Lost and Found (Twist of Fate #1)(38)

Aiden approached and crouched down next to me to fill a collapsible water jug we used for cooking. He hadn’t said much since blowing up at Xander and me the night before.

“Hey,” I said tentatively. “I had a talk with Calvin earlier, and I think there’s more to his story than just being a regular bully.”

Aiden turned his head toward me and smiled. “There usually is, Bennett. You should know that by now.”

Heat filled my face as I realized he was right and I was an idiot. I hadn’t even thought to examine Calvin’s point of view and what might be causing him to target Lucky. Not that there was any excuse for his behavior, but often kids who abused others lashed out because they were victims of their own abuse.

“Yeah, well. I see that now. Forgive me if I’ve been a bit preoccupied.” My words came out sharper than I’d intended, but I clamped my jaw together to keep from apologizing. I was still annoyed at Aiden for being such an ass to Xander.

“And how is your… ah, preoccupation going?” Aiden’s smile turned into a smirk as he stood, preparing to close the now full jug.

“Fine.”

He barked out a laugh, drawing the attention of a few kids nearby.

“No, sir. I’m going to need more details than that. Go ahead and tell me. You know you will eventually, anyway.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. After looking around to make sure none of the kids were close enough to hear, I started talking.

“He fucked me,” I said as quietly as humanly possible.

The jug hit the ground and water came spouting out of the narrow opening in the top.

“Shit,” he said, scrambling to upright the jug and close it. He wound up drenched in water, and when he looked up at me, he looked like he’d been sprayed with a hose. “Say that again?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “You heard me. Plus, I thought you knew. You implied it when you chewed us out last night.”

“Yeah, I thought you were making out. I didn’t think you were fucking in the goddamned woods!”

My face flooded with more heat and I couldn’t help but look around again, this time trying to make sure Xander was well out of hearing range. I couldn’t spot him through the clusters of trees surrounding the campsite, so I could only hope he wasn’t nearby.

“And?” Aiden asked so loudly and enthusiastically, I jumped in surprise.

“And, what?”

“Jesusfuckingchrist, out with it. How was it?”

“I… ah… well… it was…” How did you describe something that was so quick and dirty it belonged in a porn scene, but at the same time so perfect and meaningful, it was too sweet to put into words?

“Good.”

“Good?” Aiden’s eyebrows were in his hairline. “That’s it? Good? After all that? Christ, do you need me to take you into the woods and teach you a few things?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I believe I’ve learned everything you have to teach already.”

“Oh, you’re cute, Bennett Crawford, if you think you’ve seen all my tricks. You haven’t even scratched the surface of what I have to teach. Get naked, let’s go,” he said with a grin as he stood. “I’ve always fantasized about fucking you in the forest,” he added cheekily as his eyes drifted past my shoulder.

He knew I wasn’t about to follow him into the woods for sex, but I turned around anyway to walk back to my tent and ran straight into a solid mass. Xander’s chest.

His arms came out to steady me so I didn’t stumble back into the lake, and I gasped in surprise.

“Don’t let me stop you.” Xander’s voice was cold enough to send shivers down my spine, and my stomach clenched at the look on his face. He’d obviously heard at least part of the conversation.

“I’m not going there. I mean the woods. Anywhere really,” I stammered. “I mean, with him. With Aiden. I’m not going to the woods with Aiden. For sex.”

Holy mother of god, shut the fuck up, you idiot.

Xander cocked a brow at me, but didn’t say anything.

“Fuck,” I muttered, shooting a glare at Aiden because I knew he had to have seen Xander behind me when he’d said all that shit. “You’re an ass.”

As I stalked off toward my tent, I heard Aiden laughing behind me. “You’re welcome,” he called to my back. I was too pissed to even care that I was leaving the two men alone together. Let the fuckers tear each other a new one. I was damn tired of all of it— Aiden’s “help” and Xander choosing to believe everyone else but me.

I shook my head as I walked away, not realizing until I reached my tent that Bear had followed me back. “What do you say, Bear?” I asked as I knelt down to pet the dog. “It’s just you and me from here on out, okay? They can both go fuck themselves,” I said sourly.

Luckily, the dog agreed with me, if the wet tongue that drenched my face was anything to go by. Finally, someone who took my side.





Chapter 19





Xander





Hearing Aiden make a suggestive comment about fucking Bennett, along with Bennett’s silence, was a brutal reminder that Bennett wasn’t really mine. Of course, he wasn’t mine. But the idea of Aiden, or anyone else for that matter, putting hands on Bennett’s naked body made me physically sick. And truth be told, after his kiss by the fire the night before, a part of me had started to wish for things to be different. I’d even toyed with the idea of putting the past in the past where it belonged and seeing where things could go with Bennett, even if it was just for a few days until he left. But even if I could have managed it, I knew I didn’t want just three days of Bennett. I wanted all or nothing. And that was something I just couldn’t have.