“Okay, Anna.”

“Okay what?”

“We’re going to prove that Luke’s innocent.”

How we’re going to do that, I have no idea. But as a wise goof once said, it’s time to pull up our big-boy and -girl pants.

She rushes me and engulfs me in a hug. “Thank you, Amelia. You’re a true friend, you know that?”

The pang of guilt in my heart shouldn’t take me by surprise, but it does. I wonder if she’ll look back at my time here and remember me as a good friend or hate me for disappearing without a trace when the time comes.

“Of course, Anna,” I say, ignoring the tightness in my chest.

I hear Aiden’s voice from somewhere in the house, and the pit in my stomach intensifies. For all he knows, he thinks I was cheating on him with Mason. My heart races as panic sets in. I need to find him and set the record straight.

“I’ll be back later.” I leave Annalisa in the kitchen and search the house, hoping to find Aiden. He must know it was purely a coincidental incident he walked in on. He didn’t seem mad when he told me to stay out of the fight, but then again, who really knows with Aiden.

I find him alone in the basement, throwing empty cups into a garbage bag.

“Aiden . . .” I start, my throat dry. His gray eyes focus on me and I lose all words. “What happened up there . . . it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“You mean Anna didn’t tell Ryan to stab her?”

“Well, no, I mean, that did happen, but I’m talking about me and Mason. And the bed thing? I know that looked really bad but—”

Aiden puts down the garbage bag. “Thea, I know what Mason looks like when he’s blackout drunk. I saw you hauling him up the stairs and came to see if everything was all right.”

Relief washes over me. “You’re not mad at me.”

He strides over to me and my heart automatically speeds up with each step that brings him closer. He puts his hands on my waist and tugs me to him, forcing me to look up at him. My body acts on its own accord and my hands clasp behind his neck.

“I know who you are, Thea,” he whispers, his words reaching my soul.

“Plus,” he adds with a smirk, his thumb drawing lazy circles on my back, “I know your tendency to get yourself into awkward situations.”

“You know me, always trying to keep it interesting.”

“Honestly, I’m more surprised that you actually listened to me for once than I am at finding you on top of Mason.”

“What are you talking about? I’m a great listener.” I bite my lip. “But just to clarify, which specific case are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about up there, just now. I told you to stay out of the fight, and to my complete surprise, you actually did.” His hands tighten around my waist.