Heaven Sent (Loki/Asgard Fanfiction - Aislinn's Story)

Chapter Sixty-Six

"Why do men hit?"

Steve glanced down at Aislinn, whose head rested against his chest, and as he let his fingers move along her hair, he replied, "Not all guys hit, Ash."

Her fingertips brushed over his stomach, down to his left hip, across to his right, and back up. "But why do any of them?"

"I don't know. They grew up seeing it and think it's okay? A massive inferiority complex? I couldn't tell you, honey. But," the sheets rustled as he shifted onto his side to gaze down at her, "you never have to worry about it. I would never—"

"I know," she interrupted softly, smiling up at him in the semi-darkness. The television was on, but neither one of them paid much attention to it. Still, her eyes glittered and her fingers were light as they skimmed up the middle of his chest. At times, she seemed almost fascinated by his chest hair. Maybe Asgardian men weren't quite so fuzzy. "You're nice men."

"I'm nice men," he murmured, reaching down to trace his fingertip along her cheek. Her skin was so soft, it practically begged to be touched and he was powerless to resist. "I thought Dave was a decent guy, too, though. I can't even imagine... why didn't Tracy ever say anything?"

That was what bothered him the most about learning Dave smacked them around—that Tracy never once said anything to Jen or to him or Chris or Tony. He had no idea how long it had been going on for, how bad it was for them, how much damage he did to Tracy and their children. And that pissed him off to no end.

He gazed down at Aislinn again. The thought of ever raising an angry hand to her was alien to him. He couldn't imagine throwing a punch at her or slapping her or backhanding her—couldn't imagine touching her ever with the intent to hurt her. His job was to protect her, to shield her from things like that. The thought of her being afraid of him turned his gut.

And their children. His gut twisted further at the thought of Matt and David being the targets of Dave's rage. Or Tracy's youngest, her toddler Ellyn. Christ, he wanted to throw up.

Aislinn traced a path down toward his stomach again. "I don't know. Maybe she was embarrassed. It can't be easy, telling someone the man who's supposed to love you, the man who's supposed to protect you, is the one hurting you. That he's hurting his own children."

"Maybe. But I've half a mind to pay him a visit," he muttered, trailing his fingers along her arm now, "and bringing Chris and Tony with me. Let him know what we think of him beating up on his wife and kids."

"Steve, you promised her you wouldn't tell them."

"Then I'll do it myself. That sack of shit doesn't scare me and I don't give a damn if he is half a foot taller. I'll kick his ass from one end of his house to the other and back."

"You gave her your word."

"I said I wouldn't tell Chris or Tony, not that I wouldn't take care of it myself." He shook his head. "She's my kid sister, Ash. I can't let that lie."

She lifted her head to look at him. "What are you going to do, Steve? Beat him up? Then what happens? He presses charges and under your weak Midgardian laws, you end up in trouble. You lose your job, go to jail... it's not worth it."

"She's my sister."

"I understand that. And I think you should be able to do something on her behalf. But, you can't and if I know it, you must."

He sighed, closing his eyes. His gut roiled with the need to let Dave know just what happened when you messed with a Molinaro. There were plenty of guys in his sisters' pasts who found out the hard way what happened when you hurt one of their own. He and his brothers might not be the biggest guys out there, but they didn't need to be.