My head won’t stop spinning after I exit Dr Khan’s office.
I still can’t wrap my mind around the last thing he said.
I only put you in a stance to resolve your traumatic experience, but when you woke up, your memories were gone.
My child version’s solution was to erase everything. Dr Khan said that sometimes when things are too much, the brain can resort to skipping over the traumatic parts. Suppressing memories becomes a vital need, not an option.
I was mentally and physically all over the place after the fire.
I entwine my fingers together as I walk down the hallway. Did I do the right thing?
How about Aunt and Uncle, then? They hid this truth from me for ten years. I doubt they would’ve told me anything if I didn’t put two and two together.
I can’t say I blame them, though. Since they swept me off from Birmingham, Aunt and Uncle did everything to protect me — to the point of overkill, sometimes.
Dr Khan said I needed to think carefully about restoring my memories. It’s a one-way road. He didn’t guarantee anything, but he can get me into a regression mode and help me access places in my subconscious that my consciousness isn’t even aware of.
When I came here, I was so sure that I wanted my memories back. However, after the story about Dr Khan’s other patient, Soho Miller, I’m not sure anymore. What if, like him, I open Pandora’s Box and discover things I’m not supposed to?
Besides, do I really want to relive my parents’ death? I shudder at the thought.
My hands itch, and the urge to wash them swipes over me. With jerky fingers, I open the small pocket in my backpack and retrieve my hand sanitiser. I pour half the bottle in my palm and scrub all over until it’s dried.
I release a breath when the itch slowly withers away.
Pocketing the hand sanitiser, I exit the building. I stumble to a halt on the pavement. Aiden’s car is parked across the street and he’s standing by the driver door talking to a familiar blonde-haired barbie doll.
Silver.
My nostrils flare and a violent rush shoots through my veins.
I stride across the street, trying not to break into a run.
Silver isn’t known to lose her cool. She’s pretty much the female version of Aiden. But right now, her hands fly all around her.
Aiden, on the other hand, appears bored. That should water down the fury bubbling through me, but it doesn’t. The fact that he’s even talking to her when he was supposed to pick me up sullies my mood. Did she come with him or something?
Facing Silver is really not what I want to do after the life changing talk I just had with Dr Khan, but if that’s what she wants, that’s what she’ll get.
“You promised, King.” She hisses.
“I said I’ll think about it,” he says.
“You don’t get to escape this,” she grinds her teeth.
“Escape what?” I stand right at her back.
She jumps up and Aiden whips his head towards me. It’s like I’ve caught them off guard.
A frown etches between his eyebrows, but there’s no trace of guilt.
But then again, Aiden doesn’t do guilt.
“Make a noise, would you?” Silver cuts me a glare over her shoulder. “Creep.”
What is she talking about? I’m pretty sure I made a sound when I approached them.
Right?
“What are you doing here?” I meet her haughty gaze with one of my own.
“I don’t answer to you, bitch.”
“Watch it, Queens,” Aiden warns.
“Oh, so now that you’re dipping your dick in her, I should watch it? Is that it?” She places a hand on her hip as she faces me. “How does it feel to have leftovers, Frozen?”
I’ve had enough of Silver and her bitchiness. I’ve had enough of everyone controlling my life or humiliating me while I choose to be the better person.
I. Have. Had. Enough.
Aiden steps forward, but I act first.
My hand shoots up and I grab a handful of Silver’s hair. She shrieks as I tug her head back so I’m staring down at her.
The expression on my face must be scarier than the tug because Silver’s lips clamp shut and her face contorts.
“If you throw one more snide remark my way, I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll cut you from limb to limb and bury you in the back garden.” I smile. “And stay away from Aiden.”
There’s a need to hurt her. To stab her. To see her bleed —
Steel blood runs through your veins, Princess.
You’re my masterpiece.
My legacy.
As if the words burn, I let Silver go with a shove.
She stumbles forward, massaging her scalp. “Crazy bitch.”
“Leave, Queens.” Aiden’s voice is tight, but I’m not hearing him properly. Those haunting words keep playing at the back of my head.
Steel blood. Princess. Masterpiece. Legacy.
I’m too caught up in my own thoughts that I don’t notice Silver charging at me.
Aiden steps between us, facing her. “Leave.”
“This isn’t over.” She wiggles a finger my way then turns to Aiden. “You, too, King. It’s far from over.”
Silver disappears around the corner or down the street, I’m not paying her attention.
“What happened just now?” Aiden stands in front of me and lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger so I’m staring at his hooded grey eyes.
I’m scared he’ll see the disorientation or whatever demon took over my body earlier. I legit wanted to hurt someone, and if I didn’t have that flashback, I might have bashed Silver’s head against the pavement.
That’s scary.
I’m not like that.
Instead of thinking about my decimation, I direct my anger at Aiden. “What was she doing here? You’re picking me up with your ex by your side?”
“I didn’t come with her and she’s not my ex.”
“Yeah, right. Could’ve fooled me.”
“I never dated Silver.”
“So you just fucked her?”
He grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything.
“Oh my God, you did.” I think I’m going to throw up.
“It’s complicated.”
“There’s nothing complicated about a dick in a vagina, Aiden. Either you stick it in there or you don’t.”
An old lady passing by gives me a look of dismay. Under different circumstances, I would’ve been embarrassed but right now, I’m too livid to care that I’m causing a scene.
Aiden backs me into his car and shoves me into the passenger seat before he takes the driver’s seat.
The door slams behind him so hard, I would’ve winced if it weren’t for the pent up, energy swirling around my head.
“I told you that if you have anything with Silver, we’re done.” I fight off the angry tears trying to push through.
“Even if we had anything, it was in the past.”
Aiden’s devil peeks his head through his metallic eyes. The fact that he’s talking calmly makes me want to smash his head in.
“So you did have something.”
“Yes, we did. I fucked her and I loved it so much that I dumped her.” He rolls his eyes. “What’s wrong with you today?”
“Why was she talking to you? What did she want?”
“Piss me off. And by your attitude, she succeeded.”
I inhale a sharp breath. Maybe I’m being over the top. Damn it. Now that the haze is slowly dissipating, everything seems absurd. Aside from the fact that I loathe Silver. If I see her claws near Aiden again, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Looks like he’s not the only caveman around.
Aiden’s face is closed off and his left eye twitches. I open my mouth to say something but come out with nothing and close it again.
He doesn’t spare me a glance as he starts the engine and weaves down the streets. This time, the vibrations don’t give me the usual thrill. I hug the backpack to my chest as I stare at Aiden’s solemn features.
The entire ride is spent in tomb silence. He doesn’t hold my hand and place it on his thigh as he usually does and he doesn’t glance at me.
He must be truly pissed off.
I spend all the way, trying to find the right words to say. I can’t actually apologise since I didn’t do anything wrong. But one thing for certain, I hate the tension between us. It reminds me of those awful days when we were on an invisible battlefield.
The Ferrari rolls in front of a mansion — no, a palace.
I forgot that we’re watching the game at his house.
I reach a tentative hand to his that’s still gripped around the steering wheel. “Aiden, I —”
A loud bang hits the roof of the car and Ronan sticks his head inside from Aiden’s open windows. “Come on, bitches, the game starts soon.”
He continues hitting the roof of the car with a ball. He really has the worst timing.
Aiden flings the door open and exits without a glance.
