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I keep away from the front window in case Finn is out there looking for me right now but I keep my eyes planted on the window so I can see the cab the moment it arrives. I need to get home as soon as possible. My father and guards will keep me safe. I’ll be ok. I can do this.
The car finally arrives after fifteen minutes and I quickly get inside, telling the driver my home address.
“That’s almost an hour away,” he grumbles. What is with these men?
“I’ll pay you when we get there. Just drive.”
Without any more complaints, he takes me back to my house. Miraculously, we don’t encounter any problems on the way.
The moment I see my house, I know I could cry. “Listen, I don’t have any money on me but my dad is rich. He can pay you. I’m just going to run inside and be right back. Ok?”
He looks uncertain but what else can he do?
I run up to my door and pound on it. I’m expecting to see my dad’s face on the other side but it’s Aiden who answers. For a moment, I’m afraid. What if he’s here to take me back to Finn?
And then I remember that Aiden has worked for Dante and Erik for over a year now. He’s on my side.
“Aria. Get inside. Quick.” He shuts the door behind me. “Is Finn with you?”
“I escaped. I need to pay the cab driver.”
“I’ll do it. Wait here.” He hurries outside.
My dad comes running down the stairs and wraps me in a hug before I can even process it all. “Aria. You’re home. You’re home. Alive. Safe.”
I cling back to him. “I’m safe now. I made it.”
Aiden comes back inside and motions us away from the front door. “What happened? Did Finn let you go?”
I scoff as I pull away from my dad. “I escaped. Finn made a mistake. He forgot to lock me back up. I made it back home. I’m not even sure he knows I’m gone yet.”
“That doesn’t sound like my brother,” he says, frowning. “He only ever does anything with a reason.”
“He was… distracted.”
“Distracted?”
“He, uh…” I look at my dad, knowing this is going to make him upset. “He invited some men over and one of them tried to hurt me. Finn beat him up, and then left to deal with the rest of them. He seemed upset. I… I’ve never seen him like that before. Granted, I’ve only spent two days with him but in those days, he had never acted like he had until that moment.”
“Huh.” Aiden looks contemplative.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just… I know my brother. He never gets distracted. He loves chaos but he doesn’t make mistakes. The fact that you were able to escape means he let you go on purpose.”
“Which means we could be in danger here,” my dad exclaims.
“Or… Finn got distracted and made a mistake.”
“Why do you make it sound like that’s a problem?” I ask.
“Because that’s just not the brother I know. I know how to handle Finn but if he’s changing then… I’m not sure how I’ll be able to handle him then.”
Elio shakes his head. “All that matters now is that Aria is back home, safe and sound. Aiden, please stay. We can use all the help we can get in case your brother comes back.”
“Will you be able to kill him?” I ask Aiden. “Kill your brother?”
“I’ll do what I have to.”