Page 45 of Tainted Tempos

Aiden sighs. “Of course there are. And they all serve the family in one way or another. Branson has two older sisters and a brother. The brother was involved in several legal scrapes that blew the start of his political career. Since then, he’s taken on a leadership position in the family business. One sister is a lawyer, the other runs a top public relations company.”

“Jesus,” I mutter. Talk about building a powerful team.

“There’s also a cousin: Eric Burton. His father is brothers with Branson’s. He has political aspirations and is running for Congress.”

I sigh heavily, redirecting the conversation away from Bran’s family and back to Mckenna. “If Mckenna, hypothetically speaking, were to press charges against Bran, we’re looking at…”

“A full-blown scandal,” Aiden states.

“I don’t trust him.”

“You shouldn’t. If Bran thinks Mckenna poses a threat, he’ll retaliate in some way,” Aiden says, his voice even, his words fucking torture to digest.

“He doesn’t have a reason to think she’s a threat to him. Too much time has passed.”

“Maybe.”

I close my eyes as fear drips down my spine. “But it’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Didn’t think so.”

“I want security on her,” I say, knowing it’s the right call the second I say it.

Aiden swears. “We gonna loop Kenny in on this?”

Upstairs, I hear the shower faucet turn on. She’s getting ready for her first day of classes. For her final semester in law school. If she knows how fucked up Bran’s backstory is, if she feels a more significant threat emanating from him, it will hinder her progress.

The last thing I want is to derail her studies. She’s worked so hard and has overcome many obstacles to begin her final semester of law school. If I can keep her safe and her mind clear from worries so she can focus on school, then that’s what I’ll do.

“Nope,” I reply.

“Fuck, Mav, are you sure about this?”

“Aiden, I’ve never been surer about anything in my life than Mckenna’s safety. Her security. I hate the idea of that piece of shit sharing oxygen with her, never mind the same classes and corridors. Get someone on her starting tomorrow. To and from school and the entire time she’s on campus. She’s making progress, man. She’s fucking trying. And I won’t stand by and let that fucker mess with her more than he already has. My girl is gonna graduate law school and launch a spectacular career.”

“And Bran?”

I chuckle, but the sound is downright sinister. “Gonna watch him crash and burn. Gonna bury him. Gonna make his father hate his existence even more than when he was the unwanted bastard. I’m gonna ruin his goddamn life.”

Aiden sighs again. “I’ll line up her security.”

“Thank you, Aiden.”

“Yeah,” he says. “You know, this isn’t really my thing. Gathering info on the down-low, arranging security details...but if I’m reading between the lines correctly, I can’t let this shit slide. Not for any woman but especially not for Kenny.”

Aiden lets his assumption hang in the air. It’s a conversation we’ve already had but I understand—if he’s stepping this far out of his comfort zone, he wants to be sure he’s doing it for the right, the moral, reasons.

I work a swallow, my throat tightening. “You’re reading the situation correctly.”

“Fuck,” Aiden mutters. “I’m sorry, Mav. I know this can’t be...easy.”

“Hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“Holding yourself back from Bran?”

I snort. Yeah, that’s pretty fucking hard too. I clear my throat and give him the truth. “Holding myself—all the anger and frustration and hurt that twists me up inside—back from my wife.”

THIRTEEN

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