Chapter Forty-Two
Aster’s little Mini raced along the winding country roads, eating up the miles. Behind the wheel, Aster gripped the steering wheel with one hand, the other occupied with a bacon butty that Seb had thrust into her hands as she'd left Hiverton. The rich, salty taste of the bacon mingled with the sweet, tangy brown sauce, providing a much-needed burst of energy after her sleepless night.
Ari's words still echoed in her ears, a persistent whisper that refused to be silenced. Love? Her? It was preposterous. Aster Byrne didn't do love. She did logic, reason, and cold, hard facts. Emotions were messy, unpredictable things that clouded judgement and led to poor decision-making. And yet she couldn't deny the flutter in her stomach every time she thought of Edward. The way her heart seemed to skip a beat when he smiled at her. The sense of calm that washed over her in his presence, even in the midst of chaos. It was… unsettling.
The landscape gradually changed from rolling farmland to more rugged terrain. Ancient forests gave way to craggy hills, and Aster found herself winding up a narrow road that seemed to lead straight into the clouds. Just when she thought she must have taken a wrong turn, a break in the trees revealed her destination.
Edward's home was, frankly, ridiculous. A sprawling manor house that looked more like a castle than a private residence, it perched atop a hill like some medieval lord's stronghold. Aster couldn't help but roll her eyes. Men and their need to compensate.
As she pulled up the long, gravel driveway, Aster's practical mind kicked in. She glanced at her phone, pleased to see that she still had a signal despite her concerns. She could also see he had acknowledged her earlier text and was at home waiting for her.
The gravel crunched under Aster's feet as she got out of the car. Her jaw was set, a mixture of anger and confusion, but she couldn’t help but snort as she saw him waiting for her. His tall frame leaning casually against the stonework of the massive oak front door. He seemed to fit perfectly into this setting, like some dashing hero from a period drama. The thought irritated her more than it should have.
‘Aster,’ Edward greeted her, his eyes crinkling in delight. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?’
Aster didn't bother with pleasantries as she slammed her car door shut. ‘My sister seems to think you're in love with me,’ she blurted out. ‘Which is, of course, ludicrous.’
She waited for Edward to deny it, to laugh it off as some absurd misunderstanding. Instead, he simply raised an eyebrow, that infuriating smile still playing at the corners of his mouth.
‘Is it?’ he asked, his voice maddeningly calm.
Aster felt wrong-footed, her carefully prepared arguments crumbling in the face of his composure. ‘Well, of course it is,’ she insisted. ‘I mean, it's not as if… that is to say…’
Edward's smile widened. ‘Not a chance, eh?’
Aster felt a surge of relief at his words, followed immediately by a strange sense of… disappointment? She pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the matter at hand. ‘Exactly,’ she said, nodding emphatically. ‘It's completely-’
‘Although,’ Edward interrupted, taking a step closer, ‘that's not quite right, is it?’
Aster frowned, confused. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Well,’ Edward said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate tone that sent shivers down Aster's spine, ‘it's not that there isn't a chance. It's simply that there isn't a chance that I'm not in love with you .’
Aster's mind reeled, trying to process his words. ‘But… but that's not right,’ she stammered, ‘because I don't love you.’
Edward's eyes sparkled with amusement and something else, something warmer and deeper that made Aster's breath catch in her throat. ‘I don’t need you to love me, for me to love you,’ he murmured. ‘But are you sure about that?’
Aster felt her anger rising again, this time mixed with confusion and a hint of fear. ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake. Stop being ridiculous,’ she said, her voice rising. ‘Of course you don’t love me…’ Her mind was freewheeling at his sudden declaration, delivered with such a ridiculous smile. She needed to find another angle of attack. ‘And what about when you shouted at my sisters? You had no right to do that!’
Edward's expression softened slightly. ‘Ah, I was wondering when we'd get to that. I admit, I may have overstepped. But Aster, they put you in danger. Can you blame me for being concerned?’
‘That's not your place!’ Aster retorted, her emotions in turmoil. ‘They're my family, Edward. You can't just go around berating them because you think—’
‘Because I think what?’ Edward pressed, taking another step closer. ‘Because I care about you? Because the thought of you in danger terrifies me?’
Aster took a step back, feeling overwhelmed. ‘This isn't… I didn't come here for this,’ she said, her voice trembling slightly.
‘Then why did you come, Aster?’ Edward asked. ‘What are you really here for?’
Aster hesitated, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small USB drive. ‘My sisters… they asked me to dig up dirt on you. To find something they could use against you if needed.’
Edward's eyebrows raised slightly, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
‘I’d already done the research,’ Aster admitted, holding up the drive. ‘Everything's on here. Your past, your connections, your… less than legal activities.’ She took a deep breath. ‘But I couldn't give it to them. I don't understand why, but I couldn't betray you like that.’
Edward's expression was unreadable. ‘And this confuses you?’
‘Of course it does!’ Aster exclaimed, her frustration bubbling up again. ‘I always put my family first. Always. So why couldn't I do it this time? Why does the thought of betraying you make me feel sick?’
Edward took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. ‘I think you know why, Aster.’
Aster shook her head vehemently. ‘No, I don't. This doesn't make any sense. None of this does!’
‘Doesn't it?’ Edward asked softly. ‘Think about it, Aster. Apply that brilliant mind of yours. Why would you protect me over your own family?’
‘I don't know!’ Aster cried, running a hand through her hair in exasperation. ‘That's what I'm trying to figure out!’
Edward's voice was calm, almost maddeningly so. ‘I think you do know. You're just afraid to admit it.’
Aster glared at him. ‘Admit what?’
‘That you have feelings for me,’ Edward said simply. ‘That maybe, just maybe, you are in love with me.’
Aster's eyes widened in shock. ‘That's… that's ridiculous,’ she spluttered. ‘I don't… I can't…’
‘Can't you?’ Edward challenged gently. ‘Think about it, Aster. Think about everything we've been through together. The way you feel when we're together. The way you couldn't betray me, even for your sisters.’
Aster felt a surge of déjà vu, remembering her similar protestation to Ari just hours ago.
‘Just for a second,’ he said gently, as a sweet smile lit up his face ‘pretend you love me. Add that factor into all your equations and hypotheses. Does this make the situation make sense, if you accept that you love me and I love you?’
Aster took a step back, bumping into her car as her analytical mind kicked into overdrive. She thought back over the past weeks, over every interaction with Edward, every flutter of her heart, every moment of inexplicable joy in his presence. She thought of how she'd been willing to defy her sisters for him, how the mere thought of betraying his trust had felt like a physical pain.
‘I…’ she began, then stopped, her voice failing her.
Edward's eyes twinkled with mischief. ‘Perhaps I can add another variable to your dataset. May I?’