Aiden Harper

Unexpected twists and turns

Eden

After speaking to Misty, I came to one conclusion. I liked her and her take-no-prisoners attitude. Seeing how her boyfriend adored her warmed my heart. You could tell by the way he was with her and how he looked at her. It was the same way Aiden was with me.

"Why do you look like a bus smacked into you a billion times?" Diego asked me.

I looked at the ceiling and blew air past my lips. "Oh, because it has." I lowered my head and turned my gaze to the others. "Seeing Tino with Misty made me realize how Aiden is with me. Isn't that a kicker?" I bobbed my head in realization.

"It's taken you how long to realize this? Are you slow or something?" Damien asked me.

"I thought you were nice?"

Damien barked a laugh. "You haven't met my dad. I'm just like him."

"I'm like no one because my dad's adopted me," Brody said, shoving a slice of pizza into his mouth.

"Yes, we're well aware of your hang-up about your adoption," Karlene said with an eye roll.

Brody shrugged.

"Why do you have a problem with your adoption?" I asked Brody.

"I don't. Not really. My dads are great. I have issues with people mentioning I don't have a mom." Brody shot Diego a pointed look.

I looked at Diego. "Why would you bring up that fact to Brody? Not everyone has a loving mother."

Diego shifted in his spot and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know. My ma and dad didn't have mothers while growing up, except for Aunt Tori, Grammy, and Grandma Sydney. My dad had three mother figures, while my ma didn't. It was a shit shot I made."

I looked at Brody. "There's nothing wrong with your adoption. You had people choose you to love you. That makes you lucky."

"Oh, I know. Aunt Kenzie, Aunt Gabby, Aunt Sam, Nana, and Grammy remind me that my dads always chose me to love. My dads always remind me that they wanted me and show me. Diego is just an ass." Brody shrugged and finished his slice of pizza.

I couldn't help but smile at everyone's honesty. It was refreshing, to say the least.

Right now, I didn't want to think about my family but focus on the dark-haired, tattooed guy with blue eyes.

******
Aiden

The demon spawns' incarnates left after a while. I can take them in small doses. Diego and Marissa skated, leaving Eden and me alone. I grabbed pillows and blankets from the bedroom and placed them on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Eden asked, pointing to my makeshift campsite.

"We're camping in the living room."

"We are, are we?"

I nodded. "I prefer you close if you need me. I don't want to kick down your apartment door to get to you. Plus, I doubt the manager would appreciate having to repair the damaged door and frame."

"You would really kick down a door for me?"

"If you have noticed by now, I would scorch this earth for you."

"You need serious help if you're willing to burn the earth for me."

"I'm a work in progress." I patted a spot beside me on the blanket.

"If we're camping in your living room, I must change. I can't get comfy in my current attire." I held out my sundress to Aiden. I refused to sleep in my regular clothes.