Ayden's Secret by Cara North Page A

back playing with the kids, and the men were in the kitchen at the table playing cards.
    When Stephanie and Charlie stepped in, the men stopped, looked over to them, and waited. They had been gone all morning and giggling all the way in the door. Every man there knew they were up to something.
    “What?” Stephanie put her hands on her hips defiantly.
    Joshua excused himself and towered over his little sister. “We need to talk. Come on.”
    Stephanie had seen that look directed at other people but never at her. She gulped hard and followed him. Malcolm was at the table, and she could have sworn he was smiling. Joshua should be threatening him, not her.
    “Pick up Joshua’s hand, Charlie. Join us,” Chase called.
    “I’m no good at cards.” Charlie looked at Ayden, but he ignored her.
    “Then I insist you pick up his hand.” Ethan stood and pulled out Joshua’s chair for her. It sat her right across from Ayden.
    “Ayden?”
    Charlie was looking at him; he could feel it. She could have burned a hole through him she was staring so hard, but he was on to her game now and though she was right, he would have rejected her flat out before. He wasn’t sure he wanted to reject her flat out now. That complicated a few things. He wasn’t sure how to deal with it all. He still wasn’t sure she was being totally honest with him. He looked up at her. After a moment of being ensnared in her gaze, he winked at her. That seemed to do it.
    “What are we playing?” Charlie asked.
    “Poker,” Malcolm responded. “Don’t be afraid to throw that money in. Most of it was mine anyways.”
    “Okay.” Charlie shrugged. If they really wanted her to take their money, she would.
    ***
    Joshua had marched his sister up the stairs and down the hall to the room she was staying in. “What the hell is going on with you?”
    “Joshua?”
    “Don’t Joshua me, young lady. You didn’t tell me he asked you to marry him. You sure didn’t tell me you wanted him to stay with you. You used to tell me everything. Now dad knows before I do.” Joshua had his hands on his hips, and his green eyes were directed pointedly at her.
    “I stopped telling you because any time someone argued with me you would kick their ass. I love him. I thought you were serious about us being too young, and about him sleeping on the couch, so did he. Malcolm won’t touch me because of you.”
    Stephanie sat on the bed and crossed her arms looking up at Joshua with a scowl on her face. Her green eyes reflected back at him. That should settle him. He hated for her to be upset.
    Joshua looked at his little sister and realized she had been playing him all her life. Now she was pouting and looking mad. Well he was mad. Joshua launched into his speech.
    “Bullshit, he won’t touch you because of you, and because he’s a good man. I wish I had an ounce of his morals at that age, and I’m glad as hell you found someone like him. You’re no walk in the park kid. And that’s okay. You’re my sister. I love you. I respect your decisions, but you aren’t going to use me to chase him away. He’s too close, and you, young lady, are running. Now that you have my blessing, you’re scared. Don’t expect me to do anything to him. You want to chase him off? You do it on your own.” Joshua stalked out of the room.
    Stephanie sat there with her mouth open and her eyes wide. She had always used him to intimidate boyfriends. It was easy because he enjoyed the fight. He protected his sister. It wasn’t until she got older he realized she used him as a defense. Their mother was a real controlling bitch most of their lives. Only in the past year, had she come around and treated them like her children and not like her property. Stephanie feared intimacy where Joshua searched for it. He realized that now. She wanted to be treated like a grown up. Well he just kicked her out of the nest. Fly, little bird, fly.
    Stephanie sat there in shock. Joshua had never yelled at her before.