Chapter 21: Telling Lies
Aria’s POV
Mid-week usually meant a slowdown in deliveries. Most of the
corner dealers had their shelves stocked, and businesses were quieter, which
meant fewer stops for me. But there was always that one person who went
overboard with their stash—whether it was a brothel with a big spender or a
party that just wouldn’t end.
And
I was always there to meet their demands as Knox’s most reliable runner.
I
was pretty relieved when my day wrapped up early. When Jericho didn’t come back
all night, I started to worry. I figured he’d be back by the time I finished my
runs.
I
might have been upset with him, but I didn’t want him wandering around Amestris,
where trouble could find him. I shouldn’t have told him to leave, but with both
of us being so hotheaded, it felt like the right call to let things cool off.
I
didn’t really think he had used me to take over Knox’s operation. His memory
loss was genuine, but that didn’t change the fact that he was gone while Knox
had given me a place to stay.
He's
back now, I reminded myself. I didn’t want to go through that again.
Whatever
Jericho thought about Knox being involved in trafficking women had to be off
base.
I
realized I had been approaching this all wrong. I needed to show him that
somehow, some way, Jericho and Knox had to find a way to get on the same page
before things spiraled out of control.
We
really need to get better at talking to each other. That’s what caused all this
mess in the first place.
Feeling
a surge of determination, I made my way home and dashed to the shed, flinging
the door wide open.
My
heart dropped when I noticed his bag was gone, the bedding neatly stacked in
the corner.
“You
jerk!” I shouted, kicking the door in frustration. “You took off again!”
My
heart raced as I spun around and stormed into the house, slamming the back door
behind me, my hands trembling as I yanked open one of the kitchen cabinets.
I
grabbed a nearly empty bottle of cinderale, spilling some on the counter as I
poured it into a glass and gulped it down. I filled the glass again, then
again, until the shaking finally stopped.
He
was gone. The moment Ash showed up to take him away, he just left. I couldn’t
wrap my head around it.
No
goodbye. No thanks. No heads-up.
I
was mad at myself, but I wouldn’t let the tears fall this time. I’d cried
enough over Jericho Walker. Not wasting another drop on him.
Then
I heard knocking at the front door, and a flicker of hope ignited in me.
He
couldn’t have just left. No way.
But
when I opened the door, my heart sank. Knox and Elle were standing there, and
neither of them looked happy.
Oh,
crap.
I
stammered, “H-hi,” glancing over my shoulder, half expecting Jericho to burst
in any second. “What’s going on?”
“Can
we come in, Aria?” Elle asked, stepping closer.
Before
I could protest, I found myself stepping back to let them in. Knox trailed
behind, his expression unreadable.
She
definitely went to him with my question, didn’t she?
I
peeked outside, considering making a break for it.
Don’t
be ridiculous. There’s no reason to bolt. Even if Elle did bring up the
trafficking with Knox, he wouldn’t actually kill me over it… would he?
The
issue wasn’t the question itself; it was the secrecy that could set Knox off.
Even though he was into me, I had always stayed loyal, never giving him a
reason to doubt me. But I knew people who had crossed him, and it didn’t end
well for them.
“Aria,
are you just going to stand there with the door wide open?” Elle called out.
“Are
you drunk?” Knox asked. It hit me then that I probably smelled like the drink
I’d just had, and I felt my cheeks heat up.
“I
was just having a drink,” I admitted, shutting the door behind me.
“Oh,
perfect!” Elle exclaimed, suddenly pulling a bottle from her massive handbag.
“So you’re in the mood for some company!”
A
grin spread across her face, and I cautiously returned the gesture, though Knox
still looked a bit off as Elle plopped down on my old sofa, tucking her shoes
beneath her small backside to look up at me with her dark, smudged eyes.
“Knox,
go grab us some glasses, babe. You know where the kitchen is.”
I
started to get up, but Knox was already on it, and it hit me that Elle had
dragged him over for a little visit. I let out a sigh of relief that could've
blown the roof off the living room.
“Come
sit, sweetie,” Elle called out in a loud whisper. “Hurry up.”
I
settled down next to her on the sofa.
“I
really think you’re mistaken about Knox,” she murmured in my ear. “About that
trafficking thing. I’ve been asking around, and honestly, I don’t think he’s
involved.”
I
nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. “Mary still does some work for him,
right?” I asked quietly.
Elle
frowned a bit. “Here and there,” she replied. “But I’m not sure what exactly. Mary
keeps her cards close to her chest. You know how she is.”
I
did know. The fae was uptight and rude most of the time. But I couldn’t shake
off the memory of how she had cornered me earlier that day.
I
wonder if she’s been running something under the radar, using the Black Society
as her cover.
1.
That really opened up a whole can of worms.
“What
happened to your window?”
I
snapped my head up to see Knox standing in the living room doorway, juggling
three glasses.
“What
do you mean?”
“There’s
a board over your kitchen window. What’s going on?” His gaze was intense, and I
could feel my face getting hot.
“Oh…”
I scrambled for a way to explain, any excuse to avoid making things worse.
Telling Knox about the attempted break-in would just lead to more questions.
But
I was done with the lies.
“It’s
nothing,” I said with a sigh, leaning back against the cushions. “I… I haven’t
been completely honest with you two lately.”
Elle
and Knox exchanged glances, and the gargoyle set the glasses down on the table.
Elle
chuckled nervously, saying, “Looks like we could use a drink,” as she reached
for the bottle of Slush she had brought along.
I
bit my lip and glanced at my boss. Knox held my gaze firmly, his dark eyes
intense.
This
is the moment to tell him Jericho’s back. Just let it out.
“Well?”
Elle asked, handing me a glass. “What’s the secret?”
She
laughed, but I could tell she was a bit on edge as she took a sip. I quickly
downed some of my drink before I spoke up.
“I’ve
been dealing with some personal stuff,” I confessed, staring down at the rug,
feeling a tightness in my chest. The alcohol was starting to cloud my thoughts,
but I pushed through. “Someone from my past has been… bothering me.”
“Who?”
Knox asked, his tone sharp. “I’ll handle it for you.”
I
lifted my chin and shook my head. “It’s not a big deal anymore,” I assured him,
still shaking my head. “He won’t be a problem.”
“Are
you certain?” Knox growled, jealousy clear in his voice. “Is he breaking your
windows? Threatening you? Who is this jerk?”
“Sweetheart,”
Elle chimed in, reaching out to him soothingly. “If Aria says it’s under
control, maybe we should let her handle it.”
Knox
frowned, as if he had forgotten Elle was there, but he leaned back, downing his
Slush in one go before pouring himself another.
“There’s
honestly nothing worse than a psycho ex,” Elle chimed in cheerfully. “Remember
when Kyle totally lost it, babe?”
Knox
just grunted, staring at his drink, but I could see him keeping an eye on me
out of the corner of my eye.
“Do
you remember, Aria?” Elle continued, trying to lighten the mood. “It was right
after… well, you know… the war.”
She
paused, glancing at me with an apologetic look. “After Jericho passed away.”
I
nearly gasped but quickly shoved the glass back to my lips to stifle the sound.
“Elle!”
Knox snapped, and she flinched.
“Sorry!
I always think enough time has gone by, and then I end up saying the wrong
thing.”
“It’s
okay,” I assured her, and I truly meant it.
Jericho
had made his choice—once again. This time, he decided to trust Ash over me. I
wasn’t about to throw away the life I’d built here, soulmate or not.
Jericho
couldn’t commit to me the way I needed him to. Once more, he left me to fend
for myself. I wouldn’t betray him, but I didn’t owe him anything either.
“I’m
over Jericho,” I declared, the words feeling like a lie on my tongue, but I was
determined to make it a reality.
Even
if it meant I had to keep convincing myself over and over again.