Page 147 of When The Night Falls

Colour drained from my face as I turned my head and saw Aaron delve his hands in his pockets. When he was about to move forward, my hand acted of its own accord and reached out to stop him.

What was I supposed to do now? I couldn’t just kick him out without further ado. But I feared that if William saw him, he could get the wrong impression, and how was I supposed to make him believe my innocence? I had texted him that I was too tired to meet – I hadn’t said anything about Aaron. What if he assumed the worst? It definitely looked like I had lied because I intended to sleep with Aaron tonight.

Was this why he hadn’t replied to my text? Because he knew he would see me when, or if, I got home?

Shit. Another clusterfuck. I wanted to hide in my room and never come out.

‘What’s the matter?’ Aaron asked and glanced at my hand on his arm.

My heart was running at a hundred miles per hour. How would I tackle this?

‘I...’ I couldn’t bring myself to say anything coherent. I was too shocked. Why hadn’t Jason informed me? Had he thought I would be home later than this?

‘Cara, you’re acting strange.’

‘Sorry, I’m just surprised. I thought we’d be alone.’ My voice sounded anxious even to my own ears.

Aaron’s eyebrows knitted with confusion. ‘I don’t see the problem.’ He shrugged his arm out of my hold and moved toward the living room.

Oh no. This was not going to end well. I could feel it in my bones.

I rushed after him and grabbed his arm once more, but just when I was about to speak, somebody exited the bathroom. A tall figure entered my peripheral vision, and I saw it freeze after a single pace. I turned toward them, barely hearing the music above my own heartbeat anymore.

Halfway out the door stood William, and he was staring disbelievingly at Aaron.

I wanted to cry. From the look of him, it was obvious that he had the wrong impression, and I was desperate to correct it. That was the only reason I didn’t immediately seek shelter in my room.

‘Hi,’ Aaron greeted him.

William nodded back, but not a word escaped his lips. His eyes flickered in my direction then, and my heart skipped a beat.

I couldn’t hold his gaze. There was so much hurt in it.

Fixing my eyes on the floor, I tried to think of a way out of this mess, but my panic was clouding my thoughts, and the alcohol in my system only made it worse.

‘It’s been a while,’ Aaron said, ‘but it’s Will, right?’

‘It is. And you’re . . . Aaron?’

‘Yeah.’

I felt William’s subsequent glare upon my figure. I barely managed to glance at him. His jaw was clenched. He was seething.

‘Would you mind giving me a minute alone with Cara?’ he asked. ‘I need to have a word with her.’

I was on the brink of bursting into sobs. As I peeked up at Aaron, his kind brown eyes stared back at me, full of confusion.

I gulped down a lump in my throat. ‘Just give us a minute, please.’

His eyes narrowed and he looked briefly at William. Without a word, he gave me a nod and walked down the corridor, past William’s rigid figure. Just as they overlapped, I saw them exchange a vigilant glance.

As soon as Aaron was out of sight, William turned toward me.

‘What the fuck is this?’

My face contorted. ‘I’m so sorry. I wasn’t aware you’d be here.’

He moved closer, and I tensed. As he stopped in front of me, he bowed his head and glowered down at me. I stared nervously at his chest.

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