Aria

It’s all bullshit.

Every single word that comes out of Theo’s mouth is absolute, infuriating bullshit.

Five minutes ago, we were actually talking. Really talking. Not the awkward sympathy conversations everyone in town keeps trying to have with me. Not the careful, tiptoeing exchanges people use when they’re afraid you might break.

It was normal.

And for one stupid, fragile moment, I thought…

I don’t even know what I thought.

Maybe Liam’s world wasn’t completely closed to me.

Maybe someone in this strange, secretive group actually saw me as more than just Liam’s unwanted sister.

Then Theo flipped the asshole switch.

I curl my fingers to deny myself the growing need to pull his stupid manbun out of his hair.

You have to leave.

The words echo in my head like a slap.

Now I’m staring at him across the small motel room, anger building in my chest like pressure in a shaken bottle.

“Excuse me?” I say.

Theo doesn’t move from where he’s leaning against the wall. Arms crossed. Expression carefully neutral.

“You heard me.”

My jaw tightens.

“Oh, I heard you,” I say sharply. “I just thought maybe I misunderstood.”

“You didn’t.”

The calm in his voice only makes me angrier.

Because he’s not yelling.

Masking his cruelty in a reasonable facade. Like he’s doing me some sort of favor by telling me what I should do in a situation like this.

His dark eyes hold mine. Stoney, unmovable.

And somehow that makes it worse.

“You can’t stay here, Aria,” he continues.

“Oh really?” I cross my arms, mirroring his posture. “And why exactly is that?”

He hesitates.

“Because you have a life, back in the city, and Liam has his. Everyone was doing just fine that way.”

I let out a sharp laugh.

“Right. Of course.”

He frowns slightly.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

I take a step closer, heat rising in my chest.

“You guys show up out of nowhere, act like you’re part of some secret club, interrogate me about how long I’m going to stay in my hometown, and now you’re telling me that what, my brother is better off without me?”

His jaw tightens.

“You’re not listening.”

“No,” I snap. “You’re not explaining.”

Silence stretches between us.

Theo sighs.

“Aria… you and Liam—”

He stops himself.

But it’s too late.

“What about Liam and me?” I demand.

His eyes harden.

“Your lives don’t fit together anymore, and it will only hurt you to pretend that it does. Some people…” he swallows and his adams apple bobs. “Some people are better to love from a distance.”

The words land like a punch to the gut.

For a second, I can’t breathe.

My voice comes out quieter than I expect. “That’s… a really shitty thing to say.”

Theo looks away for a moment.

Then back at me.

“It’s the truth.”

Anger explodes through me. “The truth?” I laugh bitterly. “You want to talk about truth?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Fine,” I continue, my voice rising. “Here’s a truth for you. The only reason Liam and I don’t ‘fit’ anymore is because of you and your psychopathic boys only cub. I dont know what you did to my brother, but one day he’s going to wake up from your brainwashing and realize that he threw away his family for…”

Theo’s brow furrows.

“What?”

“You,” I repeat. “You and your weird little group.”

His expression darkens.

“That’s not—”

“I don’t care,” I cut in.

His eyes flash.

“We didn’t do anything to Liam.”

“Oh, please. Say it for someone who hasn’t lived my life.”

Theo shakes his head.

“This isnt meant to hurt you. Maybe one day you’ll look back and see that, but right now your feelings dont matter. Only the truth.”

“Oh, I would love to hear what it is,” I snap. “If someone would actually tell it to me.”

He steps forward now, towering over me.

I notice just how small I am compared to him.

“We’re different, Aria.”

The words are quiet.

Serious.

“And that difference means your life and Liam’s life were never going to stay on the same path.”

I stare at him. Does he even hear himself when he speaks?

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You already have a life in the city,” he continues. “A good one. You should go back to it.”

My stomach twists.

“So you can all move on?” I ask coldly.

He doesn’t answer.

Which is answer enough.

My voice comes out sharp.

“Wow.”

The door opens behind us.

Liam walks back into the room.

His eyes flick between us immediately.

“What’s going on?”

I point at Theo.

“Your friend is an asshole.”

Theo exhales slowly.

Liam rubs the back of his neck.

“Aria—”

“No,” I cut him off. “You don’t get to smooth this over.”

The room feels suddenly too small.

Too full of things nobody will say.

Liam looks at Theo.

Then back at me.

“Ronan wants us to head out,” he says quietly. “We’re leaving.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

“Great.”

Silence stretches.

Then Liam says softly,

“Theo is just trying to look out for you.”

My anger spikes again.

“Look out for me?” I repeat. “By telling me I don’t belong in my own brother’s life?”

“That’s not what he said.”

“It’s exactly what he said.”

Liam sighs.

“You’re twisting his words.”

“No,” I say firmly. “I’m hearing them.”

My chest feels tight. The truth I’ve danced around shining in my face like cops flashing in the window of two randy teens in the back of a car at midnight.

“Is this it?” I ask suddenly.

Liam freezes.

“What?”

I swallow.

“Monday,” I say quietly. “After the lawyer meeting.”

His silence tells me everything.

But I push anyway.

“Is that the last day I’m supposed to expect to see you?”

Liam looks like I just stabbed him.

“Aria…”

He doesn’t answer.

That’s worse than if he had.

My throat burns.

He opens his mouth.