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So I tell him everything. I tell him about Frida, about Mr. Brian, about breaking into his house, and Noah helping me, about Ty and the goddess of destiny, the message on the wall, Chloe’s daughter, and the fight. And finally, I tell him the thing that’s hardest to say.
“When you brought Max home from the club and we were in your father’s apartment...” I falter, take a deep breath. “That night, your dad came home to pick up some documents. I overheard him on the phone with Mr. Cunningham. They know there’s a traitor among the Tempes. Someone who’s in contact with a Noctu.”
I’m struggling to find the right words, becoming more and more aware of how messed up the situation is and what I’m draggingAyden into. I should have confided in him sooner. But I wanted to be strong, and I couldn’t forgive his mistakes. And now I hope he’s more generous than I was.
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then starts pacing again. He needs to find a way to process all this information.
“I can’t believe it.” He shakes his head. “Teresa, you don’t know this guy. You have no idea what he’s really about. Shit, Teresa, he’s using you, can’t you see that?”
“No, it’s not like that. If you actually got to know him... He’s taken a lot of risks for me, he’s...”
Ayden stops in front of me and interrupts me. “You have no idea, really. He is and will always be a Noctu, our enemy. They’re at war with us. They kill us.”
“And you kill them,” I cut in. “That’s not much of an argument.”
“They murdered my parents, and not just them.”
He gives me a piercing look, and I gulp.
“Figure out what side you’re on. Sooner or later you’ll have to decide.”
I don’t know what else to say, and neither does he. He’s still wrestling with his anger and disappointment. I take a tentative step toward him and try to take his hand, but he steps back and mutters, “I need some time to process all of this.”
He picks up a shirt, puts it on, and heads for the door.
I follow him and say, “Please, don’t just leave. Let’s talk about this.”
But he shakes his head and looks at me so distantly that he almost feels like a stranger.
“I need time.”
He can see the hurt in my eyes, and it’s a small consolation that this doesn’t leave him completely unmoved. He kisses the top of my head, but it has none of the intimacy from earlier. It’s quick and somehow mechanical.
“And I need to try to find out what my dad knows about you andthis Noctu,” he adds. Then he simply walks away.
I’m left standing alone in Ayden’s room, feeling like something between us has broken. I know I was right to tell him everything. But only time will tell whether we can get past this.
Chapter 31
Just give him a little more time. He’ll come around,” says Kate, looking at the side of my face.
“It’s been almost a week,” I say. “And he’s still avoiding me.”
Actually, that’s not true. Ayden doesn’t walk away when our paths happen to cross. But he doesn’t go out of his way to be near me. And in all that time, we haven’t been alone together once. When we see each other, he doesn’t say more to me than what’s absolutely necessary, and he’s reserved and neutral. He’s withdrawn and doesn’t want to touch me.
Noah contacted me again, and I had to tell him that I can’t see him for a while. I don’t want to make things worse with Ayden. Noah reassured me that the thing he wanted to talk to me about can wait; he needs to do some more research anyway – whatever that means.
“When I try to talk to him,” I continue, “he keeps saying he needs time to think.”
“It’s not easy for him. And I can kind of understand,” says Kate. “The way he sees it, you went behind his back and fraternized with the enemy. But I’m sure what he cares about more is thatyou’ve exposed yourself to danger and lied to him.”
“I know,” I admit. “But things were so fragile between us, and often so tense that it was impossible for me to confide in him.”
“You were worried you’d push him away even more. You should tell him that sometime.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. But first I need to give him time.”
“Right. And for now, just try to enjoy your day.”
