Page 32 of Sick Little Devotion

I glance over my shoulder at him. “I’m not a nerd.”

“I don’t mean it like that,” he shoots back, a smile on his face. “I just mean, like… I don’t know how to explain it, really. The smallest things in life seem to make you happy. I knew the big house, the fancy cars, and the house staff wouldn’t reach you as much as this place. I knew this place would make you smile.” His eyes hold mine so intently that I have to look away.

Why does he still seem to know me so well? Is it because I haven’t changed in all these years?

Or is it because Aiden and I are the same soul, torn into two?

I bite down on my lip, my gaze dropping back to the tiny frog on my boot. I reach down quickly and scoop it up into my hands, wanting a chance to admire it up close. Carefully, I lift my hand, just enough to get a peek. I smile at just how small it is.

“It’s so cute,” I murmur, and suddenly, I catch my breath, as I feel Aiden right beside me. I jerk my head up at him, a streak of panic mixed with excitement thrumming through me.

“I just want to see,” he says quietly. I nod, tilting my hands to show him. He peers down and smiles. “It’s tiny.”

“I know,” I chime. “But I guess I should let him go.”

“You could keep it as a pet?”

“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t think the answer to everything we admire is to lock it up and keep it for ourselves.”

He leans away from me, his eyes suddenly darkening. “I see.”

I swallow hard and then let the frog go, watching it swim through the clear waters. “He’s happier being free.”

“He’s still confined to this pond. He’ll never leave it.”

I glance over at Aiden, not sure if this conversation is a metaphorical one. “I don’t know. He’s just a frog. I’m sure this pond is plenty big.”

Aiden smiles. “Yeah, just like this house. Let’s get back.”

Ouch. Moment ruined.

After we get back to the house, Aiden takes off for the day, telling me he won’t be back until late that night but there’s food for me in the fridge. It leaves me with some much-needed alone time. As I explore the house, I realize most of the doors are locked from the outside. I’m not sure if something I said upset him, or if he’s truly just a busy man. Regardless, I try to push everything away as I lose myself in the movies and books that I find in the bedroom.

Evening rolls around, and sure enough, Aiden is still not back. I crawl into bed feeling surprisingly disappointed. Did he take me out into the woods just to give me a glimpse of what it could be like? It feels as though I am in prison, and he merely gifted me with some outdoor recreation.

But now, I find myself longing for more of it.

Chapter Fifteen

SAHARA

My mouth feels dry when I wake up. The sun is streaming through the window. I don’t have to look at a clock to know that it’s already afternoon. I’ve slept all fucking day—all the while my family is probably wondering what happened to me. Or what happened to Ron. My stomach lurches at that.

Why won’t he let me just call my mom? Or at least have my cell phone?

I squeeze my eyes shut and roll over toward the place where Aiden should be, even though I can already sense his absence. He’s not there. My heart jumps into my throat, my brain filling with the thought of running away again. But truthfully, I know it won’t work.

After Aiden went silent on me, I couldn’t help but want to stay around to solve the puzzle he’s created. Was I not good enough for him in the woods the other night? My eyes flick back open at the thought, and I shove myself upward. The cuts are still sore on my legs, but none are bad enough to require bandages.

Sighing, I flip the covers back and head for the closet. I have on pajamas that Aiden had bought for me, and while I might be touched by the sentiment, I don’t really feel it at the moment. I flip through the clothes on the rail and pull on a sweater and a light-washed pair of jeans. I don’t know what the temperature is like outside, but I feel cold internally. And that’s enough to warrant a sweater.

I pull my hair up into a ponytail and head out of the room, my bare feet padding silently across the floors of the hallway. I don’t know where Aiden is. I don’t even know what he does for work other than he runs a business. The thought of Aiden doing such a thing is surprising to me, but it makes sense. He was always smart—he just never applied himself.

“Good afternoon,” a voice startles me as I arrive in the living room. “Mr. Hewitt told me you might sleep late, so when I heard you moving around upstairs, I made you a late brunch.” A slender, gray-headed, woman smiles at me while I stand there awkwardly, taking in the sight of her holding a tray of fruit, toast, and what looks to be a parfait.

“Um…”

“I’ll just set the tray on the coffee table. I’m , by the way. I’m here Monday through Friday, cooking and cleaning—you know, just a regular maid,” she adds with a laugh and smile. “Mr. Hewitt rarely makes a mess around here, but I think he enjoys my cooking.”