2021, February 15th
(On the plane)
AIDEN
"So let me get this straight. Your psycho twin shows up where I live—" I began, in response to Keira's 'request."
"About that, since when do you live in Maine?" she asked, a slight edge to her voice as she threw the question at me.
I yanked at my seatbelt until it gave way. Then I took her hand off my shoulder, got up and walked away from her. I took a breath before spinning right back around on my heel.
"We're not together anymore Keira," I yelled at her, unable to keep my anger at bay anymore. "I don't need to check in with you about where I live."
"Look, I get that you're angry, but I'm really busy this week, Denny and this is the only way to keep you safe," she said, her voice soft yet resolute.
Angry was an understatement. She fucking kidnapped me and all I could think about was asking if she was okay. All business. Stiff posture. Had she had time to breathe since claiming her new title?
Fuck that, not my concern. All about what she needed. Not a second spared to say sorry I ditched you without a word. My heart burned with rage anew, like she left me just last night.
"The only way to… your psycho twin shows up in the middle of dinner and shoves a gun against my skull. You get into a pissing match with James. Which, shocker, leads to you both losing Kate and in your head, all that automatically makes us engaged? Crazy clearly runs in the family. Turn this bloody thing around," I fumed, losing my cool altogether.
By now Elena was aware of my absence. What must be going through her mind? And how much worse would it get if I got off this plane as Keira's fiancé?
Elena and I promised to be done with the pain. Yet, there I was, on a private plane with my ex. The shitshow that has been my life for the last year was all somehow tied to Keira Dormer. I needed to get away from this woman.
"I can't do that," Keira answered defiantly. "Being The Prince of Assassins comes with a certain amount of protection—"
"Keira, I can't get on this crazy train with you again. Kate doesn't give a shit about me. I'll get a security detail. I'll take greater, better precautions, okay?"
But it wasn't okay. Keira had that look in her eye. She wouldn't let me go. Heaven knew how she'd walked away in the first place. Why was that again? I spent the better part of the last six months trying to figure out why she ran. Did I lose her in Venatores and just not know it? Or was it something that came afterwards? Did I fuck up and not know it?
"Not okay. I don't know what's changed, but something has and you're back on Kate's radar, which puts you back on mine."
I took another deep breath, sucking in all the air my lungs would allow me to.
"Why? Because I'm some guy you slept with for six months?" I spat out.
"You know it was more than that. Aiden you know I, I mean we—"
In a moment, everything changed. She ripped the wound that was us right open. Or maybe I did it. Either way, suddenly I couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of me. Dangerous words. Things I didn't want to dredge up.
"What? We what? You can't even say it, can you? We were in love, Keira. It was all kinds of messy, all kinds of wrong, just stupid complicated and it was anyway. Until you up and decided that it just wasn't anymore."
I dropped back into my seat and put my head in my hands. Defeat flowed over me.
"I am the Queen of Assassins, Aiden! Is that the woman you wanted to be with?" she retorted with venom in her voice.
My head flew up with my hands. I saw red. How dare she act like I gave a shit? What didn't I accept about her to love her?
"Yes! Fucking yes! I would have taken any version of you, all the versions of you, I was so crazy for you!"
She closed in on me and we came face to face. Nostrils flaring, we were both geared up for a fight.
"So much so, not six months later you're already sharing a bed with someone else," she yelled in an accusatory tone.
"Don't you go there. You have no idea how hard it's been to get here. How I'm still bloody struggling to get you out of my head," I said, coming to the realization myself as I said the words.
There it was, the truth I was hiding, even from myself. It wasn't just Elena in my head. How could it be? The nagging feeling that Keira needed me wouldn't leave my mind.
"You had no trouble hopping into bed with me after Avory. I don't see how this is any different. If you can't get it up for her—"
"That's the problem. You don't see! You were different to Jane and Avory, Keira. You ruined us. There was no big obstacle between us. No deadlines, no crowns or arranged marriages. Nothing but sheets between us. We were almost perfect. We were exactly right together despite being so wrong for each other and you just walked away," I said, defeat seizing me once more.
I couldn't ask why. My mouth wouldn't form the words. Would I survive it if she confirmed my suspicions? Did she simply realize that I was unworthy all along?
"My mother died. She's dead. I don't want me for you. I want you to have a normal life with a normal wife and kids if you want them. I never wanted you to see me as a queen of a house of killers. There are truths about me just too ugly
to ignore," she said somberly, cracking the ice around my heart.