“We were separated, attacked by a group of vampires. I was turned. The rest of the people traveling with us were killed. I never saw what happened to Aiden, but I’d always assumed that he’d been killed with them.” Ronan closed his eyes against the old swell of pain and helplessness. The feeling that he’d failed his most beloved friend.
Shoving a hand through his messy hair, Ronan tamped down those old emotions. He might not have been able to save Aiden or the rest of the men traveling with him, but Aiden had been turned as well. He’d survived in a way and gone on to do many great things with his life. They still had a chance…maybe.
If not, then it was enough to know that Aiden was alive and happy.
It would have to be enough.
“Do you plan to kill him?” Winter demanded coldly.
Ronan took a breath to deny it, but he never got the chance, thanks to a loud scoffing noise came from Bel.
“Honestly, Winter. How do you expect him to answer that?”
“I would never hurt Aiden,” Ronan stated firmly. He turned his narrowed gaze on Winter, letting the Variks see his determination and conviction. “You’re right to be worried about the European Ministry, but I don’t give a damn about their desires when it comes to Aiden and his safety.”
“You would turn on the European Ministry?” Rafe asked with a growing smirk.
“In a heartbeat,” Ronan answered without hesitation. “I know it doesn’t recommend me in terms of loyalty, but Aiden is my number-one priority. I failed to make him that when we were human, and I paid the price of losing him for so long. I won’t make that mistake again. Circumstances have changed, and I refuse to let anything come between us.”
Winter huffed softly. “And what if circumstances change again?”
“I can’t imagine anything happening that would convince me not to put Aiden’s welfare first.” He stopped as a new thought entered his mind and he smiled. “No, there’s one. If Aiden asked me to put the lives of his sons before his own. Then…maybe.”
Wyatt chuckled. “That would be a very Aiden-like request.”
Bel shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. “Were you…were you and Aiden…” His voice drifted off with the question unfinished, but Ronan could guess as to what was on his mind. So could his brothers.
“Oh, sweet Bel, really now? Did you think Aiden had no life prior to finding Mother?” Rafe teased.
“I didn’t think about it until now!” Bel snapped at him with a flopping of his hands. “And it never occurred to me that he might be bi,” he added, finishing on a whisper.
Winter fell into Fox, laughing, and the witch even snickered.
“He has four sons who are quite clearly gay, and he has never once batted an eye at it,” Winter said.
“I just thought he was worldly,” Bel finished softly. Wyatt returned to Bel’s side, pulling his mate into a hug with a tender smile on his lips.
“Yes, worldly,” Rafe murmured and turned those bright blue eyes on Ronan. “So? Were you and Aiden fucking like cute little bunnies before your lives were ripped apart?”
“First, I don’t think your father would be comfortable with you asking about his sex life,” Ronan replied, holding up one finger.
“Yes, well, there are many things he doesn’t like us talking about, but it doesn’t stop us. Besides, he’s not here, and we have you outnumbered. Spill it.”
Ronan chuckled. Dear God, Aiden had his hands full with these sons of his. But the laughter faded quickly, and he shook his head. “No. Aiden and I were never lovers. I—” He started to say more, but it wasn’t right. He needed to say these things to Aiden first, not his sons. “Our time as humans was too short, and I have too many regrets when it comes to Aiden, but I want to believe I’ve been given a second chance now. I may never get what I truly want, but I would be happy to at least be given the chance to try.”
Dear God, he wanted to try. He’d give everything that he had, everything that he was to have a second chance with Aiden.
He looked at each one of the men gathered around him, and he could only feel happiness at the fact that Aiden was so well loved and protected in his new life. While he didn’t want them to come between him and Aiden, he couldn’t begrudge their attempts to keep Aiden safe.
“I mean it when I say that I just want to talk to him. I want to learn about him again. Give him the chance to decide whether he wishes to include me in his life. If he never wants to see me again, so be it. But I want the choice to be his. Not the European Ministry’s or some other vampire trying to keep us apart.”