Chapter 05

Aria’s perspective

My eyes fluttered, and I was lying on something soft. I glanced around me, the room was nothing familiar to my apartment in Queens or Hadley’s room. There was a chandelier above me, and the room was so cold, that the heater wasn’t turned on.

I squinted my eyes at the bright light, I felt tired and weak.

My head was killing me, my throat was sore. I rubbed my hand on my forehead giving it a little massage.

I stared under the covers as I still had my clothes on, and it was still on my body.

I sighed, and palmed my forehead, trying to remember where I was and how I got here.

“You’re awake. You should take this it’s gonna cure your headache and...” A man strolled into the room holding a glass.

I blinked my eyes at him. “Who are you?” I asked, and how did I get here?

Did I spend the night with him?

No way Aria.

There’s no way you could have done that.

“You don’t remember, last night we...” He stopped talking.

“We what?”

He smirked and moved towards the bed. “What do you think?”

I swallowed hard when he got closer, the cocky smile, his blue eyes and dark creamy hair.

He chuckled when he saw the deadpan look on my face.

“You passed out last night and I brought you here.”

I pointed a finger at him. “You?” He was the stranger from last night who saved me from those men.

“You remember?” He stirred whatever was in the glass and brought it to me. “Here, you should drink them.”

“The bar provide this?” I asked.

“I made it...” He drawled. “For you.”

I raised my brow at him. He stretched it towards me, and I took the glass from his hands. “It’s not poison.” He muttered when he noticed the reluctance in taking them.

I drank from it, and his hand patted my hair. It felt weird when he did that, he collected himself and dropped his hand at his side. I took the covers off my body and stood up.

I need to leave.

“Did Hadley look for me?” I asked.

He stared at me as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

“I need to leave, I left my bag with Hadley.” He remained seated on the table, folded his arms, and watched me as if I amused him.

I walked to the door and opened it, but he didn’t stop me from opening the door.

I met a broad hallway, there were just four room doors in the hallway and the stairs. I glanced around, the tiles on the ground were glittering.

This wasn’t the bar from last night. Why didn’t he say anything when I asked him if he got the drink from the bar?

I hurried back into the room, he was seated where I left him.

He knew about this, and that was why he was unmoved by what I said and when I walked out through the door.

“Why did you bring me here?” I asked and slammed the door behind me.

“I need to go home.”

“I didn’t stop you from leaving earlier.” He stood up.

I couldn’t keep eye contact with him, I had to look away each time he stared at me. He stopped walking when he was a foot away from me. “What’s your name?” He asked.

“Look at me.”

I was tempted to, I lifted my eyes and stared at him. He smiled and closed the distance between us.

I felt my heart hammer against my chest, and it was drumming so fast that I could feel it in my ears.

“What’s your name?” He repeated his question in a quiet voice.

“Aria,” I responded. I hated how my voice sounded when it came out compared to his deep baritone, and I could feel those deep voices each time he spoke in my stomach.

Fuck, Aria.

“You have a pretty name, Aria.”

I never knew my name could sound that sexy when called.

Fucking hormones speaking through me, I agreed that standing before me is a gorgeous man.

“You’re just as pretty as your name.” His hand was on my cheek, and he caressed them softly with his thumb.

“They are preparing breakfast, do you want to eat with me?”

I huffed and stepped back from him. “I don’t know you, and I didn’t know how I got here last night and I need to go home.” He has to take me out of his house because I have no money on me or where exactly this place is and he’s not saying anything to that.

Hadley would be worried about me.

“I already told you, you passed out and I couldn’t leave you in the bar. I had to bring you here to make you comfortable.” He responded and tucked his hands into his pocket. I furrowed my brows at him. “Thank you for saving me last night, can you take me home?” I blurted out.

“What do you think about staying here?”

I snorted. “I have a life, you can’t just ask me to stay here.”

“I don’t think you have a good life out there.”

Behind that handsome face was an asshole.

“Stay here and I will take care of you.”

I chuckled. “Is this a joke?”

“You are going to keep me here against my will?”

“You belong to me.”

“Asshole.” The word came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“How long have you been in New York? I’m quite surprised you’ve no idea who I am.”

“I don’t care. I’m going to leave.” I glared at him. I wasn’t going to spend another second with him.

“You are staying here, and you won’t be able to escape me. I’m not going to hurt you if that’s what you think.”

I chuckled bitterly.

“You want me to believe that?”

His frown deepened, he wanted to say something but he stopped himself.

“You brought me here without my permission.”

“I saved you.”

I bit back a sharp retort.

I can’t believe this man.

“The only way you can leave here is if you fall in love with me...” He shrugged and was leaning against the wall opposite me.

“Give it a year or less and I will make you fall in love with me.” He stated arrogantly.

I snarled, holding his gaze, and muttered. “I will never fall in love with a man like you!” I stabbed my finger on his chest.

“Never!” I screamed in his face. He was not the kind of man that I want, he was nothing like the sweet charming, and kindhearted Anton that I dated.

I couldn’t believe I was thinking about Anton even at this moment.

“I  can make you regret that.” He moved away from the wall and made his way towards me. I took a step back and hit my foot against a stool. His hands reached out towards me and grabbed my waist, pulling me towards him.

His fingers swept the hairs off my face, and he lowered his head and whispered. “Be careful or else that’s how you might end up falling for me.” Then, he smirked.