“Aiden.” Victoria’s voice was equally annoying and supportive. It was the one she used when she was done dealing with my bullshit. “What’s this really about?”
I let out a sigh, let my head fall back, and stared at the ceiling. But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know how.
“You know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”
All I could do was nod. I didn’t know how to tell her I wasn’t asking because of the case but because of my boyfriend. So we sat in an uncomfortable silence for several minutes before she cut to the heart of the matter.
“You told me Nate seemed too perfect. That you weren’t sure if it was real or not. Is this… is this really about him? Did he do or say anything that upset you or made you question things even more?”
My best friend asked me to trust her, to unburden myself, and to let her in. She had already figured it out, even without meeting him. So what was I scared of?
“Do you think he’s manipulating you? Using you?” she asked cautiously.
“No,” I said, shaking my head as I bolted upright. My body turned to face her, so she would know I was serious and not hiding or trying to defend him when I wasn’t sure of the answer.
She put her hands up in surrender, but quirked an eyebrow at me. Leaning back in her chair, she folded her arms and gave the space I needed to find my words and continue.
“I think he’s been refreshingly honest, actually.” And he had been from the start. Nate always said it like he saw it, though maybe he didn’t always see it right or have the best perspective. “I don’t think he’s using me, but I do feel like he’s hiding something.”
“Like being a psychopath?” she joked.
I snorted. “No, like I said, he’s refreshingly honest, including about that. So I’m not sure what this feeling is.”
Victoria’s mouth dropped open, and she tried to speak several times before she found her words. “Wait, wait, he actuallytoldyou that he was a psychopath? And you’re still dating him?” she hissed.
I stared at her, my eyes narrowing in confusion. My heart tried to beat out of my chest at the venom in her words. This was why I hadn’t wanted to tell her. She was judging him without knowing him.
“Look, I love you. You’re like family to me. And I don’t want to shit on your parade, especially since you’ve been so much happier lately?—”
“Then don’t,” I ground out, cutting her off. But the scowl on my face didn’t dissuade her from continuing to speak her mind.
“Aiden.” Her stern mommy voice came out—and not the sexy kind like Nate got when he went all Daddy—and I hated it. I wasn’t a child, and I could make my own decisions.
“You need to listen to me. I know what I just said, but people with ASPD are highly manipulative to where you might not even realize it’s happening. They can be violent and dangerous, just like this guy we’re looking for.”
I held up my hand. “Stop. Please. I have things under control. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Like hell, you shouldn’t have!” She practically growled, but kept her voice low so no one around us would hear. “What do you really know about this guy, Aiden? I mean,reallyknow? That you’ve been able to verify independently?”
I opened my mouth but then closed it. The truth was I hadn’t looked into Nate at all, but I wasn’t about to admit that. Not when she had been on my case already to look into him from the start.
Her eyes narrowed as she leaned across her desk and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward her.
“You did look into him, right?” Her eyes blazed as she stared at me. I couldn’t look at her. Even though I was an adult and had no reason to feel guilt or shame over not investigating my boyfriend, I couldn’t help but feel a tendril of dread at the way her eyes bore into my soul.
“Jesus Christ, Aiden. You swore to me that you were looking into this guy and had gotten information on him.”
I wasn’t sure what was worse, Victoria’s hurt or anger. But then again, I was hurt and angry too. Because there was no reason for anyone to be treating me like a fucking child. Just because something terrible had happened to me when I was a child didn’t mean everyone had to treat me with kid gloves.
Everyone was driving me insane with their shit.
Instead of answering her questions, I turned the topic back to work. My non-answer would be enough for her to know the truth. And I knew it wouldn’t be long before she cornered me again.
“I want to go talk to that witness again, the one who found the last body. So, I’m going to head out.” I stood and grabbed my coat, hoping to put some distance between Vic and me.
As I tugged my coat on, I ignored the concerned looks she sent my way. But I couldn’t talk to her about what I was thinking or feeling, and I shouldn’t have opened that can of worms.
Because the truth was so much worse than she thought. The answer was simple—it didn’t matter. I didn’t care who he really was or what he was capable of. I had fallen in love with Nathan Turner and he was mine. Not to mention, when he told me I was his and that he’s never let me go, I believed him.
