Love Novel 57

My chest is heaving as I look at him.
His lips are wet from the kiss, and his eyes are wide, crazy.
“That was more than a kiss,” I whisper, pressing my fingers to my lips and fixing the skirt of my dress.
His eyes devour me, taking in my lips and then the rest of my body. He nods.
I lick my lips, looking to the window where the light from the party is coming into the room. “We should probably go
back-”
“If you weren’t with Aiden, would you be with me?” Zaid interrupts.
My head snaps toward him, shock suddenly replacing the buzz that was warming me from head to toes. “What?”
He leans toward me, crawling over me until I’m flat on my back and he settles himself between my legs. My entire body
lights up and I struggle to breathe.
His eyes drop to my lips and his hips thrust into mine. I can feel his erection, thick and hard. My throat catches as primal
want pools in my stomach.
Fuck, he’s making me feel things I never wanted him to.
“Zaid,” I whisper, not wanting to hurt him.
He flinches. “I’m not good enough?”
I shake my head. He doesn’t even know the half of it. I don’t think highly of him, but there are so many other factors.
There’s Jake, this sham of a wedding, and yes, Aiden.
I whisper, “It’s not that. But I am with Aiden. There’s no point to this conversation-”
He pulls away quickly and we sit in front of each other, the silence now painful.
The seconds pass by and Zaid shift as if he is getting ready to leave, but I reach for him and grab his wrist. He stops and
looks at me, his dark eyes melting into me.
I should feel nervous. Vulnerable. But I’m not. I’m just determined at this point.
I let him go and fold my arms across my chest, meeting his gaze head-on. “I gave you what you wanted.”
He swallows, watching me.
“Now it’s your turn. Tell me,” I say, my voice steady despite the tension humming in my veins.
His shoulders stiffen, and for a moment, I think he might refuse. His lips press into a hard line, his jaw clenching. He turns
his head, looking out the window, his eyes glazing over.
Could this secret really be so terrible?
“Zaid.” I reach for him, putting my hand over his.
He looks down, frowning, at where our hands touch and he silently starts to rub circles on my palm.
“Please.”
He lets out a slow exhale. “It’s difficult for me to talk about.”
I tighten my hold on his hand, staring at him as my chest tightens. “I think you’ve been carrying it for too long. It’s eating
you alive. Maybe you need to talk about it. Maybe this is more about you getting something off your chest than me
wanting this secret from you.”
He looks away, and we sit in the silence. I give him the time to catch his breath, to put together his thoughts so that he
can say what it is he needs to say.
Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you’re on 𝗻𝚘𝑣𝘦𝕃5s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a
click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!
“It wasn’t me,” he whispers finally, the words clipped and bitter.
I blink, thrown off. “What?”
“It wasn’t me who was street racing like an idiot,” he snaps, his voice rising with frustration.
Something cold and sour spreads through my chest. “Wait. Isn’t that why you went to juvie?”
His fingers dig into my skin, but I don’t pull away. “Yeah.”
It’s like a slap top the face, and I shake my head, trying to process. “But… you were the one who got arrested.”
He turns to face me. “Because I took the blame. Because someone had to, and it couldn’t be him.”
I take a step back, my mind spinning. “What are you talking about?”
His eyes blaze with anger and something raw and vulnerable. “Do you know what it’s like, Alina? To carry someone else’s mess, to have your entire life derailed because you had to protect someone? Do you know what that does to you?”
I stare at him, my throat tight. “I… I don’t understand.”
Zaid laughs, but it’s a harsh, hollow sound. “Of course, you don’t. No one does. Everyone just sees me as the screw-up,
the reckless one. The guy who ruined his own future.”
“Zaid-”
“So, why would I try to fix it when it’s already broken?” His voice sounds so sad, so destroyed.
He takes a deep breath, and he pulls his hand from mine, balling it into a fist. “I was already injured, love. I wasn’t going
to play ball again. Not like before.”
Pain crosses his face and I had to grip the fabric of my dress to stop myself from reaching for him.
“But him? He could still go to school, get a scholarship, make something of myself. He had everything ahead of him. He
was the captain of the team, the golden boy. So, yeah, I took the blame. Because I had to.”
My heart pounds in my chest as his words sink in, each one hitting harder than the last. My vision blurs, my head
spinning. “Zaid,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Who… who were you protecting?”
He looks at me, and the anger in his eyes softens, replaced by a deep, aching pain. “You already know.”
The room feels like it’s tilting. “Aiden?”
He nods. The motion is small but heavy.
The air rushes out of my lungs, and I just stare at him, my mind struggling to keep up.
Aiden. 
My Aiden.
The one who seemed so perfect, so untouchable.
Zaid watches me, his expression guarded, like he’s bracing for whatever I’m about to say. But I can’t say anything. I can’t
do anything but feel shock and disbelief.
My heart aches and my chest twists when I look at him and see the weight he’s been carrying alone.
I open my mouth, but no words come out. All I can do is stand and leave