Twisted (Never After #4)(84)

And I turn around and walk out the door, heading back to Yasmin, a large weight feeling as though it was just ripped off my shoulders from my decision.





When morning breaks, I’m in the kitchen, a cup of hot coffee in my hands, the memory of Jeannie and how on edge she was last night playing on a loop in my head. There’s something going on that she isn’t telling me, and I’m going to figure out what it is. Maybe she’s been here too long, working too much.

Ian and the boy’s voices start filtering down the hall, and I lean nonchalantly against the edge of the counter, waiting for them to get around the corner and notice me.

An ache pulses between my eyes as I watch them with their heads bent together, talking like they’re old buddies whispering secrets. I take a sip of my coffee, my gaze following their every move.

I clear my throat.

Ian’s eyes fly over, his body jerking straight and his gaze going round. It’s just for a moment and then he recovers quickly, adopting a confident swagger as he moves toward me. “Boss, you’re here early.”

“Surprise.” I take another sip of my drink.

My eyes flick to the boy, something hot and sharp stewing in my gut.

“Mr. Faraci,” he mumbles, not willing to meet my eyes.

I ignore him, turning my attention back to Ian as he moves to stand directly next to me, so close it makes my skin itch. I had forgotten how uncomfortable his lack of personal boundaries made me.

Small pitter-patters of footsteps come from the left, the energy shifts, and I know Yasmin is here before I even see her.

Her gaze is trained on me as she walks into the kitchen and a smile breaks across her face. My heart flips because goddamn, she’s beautiful when she’s like this. All sleep mussed and messy.

A sharp intake of breath across the room draws her attention, and her footsteps halt before she gets to me.

Gusts of green whip through my insides and I look away.

“Aidan,” she breathes.

Ian watches me with a curious sheen.

“What?” I snap at him.

“Your meeting with Darryn isn’t until next week,” he replies, sipping from his own mug of coffee. “That’s when I thought you’d be here.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re leaving anyway. Cancel the meeting.” My gaze drifts from Ian to Aidan and Yasmin, now standing right in front of each other, emotion I’m choosing to ignore in both of their eyes.

Yasmin yawns into her hand, and I start to move, grabbing a cup of coffee, but then Aidan walks around the island and does it himself. My stomach cramps, flames exploding in my middle and scorching up my throat.

He grabs creamer from the fridge and mixes it into her cup before walking over to where she is and placing it in her hands.

I purse my lips, watching and waiting, curious to know if she’s going to speak up about him making it wrong. I knew her coffee preference by heart after the second day of living with her. He’s been with her for years and still doesn’t know.

She smiles as she takes it, looking down into the mug and saying a soft “thank you.” She doesn’t bring it to her lips.

“Why’d you come early?” Ian asks.

“Because I can.” I turn around and grab another mug, pouring a fresh cup of coffee before dropping two sugar cubes in the bottom and mixing it with a stirrer.

“Wait,” the boy’s voice cuts in. “We’re leaving?”

Spinning back to face them, I walk over toward where Yasmin stands, briefly casting a quick glance to him. “Yes.”

I pull the mug full of heavy cream from her hands and place the new cup there instead before moving back to where I was and dropping it in the sink.

The boy frowns as he watches Yasmin take a sip, humming at the taste. His eyes flick down to where my wedding band sits and then over to the giant diamond on her finger.

He moves until he’s standing in front of her, shoving his hands into his pockets, his brown hair falling into his eyes.

“Princess, can we talk?”

I clench my fists to keep from reaching out and choking him to death.

She locks her stare on me, her mouth parting slightly and indecision weighing heavily in her features. And I see the yes in her gaze before it falls from her lips.

My teeth grind so forcefully, I feel a molar crack.

I pretend I don’t notice when they walk out the door, not looking back at me once.





Chapter 35





Yasmin





I could tell that Julian didn’t want me to go with Aidan, could see it in the way he was trying to act like he wasn’t paying attention. In the way that muscle in the side of his jaw twitched, the way it always does when he doesn’t say what he really wants to.

But it’s something I need to do regardless. One, because even though the way I feel about Aidan has shifted and changed, he’s still the first love I’ve ever held. He was still my best friend growing up. And my chest still hurts when I think about losing him.

And also, despite what Julian might think, if he doesn’t let me bandage the wounds with Aidan, he’ll never believe me when I say that I choose him. There will always be a doubt, niggling in the back of his mind, wondering if I would have gone back if only I had been given the chance.

That’s not healthy for either of us.