Love Novel 46

Mother adjusts her purse on her shoulder, her smile overly bright as she looks at Jake.
Aiden leans toward me, his arm pressed into mine.
“I have my final hair and makeup trial to get to. You can handle the three of them, Jake?” She says, teasing him with her
hand on his back.
I blink. She’s leaving me here alone with them? My stomach turns. I glance to the side, catching Zaid as he walks out of
the alley, throwing a cigarette on the floor before stomping it out.
Gross.
I spin around and Aiden looks annoyed. Zaid is unreadable as he makes his way toward us, and Jake’s jaw tightens like
he’s ready to bash his face in.
I’m left simmering in frustration.
“Wait,” I blurt, my voice sharper than I intend. “You’re just leaving? What about-”
Mother waves a dismissive hand. “You’ll be fine, Alina. The boys just need to finish their fitting. Besides, it’s good for
them to spend some time together.” She waves one last time before walking away, heels clicking against the floor.
I gape after her, trying to hold back the urge to groan. Time together? Aiden and Zaid can barely be in the same room
without the tension getting thick enough to cut with a knife. Not to mention that I do not even want to breathe the same
air as Jake right now.
Jake sighs heavily and turns toward Aiden and Zaid. “Alright, enough of this shit.”
Zaid puts his hands in his pockets, and Aiden scowls. “What?”
“Whatever is happening between the two of you, fix it.”
“There’s nothing to fix,” Zaid shrugs.
Aiden groans. “You’re the one threatening me!”
I watch, wide eyed.
Jake exhales. “We had an agreement. The three of us.” He glares at Zaid after saying that, and he has to look away.
The sight is weird, and it makes my blood heat.
Jake’s jaw clenches when neither of the guys say anything, and I see a flash of the temper he usually keeps under control.
“I mean it. Talk. Work it out. Now, actually.”
Before I can react, he grabs my arm.
“Alina, you’re with me.”
“What?” I jerk back instinctively, shooting him a confused look. “Why? I can stay here—”
“No.” Jake cuts me off.
I look at Aiden, who is following after us.
But Jake’s already pulling me toward the car door. “Let’s go.”
“Dad-”
Jake turns toward Aiden, shoving a finger into his chest. “Fix it, Aiden. We both know you can’t afford to lose everything.”
I glance at Aiden and notice the moment the fight leaves his body. He’s going to stay. He’s going to stay, and he’s going
to let Jake take me away.
Zaid, for his part, watches me leave with a longing gaze. At least he looks like he wants me to stay.
The next thing I know, I’m in the passenger seat of Jake’s car, my stomach churning.
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter as he pulls onto the street.
Jake’s hands grip the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
I scoff and cross my arms, staring out the window as the city blurs past. The tension between us is suffocating. This is the
last thing I want right now. Especially after everything.
We pull up to a small Italian restaurant I don’t recognize, the kind of place that looks intimate.
Fuck, exactly what I don’t want.
Jake doesn’t say a word as he steps out of the car, and I reluctantly follow.
Inside, the warm lighting and soft music do nothing to ease my nerves. Jake gets us a table in the corner, away from the
other diners, and sits across from me.
I keep my eyes fixed on the menu, pretending to be engrossed in the pasta options. I can feel the heat of his eyes on me,
like they’re laser pointers.
“Stop it,” I blurt.
Jake doesn’t move an inch, he just keeps watching me.“Stop what?”
“That.” I gesture vaguely at him, avoiding his gaze.
He lifts an eyebrow.
“Staring at me like that. Like you’re trying to figure me out or something.”
His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t look away. “Maybe I am.”
The weight of his gaze is unbearable, and I feel heat creeping up my neck. “Well, don’t.”
He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Why are you so worked up?”
I snap. “What the fuck?”
He shrugs. He infuriates me more than Zaid, which surprises me, considering how many times I’ve pictured myself
stabbing him.
“Did you know?” I whisper, more vulnerable now.
Jake’s brow furrows. “Know what?”
I chuckle incredulously. “You know what I’m talking about.”
His eyes darken, and I see his nostrils flare slightly.
“Did you know she was my mother?”
He looks me up and down, dropping his arms from his chest to lean closer. “I already said no.”
“And I don’t believe you,” I blurt.
He swallows thickly.
“Did you go after her? Knowing she was my mother?”
He presses his lips together. “I went to your house, looking for you.”
My heart hammers in my chest, breath escaping my lungs like I’m allergic to it.
“Your mother was home instead.”
My mouth runs dry. “You didn’t think for one second how weird this would be for me?”
He frowns, and for a moment, I think he might explode. “Maybe just as weird as it is for me seeing you with Aiden.”
“I didn’t know he was your son.”
“You think I planned this?” His voice is low, dangerous. “You think I wanted this?”
“I don’t know what you wanted, Jake. All I know is that it’s messed up. Everything about this is messed up. And I mean,
you guys aren’t even in love. Do you have to get married to her?”
His hands clench into fists on the table. “If it’s the only way I’ll get to see you, then yes.”
The world spins and I scoot down the booth to leave. But before I can, Jake is right there scooting in to block me in.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, pushing against his chest.
“Don’t leave.”
I feel the tears in my eyes, but I force myself to look at him. “You just told me you’re marrying my mother to be with me.”
He sighs, running his hand down his face and shaking his head. “That came out wrong.”
“Don’t,” I snap, cutting him off. “Don’t try to justify it. I don’t care.”
The server arrives with our drinks, her cheerful demeanor an unwelcome interruption. I quickly grab my cup and sip my water, trying to calm down, but my chest feels tight, my stomach still twisting painfully.
Jake tells the server we need a few more minutes and then he turns those eyes on me. They watch me, soft and beautiful.
They’re dark, like Zaid’s, and that makes my stomach turn.
Jake’s voice softens. “I don’t mean to hurt you.”
I look up at him, his dark eyes filled with something I can’t quite place. Regret, maybe.
“Then don’t get married to my mother,” I whisper.
The silence between us stretches, heavy and suffocating. Jake leans back, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Leave Aiden,” he breathes.
Sourness pools in my stomach, and I shake my head. “That’s not even remotely the same thing.”
He grips my chin, turning my gaze to him. “We can leave. We can move across the country. Hell, we can move countries.”
I look at him, my heart pounding. There’s a little voice in my head telling me to say yes. Telling me to drop everything
that seems right, so that I can do what I want.
I cup the side of his face, the urge to kiss him burning through me. “I can’t.”
He pulls away from my touch. “Then the wedding is happening.”
He takes a sip of his water, and we eat our food in silence