Love And Betrayal | ✔️

41. Drunken deeds and sober talks (II)

I've been hoping somebody loves you
in the ways I couldn't
Somebody's taking care of all of
the mess I've made
Someone you don't have to change
I've been hoping
Someone will love you, let me go.

—Alesso & Hailee Steinfield (Let me go)

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A D E N

TWENTY FOUR HOURS.

Twenty fucking four hours since I last saw her, since she walked out of my room, leaving me weak in the knees.

I'm pathetic, but I just had to see her.

I take a step forward as she takes a step back. The urge to draw her close, hug her and never let go is overwhelmingly strong, I'm dizzy with desire. Grayson is pawing and yapping away like crazy in the back of my mind. It takes me all my willpower to shut him up and act normal. I swallow hard, my fists tightening at my sides.

Taylor growls. "Stay away from her, Carter! You've already done enough."

"I'm not going to hurt her." I begin, but Arie cuts me off.

"Please, Aden, not tonight." Not when she's so damn vulnerable. Her unspoken words seem to resonate in my ears.

"Just two minutes. And then I'll go."

"No." Taylor is obstinate.

"Ash," Kiara's soft voice interrupts us. "It's okay."

Taylor looks at Arie, the way couples do, as though asking her permission too, and then nods imperceptibly. "One minute. Not a second more." He grumbles. "And no getting handsy, we're watching!"

I keep my face as neutral as possible as they walk back to the Packhouse, and stand guard at the door. Ariana squeezes Kiara's hand as she leaves, shooting her a reassuring look.

You've got this, Aden. You've got this.

"Where were you?" I ask, the second we're alone. "It's past midnight! How can you be so irresponsible?"

"Why do you care?" Her lower lip quivers and my eyes are involuntarily drawn towards it.

Why do I care? Dumb question, sweetheart. "You weren't in your room." I say.

Anger flashes in those hauntingly beautiful eyes. "You were in my room? You have no right!"

"Relax. I was just there to see my sister. I passed by your room on my way out. I didn't even enter."

Half-truth. I did come here with the intention of seeing Stella. After she had been under house arrest, I didn't have the chance to talk to her. I hated her, yes, but she was still my sister and I did miss her.

Kiara seems a little mollified.

I take another step closer, until we're less than a foot apart. In the background, Taylor coughs loudly. He mutters something very rude, and Arie hisses at him in irritation.

"You smell different. Have you been drinking?"

She nods vigorously. "No."

I know when you're lying.

"I'm not lying!" She shouts, scrunching up her nose in annoyance. She's so goddamn cute and she doesn't even know it. "And you don't know anything about me!"

I didn't know I think out loud.

"Yes, you do." She giggles uncharacteristically, swaying to and fro.

I frown. The thought of her drinking and being inebriated at some local bar, with random guys groping her didn't sit well with me at all. Jealousy and anger churn in my stomach like acid at even the mere idea of another man touching her.

She sways slightly to the right again, as her eyes begin to droop. Almost reflexively, I reach for her.

She pushes me off. "Stay back!" She staggers backwards, nearly toppling into the bushes behind her. "Don't act like you care anyway."

It hurts. Watching her this way hurts like hell. When I made the decision to stay away from her, I knew it would hurt. What I didn't know was watching her hurt this way, would make me hurt even more.

I can't do this anymore.

"I-I was just leaving." I say softly. I exhale, trying to get rid of the heaviness in my chest. "Good bye, Kiara."

"Wait!" Kiara's hand encloses around my arm. I freeze. Tingles zing down my spine, as her warm skin brushes against mine. "Take this back."

She puts a hand into her breast pocket and fishes out a crumpled up picture. Blushing slightly, I take the photo with some hesitance.

"I took it from your room, when I thought I lost you." She murmurs quietly as I gaze at it. It's a picture of the four of us from a long time ago, back when she tied her hair in tight pigtails and Arie had braces. Taylor is the tallest among us, with a mop of unruly hair and a smattering of acne on his cheeks. I am the shortest and my face is turned slightly towards Kiara as I watch her beaming at the camera. I can feel her eyes on me, waiting, hoping for a reaction. "I'm sorry. I should've known you don't give a shit."

I look at her blankly, distrustful of my voice.

A long moment passes.

"Good night, Kiara."

Her eyes brim with tears of pain. Her nails dig deep into my skin, drawing blood. "I hate you." She hisses with venom. "And I will continue to hate you until I find out why you're doing this."

Grayson whines, pawing at me frantically. Tell her the truth.

I swallow the lump in my throat. "Hate me, forget me." I whisper. Do whatever it takes to be happy. "You deserve better."

Then, against my better judgement, I lean forward and place a kiss on her cheek, dangerously close to her mouth. I watch as her eyes flutter shut, as she intakes a sharp breath.

Around us, snow begins to fall.

It's a perfect night, the perfect time to say what I truly feel, to kiss her the way I truly want to.

But fate just won't have it our way.

I rest my forehead against hers, for now just content listening to the sound of her heart beating against her chest. "Whatever I do, I do to protect you."

I hear footsteps approaching us, coming to take her away. So this time, I am the one who takes a step back—the first one to walk away.

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