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

Brooklyn

Hudson doesn't speak to me the whole ride home, and after a while, I stop trying.

After all, I wasn't doing anything wrong...

Was I?

Sure, we've been told Colsen is the enemy, but is that even true?

And maybe, just once, I'd like to have a say in what I say and do.

"Hudson," I say, exasperated, once we're back in the house.

I'm trying to yank my hand free from his grasp as he pulls me down the hall. "Let go. Are you seriously going to tattle on me?"

He just shoots me a look, saying nothing as we arrive at the doors to his dad's office.

He knocks loud, twice.

I sigh, shaking my head at him while we wait.

It's not that I don't get why he'd be pissed. But he needs to get over it.

And I certainly don't want to have this conversation with Aden.

The door opens, Aden on the other side. He takes one look at us before stepping back and allowing us to enter.

Hudson doesn't drop my hand, but not because he's trying to give me any love and support in the face of his father's judgment.

I'm his prisoner, and he's not letting me go.

Hudson pulls me over to stand in front of Aden's desk as Aden walks around the other side. None of us

sit.

"What happened?" Aden demands, folding his arms over his chest.

"Brooklyn," Hudson glares at me, saying my name like it's a dirty word, "had a nice intimate chat with someone tonight. Would you like to tell him?"

In response, I roll my eyes.

"It was Colsen," Hudson says through gritted teeth.

I all but close my eyes, waiting for Aden's wrath.

Instead, Aden frowns at Hudson, surprising me.

"So what?" Aden asks his son. "Is this some kind of lover's quarrel? Your fiancée talked to another man, and you want Daddy to step in?"

Hudson's jaw falls open. "No, Dad, that's obviously not the issue="

Yeah, I think to myself, resisting the urge to roll my eyes, it's not the issue because you're not actually jealous because you're not actually into me.

Hudson gestures to me, his eyes still on his father.

"Did you not hear what I just said? She was talking to Colsen. Your enemy."

Aden does shift his gaze to me at that moment and I can see him consider the situation, processing the details.

I don't move a muscle. Instead, I just hold his stare, my hand still in Hudson's fist.

It's not easy, those piercing wolf eyes boring into me. Lena cowers. But I hold strong.

"Well?" Aden says finally, his face impassive. "What did Colsen have to say?"

Hudson looks between us. "Wait-are you serious? You're not going to do anything about it?"

Aden snaps his gaze to his son.

"And what would you like me to do about it, Hudson? Go back in time and stop her?"

My lips twitch in pleasure.

I, like Hudson, had been expecting Aden's anger to be directed at me. But apparently, at least for now, I'm off the hook.

Still, I quickly wipe the expression from my face. I don't know where this is going, not really, and I don't want to incur anyone's wrath.

Hudson scowls, dropping my hand and crossing his own arms across his chest, looking like his father's double in this moment.

I look between the two, struck again by their similarities.

"Obviously, Dad, that is not what I want," he says, frustrated. "But she betrayed us tonight-and made me look like an idiot!"

Aden's eyes shift back to me.

"Is that true?" he asks. "Did you make Hudson look like a fool?"

I exhale, spreading my hands innocently.

"I didn't do anything, okay? If anything, my father made Hudson look like a fool."

When Aden says nothing, I continue. "The whole thing was a setup. He threw the party so that he could introduce me to his friends' single sons!"

Aden nods slowly, figuring out the darker motives behind my father's little party, considering the consequences for himself.

"Besides," say, shooting Hudson a

dirty look of my own. "It's not like

Hudson

was playing Mr. Attentive

Fiancé all night. He was off playing

volleyball for hours."

I sigh. "What was I supposed to do? Not talk to anyone because he wasn't at my side?"

Hudson and Aden both glare at me then, and realize, suddenly, that this is what they both would have preferred. The ridiculousness of their overprotective, jealous wolves is astounding.

en

"Seriously?!" I exclaim, throwing my hands up in the air. "I didn't know who Colsen was until we were already talking with each other!"

"Honestly," I continue, exhausted by

the whole situation, "you two holdnoveldrama

me to some seriously unfair standards. I don't know these people I don't know what the rules are. And yet you expect me to intuit them and act precisely how you

want me to."

I shake my head, my lips drawing to a firm line, and then I cross my arms over my chest, just as they're both doing.

There's silence between us as we all glare around in a circle.

Hudson gives in first.

He sighs and loosens his arms, putting his hands in his pockets. He sees that I have a point, and he looks down at the floor.

Aden, however, doesn't give an inch.

"Leave us," he says to Hudson, not looking at him.

Hudson opens his mouth to protest, but Aden cuts him off.

"Leave us," he repeats, not taking his eyes off of me, his wolf glinting in them.

I swallow, and wonder... is it time for another lesson?