Chapter 32

FREYA

I tossed and turned until I finally gave up. Sleep wasn't coming anytime soon. Realizing this, I kicked off the comforter. Carlos hadn't seemed enthusiastic about my presence, so I hadn't gotten a tour of the house yet. Hopefully…

Somehow, I still found my way to the terrace, and wow—the view was magnificent. Stepping outside, the air felt chilly. Before I could fully appreciate it, a voice startled me.

"Can't sleep?"

My head snapped to the right. Aiden was there; I must have missed him in the dark. He crossed the distance in long, lazy strides, stopping before me. He was tall, very tall, and I wasn't sure how I felt about him towering over me. He tilted his head slightly.

"Like I told you, change your room however you like to make it comfortable."

"Oh no, it's not that!" I was barely bothered by the paint or the bedside lamp. A lot of other things were stressing me out.

"What is it, then?"

I shook my head. "It's just…a lot on my mind."

He took a drag of his cigarette and looked into the distance. The wind tousled his hair. He offered me the cigarette.

"No, I don't…I don't smoke." He glanced at me before retracting his hand and putting the cigarette back between his lips. How did he make even that simple action look so hot? And why couldn't I look away from his lips?

"So, what's on your mind?"

His words broke through my daze. It took me a few seconds to remember our conversation.

"If I ask you something, will you answer me?"

The corner of his mouth lifted so slightly I almost thought I'd imagined it. He discarded the cigarette before looking at my face.

"Depends on what you ask—"

Aiden scrutinized my face while I remained silent. He turned, his body angled toward me.

"You want to ask about what happened today?"

I inhaled. That's what had kept me restless all day. I couldn't stop thinking about what might have happened. Aiden had left the house extremely angry, and the dark look on his face when he returned… I'd been imagining all sorts of scenarios.

Aiden's eyes narrowed, revealing curiosity and, if I wasn't mistaken, a hint of anger.

"Freya, are you still worried about him?"

I blinked. "No. No, it's not about him."

"Then what is it? Aloud."

His intense stare was unnerving. It felt like he could see right into my soul. I nervously licked my lips.

"The violence…the blood…I just can't stomach it."

We fell silent. I avoided looking at his face; I wasn't ready to see pity in his eyes. He probably thought I was weak. Before I could dwell on that, strong fingers lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

He said something about the disrespect, that the man deserved what he got. Freya didn't understand. Whatever violence occurred, whatever blood was shed, was over the disrespect he showed you. He had it coming.

Aiden Knight was a gorgeous man. And I might sound completely deranged saying this, but the dangerous glint in his eyes, the promise of brutal violence, made him even more beautiful.

I didn't understand why his words affected me this way. I should have run far away after what he said. Instead, I felt safe. For the first time in a long time, I felt protected.

The scariest part was that I had no business feeling that way. After everything life had taught me, I shouldn't trust another man. Every man in my life has failed me, and how…

Aiden's gaze shifted to my forehead. "How's it healing?"

"Doesn't hurt." I breathed, stepping back a foot before turning my attention to the city lights. Silence fell again. I broke it.

"Gia was asking about you." He turned his head to look at me quietly. "You didn't talk to her."

He exhaled. "I didn't want her to see me like this today."

I understood. He didn't want to bring that negativity, that darkness, to Gia.

Aiden was nothing like my dad. He was a good father. He cared. His actions constantly reminded me how stupid I'd been in the past.

"I think we should tell Gia," I blurted out, watching Aiden stiffen for a few seconds. He thrust his hands into his pockets and studied my face. I knew he understood.

"I think it's too early for that."

I let out a tense chuckle. "Early? She's lost six years already."

"Stop," he commanded roughly. "Stop blaming yourself all the damn time. And about telling Gia…she's gone through a lot of changes recently. We should let her adjust a little before we tell her."

Maybe he was right. In my rush to make things right, I was probably hurrying things.

"Okay."

"Get some sleep. We'll talk about this later." His eyes softened as he gently tucked a stray hair behind my ear. I stopped breathing. His simple touch fired up my nerves like I was an inexperienced teenager. One touch, and I was reminded of that night six years ago.

God, I needed help!

I swallowed and stepped back, excusing myself to my room. If I was sure of one thing, it was that I wasn't getting any sleep tonight.