Page 33 of Rectify

“I’m not feeling too hungry.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed as he walked over and sat beside her.

“So you weren’t just avoiding me?” he asked.

She had been, but she didn’t want to admit it.

“Natalya.” His voice was firm but kind. “Look at me, Lovely.”

She raised her gaze to meet his piercing blue one. God, he was gorgeous. Breathtaking. How had she ever attracted him? He could have any woman he wanted, yet she’d practically and stupidly thrown herself at him.

And been rejected.

No less than you deserve.

A thoughtful look entered his gaze. “Why do you think I walked away from you this morning?”

“Do we have to talk about this now?” she whispered.

“You’ve got a lot on your mind, and this isn’t the best time to discuss this,” he agreed. “But I don’t want you avoiding me, Natalya. Why do you think I walked away?”

She shrugged. “I deserved it, didn’t I?”

He swore vehemently. “I wasn’t punishing you, Natalya.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you were.” She couldn’t hide the sob in her voice.

Aedan pulled her against him. “Well, if I was punishing you, I was also punishing myself. Painfully.”

She snorted.

“I want you, Natalya. It’s like my body woke up as soon as you walked into that room the other night. I thought that if I ever saw you again, I would be cool, distant, and polite. Instead, all those old emotions I thought I’d worked my way through returned. I was mad. Angry that you didn’t come to me for help, that you’d tried to protect me without giving me the same option. And I was mad because I still wanted you. That hasn’t died. At all.”

“Youwereangry? Does that mean you’re not angry anymore?”

“I want to forgive you, which means letting go of the anger. But it’s hard and I’m not quite there yet. And I’m not sure I can trust everything you say.”

A stab of pain took her breath away. “Aedan, I’m not lying about any of this. I’ve never lied to you.”

“I didn’t mean that you were lying. Just that broken trust isn’t easily repaired. You can understand that, right?”

She guessed she could. She would never trust her brother again. Christ, had she done the same thing to Aedan? But she’d had good intentions and had never lied to him.

“I understand why you did what you did,” he told her. “I don’t agree with it, but I understand it. Also, I still think you’rethe most beautiful, amazing woman I’ve ever met.” He stood and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat.”

Natalya slipped her hand into his. It felt so right, being here with him. He might not trust her, but he still cared about her. That was something. She would just have to earn his trust again.

Aedan placeda sandwich on the counter before her, giving her a firm look as she wrinkled her nose. With a loud sigh that made him smile, she picked it up and started nibbling on it. He didn’t care how slowly she ate as long as she did.

“Do you get a feeling? About Mateo?” she asked him.

With a frown of confusion, he pondered over what she meant. Then it hit him.

“My intuition doesn’t really work that way,” he told her. “Sometimes I get a feeling about things; other times, nothing. Rogan nearly died a while back and I never had an inkling he was in danger. But the other day, I just knew that my driver shouldn’t take the I-10, and sure enough, there was a three-car pile-up and casualties. I have no control over it, unfortunately.”

“So you haven’t had a feeling about whether Mateo is alive?” Her eyes were too wide in her pinched, ashen face.

“No, Lovely. I don’t know.” It was kind of a relief to have no inkling. The last thing he’d want to do was to have to tell her he thought her son was gone.

“Okay,” she whispered sadly.

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