He must have something alien in his blood. No. I’m sure he does. Otherwise, how come he draws me in so effortlessly?

“Do you remember the time we spent together ten years ago?” I ask before I can stop myself.

He nods, eyes darkening. “And you don’t.”

My heart skips a beat. He hates it. Oh, my God. He hates that I don’t remember him from back then. It must be why he’s been such a dick all this time, calling me Frozen and heartless.

Can I blame him, though? I would’ve been so heartbroken if he forgot about me.

“It’s not by choice.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Besides, I remember a few things.”

“Hmm. Like what?”

“Like spending a lot of time with you and talking. I don’t think you ever gave me your name because I kept thinking about you as the boy with grey eyes.”

“You spent the entire night with me.” He smiles a little. “You wouldn’t leave even when I told you to.”

“I did not!” My cheeks flame with embarrassment.

“I’m the one with the memories, remember?” His lips tilt with a smirk. “You wiped my face with a wet cloth then covered me with a blanket just so you could slip underneath it with me. Oh, you also held my hand and kissed my cheek. Child Elsa was a stage five clinger.”

Is there a hole I can bury myself in it?

Still, I jut my chin. “You’re only saying that because I don’t remember.”

He takes my hand and lifts it to his face. He flattens my palm over his mouth and kisses it so tenderly, a shock ripples through my entire body.

Heat flashes over my skin like rapid fire and shoots straight to my bones.

Oh, God.

I can handle the intense, dirty side of Aiden — sometimes — but I’m completely helpless in front of his soft side.

“You look fucking adorable when you’re shy.”

He lowers my hand and keeps it on his thigh, tucked in his like it’s his most prized possession.

Our fingers interlace. My smaller hand in his bigger one. My feminine fingers against his long, masculine ones.

I’m tempted to remove it, but I love the warmth too much. Besides, I’m still in shock from the way he kissed my palm.

I’m contemplating poking him to stir his ugly side just so I can prove his harsh part always wins. That his soft side is an illusion and a mindfuck.

“You weren’t shy before.” He tilts his head to the side. “You took and took without second thoughts.”

“I did not.”

“You did, too. I’m telling you, Child Elsa was hardcore.”

“God. I can’t believe you have dirty thoughts about a little girl.”

“You’re not a little girl anymore.”

“And you’re not a little boy.”

“No, I’m not. That’s why I get to fuck you.”

“Do you ever stop talking dirty?”

“Only when I fuck you dirty.”

The rumble of his voice sends sparks all over my skin and down to my core.

There’s something utterly masculine about his voice, all rough and deep and… dirty.

Yes, dirty. So fucking dirty.

I’m burning up, nearly boiling over at the image of that voice rumbling near my sensitive parts as he whispers crude things to me.

Wrong image for your resolve, Elsa.

“Can’t you stop?” I whisper.

“Not when it comes to you.”

“Yeah. Blame it on me.”

“I blame it on Child Elsa. She made me think of things I never thought about before.”

“Like what?”

“Like adult stuff. Told you, she was hardcore.”

“You’re putting words in my mouth just because I don’t remember.”

“Oh, you will remember. I can’t wait to see your expression when you do.”

“Dream on, dickhead.”

He chuckles, and the sound echoes around us like a melody. I want to reach for that sound, box it somewhere, and keep it for safekeeping.

For a moment, I just sit there, trapped, mesmerised as his features ease and his shoulders relax.

Now that I think about it, Aiden often relaxed around me. Whether it’s his sexual intensity, his maddening possessiveness, or his rare smiles and laughter.

He’s at ease with me.

And if I’m honest with myself, I’m at ease with him, too.

Before I can take my fill of his laugh, we arrive at the Meet Up.

Why couldn’t the distance be farther?

Cole’s Jeep is already parked in the driveaway. I leave my backpack in the car and follow Aiden up the steps.

“Why did Cole ask to meet us here?”

“Don’t know.”

I narrow my eyes. “You mean to tell me that you came without a plan?”

“I did have a plan.” He tilts his head in my direction. “Anything that involves having you by my side is the perfect plan.”

My temperature gets ten degrees hotter, but I clear my throat. “Did you spend the morning with Cole? Is that why you didn’t come to school?”

“I had a meeting with my consultant about Oxford.”

Oh.

Right.

Aiden will go to Oxford. That piece of information has always been tucked into the back of my mind, but hearing it aloud makes it real and… final.

At the end of the year, Aiden and I will go in different directions, whether we like it or not.

The thought feels like stacking bricks at the bottom of my stomach one by each heavy one.

I’m dragging my feet by the time we’re inside the Meet Up.

“Not a word, Silver.” Cole’s steel tone cuts through the silence of the cottage. “I don’t want to hear your voice.”

“Screw you, Cole.”

Silver is here, too? How come Aiden didn’t mention that?

On the other hand, this should mean she’s not in danger from Adam.

Not that I should worry about her.

“What are you doing here, Queens?” Aiden barges inside without as much as making his presence known.

“Ask Cole,” she hisses. Which means Aiden didn’t know she’d be here.

I walk inside with careful steps. “Hey.”

“Elsa.” Cole smiles, but there’s no warmth behind it. It’s like he has to smile, but doesn’t want to. “Sit down. There’s something you need to know.”

I glance at Aiden with questions written all over my face. He lifts a shoulder and flops down beside me. His arm stretches on the back of the sofa, almost touching my skin, but not quite.

The fucking tease.

Silver sits opposite us in a chair. Her legs are tucked close together to the side. The paleness of her face has nothing to do with her skin complexions and more to do with a wild look in her gaze.

Cole stands beside her like a statue. Unmovable and cold.

If Cole is involved, this must be serious.

My limbs shake despite themselves. If Aiden still has something to do with Silver, I don’t know how I’ll react.

I’m barely holding on as it is. If Aiden breaks my trust one more time, I won’t survive. One thing’s for sure, I’ll destroy him with me. It’s only fair with how much he destroyed me.

“Tell them,” Cole orders. He flat out orders Silver as if she’s a small child.