Hidden Within the Moonlight

Chapter 4

River

I know what her father had said. I knew what I was supposed to do. But now seeing her sitting in my car, on the verge on crying, I feel like a piece of shit. I shouldn't have done things like that.

But what could I have said? There was nothing I could do to change her mind. It didn't matter if I had said she was in danger, she would not have cared or listened. Not unless it involved her family. They were all she cared about it.

Gideon had mentioned how badly the situation with Marcus had affected Aspen. That she was struggling with it, both with her business and as his sister. Growing up the two had a tense relationship - always fighting, always distant. However, even with all of that, the two of them would go to war for each other.

At least that was what I thought.

Marcus got into the wrong group. He fucked up. But this shit? Did he really put his entire family in this position? I know that his intentions would never be to hurt his family, but it was frustrating. My mind kept fighting to tell me that this wasn't his doing, and I shouldn't be putting the blame on him.

But seeing Aspen upset like this...that's not entirely his fault either. It was mine.

My hand tighten on the steering wheel.

I carried her out of there. What the fuck? She was just hugging the dog. And Archer. He wasn't the bad guy, but he wasn't her savior either. I could tell that he wanted to be. This just wasn't the moment.

Gideon had said to wait until morning, but I needed to see her. After talking to that one girl, something in my gut told me something was wrong. After I left Gideon's, I drove straight to Aspen's. She opened the door, dressed in his clothes, and it took everything in me not to pick her up and take her then. Her red hair a slight mess, the tiredness in those blue eyes. I loved those eyes.

But she would never know that. She would not - could not ever know that.

Glancing over at her in the passenger seat of my car, I see that she's asleep. She was curled up in the seat, still wearing his clothes. Part of me wishes that she had changed, but I know that I shouldn't. And then there was the bracelet.

Goddamnit.

She still wore the bracelet that I got her when she was seventeen. I had seen her wear it at events throughout the years since I gave it to her, but I didn't realize that she always wore it. Something in my heart warmed at the thought. God, I still remember buying it for her.

Gideon had gotten back from a trip with her and Wil and I would tell that something was off. I had asked repeatedly what was bothering him, and each time I was told it was nothing. Finally, I overheard him talking to one of his assistants saying he needed to get back to Scotland to buy something - a bracelet - but he didn't have the time. Said that Aspen had loved it. I booked a ticket to Scotland the moment I got back to my house. If she wanted the bracelet, she was going to get the bracelet. When I landed in Glasgow, I went straight to the jewelry shop and bought the gold bracelet that was now on her wrist.

I never told anyone of my trip to Scotland or the bracelet. Come time for Aspen's birthday, and I almost didn't go. I planned to give it to her at the family dinner the night after. Parties aren't my thing, and the McKnights always threw the biggest ones. That night it didn't bother me though. I walked straight into the house and found her in the living room with her family and a few friends. Those blue eyes were so bright with happiness and joy - my heart swells at the memory. God, she looked so happy when I walked into the room. I know it wasn't because of me, but my brain loved to convince me that it was.