Page 99 of Hexed
Unprecedented.
Aria’s mouth drops. “Pardon? Howdareyou call me that? I’m your wife.”
I shove her feet off my lap and shoot to a stand. “Not yet, you’re not. JesusChrist, Aria. How could you bring him here? Don’t you know what he’s fucking done?”
Suspicion fills her irises. “Doyou?”
I grit my teeth, trying to calm down the hurricane of rage pummeling my insides. “You’re the one who told me he killed her mom.”
She watches me closely. “Like she’s an angel? It’s time for her to get some closure. I thought she’d be happy.”
Her big, round eyes look at me like she’s waving a white flag, only unlike every other time she’s done it, I don’t buy it for a second.
Honestly, I’m at a loss for words.
“We tried to get my uncle Frankie out here too,” she adds, glancing at me from the corner of her gaze.
Now it’smewho’s suspicious, something uneasy fluttering its wings at the nape of my neck, urging me to pay attention.
Alarm bells start screaming in my head, but it doesn’t make sense. There’s absolutely no way anyone would have known I was digging for information on him, least of all Trent. And definitely notAria.
The only person who knows is Gio, and it was only in text messages, and just his name and vague references to keeping an eye on Jersey.
I frown and look down at my pocket where my phone is.Impossible.
“Where’s he at, then?” I look around, trying to remain nonchalant, but I’m very,veryon edge right now.
She hums and watches me like she’s the one who’s trying to readme. “Couldn’t make it.”
“You said he’s in Jersey, yeah? Maybe we can invite him to the wedding.”
She smiles, her shoulders relaxing. “Yeah, maybe so.”
My eyes shoot back to where Venesa disappeared, my body scorching with the need to check on her. To support her. To have her back because I’m pretty confident no one else on this boat will.
But even if I did follow her, I’m not sure she’d want me there. Not after what I did by having Aria ask her to be a bridesmaid.
Stupid, Enzo.
I hoped…
Well, I guess it doesn’t matter what I hoped.
Venesa’s never been one who needed saving.
And I’m not her knight in shining armor.
TWENTY-FOUR
VENESA
In my entire life,I’ve never felt the level of rage that I do right now. It’s coursing through my body like hot black sludge so thick, my limbs are shaking from the weight.
There have been many times in my life when I’ve imagined hurting Aria.
When she kicked me while I was down on my first day of school.
When she instigated the rape that I still haven’t fully processed emotionally.
