Playboy billionaire Aiden Grayson is being blackmailed and when he meets his handsome new bodyguard, Julian, he's slowly overcome by feelings he can't deny.
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Aiden Grayson is a child of privi...
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39. NOW OR NEVER
As Aiden and Julian reached the front door, they separated from one another at the very last minute.
Julian went off into the kitchen to set things up for the dinner that they might not even get around to eating; meanwhile, Aiden had to hype himself up to actually open the door.
He could hear his parents muffled voices on the other side and he felt like he was going to be sick to his stomach.
"It's now or never, damn it." Aiden sighed as he gathered up the strength to finally swing open the door. The first person that his eyes fell upon was his lovely mother. She pulled him in for a much-needed hug. "Hey, ma."
"My beautiful boy, how are you this evening?" Lydia pulled back and examined her sons face. She wanted to say something about his apprehensive look but decided against it. She figured he'd tell her what she wanted to know on his own time. "Something smells mighty delicious back there. Is that darling Julian playing chef for us tonight?"
"Yeah." Aiden laughed, nervously. "He made lasagna. He's warming it up now."
"Smells wonderful," Thomas added, catching Aiden's attention as he snapped back to reality and realized that Lydia wasn't standing there all by herself. "How've you been, son? It's a shame that I even have to ask you that. A parent should always be aware of how their child is doing."
Thomas shook his head and sighed. He almost forgot what it was like to not be hated by his son. He really missed the days where Aiden would look at him without detestation in his eyes.
"But, being that you refuse to acknowledge my existence ever since our little falling out, it's been hard trying to check up on you."
"Our little falling out – that's what you're calling it?" Aiden scoffed, glaring at his father in revulsion.
It sickened him how much they looked alike. They had the same bright green eyes, the same strong facial features, and even the same thick brown hair excluding Thomas' few grey strands. Aiden looked nothing like Lydia but so much like his father that they could almost pass as brothers who were about twenty-something odd years apart, of course.
"You know what?" Aiden forced a smile, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. "I'm going to be the bigger man and not start a fight because Julian worked hard preparing this meal and I refuse to let it go to waste, so I hope you all came here with an appetite because we're jumping right into dinner."
"Oh, Aiden. I'm so proud of you!" Lydia beamed. "It's always best to take the high road, darling." She kissed Aiden on the cheek before she and Thomas moved past him to enter the house, leaving Aiden standing alone at the door with Kyle.
"Well, don't you look like dog shit this evening," Aiden muttered to his brother. Kyle looked every bit of worn out; from the bags under his dull blue eyes to his wrinkled clothing, unkempt blonde hair, and thick beard that was in desperate need of a trim. "Did a girl dump you for another man, or what?"
