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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Spilling

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.

I didn't

unreadable. "And if I had made you choose... who

raw and ugly, but I won't lie. Not now. "No one. I wouldn't have picked

just stares at me. Like he's trying to translate something he doesn't understand.

us," he

I nod. "Yeah."

silence after that. It's heavy.

shift closer to him, my palms scraping lightly against the wood floor. I crawl

slowly, carefully, like I'm waiting for him

He doesn't.

and I sit on him, straddling and placing

in my chest, but I hold his

Jake, and for Zaid, they don't take away from what I feel

is different.

for a moment, like he's absorbing

opens them again, he looks so tired.

his thumb brushing softly over my

"What do you need from me? What can I do so that you feel

can trust me?"

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pm

Spilling

studies me, like he's searching for something he hasn't quite found yet. "Time? I just, I don't want to find out about any more lies. I

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

slowly. His hand slides from my cheek to the back of my neck, fingers threading through my hair.

closed, and I press into him, tasting the hesitation, the uncertainty, but also the need. The

Careful turns desperate.

Soft turns hard.

Gentle turns painful.

the hard floor on either side of him. His arms wrap around my waist, holding me

but tinged with something raw. His fingers dig into

feel I'm real. I kiss him harder, my hands fisting in his shirt, clinging to him, pouring everything I can't say into

hips move and I feel his

so sexy earlier, but

nod, my soreness coming alive in sharp twinges