Chapter 23

Stay-1

Our eyes meet, and he coughs, my shock mirrored in his expression. He quickly masks it, but I see it. I see the absolute horror that crosses his features.

My heart feels like it's lodged in my throat, and it takes every ounce of willpower

to keep

my composure.

"Aiden," he says, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his surprise. "Who's this?"

Aiden pulls me in close, wrapping his arm around me in a possessive way, making Jake's eyes rake over me. "This is my friend, Alina."

The way he says it makes me aware that he's telling his dad that I am much more than a

friend.

Jake puts down his half made sandwich and nods toward me, pressing his lips together. "Nice to meet you, Alina."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Matthews," I reply, my voice sounding far more composed than

I feel.

The tension in the room is palpable, a heavy, suffocating weight that neither of us acknowledges out loud. Aiden seems blissfully unaware, and I'm so glad he hasn't caught up on the heat in the room.

"I was just going to take Alina home, we'll be right back," Aiden says, leading us toward the front door.

Jake hesitates for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Sure, sounds good."

"I forgot my wallet upstairs, I'll go get it real

and runs upstairs before I can say anything. I turn to Jake, oxygen leaving

no I

"Alina-"

1/3

#18 pm

Stay-1

walk around him making my way to the bathroom, his foot stopping

able to

I whisper when he pushes himself

stands in front of the door, locking it, his chest rising and falling as he looks

down. “Aiden? Aiden's the guy

the fuck is going on?

have him

Aiden's father.

lost my virginity to Aiden's

and Jakes grabs my shoulders. "Alina, it's going

whisper back, my voice trembling. "We can't

he says, his

my hand on my chest, I avoid his gaze. "I

like stone. I look up

and a muscle in his eye

"Jake."

can't stop thinking about

I exhale, "Stop."

He will open up a floodgate of emotions,

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