aisling grimlock 03 - grim discovery (18 page)

“That’s just what every woman wants to hear,” I snapped.

“Someone is grumpy.”

“I usually find you too adorable for words,” I said. “I’m not feeling that right now.”

Griffin pressed his lips together and I got the distinct impression he was trying not to laugh. “Do you want me to take you home so you can change?”

“I have clothes here,” I said. “I … there’s something I need to tell you, but I can’t do it out in the open. We need to go up to my old bedroom so I can fix … this.” I gestured toward my face. I’d managed to clean up most of the smeared makeup, but remnants streaked my cheeks.

“Your father doesn’t like it when I’m in that bedroom with you. He thinks we’re doing dirty things.”

“I am dirty. Look at me!”

“There’s no reason to freak out,” Griffin said, rolling his eyes. “Come on. Let’s go upstairs so you can change. If your father gives me grief … well … you can take him on. You sound as if you’re spoiling for a fight.”

He had no idea.

AFTER
a twenty-minute shower, I almost felt human again. Griffin refused to go in the bathroom with me out of fear word would get back to Dad. Luckily for us, the foyer was empty when we entered, so no one knew where we were or what we were doing.

“You look better,” Griffin said, glancing up when I walked into the bedroom. He reclined on the large sleigh bed my mother purchased when I was young. I’d always hated the bed because it was too big. For some reason, seeing him in it made me like it a bit more.

“Thanks,” I said, clutching my robe tighter. “I wish you would’ve come in the bathroom with me. I don’t have a lot of time to tell you what happened before dinner.”

“You got stormed on. You already told me.”

“Yes, but I didn’t tell you what attacked me during the storm.”

Griffin straightened, tossing the photo album he’d been perusing back on the nightstand. “You were attacked? Come here.”

I shuffled over to him, sighing as he yanked open the robe so he could look me over. Usually the sight of me naked gets him going. He was all business now. I tried not to take it personally.

“It didn’t touch me,” I said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “It got close, but I managed to get in my car.”

“Was it a wraith? How did a wraith get close to you in broad daylight?”

“It wasn’t a wraith,” I replied. “It was … a weird little dog-owl that screeched and flew. It attacked during the storm.”

Griffin cocked an eyebrow. “Dog-owl?”

“I don’t know what it was. I didn’t get a good look at it. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and ducked down. After I managed to get in the car, it kind of … hovered … next to the window for a second. I don’t know how else to describe it.”

Griffin ran his hands through my damp hair. It was a sweet gesture – until I realized he had ulterior motives. “Did you hit your head?”

I jerked away from him. “I did not hit my head,” I hissed.

“Baby, I know we’ve seen a lot of weird things since we got together,” Griffin said, choosing his words carefully. “I can believe in wraiths because they have the ability to hide. How can a flying dog monster hide?”

“I have no idea,” I said, gritting my teeth. “Don’t talk down to me like I’m an idiot. I know what I saw.”

Griffin held up his hands to signal surrender. “Okay. I … believe you. What do you think it was?”

“If I knew that I wouldn’t be calling it a dog-owl.”

“I … .”

The bedroom door opened and Aidan stepped in, pulling up short when he saw my robe gaping open. “Omigod!” He slapped his hand over his eyes. “I’m blind!”

I jerked the robe shut. “Do you knock?”

Aidan kept his eyes covered as he felt around the room. I think he was looking for the exit. “This has been the worst twenty-four hours ever. First Dad. Now this. The universe hates me.”

“Stop screaming,” I snapped. “You’re being a baby!”

“What’s going on?” Redmond appeared in the doorway, his gaze bouncing between faces.

“I just saw Aisling naked and I’m blind,” Aidan said.

Redmond wrinkled his nose. “Why were you naked?”

“This is my bedroom.”

“Yes, but dinner is in twenty minutes, and you have another bedroom across town if you want to … do that.” Redmond scorched Griffin with a harsh look. “You make me sick.”

“Hey, I was waiting for her to shower and change her clothes,” Griffin argued. “The robe just kind of … fell open.”

“Do I look stupid?” Redmond was furious. “You were going to do something filthy with my sister on her childhood bed. There are still stuffed animals on it, for crying out loud.”

Griffin glared at me. “I told you this would happen.”

“We weren’t doing anything,” I said. “I got drenched in that storm and I needed to talk to Griffin while I was getting ready for dinner. Get off your high horse. I happen to know you did it in Dad’s bed when you were in high school, so you have absolutely no moral high ground in this situation.”

“You’d better keep your mouth shut about that,” Redmond threatened, extending a warning finger in my direction. “I bought your silence a long time ago on that front.”

“Doesn’t anyone care that I’m blind?” Aidan asked.

“No,” Redmond said, grabbing his hand and wrenching it from his face. “Grow up and shut up. Don’t say anything about this to Dad. We do not need secrets spilling out tonight.”

“But … .”

Redmond shook his head. “No one says a word. Do you understand?”

Aidan reluctantly nodded his head. “Fine. I’m still scarred for life, though.”

“I get that,” Redmond said, patting Aidan’s shoulder. “I think seeing Aisling naked would be enough to kill all of us.”

“Hey!” I glanced at Griffin for support, but he was too busy laughing. “You’re not going to stand up for my honor?”

“Oh, baby, you’re on your own for this one.”

“WHY
is everyone so quiet tonight?” Dad looked perplexed as he glanced around the table.

“We’re not quiet,” Braden answered. “We’re … debating the meaning of life.”

“What a great answer,” I muttered.

Braden shot me a quelling look before turning back to Dad. “I think we’re all tired. We should make it an early evening.”

“That’s a great idea,” Redmond agreed. “I think we’re all exhausted. It was humid today. You know how the humidity takes it out of us.”

“Yes, I often worry about you all wilting in the humidity,” Dad said, nodding. “It’s right up there with wraiths, rogue reapers and mutant alien attacks. What’s really going on?”

“Nothing is going on,” Aidan replied. “Honestly, we’re all tired. We had a late night last night.”

“Yes, I heard that Redmond, Cillian and Braden all took off as though something horrible happened and not one of them came home last night,” Dad said, resting his elbows on the table as he surveyed his uncomfortable children. “Aidan technically still lives here, although I can’t remember the last time he spent the night when I didn’t mandate it.”

“How do you know we weren’t here?” Cillian asked. “You were … out … when we left. You usually don’t keep tabs on us.”

“The maid left a note,” Dad replied. “She was worried because you all seemed upset when you left. She thought I should know whether something happened. You’re all adults, so you’d think one of you would bother to leave me a note. I don’t think it’s too much to ask, do you?”

“We’re sorry, Dad,” Redmond said. “We got distracted. We weren’t planning to spend the night away from home. It just kind of happened.”

“Where did you spend the night?”

“Um … .”

“They spent the night at my place,” I answered, shifting my gaze when Redmond scorched me with a look. “We got a little drunk – which is why everyone is so tired – and they slept on the floor.”

“And why were you keeping that a secret?”

Dad was a man on a mission tonight – and that mission was uncovering the lie his children were desperately trying to cover up. He knew us too well to ignore the panic-stricken looks we occasionally shot one another.

“They all got drunk and watched the Miss America Pageant.” Griffin smoothly took over the conversation. “They thought you would laugh at them, so they agreed to keep it a secret.”

I squeezed his knee under the table by way of thanks.

Dad didn’t miss the gesture. “Aisling, what have I told you about keeping your hands on top of the table when you’re sitting next to Griffin?”

Oh, good grief. “It’s not like I grabbed anything but his knee,” I shot back. “I could if you want me to, though. I mean, if you’re going to accuse me of something, I might as well do it.”

“That will be enough of that, young lady,” Dad warned. “I don’t understand why you’d think I’d have a problem with … seriously, you got drunk and watched the Miss America Pageant?”

“We have issues,” Redmond said. “I should point out it was Aisling’s idea.”

“It was Jerry’s idea,” I countered. “I only invited you guys because … um … I wanted to torture you.” There was no way Dad would believe that.

“Yes, you’re up to something,” Dad said. “I don’t know what, but I want to know what you’re plotting right now. If I need to come up with bail money, I want to make sure I have enough for all of you.” He glanced at Griffin. “You’re on your own. I think you’re covering for them, but I don’t think you’re in on it. If you tell me what you know I’ll … be nicer to you.”

“Oh, what a great offer,” Griffin deadpanned, slipping an arm around my shoulders. “I think I’m good.”

“And that’s why I won’t bail you out when they all get you arrested,” Dad said. “Someone had better tell me what’s going on right now or no one is getting paychecks this week.”

My brothers are decent liars if given enough time to come up with a cover story. When they’re put on the spot, though, they crumble faster than stale store-bought cookies.

“Aisling was naked up in her bedroom with Griffin and I accidentally saw it,” Aidan announced.

“I am going to kill you,” I hissed.

“Hey, you’re the one who scarred me for life.”

I risked a glance at Dad and found his cheeks flushed as he gripped his steak knife so tightly his knuckles whitened.

“He’s going to stab me, isn’t he?” Griffin didn’t look especially worried.

“We weren’t doing anything upstairs,” I said. “I was wet from that storm in Royal Oak and Griffin sat on my bed while I showered and changed. Aidan is the one who walked into my room without knocking.”

“I don’t even know what to say about this,” Dad muttered.

“No one wanted to tell you about what happened upstairs,” Redmond said. “That’s why everyone was so quiet.”

Wait … was he sacrificing me on Dad’s altar of purity, too? Well, screw them all. “Aidan and I saw you on your date last night,” I announced.

“Aisling!” All four of my brothers exploded at the same time.

I ignored them. “We were so freaked we called Redmond, Cillian and Braden,” I said. “No one could figure out what to do and I promised Jerry we would watch the Miss America Pageant so … we got drunk and did that.”

This time when I looked at my father his face was planted in his palm and he shook his head. “That’s a lot of information.”

“I still saw Aisling naked,” Aidan said. “She made me spy on you, too. I didn’t want to do it. I’m a good son.”

“Shut up,” I snapped. “None of us are going to be his favorite tonight. There’s no reason to suck up.”

“You’re especially not my favorite,” Dad said, finally lifting his head. “I … how did you even know where I was?”

“We were at the cemetery,” I replied. “We saw you leave the mausoleum. You were in your best suit, so we decided to follow.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that’s not his best suit?” Aidan asked.

“Shut up!”

“Does anyone want to get drunk now?” Griffin asked.

Dad banged his hand on the table for silence, refusing to speak until an uncomfortable pall settled over the room.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning, shall we? My personal life is my own,” Dad said. “It’s none of your business. Braden, if you open your mouth to say one word I’ll lock you in the dungeon tonight.”

Braden snapped his mouth shut.

“Aisling, I have no idea why you felt the need to spy on me,” Dad continued. “You could’ve asked like an adult. Apparently that’s out of your wheelhouse, though. As for the … naked … incident upstairs? I don’t care. I’m officially done caring. It’s not as though I think you’re a virgin.”

“Not since high school,” Aidan snorted.

“That will be enough of that if you don’t want to join Braden in the dungeon tonight,” Dad said. “You all are just … royal pains in the ass. I can’t even … there are no words … I mean … did I really raise you all to act in this fashion?”

“I told you that approaching him like adults was the way to go,” Griffin said.

“Oh, look, I agree with the handsy cop who is constantly feeling up my daughter when he thinks I’m not looking,” Dad bemoaned. “Who saw that coming?”

“I don’t think anyone saw that coming,” Redmond replied. “Aisling pushing you over the edge until you lose your mind is another story. We all saw that coming.”

“Oh … bite me,” I snapped.

“You should bite me,” Redmond countered.

Dad got to his feet, drawing our attention to the head of the table. “Actually, I want you all to bite me,” he said. “I can’t even deal with you right now. I … I need some air.”

He was halfway out the door when I decided I wasn’t done.

“I just want to add that when Redmond was in high school he had sex on your bed, and Braden wore a tiara last night,” I called to his receding back.

“Thank you for the full update, Aisling,” Dad said, not bothering to turn around. With those words he marched out of the house.

We sat in horrified silence for almost a full minute before anyone spoke.

“I hope you’re happy, Aisling,” Braden said. “This is all your fault.”

“What else is new?”

Eighteen

Because everyone drove to Grimlock Manor in separate vehicles, I was alone when I got back to the townhouse. I hoped Griffin and Aidan took the scenic route so I could hop in the bathtub with a bottle of wine before things turned ugly. Risking another hangover seemed the stupid way to go, so that, of course, meant I was gung-ho to do it. I might as well make it a complete and total waste of a day.