The Secrets We Hide (The Four #2) - Becca Steele Page 0,13

things straight in his own head. “I-I think we should take a step back and re-evaluate things. Just be friends for now. Maybe it’s better if we just concentrate on getting to the bottom of whatever’s going on with my mother.”

His eyes flew open, and he looked at me, his expression shuttered. “If that’s what you want.”

“It’s not what I want, but if you can’t trust me, we can’t have anything real, or solid.” Somehow I managed to get the words out without my voice cracking, even though they broke me to say them. I’d thought he trusted me, especially since he’d told me about his mum, something that was personal and clearly still haunted him. Maybe he’d even thought he trusted me. I could deal with his possessiveness, and his jealousy, but now the incident with James had happened, and if he was doubting what I was telling him, then it proved just how fragile that trust was.

If he couldn’t trust me, then we couldn’t be together.

“Fuck.” He took a deep breath, bringing his hands up to cup my face. “Listen. I want you, but I can’t help the way I feel.” Clenching his jaw, he bit out, “I still feel fucking rage every time I think of his hands on you. You’ve got history together. Rationally, I know you’re not lying to me, but…” He trailed off and shrugged helplessly.

“Okay. I can’t do anything more to change your mind, you know that, right? You need to decide you can trust me.” I leaned forward, kissing him softly on the lips, trying so hard not to lose it, my vision clouding as my eyes filled with tears. “Friends, then? For now?”

“I…” He sighed, defeated. “I guess so, yeah.” His voice was low and unhappy. “Friends it is.” He ran his thumb lightly across my cheek, placed a kiss to the bruise that was still prominent on my cheekbone, then he got to his feet. “I’m sorry, Snowflake,” he gritted out, and then he was gone.

As soon as the door closed behind him, I breathed in and out deeply, counting under my breath, suppressing the misery that was trying to rise to the surface. I didn’t want to give anyone yet another reason to worry about my well-being.

And I still held out hope.

Hope that Caiden would realise that he could trust me. Maybe this would be the push he needed. Somehow, that broody man had worked his way under my skin, and I couldn’t give up on him. On us.

Weston sauntered into the room, took one look at my face, and his own face fell. “Do you need me to kick the shit out of my brother?”

I snorted, despite myself. “You think you could take him?”

“Easy.” He winked at me, then flopped down on the sofa and lifted his arm. “C’mere.” I curled into his side and relaxed against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, letting him soothe me. Kinslee joined us, sitting on my other side. She was quickly followed by Cassius, who grabbed the remote, and soon we were all engrossed in a movie. I felt safe here, in this secure house, with the Four and Kinslee. Right here, right now, I could pretend that everything was normal, that we were just friends spending time together, without any threats or danger hanging over us.

Tomorrow would come soon enough, but we’d face it. Together.

EIGHT

Not even three days later, and I’d temporarily moved into the Four’s house—into the guest room, to be exact. Not out of choice. If I’d thought it was bad when they were shadowing me everywhere before I really knew them, it was nothing compared to now. One of them accompanied me everywhere anytime I left the house.

They’d offered Kinslee a place to stay, too, but she was adamant that she’d be fine. I felt guilty, leaving her alone, but she’d brushed my concerns aside.

Still, I made sure that the hacked feed from the cameras facing her apartment building was monitored regularly, and Weston had installed his security app on her phone.

I was sitting with Weston in what I still called the “spy room,” playing with my shiny new phone. It had turned up in a box on my bed when I’d moved in. No note, but I had a feeling that Caiden may have been responsible. He hadn’t said anything, but I’d caught his pleased grin when he’d seen the phone in my hand, when we were all hanging out on the first night I’d stayed