Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide
Chapter 9 - Aubree (Part 2)

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, she pushed the muddled thoughts from her mind before rising to her feet. She returned to the living room to finish watching the movie with Dan and Gwen, who raised her eyebrows in question as if to say, ‘You okay?’

Aubree nodded her head as she settled down next to Dan, who promptly wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes staring through the flickering images on the television screen.

When the movie was over, Gwen yawned and stretched before pulling herself up. “Well, time for me to go.”

That earned a pair of eyebrows to shoot up at her.

“Oh?” Dan uttered with a hint of eagerness in the single syllable.

“Yup. My brother will be here soon to pick me up,” Gwen chirped.

Aubree could feel the blood draining from her head. While she knew it was possible that Gwen would leave for the night, it still freaked her out.

Dan would make a move. She knew he would. While she knew she could handle his advances, it still terrified her. Not because she feared he wouldn’t listen but because it would mean hurting him and leading to the next step: telling him the truth.

Oh god oh god oh god.

“Besides, you’re feeling better now, aren’t ya, Bree?” Gwen prompted.

As Dan shifted his gaze to Aubree, Gwen mouthed, ‘I know you got this.’

Aubree wished she had the confidence Gwen did in her. Not only that, but Gwen couldn’t spend weeks with her and Dan for no reason. That made no sense at all. They would have to come up with one excuse after the next and Aubree didn’t want to get tangled up in a web of lies. The truth was the only route to go.

Aubree gave her a tentative nod despite the tremble in her hands that she now clamped together.

“Wanna give me a hand with my stuff?” Gwen asked.

Gwen had kept her things together and always put items back in her luggage after using them. There was little chance of anything being left lying around, not that Aubree couldn’t return it if she did replace it later.

Still, it felt like she was getting closer to the end now and that terrified her.

“Sure.” Her confident tone surprised her and she wished she felt that way inside. She got up from her seat next to Dan and turned to him. “I’ll just be a minute.”

He smiled broadly up at her. “Sure thing, babe.”

Aubree grabbed a piece of Gwen’s luggage and the two of them left the apartment.

Once the door was shut behind them, Aubree couldn’t stop herself from shaking.

Gwen touched her arm. The skin-on-skin contact enabled her to pass on some warm, comforting feelings. Aubree began to relax but her heart still clenched in her chest.

“You can do this. I know you can,” Gwen whispered. “Gavin will be here on the balcony—”

“Balcony?” Aubree interrupted, her thoughts drifting back to that night she thought she saw a shadow on the balcony.

“Yeah, that’s where he likes to perch when he’s on guard duty. He said it gave him the best view of the neighborhood and he’s right. So, don’t worry. Just keep the balcony door unlocked and if things get out of hand, he’ll come in, okay? You’re not going to be alone and you don’t have to do something you’ll later regret.”

Taking a deep breath, Aubree nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll be back in the morning with my phone and you can call me if you need anything. Otherwise, we’ll just go back to doing things the way we were until you have taken care of things with Dan. I’ll take up guard duty during the day and Gavin at night. Always keep your balcony unlocked at night so he can come in if you need him.”

“Okay.”

Gwen nodded and turned to walk down the hallway to the elevator. Aubree followed, feeling a little calmer knowing that Gavin would be outside and that she wasn’t going to be completely alone.

How suddenly everything had changed? A few weeks ago, she had moved in with Dan and couldn’t wait to start her life with him. Now, she was preparing to throw it all away.

When they stepped into the elevator, Aubree turned and grasp Gwen in a hug, clinging to her for comfort, strength, and courage.

“Oh, Bree,” Gwen murmured as she wrapped her arms around the petite girl.

She didn’t say anything else and Aubree didn’t need to hear any more words of encouragement. She felt terrible for what she was about to do in the coming days and she clung to the closest person who wouldn’t hate her at the end of it.

Sometimes in life, you have to do things that hurt others. But if you don’t, you only put the hurt on hold so it can build into a bigger problem than it would have been if you took care of it when it was a small ache.

They pulled away from each other when the elevator doors dinged and opened on the ground level. They walked out and down the short hallway to the entrance, where a car was waiting.

Gavin rolled down the passenger side window and gave Aubree a small smile and wave of his hand before he pressed a button on the dashboard to pop the trunk. “How ya holding up?” he asked as Gwen loaded her stuff into the trunk.

Aubree pressed her lips together and swallowed. “Still standing. Haven’t fallen over yet.”

“She’s doing just fine,” Gwen said as she put her second piece of luggage into the trunk before slamming it shut. She came back to Aubree’s side and pulled her back into her arms for another hug. “You’re doing just fine.”

Aubree nodded, giving Gwen a self-conscious smile as Gwen pulled back and rubbed her arms in comfort.

“We’re going to zip around the block in case Dan’s watching us and Gavin will be up there before you know it,” Gwen said.

“Okay.”

“You’re not alone,” Gwen said. “You’ve never been alone. And the one time that you were alone, we almost lost you. We’re not going to risk that again. You’re important to all of us, not just Papa.”

Aubree nodded, appreciating their support but wishing she wasn’t such a burden on them. Things were so much simpler when everything made sense. Now, everything confused her and she could barely fathom her own emotions.

Except for her obvious overwhelming hormones. Hard not to understand those when Stone’s touch melted her like butter. She’d like to slather some butter on that firm chest of his...

Gwen grimaced as she tried not to smirk as the blood rushed to Aubree’s face.

Damn those super-senses of theirs! They could read her like a freaking book!

“Thanks,” Aubree managed to say despite her humiliation. “Well, I guess I should let you guys be on your way. I’ll call you in the morning and let you know how things go.”

“Sounds good.” Gwen gave her arms a quick squeeze of reassurance and climbed into the car. Gavin waved and told her he would see her later.

Aubree turned back to the entrance as they pulled away, gathered air into her lungs, and pulled the door open.

She had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before Dan’s world came crashing down on him. While she wished it didn’t have to be this way, she knew it was better that he found out from her.

Honesty was always the best policy.