MasukChapter 53Aria's POVI arrived at the mansion‚ heading toward my room‚ when I heard the sound of someone crying.It was coming from the master bedroom. I’d grown up with that sound. My mother’s crying was one of my earliest memories‚ which meant something had either fallen apart or was about to.I dropped my bag outside my bedroom door and followed the sound down the hallway."Mom?"The master bedroom door was open. The walk-in closet light was on. I stepped inside and found her sitting on the floor of the closet surrounded by empty hangers and bare shelves‚ her cream cardigan bunched in her fists‚ her face swollen and blotchy‚ mascara running down her cheeks in dark streaks that made her look ten years older than she was."Mom‚ what happened?""He's gone." Her voice cracked on the word‚ this wet shattered sound that shook through her whole body while she clutched the cardigan against her chest. "He moved everything out‚ Aria. Everything. He didn't even tell me which room. He just...
Chapter 52Kael's POVShe wouldn't look at me‚ but all I could see was her. Sitting at that table with her head down‚ her eyes fixed on her soup‚ refusing to lift her gaze even though I knew she could feel me staring because I watched the way her shoulders tightened‚ watched her press her thighs together under the table where there was nothing but bare skin.My wolf growled. This low dangerous sound rolling through my chest while that boy wrapped his arm around her shoulders."Not now‚" I muttered. "Not here."I forced myself to turn away. Made it through the rest of the day on autopilot‚ teaching lectures I didn't remember‚ signing documents I didn't read‚ because my entire mind was stuck on her.---Back at the mansion‚ I locked myself in my study.I’m glad you liked the previous one. Here’s a smoother version that keeps Arthur’s bitterness and obsession with Aria while making the transition into the campaign rule feel more natural.I pulled the High Council regulations from the cab
Chapter 51 Aria's POV *Say it. Just say it.* "I just..." My throat closed around the words. "I haven't been fair to you lately. I've been distant and distracted and I know you've noticed and I'm sorry." "Hey." He took my hand. Laced his fingers through mine. "You don't have to apologize for being stressed. That's what I'm here for." "No‚ Jace‚ that's not what I—" "Listen‚" he said‚ squeezing my hand‚ his face lighting up with that excited energy that made him look younger. "This weekend. I already talked to my dad about borrowing the cabin near the eastern ridge. He said yes. So it's just going to be me and you. No campus‚ no pack stuff‚ no stress." *Don't.* "I'll cook for you and everything." *Don't say something sweet right now‚ Jace. Don't make this harder.* "You can't cook‚" I said. "I can baby." "Oh really?” "Yup." He kissed my cheek again‚ lingering there‚ his breath warm against my skin. "I just want to take care of you‚ Aria. Please. You've been runnin
Chapter 50Aria's POV"You're not serious.""I've never been more serious about anything in my life.""So you're holding my underwear hostage.""I'm going to keep them right here. Against my chest. While you walk around campus with nothing under that skirt. And every time you feel the air between your legs‚ I want you to think about who put you in that position. And what you need to do to fix it.""I don't care if your mom likes him‚" he said‚ his voice dropping into something cold and final. "I don't like him. And I don't like seeing him near you.""You're insane.""Maybe." He straightened his tie. Smoothed his jacket. "But you'll come back for them."I stared at him‚ my chest heaving‚ my face flushed‚ the space between my thighs slick and aching and completely exposed under my skirt."You're unbelievable‚" I whispered."And you're wet." His eyes dropped between my legs for just a second. "So maybe ask yourself who the insane one really is."I grabbed my bag. Threw it over my shoulde
Chapter 49Aria's POVHis eyes went black. This dangerous shift that moved through his whole face as his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared."Perfect?" he repeated‚ his voice flat. "You think this is perfect?""I know it is. This works well.”"It doesn't work for me.""Well it has to‚ Kael‚ because this is what it is."He grabbed me. Both hands on my waist‚ spinning me and pressing me back against the edge of his desk so fast I gasped‚ my hands flying back to brace against the wood while his body caged me in."I don't want anyone with you‚" he said‚ his voice low and raw and shaking. "Do you understand me? I don't want any man looking at you. I don't want any man touching you. I want you for myself. Alone. Just me.""You're married to my mother‚ Kael.""Your mother is cheating on me with goddess knows who.""I know.""Then you understand‚" he said quietly. "That's why I can't stand you being with another man. Watching one woman choose someone else is enough. I can't watch you do it
Chapter 48Aria's POV"You can come out now."I uncurled myself from under the desk slowly‚ my knees screaming as I crawled out from the cavity on all fours‚ one hand braced on the hardwood floor while the other came up to wipe my mouth with the back of my wrist.Kael was leaning back in his chair‚ his belt still undone‚ his chest rising and falling in these deep uneven breaths while he watched me with eyes that looked almost feverish. "Come here‚" he said."I need to go‚ Kael‚ lunch started ten minutes ago and Jace is probably—""Come here."I stepped closer. He reached for me‚ his hands landing on my hips‚ thumbs pressing into the bone as he pulled me between his open knees. I was still trying to catch my own breath‚ still trying to get my legs to stop trembling‚ when his hand slid behind my neck and pulled my mouth down to his.The kiss was slow at first. His tongue tracing my bottom lip before pressing inside‚ licking into my mouth like he was chasing the taste of himself on my t
Chapter 7Aria's POVMy mom cornered me in my bedroom while I was changing out of my university clothes."I've made a decision‚" she said‚ sitting on the edge of my bed like she was about to deliver good news. "I'm going to fix things with Kael."I pulled my shirt over my head and kept my back to h
Chapter 6Aria's POVI grabbed my bag and stormed up the stairs with my whole body shaking. I shoved through the door and almost crashed into a woman standing right outside.Dark hair. Tight bun. Sharp‚ watchful eyes that flicked from my flushed face to the closed door behind me and back again."So
Chapter 4Aria's POV"What the FUCK!" he roared as he jerked upright‚ grabbing my waist and shoving me off him.I stumbled off the bed and hit the wall while my thighs were still shaking. He stood on the other side of the room‚ breathing hard‚ staring at me as if he had just seen a ghost.Well I fu
Chapter 3Aria's POVHe lifted me off his lap gently and stood up. He was tall. Really tall. He towered over me even in my heels‚ and up close the breadth of his shoulders and the way his suit stretched across his chest made my mouth water. He pulled out a black card‚ walked to the bar‚ and said s







