Hybrid

THIRTY-TWO

⫷ ARIA ⫸

"Hello?" The baritone voice speaks again, and it takes me another second to push aside the nerves.

I glare at the deer that had initially startled me the moment I stepped foot outside. It noticed my presence and immediately pounced back into the forest, creating a noise loud enough to momentarily paralyze me. Finally pulling myself together, I clear my throat. "Hi," I start in an unsure voice.

"Aria."

Goosebumps form along my arms. "How did you know it was me?" I whisper. My feet absentmindedly kick at pebbles on the ground as I walk farther from the house.

"I know your voice well," he replies flatly.

"What's your name?" I internally smack myself for getting this far without asking what his name is. Now I look like an idiot.

The voice chuckles darkly. "I doubt me telling you my name will change anything." He pauses once more, causing my anxieties to sky-rocket. "Dominic."

"Dominic," I repeat, wishing it would somehow ring a bell in my empty memory bank. "Um... have we met before?"

"We have."

"Okay. Sorry, I don't remember."

"Don't apologize for something my father did."

The excitement distracts me, almost having me slip on wet leaves. I balance myself and focus my eyes on a broken tree in front of me. "Your father? Is his name Victor, by chance?"

"Yes. I assume they haven't told you much."

"Nope. Not really."

Dominic's laughter reigns no amusement and that has chills running down my bare arms. "I doubt you'll believe me on this, but that woman you call your mother isn't as sweet and innocent as you would like to think."

By now my heart is racing impeccably fast, enough for me to hear it. "Why do you say that?"

"If it means her happiness, she will stab you in the back without a second thought."

"She's my mother."

"She was mine too."

I narrow my eyes down at my feet. "She still is."

Another laughter full of malice resonates through the phone. "That woman is not my mother. Not anymore. Any of you can say whatever you like about Victor, but at least he doesn't have two sides to him."

I swallow hard, completely unsure with what the hell this guy is rambling on about. I mean, I've known my mother my entire life. Why would I believe him, a guy I know nothing about, over my own mother?

"Listen, this isn't why I called. I actually wanted to ask you a fav-"

"Aria?" The sound of my mother's voice causes my heart to drop. "What are you doing out there? It's dangerous."

"I have to go. I'll call back another time." Without waiting for a reply, I click the phone off, pull on a fake smile, and turn around to face my worrying mother. "Just needed some fresh air," I insisted.

She waves her hands at me. "Come. Quick. You shouldn't be out here."

I do as she says and I hurry by her. As I front my mother, I try to find any sort of information by looking in her eyes. All I can see is someone who is worried for her daughter's safety. Did she feel such a thing for her son? If so, why would he think so lowly of her? Once I pass her, I rub circles over my aching head and let out an exasperated sigh.