The Only Way?...

JASMINE'S POV

I could barely focus in the car.

Every bump in the road made the pain worse, almost like my bones were buzzing with heat. The seatbelt pressed against my scar, sharp like a knife, and I couldn't tell if I was sweating or just losing control inside.

Aiden kept one hand on the wheel and the other locked firmly around mine, squeezing every time I whimpered. 

He didn't talk much, and he didn't need to. His silence was probably due to the fact that he had no idea what to say to stop my pain.

By the time we pulled into the mansion, I was holding myself together by sheer will and the thread of his presence.

Aiden didn't waste a second. He unbuckled, came around the car, and lifted me like I was made of feathers, not fire.