Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 154

Spilling

"Aiden." His name leaves my mouth like a plea and an apology all at once. My fingers tremble as I set my hands on the floor.

He exhales sharply, like he's been holding it in too long. "You lied to me."

There's no accusation in his voice. Just the wound, just the pain. It makes my chest ache in a way that feels permanent, like I've done the unforgiveable.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

He shakes his head, a hollow laugh escaping. "The thing is, I know that."

I shake my head. "I didn't mean to hurt you, that's the last thing I wanted. And I thought I was protecting you from the pain."

He looks down at his hands, then back at me, his gaze piercing. "I understand your. reasoning, but it doesn't feel like it's enough sometimes. I felt like an idiot."

My, voice cracks. "No. I was the idiot. I was scared. I didn't know how you'd react. I didn't know if you'd hate me."

His eyebrows pull together, eyes narrowing like I've said something completely offensive. "I've never given you a reason to think I'd hate you."

"I know," I breathe. "They're my insecurities."

He runs a hand over his face, scrubbing at his jaw like he can rub the hurt out.

The guilt is a physical thing inside me now, twisting and clawing. My throat is tight as I try to form words that don't feel like enough. "There's no justifiable excuse. I was lost when I moved here. Everything felt like it was falling apart. And then you came along, and you made me feel normal. Safe. Like I wasn't broken."

His eyes soften for a second before they harden again. "And Jake made you feel that way,

too."

I nod slowly. "And Zaid."

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His chest rises, then falls. Controlled. But I can see the war going on inside him, in his clenched jaw, the way his fingers twitch like he's holding something back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks again. His voice is gentler this time, but no less pained.

choose, and I didn't know if I could," I say, barely above a

"And if I had made you choose...

The truth is raw and ugly, but I won't lie.

he's trying to

us," he says slowly, "or

I nod. "Yeah."

silence after that.

scraping lightly against

carefully, like I'm waiting for

He doesn't.

part slightly, and I sit on him, straddling and

heart hammers in my

don't take away from

is different. You're different from

a moment, like

he looks so tired. But he cups my cheek with

his thumb brushing softly

"What do you need from me? What can I

can trust me?"

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pm

Spilling

for something he hasn't quite found yet. "Time? I just, I don't want to find out about any more lies. I don't think I could take it. Zaid was one

promise. I'm an open book now. Whatever you want to know, whatever you need to

His hand slides from my cheek to the

I press into him, tasting the hesitation, the uncertainty, but also the

Careful turns desperate.

Soft turns hard.

Gentle turns painful.

my knees pressing into the hard floor on either side of him. His arms wrap around my

something raw. His fingers dig into

my hands fisting in his shirt,

and I feel his erection between us. I gasp,

jaw is clenching, breathing hard. "You were so

in sharp twinges that flare with every