“It’s all starting to make sense. The store.” Our movie day. I almost slapped my hand to my forehead. “I came to your apartment—”
His stare bore into me. “When?”
“A few days after you ran out on me. I was worried about you and stopped by to see you. You hadn’t called or texted…” I trailed off. “We talked and watched movies.” I looked up at him. “That wasn’t you, was it?”
He stared at me. His shoulders fell, all of the fight leaving him. “I don’t remember that. I’m so sorry.”
Oh, my God. That explained so much. “Who was I with all day, Tyler?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
I looked away. I wasn’t sure how to feel about all of this.
“I told my therapist about you. That you were in my life. And I’m really hoping that’s not going to change.”
I stared down into my tea, lost in my own thoughts. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.
“I get it. It’s a lot to take on.”
The careful control he kept to his voice tore at me. “What happened to you?” I cried softly. “To cause this?” The fact that it was real, I had no doubt. I’d met one, maybe two, of his alters. I knew I had. That was why the connection between us wasn’t there, the raw need. Because it wasn’t fucking him.
“I’m not sure. Willow says I was born in a country at war. Apparently, my biological parents were both killed there. When I was brought here, I had sustained some kind of injuries.” He rubbed his forehead again. “I need to call my parents and ask them, I guess.”
“You haven’t talked to them?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.” His eyes pleaded with me as he reached for my hand.
I caught myself right before I pulled it away.
“Look. Don’t say yes or no. Not yet. Just, I don’t know, spend some time with me. With us.” He laughed, a short, sharp sound. “That sounds so fucking weird.” He sobered again. “Stay for a while, Ailee. And then you can decide.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “If it’s too much for you, I completely get it, and I’ll totally back off. But”—he scooted his chair closer to me and brushed my hair back away from my face—“I really hope you find out you like having a bunch of new friends all in one hot body.” His lips twitched in a tentative smile.
I tried to return it, but couldn’t quite manage it.
He swallowed hard. “What do you think?”
I honestly didn’t know. “What does your therapist think about this? About…us?”
CHAPTER17
Tyler
My therapist thought I was fucking crazy.
Or on the verge of a major breakthrough. She couldn’t quite decide.
But there was just no way in hell I was giving Ailee up, not if she would stay. At this moment, however, as I stared at her stricken face, I hated myself. I fucking hated myself.
But it wasn’t going to stop me. “You know, if I wasn’t such a selfish asshole, I would let you go. Maybe not tell you any of this and just let you think you were right all along about me. I’m too young, you’re not ready, and whatever the hell else was going through your head when I first let you know how I felt about you. But I’m not that guy, ‘lee. I’m not a good guy. And I don’t…Ican’t…picture the rest of my fucking life without you in it. So, if you’ll let me, I’m all for dragging you right into this shit with me.” I cupped her face and touched my forehead to hers. The sweet scent of her surrounded me, my hands blocked out the rest of the world, and there was only the two of us. “Stay with me, Ailee. Please. Stay.”
She leaned toward me, and my heart soared as the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. I could do this. With her. With my sister. I could learn to live with this fucked up hand life had dealt me.
It all came crashing down around me when she pulled away. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she shook her head. “I can’t, Tyler. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But I can’t.”
I sat back in my chair. This wasn’t fucking happening. I reached for her again. “Ailee—”
She stood up fast, putting the table between us. “No, Tyler. Don’t.”
“Ailee—”
