Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 136

Breathe

It takes me a good hour to calm down, to stop the sobbing and to dry my face.

There's no hiding the fact that I was crying, though, and the fact that I'll have to explain that to Jake and Aiden makes my stomach turn.

We head back downstairs, Zaid's hand in mine and my coffee in his other hand.

Jake does a double take from where he's making breakfast, his eyes turning angry. "What'd

he do?"

Zaid shakes his head with a scoff.

I make my way to Jake and plant a kiss on his cheek. "Nothing, I promise."

He looks unsure and when I turn to meet Aiden's eyes as he chops fruit; I find him frowning between Zaid and I.

He doesn't ask me anything, so the four of us make breakfast together silently. Zaid

makes new coffee and serves me a fresh, warm mug.

Over breakfast, Jake's sharp gaze lingers on me longer than usual, and Aiden nudges my

shoulder as we wash the dishes together.

"What's up with you?" Aiden asks, his voice light. "You've been quiet. You were crying."

I force a small smile. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."

He nods, but there's a hesitancy to whether he believes me or not.

Jake leans against the counter, arms crossed, eyes scanning me like he's trying to figure out what I'm not saying. "Maybe you need a break from us. You've been spending the night, with one of us every night."

"Yeah, for like two weeks," Aiden adds.

I hum in agreement. It's because they keep the thoughts away, the nightmares and the tears away.

"You're probably exhausted," Jake whispers, running his hand down my arm.

1/4

Breathe

He just watches me

eyes.

pass and we go grocery shopping in the afternoon. The four of us pile into Jake's car, and

pasta sauce to get, Aiden throwing random snacks into the cart, Jake scolding him like he's a child, and Zaid

far from me.

warmth of his hand brush against mine more than once, feel the way his fingers graze my lower back when we stop to grab something from the shelves. Every time I

Doesn't ask. Just reminds me

how to

of us cook together, and for a little while, everything feels normal again. The tension inside me eases, if only for

little while.

I almost forget.

bake. He grabs my hand, spinning me around in the kitchen, making

mine, and I'm laughing so much my stomach

at the table, watching with an amused

quiet. His expression unreadable, his focus entirely

me.

arms, I feel Zaid's gaze on me. He hasn't pushed, hasn't brought

suffocated, but it

makes me

2/4

Breathe

countertop, Jake steps behind me, wrapping his

my waist. "You know we have people that do

I chuckle. "Clean?"

against my

mind. It helps me clear my

my hand and tosses it in the sink. He spins me in his

"I can help you clear your

my mouth as he holds me close.

his shoulder where

Jake's shoulders. "I think

room

tonight."

since I was with him last night, it doesn't bother him much. "Fine. But I'm going out with

says. He lets me go, letting Aiden

takes me back in his arms. He tucks my hair behind my ears and kisses me

give him a peck and then it's just