22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Finley

W hat the hell just happened? I blink at Aeson, but he's not looking at me. He's staring after Cyrus with a strange look on his face.

As my rational brain comes back online, I realize how horrible it is that I just got off with Cyrus while on a date with Aeson. I can't believe I did that! I basically cheated on Aeson on our first date. Is it cheating? It's one casual blind date, with no commitment made, and I'm pretty sure he knows I'm going out with other people later. So… I guess it's not cheating, but it still seems like a pretty shitty thing to do.

"I'm really sorry." Running my fingers through my tangled hair, I try to explain. Although, what explanation can I give? There's no good reason for what just happened. "I would never… I mean, not normally… Fuck, I'm a total asshole." My forehead hits the table. "You can just take me home if you want."

A warm hand touches my elbow briefly before quickly pulling away. When I look up, Aeson's expression isn't judgmental or shaming, it's kind.

"Look," he says, "I can't say I'm not jealous, but I get it. I should have figured it out sooner."

"Get what? Is he always this stalker-ish?"

His head tilts, expression confused. "No. Not at all. But it's different with a mate."

"A what?"

He pinches his lips like someone who's just realized he wasn't supposed to say something, but then he sighs and shrugs. "He's your fated mate. It makes sense that he wouldn't want you to be out with another man. Frankly, I'm surprised—"

I'm laughing too hard to hear the rest of his sentence. "Did you just call Cyrus my mate ? Like we're penguins or in some kind of alien romance?" My side hurts from laughing so hard.

Aeson's eyes go wide before crinkling at the edges. He stares at me like I'm an oddity he's never seen before. "You don't believe in soul mates?"

"Nope," I say, popping the p .

"But how do you feel when you're around Cyrus?"

Yeah, there's no way I'm telling my blind date I haven't been able to stop thinking about Cyrus for six years. That my whole body turns electric when I'm with him. That I feel inexplicably drawn to him in every way. And it's not just sexually either. I want to know everything about him. The few times we've hung out or shared a meal have only whetted my appetite to know more. He makes me feel special and seen. Well, when he's not being a dick and pushing me away.

"How long have you known him?" I ask instead of answering his question.

He hesitates, like he's choosing his words carefully, more carefully than a second ago. "My whole life."

"So, tell me, does he play around a lot?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is he a playboy? Does he string women along and then dump them? Is he only interested in casual relationships?"

He takes a sip of his coffee before answering. "Well, he's not inexperienced."

"You're hedging. Tell it to me straight."

"Cyrus has been with several people over the years. "

"But never a committed long-term relationship?" My stomach feels heavy as I wait for him to answer the question. I pick at the cinnamon roll without taking a bite.

His voice is quiet when he finally speaks, and I have to lean forward to hear him. "None of us get into committed relationships until we find our mate."

"Well, I do. Most of the world does." I shove a piece of cinnamon roll into my mouth and keep talking. "I thought maybe you all were mafia, but now I'm thinking it's gotta be a cult. Is that it? Weird ideas about soul mates and strange titles for each other. Is Midas your leader? That would really suck, cause I finally started to like him."

Aeson laughs so hard he almost chokes on his coffee. "It's not a cult." He tips his head and looks pensive for a moment. "Well… I guess we are part of a community of sorts and do share similar beliefs. Does that make us a cult?"

"Are you gonna control what I do and ask me to drink poison or some shit?"

"No."

"Alright, I won't call you a cult… for now."

He chuckles, tears off a piece of cinnamon roll, and pops it in his mouth with a moan. "Best cinnamon roll ever." He gives me a cheeky grin. "Even if it isn't the best date. "

"Hey!" We both laugh at my fake protest, because when your date dry humps someone else while you're waiting for her to get back from the bathroom, it can't exactly qualify as a good date.

I help myself to more cinnamon roll. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Are you talking to me or the food?"

I give him a cheeky grin. "The cinnamon roll, of course."