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“I wish I’d gotten to meet her.”
A harsh bark of laughter fell from his lips as he finally dropped his arm, twisting his head to stare at me. His eyes were bright, shiny, glimmering with tears I wasn’t sure he would let fall. Maybe he would later, away from me, but not now. Not then. He held himself to this unattainable standard that seemed to place an emphasis on guarding his emotions. I wanted to tell him it was okay to fall apart, to grieve, to cry, but knew it wasn’t my place.
“She would’ve loved you, you know.” Aiden placed his finger on my bottom lip. “You remind me a lot of her—spunky, too smart for your own good, outspoken. She was…she was too good for this fucking world.”
“If she’s as awesome as you say she is, how did she end up with a brother like you?” I teased, and another surprised noise escaped him. It could’ve been laughter. It could’ve even been a sob.
“My sister…” His body shook. “My sister’s dead.”
“Aiden…”
And then I got exactly what I’d wanted—he fell apart. Sobs racked his body as I held him to me, held the broken pieces together so he could crumble without repercussions. I didn’t speak as I stroked his pitch-black hair, but no words needed to be said. He clung to me desperately, fiercely, his tears wetting the skin of my neck, and all I could do was hold him through the worst of the storm.
I hated him, he hated me, but right then and there, we were as connected as two people could possibly be.
I didn’t know how long we lay in bed, our bodies tangled together, before his sobbing tapered off and his breathing became even in sleep. His arms were wrapped around my waist, our legs crossed together, and his head rested in the hollow of my throat. Sleep didn’t immediately claim me as I gently stroked his back and shoulders, my mind working overtime to understand everything that’d just transpired.
Heath’s words.
Aiden’s breakdown.
Purgatory.
Between.
And worse than that…beyond.
What lay beyond these tunnels and gated walls?
And would we dare find out?
