Touched (The Untouched Trilogy #2)(95)

“You won’t necessarily understand everything about me nor will I with you. I have a past just as you do but do I behave as you do regarding your past? No. The people from your past are not here with you. I am, so basically they are of no consequence; the same applies to Nadia. She is of no consequence. Just let this go.”

“But Aiden –”

“Enough Aria! I’m not wasting any more time with this nonsense.”

I could see that he wasn’t about to go any further and it pissed me off.

He took another sip of his drink. “And another thing, I certainly hope you don’t plan on using this as yet another obstacle for us because that shit is getting old.”

He turned and walked away, not caring if I rejoined the party with him. Quite frankly I didn’t care very much myself at that moment. I downed the drink and quickly decided that Lia, Bianca and I were leaving. I left the terrace to search of them. People were everywhere. How would I find them in this mass? I glanced around the room and didn’t see them anywhere. Maybe I couldn’t find them because I needed to stay here. I needed to stop running. Running is the primary reason I lost so many years with my mother. I needed another drink. Hopefully it would soothe my anger and possibly pull me back into party mode.

I imagined Aiden saw me as insecure but that wasn’t it. I was secure in who I was and in my ability to get just about any man I wanted but did I have what it took to make the man stay? Especially when there were such monumental obstacles in the way?

I later spotted Aiden with Nicholas and some guy that I didn’t recognize. They each had a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. I didn’t know Aiden smoked cigars.

I walked over toward them. “Nicholas, have you seen Lia and Bianca,” I asked. The tension between his brother and me didn’t go unnoticed. Aiden was aloof, as if I wasn’t even there.

He looked at Aiden before answering. “I think they were over near the auction table with Allison” he said, looking from me to his brother.

“Nick, where are your manners? Introduce me to this beautiful lady,” said the guy standing between Nicholas and Aiden.

Nicholas looked at Aiden and back towards me. “Grayson Miller, this is Aria Cason,” Nicholas said, awkwardly.

“It’s nice to meet you Aria. What a beautiful name. Would you care to dance?”

“No, thank you. I’m actually looking for my sisters. We’re about to head out,” I replied.

Aiden looked at me over the rim of his glass as he took a drink. He didn’t say anything. He turned and walked off.





CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

It was nearly 2 o’clock in the morning. I’d given up on locating my sisters and moped upstairs to Aiden’s bedroom. I opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me. I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to be in this house and I certainly didn’t want to be in his room. I walked into the bathroom and grabbed my toiletry bag and shoved it inside my oversized purse. I needed to call the airline for the first flight out of Chicago. I would get some sleep in one of the bedrooms my sisters were using. I wasn’t sure which rooms they’d been given but I was sure they were on the second floor. I glanced around the room, spotting the box that had held Aiden’s gift and sighed.

A noise at the door interrupted my musings, reminding me that I needed to get the hell out of his room. I tossed my purse over my shoulder and grabbed the handle of my luggage. The door opened just as I was about to take a step; it was Aiden. He didn’t say anything but I could see that he was still upset. His eyes traveled to my luggage and back at me.

“You want to go – I’m not going to stop you,” he said, walking past me.

Good *; I don’t want to be stopped. I walked toward the door. Reaching for the door knob; I turned it and opened the door. Aiden was suddenly behind me. He’d reached over my head, slamming the door closed. He pulled my bag from my hand and tossed it on the bed.

“Why do you do this shit Aria?” he yelled.

I stared blankly at him. If he thought for one second that I would respond to this type of crap, he was in for a rude awakening.

“Are you going to answer me?” he demanded.

“That depends. Are you going to stop yelling?” I asked.

“I’m damned near wasted and quite frankly I’m pissed. But you don’t need to leave. Let’s get some sleep and I’ll answer all of your questions in the morning.”

I sighed, unsure if I really wanted to stay.

“You have my word. I don’t want this to be a problem for us.”

“Fine Aiden,” I said, dropping the purse beside the door. “But don’t touch me. We sleep and tomorrow we talk.”

He grinned and walked towards me.

“I’m serious Aiden. If you touch me, I’m gone.”

He stopped dead in his tracks, holding his hands up in retreat.

“And the bag you so casually tossed, can you bring it to the bathroom so that I can change for bed?” I walked towards the bathroom and he was soon behind me. He stood at the door with the bag in his hand; I reached for the handle and pulled it inside the bathroom. I pushed him back and closed the door.

“I love you Aria, he said from the other side of the door.

After a few moments, I replied. “I love you too Aiden.”