“Glutton,” Cassidy said.
“I knew your family would always be a part ofmy life, but Arizona was my chance to… to…”
“To get away,” Cassidy said as she poppedopen the microwave and removed the bag of blood.
“Yes, but not from you guys, and certainlynot for Mollie, but from…”
Aida’s voice trailed off as she tried tothink of how to explain what she felt back then. She decided to gowith the simple truth.
“From my memories of what happened on theisland. As much as I love all of you, being in Maine was a constantreminder of what happened there. Every time I walked by Doug’smonument, I saw him lying in that boat, dead.”
Cassidy winced as she gripped the bag ofblood tighter.
“Sorry.” Aida wished she could take her wordsback. “I didn’t mean… I know how much you all loved him. I didn’tknow him long, but I know he was agoodman.” She and Molliewouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him, and because of that, shethanked him every day for his sacrifice.
“Yes, he was,” Cassidy said with a sad smile.“Go on with what you were saying.”
Aida hesitated as she considered her wordscarefully before speaking again. “There are so many others whonever made it off the island too. Over time, I’ve realized I’m oneof them. I mean, I’m here and I’m alive, but a part of me neverescaped.”
Cassidy opened her mouth to say somethingbefore closing it. Then, she set the bag on the counter and walkedover to sit beside Aida on the sofa. She rested her hand on Aida’sknee.
“But youdidescape,” she said.
“Did I? I still have nightmares about it. Ican’t go out in public without having pepper spray and a knife onme. I’m always wondering what others are thinking and plotting. Arethey the next Ted Bundy? Or are they some psycho vampire who islooking to kidnap and hunt people?”
“I’ll never understand what you went through,but you’re free, Aida.”
“Not yet, but one day, I will be.”
“You know I’m here for you, and Kyle and therest of the family are too.”
But the one she wanted to be there the most,wasn’t. And she was not going to give him the satisfaction ofmoping about it. “I know.”
They sat for a few minutes before Cassidyspoke again. “So… Julian.”
“Julian,” Aida muttered as she picked at somelint on her sweatpants.
CHAPTER 8
Standing in the hallway outside Cassidy’s apartment,Julian stood with his hand poised to knock on the door. He hadn’tmeant to eavesdrop, but Aida’s words about a part of her neverescaping the island froze him before he knocked.
He shouldn’t be here. He was one morereminder of what happened to her, but then, she was living with tworeminders now, so his family wasn’t upsetting to her. For four anda half years, he’d wondered about her every day. Countless times,he picked up his phone to call or text her, but every time, hishand froze. Just like it was frozen now.
No, he shouldn’t be here, but seeing herearlier broke something inside him. It was a lot easier to stayaway from her when there were continents between them and he wasn’tfully matured. With every step he took toward this place, he’d toldhimself to stop, but his growing need to claim his mate propelledhim onward.
And now he was standing outside her door likean idiot, and he had no idea what to do. She was with someone else;yet, he’d seen the hope in her eyes when she looked at him. Or hadhe imagined seeing it there because that was what he wanted tosee?
If he discovered she was in love with Owen,he’d walk away again, but he couldn’t do that without knowing ifthere was hope for them. His time was running out; he’d stoppedaging six months ago, and he’d felt the clock counting down theremaining days of his life ever since.
“I think there’s something else going on withhim,” Cassidy said.
Before his sister could strike too close tothe truth, Julian practically lunged forward to knock on the door.He wasn’t ready to walk away from Aida again, but he wouldn’t dumphis problems on her either, and he couldn’t let Cassidy figure outthe truth. If Aida decided she wanted him, she would come to himbecause of that, and not because she couldn’t condemn him to deathor felt bad for him or his family.
The only problem was, along with hope, he’dalso seen the fire in her eyes earlier. At one time, she was hisclosest friend; she was the only woman he’d ever loved, and he hada mountain to climb to earn her trust again. He didn’t know how hewas going to do it, but he would.
“Who could that be?” Cassidy muttered as sheapproached the door.
The locks turned, and the door cracked open;Cassidy peered out of him before breaking into a grin and openingthe door wider. “Speak of the devil. What are you doing here?”
