Page 95 of Love and War

“Aziza,” Killian called from somewhere. I’m not entirely sure, not when my heart was beating so fast it was bound to rip out of my chest.

“Aziza.”

I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say. It wasn’t important. The only thing that mattered was the fact that she was going to hate me. I was going to lose my best friend.

“Aziza!” Killian stepped in front of me, his hands cupping my cheeks. “She’s not going to hate you; it’s going to be okay.”

I couldn’t shake my head with the grip he had on me. “You don’t understand, Killian.”

“Then tell me, moya Printsessa.” His voice was so soft, I couldn’t take it. A sob escaped my lips, thinking back to that day I found her. The day her whole family had been ripped away.

“Luca, those monsters. They tortured her, Killian.”

“Baby, I know this.”

“No, no, you know some. Killian, her brother Lee, had been stabbed. The morgue couldn’t even count how many. His face was completely… it wasn’t recognizable. Her sister, Emmy, she had been beaten and raped. She was found tied to the chair, her underwear shoved down her throat, not just in her mouth, literally shoved down her throat. Her mom had the worst of it, and I know Salem’s never talked about it, but she witnessed the whole thing. Killian, they raped her, beat her, and killed her unborn baby. All because Emily didn’t want to marry a monster. A monster who's my father.” At this point I could barely keep my eyes open from the amount of tears falling. “How can she forgive me, when I’m a part of him?”

“Aziza Amery!” Killian snapped.

“We’re not married, that’s not my last name,” I mumbled, wishing I had more conviction in my voice.

“As soon as they leave, we’re going down to the courthouse and getting married,” he declared, kissing my forehead before backing off. “Now come on, let's go.”

Then he walked out, leaving me stunned that he was so ready to tie his life to mine. Sure, I was pregnant with his baby, but marriage? That was a whole other story. One that I would have to deal with when they left if I wasn’t dead. Salem was bound to kill me after she found out the truth.

***

There were a few things I should’ve done when I walked out and saw not only Salem and Zane, but also Mila and Dimitri. Tobias smiled up at me from the couch, and my eyes teared up as I realized he was holding their newborn daughter. All eyes were on me, burning into my soul as I tried to gasp for breath. My heart was going to be ripped from my chest. I wasn’t sure I was even going to survive knowing that Salem, my best friend, was like a sister.

No, your father took her sister.

“Aziza?” Salem walked towards me, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even look at her anymore, just knowing.

“Don’t hate me, please just don’t hate me. I di–didn’t. I don’t, please.” I tripped over my words, crying again. “He’s my father.” A sob left my mouth. I knew I wasn’t making sense. I knew I was going to have to say his name, but none of this was easy.

“Who?” Salem calmly asked, once again trying to reach towards me.

“Luca! He’s my father,” I yelled, hiccupping as tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t look at anyone. It wasn’t as big of a deal that Luca hated me because I hated him just as much. But he was the reason my best friend's family was buried six feet in the ground.

I never met my biological mother. I just had Holly my whole life. I barely knew who Luca was except for the fact I hacked into his background and found who he really was. Besides a man-whore, who had three different baby momma’s, on top of four children, he also had killed all those women, including my mother. I just could never find out who it was.

“I know.” Salem sighed. Jerking my head up, I hadn’t realized she was standing so close. She pulled me into a hug, wrapping her strong arms around me. “I know, and I’m not mad.”

I cried even harder at her words. How could she not be mad? I came from a monster. I was a terrible friend, hiding things from her.I hated myself. I could hate me for the both of us.

“Aziza, I don’t hate you.” Cringing, I hadn’t realized I said those words out loud. No one needed to know the thoughts inside my head. “I’ve known for a while. I don’t hate you, I’m not mad. You’re not the one who took them from me, it’s not your fault.” She hugged me even tighter.

“How can you not hate me?” My voice shook. My knees gave out, causing us both to fall to the ground. But Salem didn’t back away. Instead, her arms dragged me closer to her. Grabbing my face in her hands, she brought our faces so close together I could barely breathe.

“Aziza Iris Amery.”

My breath hitched at the mention of Killian’s last name. What was it with people thinking we were already married? We weren’t.

“Oh yes, honey, that man is going to marry you. Your last name is going to be his, and if he ever hurts you, I’ll kill him. You’re going to have many babies with him, I’m going to be the best goddamn aunt out there. You’re going to have a wonderful life, and you’re going to forget about him. He’s not important anymore.” But she didn’t understand. My father was the reason hers was gone. How could she even look at me?

“Salem, I—”

“No.” Shaking her head, she gripped my face harder making me wince. “Luca is a dead man, but he doesn’t control my life anymore. I have wonderful friends, no, I have a family now. Yes, I will always miss them, but what’s done is done. They’re not coming back, but I have you guys. I have you, my best friend, my sister. I have Tobias, who’s so much like a little brother. Zane, the love of my life, who loves me for being the way I am and Aziza?”

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