Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father (Brooklyn and Aden) novel Chapter 71

Chapter 71
Brooklyn

When I see the slip of paper in Aden’s palm, my heart nearly thumps out of my chest.

Shit. Shit.

It’s the folded note that Jayde gave me.

The one I was supposed to give to Lennox, with the cryptic poem inside.

It’s been opened—clearly, Aden has read it—but it still has the tape on it, the same I used to stick it to the back of the desk.

Seized with fear, I raise my eyes from Aden’s hand to his face. I don’t say a word and steel every bit of my wolf Lena’s strength to hold steady.

In response, Aden roars. It’s terrifying, the sound that escapes him. Wild and menacing, his wolf coming through loud and clear even in his human form.

I cower now, terror and a force much stronger overpowering me. Something I can’t explain.

It must be the Alpha power he has.

Aden grabs my arm, pulling me up out of my chair and along with him back into the house.

He’s angry, of course, but his grip doesn’t hurt me.

Not yet.

“Dad!” Hudson calls after him, coming into the house. “Stop! What did she—”

Aden turns to look at his son. “You stay here.”

Hudson stops in his tracks, seeing the look on his father’s face.

Still, he tries once more. “Dad, let her go. Don’t do this—”

“You stay here. Since you can’t keep your she-wolf in line,” Aden says, his voice dangerous, “then I will have to do it for you.”

With that, he again storms forward, dragging me behind him across the kitchen.

My blood goes cold when I see where we’re heading.

Towards that small white door in the corner. The one that leads to the basement.

“No,” I say, finding my voice, throwing my weight back, digging my heels into the tiled floor. “Please, no!”

He ignores me, continuing to move forward, tugging me once so that I lose my balance and have to stumble after him—

Then, we’re through the door—heading down the stairs—

Down the little dim hallway, towards…

I cry out again when I realize where he’s taking me. Aden only checks his stride to throw open the metal door to that room.

That room. The same one where I had looked through the door—seen Aden, his belt in his hands—

Those two men, chained to his chair—

“Please,” I beg, my voice frantic, terror snaking through every limb in my body. “Aden, please—I promise, I didn’t do anything—”

It hasn’t gotten me anywhere yet, and it’s not going to start now, just because he’s got me chained to a metal table in his basement.

“Brooklyn Remington,” Aden says, lowering himself to look me in the eye. “Give me your arm.”

“No,” I throw back at him, matching his tone and his glare.

I shock even myself. Moments ago, I was trembling as he pulled me down the stairs. What the hell snapped in me to make me so suddenly defiant?

It’s as if something in me has awakened.

Aden’s mouth pulls back in a frustrated snarl and he storms around the table, grabbing my left arm and pulling it back with him as he returns to the other side of the table.

“Stupid, stupid little girl,” he says through gritted teeth, more to himself than to me.

I watch the anger on Aden’s face, and I realize that I’ve riled him.

Aden Kenwood—always so calm, so in control, so even-keeled in the face of danger, opposition… Hell, even gunfire.

Aden Kenwood reacts when I stand up to him. It pisses him off.

And part of me really, really likes pissing him off.

Lena seems to like it, too. Instead of cowering, she’s stretching her neck, lifting her head proudly.

Bullies, I think, snarling inside, feeling the hackles on Lena’s back go up, they hate it when someone finds a chink in their armor. And I’m the chink in his.

And I can use this to my advantage.