Page 56 of Ramshackle
That has to count for something, right?
The questions are piling up at a dizzying speed, circling my mind on repeat as I try and guess where he stands with me.
It doesn’t matter. You can’t trust him.
Even if I want to. Even if hedidsave me, that doesn’t mean anything has changed.
I close my eyes and draw a calming breath.
“What’s wrong?”
Aiden’s watching me when my eyes open. His dark brown eyes are as guarded as they always are, like he’s intentionally blocking everyone out. To put on a brave face for everyone else or to protect himself?
Taking one more breath, I answer, “I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming after me.”
He frowns. “You should be thanking the others, too, then.”
“I know. And I will, but I understand why the others came for me. I know you don’t trust me and…I’m not your favorite person, but you rescued me anyway.”You didn’t abandon me this time.“So, yeah. Thanks,” I finish awkwardly.
Aiden’s gaze darkens. His hand reaches for mine, but I jerk it away before we can touch. I don’t want his comfort. Not when Iknow that he doesn’t mean it in the way I would want. Because he can’t care for me like that if he doesn’t trust me. It’s a hollow offering that would tear me up inside if I accepted it.
His hand hovers where my hand had been, then closes.
“Raegan, I—”
The door opens, and I visibly jump in surprise. Jackson cocks his head with a small smile. “Ready?” His blue gaze shimmers with amusement, and I get the distinct feeling he interrupted Aiden intentionally. The only question is how long he had been watching from outside.
I nod while Aiden gives him a look that only incites a more wicked smile on Jack’s face.
Yup. Definitely on purpose.
“She sacrificed herself to get me to Grams and away from them. I don’t know how they found me, but that’s how I was born on the island and then lived in Alaska. I was too young to remember my mom or any of that,” I finish breathlessly. I needed something to fill the silence of the car ride, and it hit me that I could finally give Aiden an answer about my birth that he’s been questioning.
Aiden’s eyes haven’t strayed from the road, and Jack’s been quiet in the backseat.
“So…that explains my birth certificate,” I fill in just in case he didn’t make the connection. Because if he had, he would have said something by now, right? “And the picture you have.”
Jackson straightens slowly, his stare snapping to Aiden’s in the rearview mirror. “What picture?”
What does he mean, what picture? I thought all the guys had seen it.
My head swivels back to Aiden, and I open my mouth to ask him, but he speaks before I get the chance.
“Did you find anything on your father?”
“Ah, no. Just his name one time and that was it. Charles Whitmore.”
The car slows to a stop, and he puts it in park. “Hm. I’ll see what I can find.” Aiden turns, his eyes intense as he finally looks at me. “Raegan Laivins.”
My face heats at the way he says it. Like we’re meeting again for the first time, and he’s testing my name on his tongue. I shouldn’t let anything he says or does get this type of reaction from me, but my body refuses to get the memo.
I grab the door handle and push it open, almost falling onto the ground in my rush to add some distance between us. Air catches and pushes me back inside.
“Wait,” Jack murmurs softly at the back of my neck, and warm tingles spread across my skin. “I’ll sweep inside first to make sure no one’s there.”
