Page 46 of Twisted (Never After)

I’m not sure I’d even be able to find Aidan’s profile, but I just want some way to be able to watch him when he’s so far away in Egypt, see if he posts things so I can feel like I’m at least part of what’s going on.

I imagine that Aidan must be worried sick and going out of his mind by now. Or maybe Julian’s people have told him everything’s fine. But if they’re giving him messages, then there’s nothing stopping them from telling him about the engagement, and the thought of Aidan hearing it that way and not knowing the full story makes me want to puke.

This is all my fault though. There’s no one to blame but myself.

I should have been smarter with my decisions.

Ironic how now that I’ve been backed into a corner with no way out, I’ve found the courage I needed to tell the truth in the first place. But it’s too late now. I won’t put Aidan’s life at risk.

And even though I can’t wrap my head around it and don’t have concrete proof, it seems that Julian had something to do with Alexander’s death.

How many others has he murdered? Would he kill me? My father?

I can’t take the risk.

But I’m panicking.

My father so easily believed that Julian and I were in love, thatheis the man I want to marry, and I’m still reeling from the realization that he didn’t even care enough to get angry.

Would it have been the same if Julian had no money?

Part of me hoped that my father would have seen through the facade. He’s the one who’s known me since birth, the one who should know me better thananyone, but maybe that’s my fault for keeping so much of who I truly am from him for so many years, just to spare myself seeing the look on his face if he didn’t like who he saw.

A knock sounds from outside my bedroom, and my hand jolts back from my laptop. I slam the lid closed, not wanting anyone to see what I was up to, and jump up, moving quickly across the room to the door. I grip the handle, cracking it open and peering through the small space it creates.

Julian’s standing on the other side, his black button- down rolled up to his elbows and his forearm pressed against the side of the doorframe. My stomach flips and I huff a breath, annoyed my body is always betraying me when it comes to him.

“Time to pack,princess.”

I open the door fully, stepping to the side.

“Don’t call me that,” I spit. “What do you mean, ‘pack’?”

“I mean, grab some boxes and place whatever you wish to keep inside them. Then you use tape to close the top. I’d also recommend a Sharpie to mark what goes where, but if you want to live in chaos, I won’t stop you.”

Scowling, I cross my arms. “I’m aware of how to pack a box,

Julian. I mean, why do you think I would pack?”

“Did you think I’d allow my wife to live somewhere other than my house?” He moves forward, and I stumble back. “To sleep somewhere other than my bed?”

Disgust sweeps through my middle. “I willneversleep with you.”

He frowns, pressing a hand to his chest. “Devastated.”

“And I’m not your wife.”

He quirks a brow. “Yet.”

Fire licks at my veins and I dart forward, my hand smacking across his face before I can control myself, a burn radiating through my palm as his head whips to the side.

I gasp, bringing my stinging hand up to cover my mouth, and I propel myself backward to create more distance, fear spreading through my muscles until I’m paralyzed. I can’t believe I did that. I’ve never hit a person in my life.

Julian lets out a small chuckle, his face still turned to the side, black strands of hair sweeping across his forehead. He reaches up with his thumb and wipes a small drop of red bubbling on the corner of his lip from a gash my ring caused.

Slowly, he twists toward me, bringing that same thumb to his mouth and sucking off the blood.

Gross.