Chapter 9

The wind blew softly through the woods, ruffling the sparse leaves on the branches of the tree and shattering the foreboding silence between the two.

Maia ran a finger through her hair and blew out air from her mouth, frustrated as she glanced away from Jared, feeling guilty and ashamed to look at him. Her feet shuffled against the ground, and she tweaked her fingers, hissing low as her nerves tumbled all over themselves.

Her mouth opened and closed back of its own volition at a loss of what to say. “You bastard,” she cursed at Dylan.

Jared broke the silence. “I am sorry about the death of Aiden. I know you hate to witness death.”

Her head snapped up, and she glanced at him in surprise. “Thank you.” Her voice broke as she continued. “Aiden was an idiot quite all right, but he was trying his best, and he didn’t deserve to be disposed of just like that by Dylan in a fit of rage.”

Jared scowled. &l