Page 98 of Muse (Fighting Fate)

“Yeah, thanks,” Aiden said, anger still audible.

I shook my head. “Nah. I’m good.”

I watched Kaeli slip from the room before slumping back on the lounge. “I knew that chick was going to be trouble.”

“She’d wanna fucking hope she doesn’t cross my path for a really long fucking time,” Aiden growled, looking ready to rip someone’s head off.

We sat there in silence for a while, trying to let the news sink in. It was a difficult thing to swallow. Mia was the sweetest, most loving person I knew. It was almost impossible to think anyone could hate her so much.

The door to the waiting room opened and Lillian stepped inside, her eyes immediately pinned to us as she closed the door behind her. The look on her face had me instantly on edge. Aiden must’ve seen it too because I felt him tense beside me.

She came forward and took the seat across from us, giving each of us a worried look before speaking. “She’s awake.”

The relief I felt was smothered by the constant worried look on Lillian’s face.

“Is she okay?” Aiden demanded.

“She’s good. Fine.” She swallowed. “She’s a little confused. She’s having trouble remembering some things…”

I nodded. That sounded normal. Right?

“The doctor says that’s normal for her type of injury, and the missing pieces should come back when she’s had time to recover.”

“Okay, good. So other than that, she’s okay?”

I heard Aiden’s question, but the worried look on Lillian’s face had me feeling uneasy.

She sighed, fiddling her fingers nervously. When she looked up and met my gaze, my breath froze. “Jace…”

I didn’t know what she was going to say, but I instantly wanted to tell her not to say it.

“Jace…she doesn’t remember being with you…”

Her words hit me like a brick. I felt the shock go through me Felt it shutting my brain down to protect me from the hurt. She didn’t remember being with me? How was that possible? I closed my eyes as though that would somehow take the pain away, then dropped my head into my hands.

I felt Aiden slump back in his seat. “Fuck.”

I’d been preparing myself for different scenarios when she woke up, but this hadn’t been one of them. How could it have? It was a fucking nightmare. Everything we’d gone throug

h, everything we’d shared. Wiped from existence like it’d never happened. How was I supposed to deal with that? How was I supposed to accept it?

“Can I see her?” I asked. I didn’t even recognize my voice. It was broken and full of pain.

“She needs time, Jace. It’ll work out. You just have to give her time.”

She hadn’t answered my question. I looked up to meet her gaze, asking with my eyes.

“She can’t, sweetie. She’s not ready to face you yet.”

Aiden groaned and let his head fall back on the lounge, his eyes scanning the ceiling as he ran his hands over his head.

I thought I’d felt despair before. But I was wrong. I hadn’t known it before this moment. What was I supposed to do with this? Where did I go from here? My new found reason for living didn’t know me – not like I needed her to.

My chest ached. It hurt so fucking much.

“Aiden, she wants to see you though. She’s pretty distressed right now. Try not to talk about things she can’t remember unless she wants to, okay? That’s what Dr. Sanders has recommended.”

A lump grew in my throat. I felt Aiden watching me. I knew he was torn between going to see Mia and being there for me. I could feel his worry, but I couldn’t ease his concerns. My whole world had just tilted on its axis, and I was now upside down.

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