Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 73

Fix It

I stare out of the window into the backyard, the mess from last night mostly gone.

The pan sizzles and I snap out of my thoughts.

"Shit," I whisper to myself, grimacing as I salvage the eggs before they burn.

My mind has been a chaotic mess. Even my dreams seemed too real last night.

I dreamed of a car and a crash. Of Zaid in handcuffs and Aiden just watching.

I slide a piece of bread into the toaster, my mind racing with questions I don't know if I

want the answers to.

The soft creak of the stairs makes my heart jolt. I don't have to turn around to know it's

Aiden. His footsteps are slower than usual, hesitant, almost apologetic.

"Morning," he says, his voice quiet and heavy with sleep.

"Morning," I reply, my tone neutral, my focus fixed on the egg as it bubbles in the pan.

I feel him behind me before he touches me, his arms wrapping around my waist, pulling

me into his chest. His warmth is familiar, and for a moment, I let myself lean into it,

closing my eyes.

"Do you hate me now?" he asks softly, his voice trembling just enough to make me flinch.

I shake my head, opening my eyes and focusing on the stovetop.

"I don't know," I admit.

He tenses behind me and retreats just a bit.

"I'm confused. Angry. But I want to hear your side."

He exhales a shaky breath, his arms loosening slightly. "Okay. Yeah, okay. Let's talk."

plate, grabbing my toast from the toaster

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Fix it

sits on the couch, his eyes wary. His pupils follow me, his lips in a frown, his hands shaking beside his

of him and balance the plate on my

hungry. I just look down at the plate, angry

and glance at the stairs, wondering if Zaid is awake. The thought of him sends a pang through my chest, but

slide to

I even want from this

is tousled, and the way he looks at me makes me feel like he is depending on me to give him

time we met in the school office. How he'd grinned at me, made me laugh when I didn't think I'd ever laugh again. How he made me forget my pain, my

that sits in front of me seems to be someone completely different. The type of guy that would let his brother take the fall for something he did and then treat him

shit.

he be

forcing myself to meet his gaze. "Is it

flinches, his jaw tightening. "What exactly did

lick my lips and stop my hands from trembling. "That it

take the blame and he went to

to the floor. "It wasn't supposed to happen like

it is true." My chest

He nods.

my eyes. "How could you do

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3:15 Bm

Fix It

his head and runs his hands through his fingers. "Alina, I was scared. I panicked. I didn't know

let Zaid take

He grimaces.

juvie while you walked

protests, leaning

so much happening in his eyes. Fear, hatred,

he'd take the blame. He said I had too

"And you just let

"Of course I did!"

the tears from my eyes until they fall down

the right thing to do,"

said he didn't care, that he didn't

coffee table, my