And for a while, it worked.The music, the lights, the crowd—it all blurred together in a haze that dulled the edge of my frustration. Isabella had always been good at pulling me out of my own head, her carefree attitude a welcome distraction.“So,” she said as we clinked glasses, her eyes twinkling
Liam’s POVI paced back and forth in my office, unable to shake the thoughts running through my head. The missing divorce papers haunted me, each unanswered question gnawing at my mind.I hated the idea of suspecting Aria, but as the days passed, the suspicion only grew. Why hadn’t she said anything
Her eyes flared with anger, meeting mine without backing down. “It wasn’t a game, Liam. I wasn’t trying to mess with you. I was hurt.”“Well, congratulations,” I shot back bitterly, “because that’s exactly what you did. You’ve been dragging me along,and when I finally gave in you threw out the very
Liam’s POVI stood outside the office building, my heart hammering in my chest as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.Sirens screamed from all directions, adding to the dizzying chorus of voices and alarms.But none of those faces belonged to Aria.Frantically, I scanned the crowd, searchin
As we drove to the hospital, I sat beside her, clutching her hand. I didn’t care about the ashes smeared across my skin or the sweat that dripped down my face.All I cared about was the rise and fall of her chest—proof that she was still with me.I hadn’t realized how much I needed her until this mo
Aria’s POVI blink awake, groggy and sore all over. The sterile white of the hospital room comes into focus slowly, and I wince as a sharp sting ripples across my collarbones. The burns.I lift my head, but even that small movement sends pain shooting through my body. Great. This is just fantastic.
We share a smile—one that feels oddly familiar, like a glimpse of what we used to be.But then his phone buzzes, and the moment breaks. Liam glances at the screen, his expression tightening.“It’s work,” he mutters, clearly reluctant. “I have to go. But I’ll be back.”He leans down and presses a kis
Aria’s POVThe office buzzes with life as I step inside, the familiar sounds of keyboards clacking and hushed conversations wrapping around me.It feels good to be back, though a dull ache in my collarbone reminds me that I'm not entirely in fighting shape just yet. But I'm here, and that's what mat
That was enough to quiet me for now. “I’m listening.” “His birthday is coming up. We’re all throwing a surprise party for him at his house.” When Robert said that, I assumed he meant the house Liam and I had shared together. It was still strange hearing it referred to as Liam’s house, even thoug
Joe’s POV Joe saved the precious prize, Liam’s hair first. Then he grabbed the money, knowing twenty dollars was quite a lot. William’s hair, however, he dropped, but he was pretty sure that it landed on his shirt. Only… he didn’t know which. He and William had similar hair colors and lengths
Liam’s POV I headed to Sophia’s house after work to spend time with William. I expected to find a babysitter there, not Sophia. I wondered if she would ever learn to be a responsible mother. William loved her so much, and she barely gave him the time of day. If she didn’t change her act, and soo
“It won’t happen again,” I said, meaning it. My feelings for Liam were tangled and complicated. I wanted him in my life romantically, but at the same time, I was terrified of what he might do with that much power over me. I didn’t want to ever feel as much betrayal again as I did when he chose Sop
Aria’s POV Walking into Liam’s office, I felt like a kid called in front of the principal. I knew if nothing else, I was definitely in for a lecture. I had been careless, sending that email instead of coming to Liam with my order form directly like I usually did. Then I had made everything wor
Joe’s POV At school, Joe sat next to William during lunch period. William had seemed really down lately, but he was even worse today, his shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. Joe didn’t like seeing his friend sad, so even though Joe was feeling his own unhappy feelings regarding the fight be
But Sophia? For years, I’d been at her beck and call, overwhelmed with guilt and loss at the death of my best friend, her brother. I tried to step in to support Sophia, as he would have done. All she did was take and take and try to take even more. Despite the clear boundaries I’d tried to estab
Aria’s POV Logan’s words bothered me more than they should have. I would never be angry about Liam’s devotion to William, his son, but thought of his continued running off to serve all of Sophia’s desires left me with the same unresolved frustration I had felt six years ago. Liam had changed in
Liam’s POV It had been a good long while since I stepped into a boxing ring. Even longer since I’d actually wanted to throw a punch this badly. As Logan and I circled each other in the ring, our boxing gloves on and mouth guards in, all I heard in my head again and again were Aria’s words. Whe