Page 49 of Barbed Wire and Burglary
That day, she’d learned just how cruel the world was. Aaron, being Aaron, had somehow managed to convince their parents that a background in law enforcement would serve the family firm better than two kids with computer science degrees.
Crisis averted.
But only temporarily.
After Elise Hathaway had entered their lives, everything had changed. The more parties and fundraisers Elise had attended with their family, the more distant their adoptive father had grown with Aurora and Aaron. Maybe it was petty jealousy on Aurora’s part, but she sometimes had gotten the impression he was trying to replace them with Elise.
A.J. turned out to be a good listener as she poured out her woes about her dysfunctional family. He seemed in no hurry to jump in to add his two cents worth. He was simply there for her.
“What was it like while your brother dated Elise?” A.J.’s question came out of the blue, catching her by surprise.
Aurora thought about it for a second. “Things got better, actually. A lot better. Our parents wholeheartedly approved of the match.” It hadn’t lasted long, though. “During the six months they dated, our parents slobbered all over him, making noises for the first time about naming him successor CEO. That continued even after Aaron and Elise broke up. They badgered him endlessly to quit theforce and finally take hisrightfulplace at Diamondback. It’s what they called it. Hisrightfulplace,” she repeated. “Not mine, oddly enough, even though I was the kid who gave up my dreams to pursue the career they’d chosen for me.”
She was good at what she did, too. As it turned out, her analytical mind, which had initially preferred to study chemistry, had proven equally skilled at computer programming, white-hat hacking, and all the other things that went into testing the vulnerabilities of security networks.
Despite her skills, their parents hadn’t once referenced her name as a possible successor CEO. It wasn’t charitable of her to think ill of the dead, but their rejection stung to this day.
“I don’t think Aaron really wants the job,” she concluded, trying to swallow her bitterness. “If he did, I believe with all my heart he would’ve already taken it.” She and her brother were so close that she was equally sure she wouldn’t want the job herself if he wanted it.
“I agree with your assessment of him.” A.J. spoke the words with such confidence that she did a double take. “And of you.”
“Really?” She hadn’t been expecting his quick and wholehearted support on the issue. No one in her inner circle had ever gone out of their way to fuel her ambitions.
“Really.” He grasped her hands more firmly. “Look me in the eye and see for yourself.”
She did so and was floored all over again. “Why?”
He gave her an incredulous look. “You’re asking why I think you can do it?”
“Yes.” She really wanted to know.
“Because you’re brilliant,” he exploded.
She blushed.
“Extremely hot and extremely brilliant.” He brushed his thumb over her promise ring. “Why else do you think I threw a grenade clip on your finger the first chance I got?”
She started laughing. She couldn’t help it.
He pretended to recoil. “Are you laughing at me?”
“Withyou,” she corrected.
“Why? What’s so funny?”
“You are! Your one-liners are so hilariously genuine that I couldn’t love them more.”Or love you more, either.She’d fallen so hard and so fast for him that she was still catching her breath.
One eyebrow went up. “I’m not sure that’s a compliment.” He stood, tugging her to her feet.
“But it is,” she protested, launching herself into his eager embrace.
He hitched her closer. “Kiss me, Aurora.”
“I will, right after I say that you aren’t the first guy who’s gone down on one knee in front of me. So, telling you that I love your one-liners is very much a compliment.” She knew what she was talking about. The ability to make another person laugh was one of the greatest gifts in the world.
“Exactly how many other dudes have proposed to you?” he demanded.
Knowing it was better for him to hear about it from her than from Aaron, she spilled the truth. “The first time was right after high school graduation. The second time was in college. The third time…” The aghast look on his face made her stop speaking.
