Page 25 of Tainted Rose

That gets my attention because if I know Aria—and I do—she sounds like she’s frustrated with herself.

She sits up, turning so she fully faces me. “I came over for a reason tonight, but I wasn’t sure how to bring it up.” She glances down at her hands, which are knotted in her lap.

I slide to a sitting position and lean back against my headboard. Eyeing her warily, I wait her out.

“I have something… something you need to see. I-I was going to send it out to the school to try to shake Scarlett, but it sounds like you wouldn’t want me to do that at this point. I—”

“Aria you never stumble over words like this. Would you just tell me? Or show me whatever the hell it is that you have?”

“I have to go get it.” She takes a deep, steadying breath. “It might be related to that photo you found.”

“Go. Go get whatever it is.”

Aria scrambles off the bed, then stands at the edge of it for a second, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though, okay?”

“Understood.” I make a shooing motion at her, and she leaves the room.

My mind is a twisted, fucked-up mess. What the hell could Aria have possibly found? It’s obviously big if she’s nervous about showing me.

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