Page 107 of Fractured Fate

“Trust me, that’s a lot.”

For his large size, she didn’t quite buy it, but she wouldn’t argue with him. He was talking to her. That’s what mattered.

“Well, at least get something to drink. You said you hadn’t had that either, right?”

He gave a tight nod, looking down at Molly, who chose to grace them with her almighty presence, once again rubbing her scent all over his ankles.

“Molly,” Charlotte chided, rounding the counter with a can of Diet Coke. “Sorry about her.” She handed him the drink. “It’s all we have. Mom is all about reducing sugars after the doctor told Ma she was pre-diabetic.”

“It’s fine.” He opened the can and took a long swallow, his throat working with the motion. She couldn’t stop staring at it. When he lowered the can, he raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, and the cat meowed at her as if to call her a liar, sauntering off after a tail flick in her direction. Yeah, boo on you too, Princess Molly.

“Want to watch a movie?” she asked. “It’ll give you a chance to relax after driving around. If you get hungry again, I can whip up some dinner. I’m sure my moms would appreciate it if I did.”

“Sure.” Aiden shuffled over to the couch and lowered himself to sit.

“I’m gonna go put my sandals away, then I’ll show you what we have.” She turned and headed for her bedroom.

She still didn’t understand why Aiden decided to leave the academy and drive all over two states, but she wouldn’t push him in case it made him uncomfortable. The fact they were talking was a step in the right direction. Maybe he would tell her what the deal was the other day. Maybe it wasn’t anything at all, and she read too much into it.

Either way, she wanted to understand so they could be friends again. The contingent loss of their friendship brought another sinking wave of despair that only exacerbated her low mental state.

As she approached her room, she paused at the sight of her open bedroom door. She closed it when she left earlier to keep Molly out. She was sure of it. Did one of her mothers return home while she was out?

Pushing the door open, she let out a gasp, and her hands began shaking violently.

“What’s going on?”

She shrieked, jumping at the sound of Aiden’s deep voice behind her.

“What?”

She spun around, hand on her chest to will her heart to stop beating so fast so she could answer his questions.

“What’s wrong?”

How did he know something was wrong? He was just on the couch. He wouldn’t have heard her gasp.

She stepped aside, allowing Aiden to look into her bedroom where a bouquet of pink roses lay on her bed. “How did he get into my house?” she whispered in horror. She spun to look up at Aiden, wide-eyed. “He followed me here. I knew it!” She wrapped her arms around herself. “I can’t let him hurt my moms.”

Aiden cursed, and unexpectedly wrapped her in his embrace from behind. He pulled her flush against him and buried his face in the top of her curls. “He won’t. I’ll kill him first.”

Her breathing stuttered at his words. Words she believed.

Something about Aiden told her he would do whatever was necessary to protect those around him, even if it meant crossing lines people were never meant to cross. At least those who wanted to stay out of prison and whose hearts weren’t corrupt. His heart was good, and she’d never see it as anything different.

Her cell phone rang in her back pocket, and they sprang apart like someone caught them in the middle of having sex in the doorway.

She pulled the phone from her pocket and looked at the screen. Her eyes met his questioning ones. “It’s Ma.”

“Which one?”

“Ma. Elizabeth.”

“Right,” he said, staring at the roses. “Sometimes I get it mixed up.”

She didn’t blame him. Her mind wasn’t in the right place right now, either. Answering the call, she tempered her voice, hoping not to sound as freaked out as she felt. “Hi, Ma.”