Mae

38

"Why did you kill Aiden?"

He holds my gaze. He doesn't blink, or hesitate before answering, "To remind Luke of the rules."

I haven't grieved him yet; I don't think I'll ever be able to get the image of Aiden being shot and falling lifelessly to the ground out of my mind.

"I don't care about your fucking rules, Tristan," I say. "You had no right to kill him!"

The corner of his lips twitch. "But I had the power to."

I can't believe his words. How gruesome they sound. This can't be the person I once fell in love with.

"You made Aiden betray me," I say, not feeding his ego after what he just said. "You made him torture me. What kind of sick person does that?"

"I will never lay my hands on you, Mae. But I needed answers." He says. "So, I used your most trusted one. One stone, two birds."

Aiden Creed was the last person I hoped to die if we were in a life-and-death situation, as I would have shielded him behind me. I knew from the start he wasn't prepared for this life, was too naïve and pure to face the worse. Every single person to walk after me into the Lethal looked me dead in the eye and smiled. Aiden never met my eyes when Carlos first introduced us both.

Aiden had lost his parents in a car accident Asher Wyatt had caused in a drunken mistake. Two days later, Carlos called me to inform about a new boy joining us in Chicago. Carlos had found him at the police station when he went there to check up on some of our business.

Apparently, Carlos has befriended the whole local police department by then.

"What rules?" I ask. "You said Luke broke rules. Luke mocked you for doing it as well."

He flutters his eyes away for a second before answering, "Wyatt made the rule that we can't get involved with our enemies, with the Pierces rather."

I expect nothing more from Wyatt than making such rules. But that's not all the truth. He's hiding something. As much as it infuriates me, being with him all those years back taught me never to trust his words when he fidgets his hands and stares at them.

"And?" I ask.

He looks up. "And..." he sighs. "I broke the rule."

I frown. "How?" I press on. "It's been years since you and I..." I let the words hang in the air, waiting for him to react. He doesn't. He stares straight into my eyes.

"I know." His voice breaks, the slightest smile curving up his lips. "I broke it."

My words die in my throat.

"You... still love me?"

"I could never stop myself from loving-"

"Don't."

"Mae, I know you-"

"Tristan." He recognizes the coldness in my voice. Recognizes the closure we never had.

He nods, licking his lips. "I'm sorry. I-" he speaks, unbearably low. "Just know that... no matter what happens, I'll never stop." loving you.

I almost wanted him to finish that sentence, but was glad he didn't.

I toss my head back, fighting against the tears. Had he not spoken of the obvious conversation we should have had, of where our heart is right now, I don't think we could have ever concluded, put an end to the unsaid tension between us.

He falls to his knees at my feet, and pulls my neck down, touching our forehead. He's not trying to prove anything or hurt me. He's a mess and is trying to find calm in me. Just like he used to.

"Thank you for loving me."

***