Bloodline [h.s.]

thirty-one.

"You should come home for awhile anyway. I don't like you spending so much time around the Shepard's."

"Mom, I'm here for Nick." I said, trying to be gentle but fuming on the inside.

"It doesn't matter why you are here. Her father was a killer. She and her brother are troubled. I don't want you around them." She said.

"You should go check on Megan." I begged, mortified she was doing this.

"Leave," Nick stepped in, "before I have you removed. Get out, now." He spoke calmly, but with the upmost seriousness.

"Nicholas, how dare you speak to me that way?! This Shepard girl has clearly already made an influence on you. I can't imagine how your mother must feel about you being here with such a troubled girl." She said before storming off. Unfazed, Nick ignored her and returned to the room.

"I'll talk to her and your dad." I grabbed his arm to stop him from going after her.

"Aiden, wait," I said, stopping him, "you will make it worse. Just leave it alone for right now." I quickly remembered Nick was sitting right behind us and that I just released a very large lion from its cage.

"Did you just say Aiden?!" Nick stood up from his chair.

"No, you misheard me." I attempted to lie, mustering as much fake confidence as I could.

"Bridget, you've clearly just said Aiden. Can you look me in the eye and tell me you didn't?"

I was silent, trying to avoid his glare. His fists clenched at his sides. I had never seen Nick this angry before.

"What do you know?" He asked. His voice was still calm, but he stood uncomfortably close to me.

"N-nothing," I stuttered and took a step away from him.

"What do you know?" He asked again and got almost threateningly close to her. Aiden quickly interfered and carefully pushed him back.

"Nick, leave her alone. She has no idea what you're talking about."

"You are both lying," he scoffed, "Tell me what you know."

I looked at Aiden for what to do. His face revealed he had no idea whether I should give in or continue to deny it.

"Don't look at him. Look at me, and fucking tell me what you know, now." Nick hissed.

"Everything," I gave in, "I know who he is, why he's here, what he's done, what you've done to help him, what my dad did, everything. I won't tell anyone."

Nick turned to Aiden with murderous glare as my slip up shattered the wall of secrecy between us.

"Bridget," He groaned, running his hands through his hair. I put my hands up in defense.

"I have no idea what to say to you right now. Are you insane?! How did this happen?! Are you quitting?! Is Abigail lying in this bed right now for nothing?!" Nick was furious.

"Of course I'm not quitting! None of this would have happened if you had just kept Abigail from running out of the study. This is just as much your fault as it is mine." He seethed back at him.