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Aidan straightened, his gaze darting between me and his dad. “But-”
“Don’t fight me on this, Aidan. For once in your life can you just do as I ask?” Cullen sighed, exasperated. “I need you to do this. Both of you. Please.” He ran his hand through his thinning hair and dropped into the chair on his side of Bree’s bed.
“I don’t have a dress, I-” I floundered. It wasn’t a very good excuse to get out of spending an evening with Aidan, but it was the only one I could come up with in that moment.
Cullen let out a grunt of frustration. “Then Aidan will take you to get one,” he waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t care if you wear a burlap sack, just fucking do it!” I flinched. Cullen had never raised his voice like that to me.
I glanced over at Aidan. He wore an expression so furious I was sure he was about to spew fire like an enraged dragon.
“Get out of here, both of you,” he snapped, his head dropping into his hands.
Aidan seemed to sense it wasn’t wise to argue with his father anymore and swept from the room. I squeezed Bree’s hand once more and then followed him out, expecting to see him waiting in the hall… but of course, he was nowhere to be found.
That’s fine.
I didn’t need him stomping and sulking around every store until I found a dress anyway.
As I wandered out of the hospital, I thought about what he’d said.
“-five days to find a corner of this fucking planet where I’ll never find you.”
I could do it. I could do as he said, and just pack everything up and start a new life… it was beyond tempting. Bad shit just kept happening, and I was tired of fighting with Aidan. Contemplating doing this hateful back and forth for the rest of time… well I was exhausted just thinking about it.
How long could I hold out against him? How long before he finally made me crumble and I ran away anyway? I might as well get a head start and leave with my head held high.
But I couldn’t leave Bree. I couldn’t leave Cullen… they were the only family I had.
Except, they weren’t my family really, as Aidan had so cruelly reminded me. Bree might never even wake up, and Cullen kept me around because he felt guilty for getting my parents killed. That was it.
My breath got stuck in my throat and I found that my lungs weren’t working.
Once again, I had nothing and no one… and the only one who could help me breathe had abandoned me.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Aidan
The front door opened and I flinched.
Calm down.
I’d been antsy all afternoon… I’d been expecting her for the last few hours, but she’d yet to show up.
Maybe she’d finally heeded my advice and left town.
It was sick how my heart dropped at the thought… She needed to leave. She needed a fresh start, and so did I. Didn’t mean it didn’t hurt me deep to know I would never see her again.
The guests had started arriving in the foyer downstairs which had been transformed into a small ballroom by a team of events organizers that had been buzzing about the place all afternoon.
I stood on the balcony in my Armani tuxedo, scanning the face of each person that moved through the flower arch that had been secured to the door. None of them were her though.
It’s a good thing if she’s not here, I reminded myself.
Perhaps I’d finally scared her enough to run.
Music trickled up the stairs, but it didn’t drown out the sound of money. The rustle of expensive silk, the haughty laughs of those who came to these events just to ease their consciences, the gentle chime of champagne glasses… I’d grown up with these sounds. But I’d learned that money didn’t make you untouchable. I’d thought it would protect me from everything hard in the world, but no amount of money could bring my mother back or could make this city safe for Cait.
As I thought her name, a beautiful blonde entered behind a greying couple, her eyes nervously flickering through the faces.
