Page 115 of Veiled

“Great, now that I'm not walking around with eyeliner running down my freaking face,” I whisper. “Something my boyfriend didn't bother to tell me before I rejoined proper society.”

I can feel his body bounce with silent laughter beside me. He would think people knowing what we were up to is funny.

“Aiden!”

He snaps up, and I come up empty, not recognizing the voice or the beautiful blonde with long model legs who is now standing in front of us.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” She pulls him into a tight hug, clearly comfortable with their bodies pressing together. “It's so good to see you.”

“Hey, I didn't know you would be here tonight!” Aiden finally says with all the joy of seeing a long-lost friend.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw you up on stage, top of your classes. But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised, you always were the best at everything.” Her voice turns dangerously flirty, and I cough on the taste of her boldness with me standing right here. Clearly, if she saw him on stage, she heard him call me his damn fiancée.

Am I really owning that? Yup. Because, right now, fuck her and her audacity.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you standing there,” she croons before extending her hand to take mine. “I’m Olivia, an old friend of Aiden’s, maybe even his first.”

She’s saying the word friend, but her tone tells an entirely different story. And as she bats her fake lashes, I’d like nothing more than to knock them off her face. But I’ve been playing political games my whole life, so instead, I smile brightly and take her hand.

“Oh, Olivia, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Annalise, Aiden’s fiancée.”

Her head whips to him, “Fiancée, wow. I mean, congratulations.” She then glances back at me, “Such a lucky woman.”

“Olivia,” Aiden cuts in, “What are you doing here? Are you here with someone?” He asks as he looks around the room, like he’ll spot someone else from his past waiting for her.

“Just a friend,” she says with a wink that has me uncomfortable all over again. “Speaking of, I really should be going. It was so great seeing you.”

She gives him another hug and walks away without another word.

“She was friendly,” I can’t help but say.

Aiden looks sheepish, a look he never wears, and it leaves me with a pit in my stomach. “She’s an old family friend.”

Uh huh.

Now is not the time to get into whatever that was, so instead I turn and talk with James’s and Antonio’s moms, along with Josh’s aunt.

Unfortunately, they are all gushing about how sweet Aiden’s public claim was and ‘how bad he has it’. Any other time, I’d be blushing, but instead, I wear my practiced smile and wait to change the subject.

Girls' talk turns into group talk until Aiden pulls me away to the dance floor.

“This feels familiar,” he teases as he spins me and pulls me in close for a slow dance.

“Weird, I don’t remember us talking this much,” I joke back, but he catches the hesitation in my voice and tilts my chin up to look at him.

“Talk to me, Sweetheart. What’s going on?”

“Who is she, really?” I ask, not out of jealousy, but needing the truth.

“I already told you—” he starts in a defensive and almost annoyed tone. Immediately, I pull out of his arms.

“Ana, wait!”

“Aiden, I don’t care if you hooked up or even if you were engaged, but I will not stand here and be lied to. So, when you decide to tell me the truth, you know where I’ll be.” My voice is calm but sure before I turn and walk away.

“Ana—”

I’m halfway off the dance floor when I nearly crash into Mr. Michaels.