Twisted Stars (Hardest Mistakes #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

my brain is shaking her head in disappointment. “I should know; I’m a med student at BP University.”
    He drops the cardboard. “Well, in that case…”
    I have to coax Jayden through the front door like a scared animal when we arrive home, and when I show him his room, he just stands in the doorway.
    “So…I’m going to bed,” I say slowly. I glance over my shoulder at him still standing in the doorway as I head to my room.
    I toss and turn all night, never able to get comfortable. I’d like to blame it on stress from school, but the logical part of me knows it’s because Jayden is sleeping in a bed next door, separated by only a thin wall.
    Am I scared, or is it something else?
    I’m so busy tying my hair back the next night after my shift at the deli that I don’t stop myself in time as Jayden steps out in front of me. I run straight into him, hitting his solid chest with an oomph .
    “Oh, I’m sorry,” I apologise, taking a step back.
    He just stares.
    “Well,” I say to break the awkward silence. “I’m going down to start dinner. You can join me if you like.” He doesn’t answer. The expression on his face doesn’t even change. I nod to myself and start down the hallway. I glance back as I reach the top of the stairs and meet his dark gaze.
    There’s something oddly familiar about him. I just can’t put my finger on it.
    I shake it off as I move around the kitchen, grabbing what I need to start cooking. Was it really a good idea to bring home a homeless boy? I couldn’t just leave him out on the street to freeze, not in this weather. But what if this was a mistake?
    I turn from the stove and freeze. Jayden is watching me from the dark hallway beside the kitchen, his dark eyes hiding any emotion I might have been able to see. My heart seizes, and my face heats in embarrassment. I motion toward the stove, trying to distract him.
    “Are you hungry? I made spaghetti Bolognese.” His dark gaze flicks to the stove and then back to me. He shrugs. “Well, you are a man of many words, aren’t you…?”
    He moves further into the light of the kitchen. “Why are you doing this?”
    I frown. “Doing what?”
    He lifts his chin. “Taking care of me…feeding me…I was fine. I was surviving.”
    “Oh,” I say. “Well, didn’t your parents ever take care of you?”
    His gaze turns hard. “My parents are dead.”
    “Oh god, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” I should have guessed. It’s kind of obvious now that I think about it.
    He brushes me off. “It’s fine.”
    Oh great, now I feel awful. Screwing up my nose, I turn back to the stove to divide the spaghetti into two bowls. I set one down on the table across from me, motioning for Jayden to sit. He hesitates, but as soon as he takes his seat, I can see the hunger in his eyes. I smile to myself and dig in.
    “So…” I start after swallowing my mouthful. “Where are you from, Jayden?”
    He doesn’t look up from his food as he answers. “Everywhere.”
    I arch an eyebrow. “Everywhere, hmm? That’s an odd place. Never heard of it. Must be amazing. What’s it like?” That catches his attention. He stops eating and looks up, his gaze calculating and cold. He doesn’t trust me. That’s fine. I don’t trust him either, but it’s not like I asked him for nuclear codes to blow up the planet.
    I wait, scooping pasta into my mouth.
    “I don’t really want to talk.”
    I roll my eyes and ignore his request. “Fine, but I do. I’m from Miakoda Valley. My parents divorced just after I graduated high school, and now my mom is in the Caribbean with her new boyfriend, and my dad is living with his new family in Boulder City.”
    Jayden puts down his fork. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
    I shake my head. “I’d sort of like to know a little bit about the stranger living under my roof.”
    “I can leave…”
    I sigh and drop my fork in my bowl. “You’re so freaking difficult.” I pick up what’s left of my