of hesitation.
Aiden turned around alarmed. Not because he thought that somebody had managed to find his bedroom panic room so quickly, but because both Lucas and Aurora knew they would most likely be taking refuge there. And having failed to mention that to his now on guard little lady, innocent blood could have just been spilled inside his walking closet floor.
"Well that fucking hurt." Lucas's said as he stepped into the room. Once Aiden looked at him, he sighed in relief. If it were Aurora and not his too quick for his own good brother, there would most likely be a corpse by the door instead of his broody looking brother. Taking a closer look at him, he couldn't decide between chuckling or letting his shock be shown on his face.
His little Angel had managed to cut Lucas's left cheek. Something Aiden hadn't seen anybody accomplish. Even he hadn't been able to do such a thing. And judging by Lucas's eyes, he wasn't expecting her to be able to either.
"WHERE'S LILY?" Claire practically yelled at Lucas who was now wiping the drop of blood coming out of his newly inflicted wound. Seeing as it was an apparent warning shot form her part it wouldn't necessarily scar, but it was still deep enough to understand she meant business.
Not to mention her ability alone would scare anybody straight and away from fathoming the idea of sneaking up on her again. Something Lucas made sure to take note of.
"Relax." Lucas replied as he walked over to them and started to dismount weapons off the wall as well. "She's with Aurora and the hounds. When you called me I was already moving her because she had fallen asleep half way through the movie. So right now she's still in dream land." He turned to face Claire while he strapped some knives to one of his thighs as well. Seeing as his cheek would continue bleeding for a while, he decided to leave it as is and focus on getting ready. "She's safe."
"Aurora has too many tricks up her sleeve to even try counting them Angel." Aiden said while he threw a carton of ammo to Lucas over the table. "She's in very good hands."
Claire let out a long sigh of temporary relief as she rubbed her forehead. "There are going to be three different teams. And by my experience, that means that at least one of them is going to be a pain in the ass."
"What a minute." Lucas turned to face Claire. His eyes sharpened as soon as he heard what she said. "You know who's responsible for this?"
"Yes." She said in a low voice. The guilt of exposing them to her dangerous reality kept gnawing at her conscious.
"Then what the hell do they want Aiden?" Lucas didn't even try to mask his pissed off mood as he faced his brother. He had grown fond of Claire. Enough to not want to direct his anger at her. "I'd say they're beyond stupid for coming after us, but if they've gotten so far into the property then that means they've been planning this for a while now! How come I'm only hearing about this now!?" He couldn't believe the idea that some of the men he personally trained where so easily taken down by a group of yet to be identified enemies.
"We're short on time Lucas. So let's leave this for later." Aiden halted his brother before he could continue making the already strained situation even more complicated. He had made his way to his side and pasted a medical gauze on his left cheek. After making sure it would properly stay in place, he turned to look at Claire, who like him, had already finished getting ready. "Lucas will take care of the distractions while you and I go after the others one you mentioned."
Lucas didn't even flinch at Aiden's words. After so many years by each others sides ,and all of the things they had gone through together, the trust they had in each other was absolute. No matter how confused or misinformed they were. So hearing his brother mention a plan he didn't even know existed, didn't faze Lucas in the least. He would blindly follow his lead regardless of anything else.
"No." Claire began to respond in return. "Both of you go together. I'll take care of-"
"I would enjoy nothing more than to hear your lovely voice while you debate on why you think you should go alone Angel." Aiden said as he walked to the door. The eight minutes were about to be up. "But like I said before, it's not happening." He turned to face her and smiled. "So you either lead the way, or we let whoever the hell is trespassing on my property roam around until you do."
Claire looked at him, and after another long second, she simply sighed in defeat. Again. She knew no amount of talking would convince him of not accompanying her. She walked over to him as he opened the door for them to step out of the panic room. But before she did, she turned to look at Lucas.
"Most of the men you're going to face are inside your area of expertise. And judging by their numbers, at least half of them will remain outside to hold off any backup from gaining access to the house. I suggest you deal with those and leave the inside ones to us." She said to him before she gestured the cut on his cheek. "But don't let a single one of them cut you with any of their blades. You won't make it back alive if they do." Claire made no attempt to apologize for hurting him. Something that silently amused both brothers.
Lucas cocked one of the guns he prepared as he walked towards them. "What a wonderful suggestion my little Cheeto." He said as he winked at her.