Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina) novel Chapter 72

Same Soul

1 scream.

Zaid grunts and the sound of the punch echoes through the room. I watch in horror as Zaid stumbles back with his hand clutching his nose.

“Aiden!” I yell, turning to him.

He shakes his hand, face twisting in pain. Still, he looks at Zaid with rage in his pretty

eyes.

Zaid straightens, and the world spins around me the moment his intentions register on his face. He drops his hand, blood dripping from his nose. He tightens his fingers into fists, his jaw tight.

“Don’t!” I step between them, my hands up, palms against Zaid’s chest.

My heart is pounding, a wild rhythm in my chest. Aiden is breathing heavy behind me, but I can’t see the expression on his face.

I keep my eyes on Zaid. “Please, don’t.”

Zaid’s gaze meets mine, and something shifts in his expression. His fists unclench slowly, and he exhales sharply through his nose, his posture relaxing, but only just.

I turn to Aiden, my chest heaving as I shake my head. “What the fuck was that?”

He shakes his head, his shoulders rising and falling, and then his eyes shift to me, desperate, wild. “Alina, I’m sorry. I–he’s lying. You know he’s lying, right?”

The sound of his voice cracking makes me flinch, but I don’t respond. I can’t.

I don’t think Zaid is lying.

“He’s trying to ruin everything,” Aiden grunts, stepping toward me, his hand still cradling the one he used to punch Zaid.

I take a step away from him, and it makes him pause, hurt flashing across his face.

“My future. It depends on you keeping this secret. Please, just come talk to me. We can fix

Same Soul

this.” He’s begging at this point, tears in his eyes and lips trembling.

His words hang in the air, suffocating me. The weight of them presses against my chest. His future. Not mine. Not Zaid’s. Not anyone else’s. Just his.

I shake my head, my voice barely above a whisper. “Not tonight, Aiden. Tomorrow. We’ll

talk tomorrow.”

I need time to clear my head, to let the adrenaline wear off.

To think about what the fuck I am doing and get my shit together.

Aiden’s face falls, his eyes glassy with something I can’t name. Is it fear? Guilt? Rage? He glances at Zaid, his expression hardening.

“This isn’t over,” he mutters, before turning and walking away.

I stand frozen, trying to steady my breathing. The silence feels like it’s alive, pushing down on me, thick and suffocating. Finally, I find the strength to move, my legs shaky as I

head to the kitchen.

Zaid doesn’t follow, but I know he’s still standing there.

I dig through the cupboards and grab a rag, filling it with ice, my hands trembling as I make my way back. He’s leaning against the wall, his posture tense, but he doesn’t look at

1. me.

His eyes are glued to the floor, watching as the blood drips from his face and falls to the

ground.

He stays like that until I stop in front of him.

“Come on,” I say, my voice soft now.

He hesitates, but then he follows me to the living room. I gesture for him to sit, and he

I wipe most of the blood and look at the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t think it’s broken,” I say quietly, pressing the ice against it.

He hisses, his hand shooting up to take the ice from me.

“I’m still Aiden’s girlfriend,” I whisper, my voice shaky, unsure, quick.

He frowns, his eyes searching mine. “It didn’t bother you before.”

I can’t exactly break up with Aiden and then date his brother. That would be the worst possible thing. I could do. And Aiden is one of the few things keeping Jake at a distance.