Aria’s POVI crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe. Liam stood rigid, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowing as he stared at me. The tension in the room felt suffocating, thick and heavy."So, you and Logan spent the day at the fair with Joe," Liam said, his voice tight, like he was holding back
Liam’s POVI slammed the car door shut, feeling the rush of adrenaline still pumping through my veins. It was done. Mason Thornhill wouldn’t be blackmailing me—or anyone else—anytime soon.The look on his face when I confronted him was something I’d remember for a long time. Shock, panic, and then a
I smiled at the thought, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the wine. “Remind me never to get on your bad side. You really helped me out back there.”Aria glanced at me, her expression unreadable. “I didn’t do it for you, Liam. I did it because Mason’s the kind of person
Aria’s POVThe weight of Liam’s warning lingered in my mind like a storm cloud I couldn’t shake. His words echoed in my head every time I thought about Logan:*“There’s a side to Logan you haven’t seen.”*But was it just bitterness over our failed marriage, or was there something more?I needed answ
When we finally reached my place, Liam escorted me up to the door, his hand hovering protectively near my back.“I promise, Aria, this will be over soon,” he said as we stepped inside. “I won’t let anyone hurt you or Joe.”Before I could respond, Joe bounded down the hallway, his little face lightin
Aria’s POVI sat in my car, staring at the screen of my laptop. The search results were scattered with articles, business profiles, and vague mentions of Liam’s rival, Mason Thornhill.Liam’s warnings about Logan had been a distraction from the bigger threat—a shadow lurking at the edges of his care
Aria’s POVI pushed my lunch around my plate, barely registering the half-eaten salad in front of me. My mind was still stuck on last night. Dinner with Liam hadn’t been what I expected—not by a long shot.“Okay, spill,” Isabella said, sliding into the seat across from me in the cafe. “You’ve been o
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said flatly, turning back to my screen. Jackson shrugged, but his grin lingered.“Hey, I’m just saying, it’s nice to see him not storming around like he’s about to fire half the office. Must be all those good vibes you’re sending his way.”I didn’t respo
My brow drew together in confusion. “What happened?”At that moment, Rita returned carrying a fresh cup of coffee, which she set down in front of me.Alistair’s entire demeanor changed once more. Shedding his down-to-business persona, he looked up at her with a bright, friendly, and relaxed expressi
Liam’s POVThe Circle Café was a smaller restaurant, opened only for breakfast and lunch and located in one of the corner buildings in the older part of time. It had an eclectic sort of aesthetic, with the paintings of many local artists on the walls for sale. The booths were all different colors an
Liam’s POV“I have a plan,” I said, which such a blatant lie that I needed to rephrase. “I have the beginnings of a plan…”Jackson crossed his arms. “So you have no idea what you are doing.”God, it really did seem that way, didn’t it? He should have spoken to Aria more at length this morning about
“We don’t lie to each other, remember?” I prompted. “I want the truth, Liam.”“You’re right,” he said and pushed a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t going to lie to you, but I’ve been doing a hell of a job avoiding the truth. I’m sorry, Aria.” He sighed. “The truth is… I got a weird call from one of
Aria’s POVAfter that perfect date with Liam and then the just-as-perfect evening with my family, I awoke feeling more hopeful than I had in a very long time. For the first time since Markus and Joanna entered our lives, I began to look forward to my future as Liam’s wife.It might be callous, I wou
Aria’s POVThe kiss was electric, shooting sparked throughout my entire body, starting with where Liam’s lips were pressed to mine. In a flash, his arms wrapped around me, his head tilted, his lips started to part, coaxing mine open as well.As we kissed, falling so easily back into each other, one
Liam’s POVIn my office later, I spent more time thinking about how to prove my love to Aria than I did actually working. Fortunately, not much was needed from me that day, though Joanna, ever watchful, was quick to call out my distraction.“Maybe you should focus on work instead of thinking about a
Aria’s POVHe loved me. I was the only woman for him.They were pretty words, but when paired with the raw earnestness and love in his eyes, I found I could not disbelieve them.Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part. Maybe I was simply allowing myself to be vulnerable to hurt once more.But, the
Especially while Aria was out there confused and hurting.Ignoring Joanna, I rushed out of the room and then into the stairwell. Reasoning Aria either retreated to her office, the bathroom, or her car, I started to take the stairs down two at a time.Shortly, I spotted her on the landing between flo