Run, Girl (If You Can)

Alistair tried to threaten his son into marrying advantageously (specifically to Lacy Knighton) by not giving him the time off he requested. Aaron reminded him that he hadn't taken any vacations since coming to work at the company and that he could file a report with HR if necessary.

Eventually his father let him go but he wasn't happy about it. Imagining how much more upset he was going to get when he found out about Kaleb and lost his throne was even better. Aaron walked out of the office feeling oddly light.

Down in the parking garage he found someone leaned up against his car. It wasn't who he expected.

"Gray, what brings you here? I would have thought you would want nothing to do with this place."

"I don't but you're a difficult person to get a hold of. I wanted to know when you're planning on going out of town."

He frowned. "How did you—you know what, never mind. I've accepted the fact that you're omniscient." His brother smiled as if he had been complimented and waited for the answer he was looking for.

"We're leaving in two and a half weeks but we won't be gone long. Only four or five days. Why?"

"I wanted to see my adorable niece and nephew before you left," Gray said smoothly. "They have hair now, do they not?"

"Violet does. Kaleb, not as much. I don't know if that's the best idea right now. Keeley doesn't like bringing the babies out if she can help it."

Actually that was him but Gray didn't need to know that. He already thought Aaron was soft and he didn't want to appear any weaker in front of this steely man.

"Then why don't I come to you?"

He wanted that even less! Just because he wasn't an enemy right now didn't mean Aaron wanted him in his house. But if he refused it might make him angry. The last thing he wanted was to end up on Gray's bad side.

Even if he went there once it wasn't like he would be able to come over whenever he wanted. The doorman was there for a reason. He could always pretend they weren't at home if he decided to randomly drop by in the future.

There was a decent chance he already knew where Aaron lived anyway. He was a hacker, even if he wasn't on Aiden's level.

Sighing internally, Aaron agreed. "I'll have Keeley make marshmallow brownies when you come. They're delicious."

"How delightful! How does next Sunday work?"

He was about to say that his father-in-law always came over on Sundays before realizing that having Robert there might actually be helpful. He was excellent at diffusing situations. He had done it more than once back when Keeley hated him.

"My father-in-law will be over then too, is that alright?"

"The more the merrier," Gray said simply. "I'm quite curious what kind of man raised a woman like your wife."

That seemed slightly ominous for some reason but Aaron let it slide. Out of all the people Keeley worried about, Gray was the lowest on the list. Both of them believed he wouldn't cause them harm unless provoked. He, like Aaron used to, wanted a family that accepted him.

Still, he worried a little how she would react when he told her that their one-time enemy would be coming over for dinner. Turned out there was nothing to worry about. She shrugged it off, accepting that Gray wanted to be a part of their lives because he was lonely.

"You're taking this awfully well," Aaron said suspiciously.

"I thought he seemed familiar when I first met him. Once I found out he was your brother I realized it was because he reminded me a little bit of you. I mean, you do look slightly alike but the biggest similarity is that you both tend to hide your loneliness behind a façade. For you it was coldness. For him, it's that thick layer of charm."

She continued as she began to stir the pasta boiling on the stove. "I think he's a dangerous person but you're the only one who never has to worry about that side of him. I get the feeling he would do anything for you. And by extension, the children and me."

He had to admit she made a fair point. The way Gray kept showing up out of the blue…it was reminiscent of the way Aaron used to be back when he was desperate to be a part of Keeley's life.

He did it because she was the only person to ever provide him with warmth. It seemed like his brother followed him around for a similar reason. He wanted acknowledgement from the only person on earth he thought of as family.

Aaron still didn't like the guy. Even if he hadn't worked together with Lacy Knighton to plan his downfall in his past life, Gray was far too smarmy for his tastes. Nothing about him seemed sincere.

Having been around fake people for the majority of both of his lives, he knew how to spot sincerity better than most. Who knew what darkness was hiding underneath that smooth, pleasant surface.

He sighed. "I think you're right. He doesn't pose a present threat to us. But do you really think he likes me that much?"

Keeley nodded. "Oh yeah, remember what I told you before? Even before he met you he talked about you fondly. If there's anybody in this world that man likes, it's you. So…try to be nice to him."

"You do realize he helped kill you, right?"

"Yeah but he hasn't done anything to me in this life. He had a change of heart. Just like another certain someone I know."

Aaron didn't appreciate the comparison. He didn't want to be put in the same category as Graydon Meyer/Michael Gray. He had never been involved in a murder plot.

"…you're a very forgiving person, you know that?"

He shook his head in disbelief before smiling. He had benefitted personally from her forgiving nature. If their situations were reversed…if Keeley had done half of the things that he had done to her…he wasn't sure he could do it. He was too vengeful.