Dissipate

Even though the last thing I wanted to do was talk, it felt good to know Brooklyn was here for me too if I needed her.

Brooklyn whispered something into Aiden’s ear. He nodded. Brooklyn walked backward. “I’m going to stay at Mike’s tonight. Love you guys.”

Aiden called after her for both of us. “You too, Sis.”

With shaking hands, I tried to unlock the front door.

“Here let me get that. We’re here alone.”

“O-o-k-kay.”

A few lights were flipped on. Aiden picked me up and I nuzzled into his neck as he took me upstairs. He was going to want answers. I was tired of lying and all of the deceit. Setting me on the bed, Aiden retrieved a pair of sweatpants, sweatshirt, socks, and panties for me.

“Sweetheart, I need to get you warm. Let’s get you changed, then we’ll get you in bed.”

My clothes were damp as Aiden helped peel them off. Gently, he got me dressed before I got under the covers.

Aiden sat on the edge of the bed. Wanting to feel him, I asked, “Are you getting in bed, too?”

“Do you want me to?” There was caution in his voice. His hair was a mess, probably from running his fingers through it wildly.

“Yes.”

Relief washed over his features as he stripped down to his boxers. The icy feeling lessened when I felt his warmth seep through my clothes. When I touched him his muscles retracted from my cold fingers.

Into his chest, I murmured. “I know you have questions.”

“What happened?”

I swallowed hard, reliving in a flash the final week of my mom’s life. “I’m not ready to tell you everything tonight, but I want to tell you part of it.” Fear clenched my heart at the possibility of sharing with someone what all had happened. I had to stay smart about this. “If I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t do anything.”

The grip on my hip tightened. “Did someone hurt you today, Kenzie? I swear—”

Touching my fingers to his lips, I shushed him before he could finish that sentence. “I’m not hurt, Aiden. It has to do with my mom. Promise me.”

Blue eyes searched mine. “I promise.”

It was best to put it out there, then try to figure out the details. I had no game plan how I was going to explain this, but now, The Society was more dangerous than I’d ever imagined.

“I think my mom was poisoned. She got sick and died quickly.” I tried to block out the last image I saw of her, on the bed, shallowly taking breaths.

Aiden kissed my forehead. “Take your time.”

I shook my head. “I need to do this. I don’t want any lies between us.” Tenseness formed around his eyes. I continued, “The poison was arsenic. Aiden, my mom matched the symptoms perfectly. But, I can’t investigate. She was involved with some dangerous people.”

Aiden’s grip tightened on me. “What kind of people? Are you in danger?”

There was so much to the story. I wasn’t sure where to begin. “No, they don’t know where I am. I promise I’ll tell you the rest tomorrow.”

“How’d you figure it out?”

The memory of the brittle fingernails caused a shudder. “I was working on my Jane Austen paper. I have no proof, but deep down I know it’s true.”

Aiden brought me to him. “We could figure this out.”

The reporter in Aiden came out like I knew it would. Deep within my bones, exhaustion claimed me. “Let’s talk about it tomorrow. I’m emotionally spent and need to think. There’s more, Aiden. A lot more.”

I wanted nothing more than The Society to be stopped. However, we had to be smart or the ramifications would be death—for me and probably anyone else involved.