Page 84 of Dirty Heirs

I sat on the couch with Aiden, curled up on his lap. He enveloped me in his warmth, smothering me with love and kisses. In his arms, I felt safe for the first time in years.

“What was it like living in Ireland?” Aiden asked, nuzzling my ear with his nose.

“My aunt is a nightmare,” I told him. “She runs a crew of men who deal in drugs and guns. She’s just as crazy as my dad. Maybe more ruthless.” I stretched my legs across his lap and rested my head on his shoulder. “My grandparents fucked up their children. None of my aunts and uncles work normal jobs. They’re all part of the family business in some way.”

“Hey, you could’ve had my parents.” Aiden laughed, though I knew that was only a mechanism for how he handled the trauma. “My mom locked Alex in closets. She intentionally didn’t feed or bathe us. That woman is a true psychopath.” He shook his head, and a strand of blond hair fell before his eyes. “Anyone who hurts kids should be condemned to the seventh circle of Hell.”

I pushed the hair off his forehead and kissed him. “I’m just happy to be here with you and Sonny again. I wanted to contact you for years. But I had no way of communicating with anyone. Per my dad’s orders, my aunt wouldn’t allow me internet or cell phone access. I could only call home, which I didn’t want to do.” I rolled my shoulders and sighed. “Not like I had much to say to my dad after he sent me away.”

Aiden wrapped his strong arms around me and kissed my forehead. “That part of your life is over now. We’ll take good care of you.”

Aiden’s phone dinged with a new text message. He lifted the phone from the coffee table and typed out a quick reply. “My sister wants us to come to the Salvatore Estate. Marcello and Drake are arriving soon.”

“Okay, I’ll be here when you get back.”

“No.” He rose from the couch, taking me with him. “You’re one of us now. My family and friends will have to accept our relationship.”

Sonny strolled toward us and dabbed at his red-rimmed blue eyes. “Tate Maxwell is dead.” He sniffed. “Marcello and Drake had to watch him get beaten to death. They’re lucky to be alive.”

Over the past few days, they told me about Drake Battle and Tate Maxwell. I’d never heard of Tate until recently. But Drake was one of Sonny’s oldest friends. Tate was Drake’s head of security and was like his brother.

“Fuck,” Aiden bit out. “Drake must be devastated.”

“Yeah,” Sonny agreed. “He’s pretty messed up physically… and mentally. So is Marcello. Olivia will be there… I can’t imagine telling her that her brother is dead. Drake will never be the same again.”

Olivia Maxwell was Drake’s live-in assistant and his best friend’s sister. According to Sonny, the three of them were like family to each other. Tate and Olivia grew up in foster care and had no one. So, Drake gave them a home and an education. He made sure they stayed off the streets.

Based on their stories about Drake, he was a good man. He cared about people and didn’t mind sharing his wealth. My heart ached for him.

Aiden tapped my ass. “Get dressed. We leave in five.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

SONNY

Marcello was alive. That was the only thing I cared about at the moment. So when Luca muttered nasty things about Ella in my ear, I ignored him. Aiden gave him the finger and told him to fuck off.

“Your brother almost died,” I fired back at him. “Our relationship with Ella is the least important thing you should be worried about. And it’s also none of your fucking business.”

“Her family affects the Knights,” Luca said with venom in his tone, getting in my face. “And the Knights are my business. We’re going to discuss this later, Cormac.”

“Can’t wait,” I tossed back with an eye roll.

Luca stormed off to join Alex, Bastian, and Damian on the helipad at the Salvatore Estate. After the helicopter landed, Arlo Salvatore opened the door and extended his hand to Marcello. Arlo wasn’t caring or ever loving with his sons. This was about the closest I had ever seen to compassion from him.

Marcello looked shocked by the gesture but took his hand. He climbed down from the chopper, his face swollen and bruised, cut in various places. His once beautiful olive skin had a sallow glow to it. New bruises mixed with old ones, creating a rainbow of colors on his face.

Alex gasped. “Oh, my God.” She turned to look at Luca. “You didn’t tell me they hurt him.”

“What did you think they were doing in that cave, Drea?” Luca slung his arm across her back and squeezed her hip. “Talking?”

Was there ever a time Luca wasn’t a dick? I had no idea how Alex tolerated his bullshit. Of all the Salvatore brothers, he was the worst. Damian was slightly unhinged, but at least he treated Alex with respect in front of us.

I never once heard him speak to her the way Luca did. And he always got away with it. She accepted Luca was a piece of shit and would never change. Aiden hated him. He wanted her to marry Marcello, but instead, she chose Luca. The five of them had made a deal.

As Arlo hugged Marcello, I had to wait my turn. We’d been friends for so long that there wasn’t a time in my life I could recall not being his friend. I loved Marcello more than my younger brothers. He was the brother I wanted, and instead, I got Callum and Finn—two idiots who caused nothing but trouble.

Drake climbed out of the helicopter, his skin even more battered and bloodied than Marcello’s. Instead of his usual tan, a yellowish hue circled most of his features, the skin discolored from all the trauma. He could hardly walk and staggered out of the aircraft. He tipped to the side, and thankfully, Arlo was quick on his feet and wrapped an arm around him.

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