Free Deception by Kelly Carrero Page A

with you, can you?” He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. He rested his chin against the top of my head. “She’s okay, he hasn’t done anything to her.”
    “I know. But I’m not leaving her alone, and I don’t want her hearing about what happened. I don’t want her to have to worry about something else on top of her mum, and Ben…” I turned around and buried my face in his chest.
    “Don’t ever think this is your fault.” He rubbed my back.
    “How can I not think it’s my fault, ’cause it is. It is my fault.” I started to sob quietly. “If it wasn’t for me, none of this would be happening. Ben would still be alive. Marie wouldn’t be in hospital. And you… You’d be safer if I wasn’t in your life.” I choked on my words even though I wasn’t actually speaking them.
    He pulled back and tilted my chin with his finger so I had to look into his eyes. “Don’t you ever say that. Don’t you ever even think that. You are my life, and I’m never going to be anywhere but by your side.”
    Tears slipped from my eyes, and Aiden brushed them away with his thumbs. “Look, we’re in this together, and there is no place I’d rather be. Okay?”
    “You guys are friggin’ weird,” Chelsea said, interrupting our silent conversation.
    I quickly wiped away the rest of my tears before turning to her. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you.”
    Chelsea yawned. “So, what were you guys doing here?” she asked, rubbing her eyes. “You better not have been watching me sleep, ’cause that’s a little creepy.” She didn’t know the half of it.
    “No, Chels,” Aiden said with a laugh. “We were just coming to tell you Lucas asked us to ask you if you’re still up for Disneyland?”
    “Say what?” I said silently to Aiden at the same time as Chelsea jumped out of bed.
    “Are you serious?” she asked.
    “Come on, it’s the perfect solution to keeping her safe while giving us some time to process what has just happened,” Aiden said.
    Knowing Aiden was right didn’t make letting her out of my sight any easier, but it was for the best. Putting a big smile on my face, I slowly turned to Chelsea. “Yes, we’re serious.”
    “Oh, my God. I can’t believe it. I’m going to Disneyland,” she squealed as she did a little happy dance beside us as if she were ten, not eighteen. “This is so awesome. You guys are coming, right?”
    I shook my head.
    “Nope, sorry,” Aiden said before I had a chance to open my mouth. “I’ve finally managed to convince Jade to go talk to her mum—”
    “Say what?”
    Ignoring me, Aiden continued, “We thought you’d much rather go have some fun with Lucas than have to listen to the two of them trying to work things out.”
    “I would, but…” The smile on her face dropped. “I can come with you if you want my support. You know, someone who isn’t afraid to stand by you and tell your mum when she’s full of it,” she said, giving Aiden the evils. She was thinking about how he had tried to make me listen to what my mum had to say instead of being pissed at her for lying to me.
    Thankful I had such a great friend, I pulled Chelsea into a hug. I didn’t know what I would do without her, and that was a big part of the reason I was so hesitant to let her go with Lucas. But she deserved to have fun. She certainly didn’t deserve to be caught up in all my mess.
    Keeping one arm around her shoulders, I stepped to her side. “Nah, you go and have fun. I’m sure Aiden will be a lot more supportive this time, won’t you, Aiden?”
    “Yep. I’ll be all Team Jade.” Aiden flicked his wrists in a pathetic attempt at a cheer.
    “See?” I said, turning to Chelsea. “We’ve got it covered.”
    She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say any more.
    ***
    Right after we left Chelsea in her bedroom to get changed, Aiden called Lucas to fill him in on where he was supposed to be going as we walked downstairs to the lounge room.