Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 100

A Messy Christmas Eve

Hours later, we have the kitchen smelling like cinnamon, melted chocolate, and warm

vanilla.

Aiden is concentrating hard as he measures out the ingredients for the chocolate cherry cake | have him making

while Zaid looks absolutely ridiculous with oven mitts over his hands. He is squatting in front of the oven, looking

through the glass pane as the pies we made finish baking.

Flour dusts the countertops, smears across Aiden's cheek, and somehow, there's powdered sugar in Zaid's hair.

| keep my smile tucked between my teeth. They look adorable. For a few blissful hours, | forget everything.

| forget the burning questions circling my mind about what exactly we are. | forget the ache in my chest that

lingers from losing my family. | forget the emptiness that contes with knowing my mother will not be here for

Christmas and wondering where our relationship will go now.

Right now, there is only the warmth of the kitchen, the heat of the oven, and the teasing laughter that fills the

air.

"Aiden, you don't have to measure that perfectly," | say, lifting an eyebrow as he leans over the counter to check

that his measuring cup is level.

He raises an eyebrow at me. "You're bossy in the kitchen."

"Yes, because | actually know what I'm doing," | say before turning to Zaid. "You-" Zaid's grin is already

mischievous as he stands from his squat. "Yes, ma'am?"

| snicker. "The pies aren't ready?"

"Well, that's what | was looking in on before you interrupted."

| roll my eyes and move to check on the cookie dough that I've been working on.

Zaid walks up behindand presses a soft kiss to my shoulder before sneaking another

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A Messy Christmas Eve

onto my neck, his hands ghosting over my waist before he pulls back to continue his oven vigilance

I shiver at the touch.

We work in silence for a few minutes. | roll out the cookie dough into little balls, and Zaid pulls the pies from the

oven. He sets them out to cool.

"They smell so good," Aiden whispers before leaning in and kissing the side of my head.

Zaid nods, practically salivating. If | don't stop them, they're going to eat the pies right

here and now.

"You two need to focus," | huff, pointing between them.

Aiden grins. "Yes, chef."

Zaid snorts. "Happy to obey, my little dictator."

The teasing doesn't stop, and when | taste-test Aiden's batter, | smile. "Perfect."

Zaid rolls his eyes with a grin on his face. "It better be. If Aiden were in charge of the

desserts, we'd all be dead by now."

Aiden gasps, clutching his chest tically. "That was one time, and it wasn't that bad

"I almost died from the food poisoning," Zaid barks out.

I laugh, but before | can say anything, a handful of flour flies across the kitchen and

smacks into Zaid's chest.

Zaid stares down at himself, then at Aiden, who is grinning, another handful of flour

ready.

"You little-" Zaid lunges for him, but Aiden ducks away, laughing. Flour explodes into

the air, covering the countertops, the floor, and me.

"Guys!" | shriek, but before | can protest, Zaid grabsand throwsover his shoulder, usingas a shield

against Aiden's attack.

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A Messy Christmas Eve

| scream, kicking my legs. "Zaid, putdown!"

"No can do, love. Gotta protect myself."

| can't help the giggle that leaves my lips.

Aiden laughs, too, throwing more flour, making sure Zaid gets hit, anyway. The three of us dissolve into chaos,

screaming and laughing, slipping on the floor as we try to dodge each other's attacks.

By the twe're done, we're a mess, covered head to toe in flour, sugar, and batter.

"We need to finish before we clean," | pant, wiping at my face.

"You need to clean up the mess you made," Zaid says pointedly to Aiden, licking chocolate cake batter from my

neck.

Aiden grins. "I think we can pin.this on all three of us."

We don't hear the front door open.

But we do hear when Jake clears his throat.

Silence falls.

| turn sharply, my heart lurching when | see Jake standing in the doorway, his

eyes locked on me, on Zaid's arm still curled around my waist.

Shit.

His expression is unreadable. Zaid doesn't move, his grip still firm, his body relaxed like

this isn't anything unusual.

But | panic.

Quickly, | step away, clearing my throat.

"How was your day?" | ask, desperate to break the tension.

Jake barely looks at me. Instead, he pulls out his phone. "I'm calling the maid to

clean this up. I'm going to have to give her a big Christmas bonus."

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A Messy Christmas Eve

| swallow hard and step further away from Zaid, ignoring the guilt twisting in my stomach, ignoring the way Jake

looked at me.

I need to breathe.

| make up sexcuse, then slip away, heading upstairs. Aiden follows, peeling

off his flour-covered shirt.

"Shower with me?" he asks.

I nod.

As the hot water washes away the mess, Aiden leans his head down to lookover. "Is everything okay?"

« It's on the tip of my tongue to spill everything that has happened between Jake and me, but | hold back. "I just,

I'm not sure if I'm ready for this to be public. And your dad... he

saw Zaid and I."

Aiden nods like he finally understands my mood. He cups my face and kissesgently on the forehead. "We'll

go at your pace, baby."

| frown. "Do you think that's fair? To Zaid?"

Aiden places his hands on my shoulders and spinsaround, his hands massaging my head. "Maybe not, but

there's a lot we will have to learn as we go. | imagine we will all feel that things are unfair at certain times."

| nod at that. "Maybe."

We finish washing, Aiden taking advantage to make sure his fingers touch every single inch of my skin. I'm

thrumming by the twe step out, but he doesn't pushfor more and | do not ask him for more.

He kissesgoodnight and then | find myself walking down the hall, stopping in front of

Zaid's door.

| take in a breath and knock.

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