Chapter 29 : Nameless But Not Blameless

Maeve

"Aaron?" I said into the dark as my door opened and closed, a shadowed figure moving through the room toward my bed. I sat up, pulling the sheets over my bare chest.

I blinked rapidly to adjust my eyes to the darkness. A drawer squeaked as it was roughly opened, the sound of fabric falling to the ground overwhelmed by murmured curses.

"I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow," I said, scooting to the side of the bed and slipping my legs out of the sheets. "What are you doing?"

"Get dressed, Maeve. We have to go."

"Go where?" I laughed, standing and reaching over to my bedside table to turn on the lamp. Yellow light filled the room, washing over his face. "Aaron, what's wrong?"

"Turn off the lamp, right now!" he exclaimed, panic flashing in his eyes.

He was filthy, and his clothes were damp and smelled sharply of rainwater and dust. He had dark circles beneath his eyes, and he looked exceedingly wary. I stepped forward, narrowing my eyes as I closed in on him, ignoring his demand.

He had blood on his shirt. Lots of it.

"Aaron?"

"That's not my name, Maeve."

I froze, any warmth I felt by his presence evaporating into thin air and leaving me feeling suddenly exposed. I crossed my arms over my breasts, not taking my eyes off of his. “What kind of game is this? Why are you covered in blood?"

"My name is Troy." He took a step forward, his eyes boring into mine. I opened my mouth to speak, but the only sound that escaped was a choked laugh.

"Okay, Troy," I said sarcastically. But he looked at me, coldly, his eyes vibrant gems in the lamplight.

"Turn off the lamp, Maeve. I'm serious.”

"Not until you tell me why you're covered in blood.” I felt the sudden urge to step away from him. Troy? Who the hell was Troy? All the suspicions I had had about him came rushing forward as I looked over his face, the face I hadn't recognized. The eyes that seemed so new, so incredibly unique. And his chest, scarless, when I knew it shouldn't be. "You're not Aaron, are you?"

"I'm not. I never have been. Aaron is on an island somewhere. He’s safe. He'll be returned to his family."

"I don’t understand," I said, an edge to my voice. "Why are you here?"

"A mission," he said as he took another step, his hands outstretched in a show of surrender. "I didn’t come here to be your breeder. I never meant to even touch you. I was here to free Romero from the tower."

"Who?" I took a step away from him.

"I need you to listen to me. I need you to know that everything that has happened between us, everything... that was me. Troy. Not Aaron. I meant everything I've ever said and done with you."

I gaped at him, a strange feeling beginning to well in the pit of my stomach.

"I love you," he said earnestly, the words echoing in my ears. I felt bile rising in my throat, the fight-or-flight response rippling across my skin.

"Don't say that to me. Don't you dare say that to me. You lied to me; you've been lying this entire time-"

"Gemma was right all along, Maeve.copy right hot novel pub