Touched (The Untouched Trilogy #2)(67)

“Aria –”

“Aiden, don’t,” I said.

He grabbed my arm and I tried to shrug him off but he held tightly.

“Let go,” I demanded.

“Why? So you can run? You’re not going anywhere.”

He ushered me outside the door and closed it. “Please let go of my arm.”

“Will you stay if I do?” he asked.

“Hell no. All things considered, whatever you need to say to that bitch can be said in front of me.”

“I know that Aria. It’s just that she and her family have been very close with my family for years. I’m sure she’s humiliated at this point and I was hoping to avoid embarrassing her further. I thought it would be easier if she didn’t have an audience.”

“Oh, so you’re concerned about making it easier for her? Are you f*cking kidding me?”

“It’s not like that Aria.”

“Then why don’t you tell me how it is Aiden?”

“How can I if you’re planning to leave?”

I sighed. It was one obstacle after another with him. I was quickly tiring of this dynamic.

“Will you stay?” he asked.

He saw the stubbornness in my eyes. I was not backing down on this.

“If talking to her together is the only way to remedy this, I’ll do it. Just don’t leave.”

“Fine, I’ll stay,” I replied, indignantly.

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Why do you fight me on everything?” he asked, leaning over to kiss me softly on the lips. He grabbed my hand and turned to open the door to his bedroom.

I was surprised to see that Nadia at least had the decency to put on the robe. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed. Her eyes were immediately on Aiden’s face and then dropped to our intertwined fingers. Her cheeks reddened.

“Nadia, I’m not sure what you expected to happen but I thought I made it clear that you and I are just friends,” Aiden said.

“It’s fine Aiden. No need to hash out the dynamics of our relationship in front of others,” she said. My fingers tightened around his. I knew he was aware that I was about to let her have it.

“Nadia, you know how important Aria is to me. I’ve made no secret of that. And I’m pretty sure that you know she’s here as my guest and this was very disrespectful to her. I’m not asking that the two of you get along but you will respect her. Are we clear?”

“I’m sorry Aiden and, of course, you too, Aria. I wasn’t aware that you two had transitioned to more than business associates. Well, as fun as this has been, I think I’ll run. I do hope I get the chance to speak with you in private, Aiden. Unlike you, I think this is between the two of us.” She stood and tossed a hateful look at me and walked past us.

That bitch! I could have pulled her red flames out by the roots. I yanked my hand from his and turned to face him.

“What. The. Fuck? Are you going to let her just waltz out of here saying shit like that?”

“Aria, I can’t control what she says any more than you can,” he replied, angrily shoving his hand through his hair.

“And it’s so f*cked that she’s even here,” I said.

“I can’t very well tell her not to come to a home that’s not mine.”

“So, is there anything you would like to tell me? Because this was not some random act of lust on her part.” I said.

“What do you mean?” Aiden asked, walking over to close the door.

“You know what I mean. I’m asking if you had sex with her.”

“Aria, I don’t want to discuss Nadia with you,” he said.

“Did you f*ck her?” I asked, calmly.

“Aria, don’t be absurd.”

“Answer my question, Aiden,” I said.

“It’s not like that Aria,” he said, stepping closer to me, closing the distance between us.

“Then how is it?” I asked, stepping back from him.

“Nadia and I were a couple at one time but that was years ago. And, of course, we’ve been intimate.”

“You know damned well that I’m not referring to your past with her. Did you f*ck her recently Aiden? This is my last time asking.” I knew the answer even before he said it and my stomach was in knots as I looked at him.

“The night of the gala,” he said, looking at me, absorbing my facial expression and bracing himself for my reaction.

I felt as though someone had punched me in the stomach. I turned away from him; I didn’t want to see his face. She had touched him and he had wanted it.

“Aria, let me explain,” he said, his hands on my shoulders.

I recoiled from his touch. “Don’t touch me.”

“I couldn’t get you out of my head, Aria and I was furious that you were with that f*cking Kellan guy.”

The thought of Aiden touching her naked body, knowing she’d enjoyed it … it both sickened and enraged me. I sat on the bed and immediately stood back up remembering that only a few moments ago that Nadia was in the exact same spot … naked. The images of him inside her made me want to vomit.

“I wanted you Aria,” he said.

“So you f*cked her instead, yeah that makes perfect sense.”