Page 61 of The Photograph

Anger brings out the green of her eyes while her fists curl by her sides. “I owe you nothing. Get out of my house.”

When she turns away, I catch the back of her arm. She yanks her arm out and spins back to me. “Get your hands off of me.”

Stepping back with both my palms up, I shove my fists in my pockets. “Why did you do it, Aelin?”

“That stopped being any of your business the day you made me sign that evil contract. Now, Get. Out. Of. My. House.”

You little…“What did Michael ever see in you?”

At the mention of my brother’s name something soft fleets in her expression which makes my jaw clench while she narrows her eyes. “Why don’t you go ask him?”

And have him fall for you again?“Tell me why, then I’ll leave.”

Her gaze is cold.There she is. The real Aelin Thorne.“You leave, or I call the police. Or do you also own the police inyourcity?”

When she turns away, my rage bursts out. “Fucking tell me why!”

She stops, her back to me for a couple of seconds then pivots slowly to face me. Her fists tight by her side, she glares at me. “You want to know why?”

My jaw clenches to breaking point. I nod.

“I lost my baby.” She jabs her index finger on her chest. “…My. Baby. Because on my twelfth birthday, the man who adopted me decided I was ready to have sex with him. When I refused and told him I was going to tell, he pinned me down to my bed, put one hand on my mouth and raped me with his fist.”

Her words hit my plexus and I let out a sharp exhale. I can see the truth in her eyes.

“Ael—”

“When I told his wife, the woman I called Mom, that he hurt me, she slapped me for being a liar. She didn’t take me to a hospital because an ungrateful little whore like me needed to be taught a lesson about loyalty and family.”

Blood drains from my face and I reel back.Fuck. Aelin.

Without taking a breath, the words flood out of her. “By the time someone believed me and took me to a doctor, I’d had an infection and the scarring was so severe, I was told I’d never be able to get pregnant. I was thirteen years old.”

No.I freeze while her gaze, swamped in pain, holds mine. “There was no blood on your condom because I’d bled enough that day—”

Aelin. Fuck.“Aelin—”

“So, I’m going to tell you what I said to my pathetic excuse of a father since you both seem to agree on who I am…” Her voice lowers. “…I am not. And will never be your little whore. Now. Get out of my house.”

Sucker punched by the agony in her eyes, I reach for her. “Fuck. Aelin, I…”

She jumps back. “Don’t touch me.”

I stop dead in my tracks. Her fists curl on her chest and there’s fear in her eyes as she looks at me. As if I’m going to hurt her. Like I’m… I swallow hard.

Her voice breaks, and tears drown her pale face. She clutches her belly and lets out a pained whimper.She’s hurting. She’s… “Please, leave me alone. Go away … please.”

I stagger toward the back door as her wrenching sobs echo in the empty house and explode in my brain.

In my car, unable to move, pinned in place by rage and guilt, I slam the back of my head to the seat and shut my eyes.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Chapter Thirteen

Aelin

The shrilling sound of my new cell—the other one was covered in blood— wakes me up, and I growl. It’s barely 8:00 in the morning.Who would be that rude?

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