Page 104 of Twisted (Never After)

The question catches me off guard, my heart careening off the precarious cliff it’s been teetering on, spinning and flailing as it drops to the floor.

“Because I hurt you when I married him,” I answer. “And hurt peoplehurtpeople.”

He nods slowly. “Jeannie’s an archaeologist here. She was a friend…kind of. But the past few days, she’s been different. Off- kilter. We spent a night together watching funny movies and talking about things we missed from back home. That’s all.”

“Okay,” I reply with a small smile.

“So you trust me?”

“What?”

“Do you trust me?” he asks again.

I shrug. “Trusting you hasn’t ever been the problem, Aidan.”

“Would it have hurt you?” he continues. “If ithadbeen more?”

“Knowing we got to this point so easily hurts me.” I swallow around the knot that’s forming in my throat. “I was forced into marrying Julian, and if you had just listened, you would know that I hadn’t given up on you. Onus.”

“Don’t play that card with me,” he scoffs, his eyes squinting as he shakes his head. “You weren’t a martyr in our relationship, princess. Youneverstood up for me or us. To anyone. It was always me, screaming into the void, begging you for a fucking chance.” His hand slams against his chest. “Don’t be so surprised that I thought you had picked the better offer.”

His words sting, but I know they’re true.

“Don’t you think that means something?” I ask. “That we were willing to jump at the chance to trick my father, but neither of us were willing to actually sit down and talk when it mattered?”

He shrugs.

“I want someone who believes in my love for them.”

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Princess, you have toshowsomeone you love them in order for them to believe it.”

My brows shoot up, clarity smacking me in the face and leaving behind a sting.

Aidan is right. Only it’s not him who I want to prove it to.

Not anymore.

And maybe it never really was. When I think about Julian being in Aidan’s place, if he were the one I knew my father wouldn’t approve of, I don’t think there’s anything in the world that would keep me from standing at his side and fighting for the right to love him.

My breath whooshes from my lungs at the realization.

“Do we still have a chance?”

His question surprises me because for me, this is closure, and I thought it was the same for him.

“Aidan…” I shake my head. “So much has happened— ”

“It’s barely been a month, Yas.” He walks around the bed and rushes toward me. “I don’t want to give you up. I’mnotgiving you up.”

I let out a humorless laugh, a dull throb pricking my middle. “I’m notyours.”

Turning around, I start to leave, suddenly desperate to find Julian.

To tell him that Iseehim.

That I think I might love him.

Right before I get to the door, a harsh grip spins me around, Aidan’s cold and chapped mouth slamming to mine. I freeze in shock, but it’s only for a second, and then my hands are flying up to shove him off.