Savior {Third book of EL series}

68 Revelations

Revealing the truth is like lighting a match. It can bring light or it can set your word on fire. 

~Anonymous

With his lips thinned, icy eyes and face wiped of any emotion, Aaron appeared to be an approachable person, a completely different man to his younger brothers who had seen nothing less than compassion, warmth and politeness on their brother's face since he has become a changed man. Now that same brother was sitting stiffly across them with his arms crossed over his chest and neither of them could fathom what was going on in his mind. Adding to that, Aaron's confessions in the past hour had been deadly and unbelievable for both Ryan and Xavier. They had not uttered a word since Aaron had told them when he got involved in mafia, how his name was the most feared and authoritative one in the unclean and impure world and how easy it was for him to take down those who crossed his path, challenged his throne, acted out and messed up with the heartless beast, the merciless mafia king.

"You...you...wh-" Ryan rubbed his throbbing temple with his thumb as he failed to form a coherent sentence.

Aaron sat mutely, prepared for the accusations and questions which he could see coming his way once his brothers would get over the initial shock of the news.

"Aaron, why?" Ryan leaned forward with his elbows on both knees and his fingers entwined as a frown deepened further. His violet eyes bore into the same shade of violets of his twin. He wanted to yell and throw punches at Aaron but he sat frozen next to Xavier who was simply staring at the floor with a whirlwind of questions rising in his head.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Aaron shook his head. "There is no particular reason, at least, not something worth mentioning at the moment. I have told you more than enough already."

"No reason? Not worth mentioning? Told us enough? What the fuck are you implying at, Aaron?" Ryan's voice boomed in the villa, shaking Xavier out of his brown study. Clenching his fists, Ryan gritted out impatiently, "We need bloody answers, Aaron, listen to me, only answers, straight ones, no riddles, no double meanings, nothing of your fucking bullshit. You have kept us all in the dark for enough time. We need to know why you joined it."

Aaron breathed deeply, trying to keep his locked up frustration at bay, closed up in the back of his mind. "There is no reason, Ryan."

Ryan was about to argue further but Xavier beat him, "If that is your excuse from escaping then let me tell you that you have no way out." Though Xavier's voice was calm and soft yet his words were firm enough to let Aaron know that he meant business and was not going to feed on his lies anymore.

Pressing his palms to his eyes harshly, Aaron stood by the window and looked up at the dark sky. "The reason is horrible so I have no intention of sharing it. And I mean it when I say that I have told you more than enough. There is nothing else left."

"Aaron James Kent, stop fucking ignoring the topic. I think we deserve to know everything. We are family, after all." Ryan roared out.

Aaron almost let out a dead chuckle at the word 'family' but held it back in time, stuffing his hands in his pants pocket and sighing harshly, already missing Iris' encouraging words and gestures. He whispered to himself, "Orchis, mi manchi (I miss you.)"

"Do you think we are fools, Aaron? We are your brothers, your family-"

"And that's why I don't wish to reveal the reasons just yet." Facing his enraged brothers, Aaron softened his eyes and strode towards them, spitting out, "I am not refusing to tell you the reason I just need some time before doing so. Telling you both everything at once is already hard enough. Please don't force me to confess anything further. Please."