Magic Tricks 🔮 Book 2 || gxg

In the Open

Sam fell asleep on Ada's lap sometime after ten, and Ada didn't move her. Aidan offered to help, but she declined. She was in no hurry to go anywhere. Her warmth was welcome. Ada still had a chill from the park; her fingers tingled against Sam's side as they regained sensation.

Noah had barely even stirred, aside from some slight twitches and groans in the first hour. The pungent stench of alcohol oozing from his pores until she couldn't detect it any longer.

Aidan's ire, on the other hand, did not. It ebbed and flowed like the tide and was just as impressive. Though he kept it inward, Ada could feel the tension radiating from his still figure. He remained seated on the floor in front of the couch Noah occupied the entire evening.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked, pulling her from her reverie.

"Of course."

"You and Noah have gotten pretty close lately, right?" He paused, and Ada shrugged with a nod of agreement. "Has he seemed stressed or upset?

Ada shook her head. "No more than usual, I guess. He had a rough time with his wolf while you were on the east coast. It didn't seem too bad, he handled it well enough."

"But besides that?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of."

Aidan heaved a defeated sigh. "What am I going to do with him ...?"

The question was rhetorical, and Ada had no answer to provide him even if he wanted it. What could she possibly say to that that would be helpful? She didn't need to tell him he was doing his best. Noah's relapse was probably because of what she had asked him to do. That was on her. She was the last person he should be asking, but the only one around.

Still, Ada felt like she should say something. Anything. Anything at all. But the seconds bled into minutes and still they were silent.

Noah woke with a graceless snort and a flail that cracked Aidan across his left ear. He cursed loudly and jolted to his feet faster than she thought he could. Noah pressed a palm to his forehead and swore under his breath. At this, Sam finally stirred.

"Why did you hit me?" Aidan groaned, pacing around the table massaging the side of his head.

"Didn't mean to," Noah grumbled. "How did I get here?"

Ada raised a hand, leaning a bit to see around Sam.

"What the hell were you thinking? Why did you run off?"

Aidan's careful composure was slipping. Sam sat up and cracked her neck. Her hair was mussed, partially from sleep, partially from Ada running her fingers through it.

"Aidan," she murmured.

His head tilted toward her, then he shut his eyes and forced a slow, deep breath. He deflated infinitesimally. His eyes, when he opened them once more, were hard. Noah stared back in wary silence.

"Why did you run off?" repeated Aidan in a monotone.

Noah swallowed hard. "I ... got overwhelmed. I don't know, it's like my brain just shut off. All I knew was that I needed to make him stop."

"What did he want?"

"Control, as he usually does."

Aidan's fists clenched. "What happened after you left?"

"I ..." Noah frowned, gaze falling to the coffee table in thought.

"What happened?" Aidan snapped.

Noah's mouth opened and closed, then he pressed his lips together. Fuming, Aidan seemed to swell, and a second before he spoke, Ada got an odd tingling across her bare arms.