Aria’s POV I talked with Joe for a while, eventually convincing him that he wasn’t entirely responsible for Liam leaving. He was still determined to accept some blame, despite my best efforts to convince him otherwise. Likely only Liam would be able to convince him otherwise. Over the course of
Aria’s POV One moment, I was resting my eyes on the couch. The next, I was blinking awake in my bed, the morning light creeping in through my windows. How had I gotten here? Liam. It had to be. I wasn’t a sleepwalker, and no one else would have had the strength to carry me. He had tucked me in,
Liam’s POV “A buyer? New owner? What are you talking about?” I asked, immediately confused. “The team isn’t for sale.” “Of course it is, silly,” Joanna replied. She laughed as she spoke, acting like I was the one who was being ridiculous. Given what we just talked about, I guessed to her, everyt
Aria’s POV Maybe I should have seen this coming, with how much concern was flooding Jackson’s face, but his words still took me by surprise. So much so that I was stunned for a minute. Unfortunately, in that minute when I was gaping at him, Jackson confused my silence for agreement. “You have to
Aria’s POV After receiving the details from Liam’s assistant, I hung up the phone and rushed from the office, dashing toward the stairwell. I had suspected that Jackson wasn’t going to easily let go of his assumptions about Liam harassing me, but I’d been hoping I’d at least have time to talk to
Jackson nodded, but then a frown pulled at his lips. “But if she’s your wife,” Jackson said, speaking to Liam, “Why in the world would you let her be demoted? The new trainer is the worst! It all made sense when I thought you were blackmailing Aria or something, but now I’m even more confused.” Li
Liam’s POV I’d hoped that Aria sharing the secret of our marriage with Jackson might be a turning point for the two of us. She’d never shown any interest in sharing the secret before, and, though she’d been more or less forced to this time, I’d hoped she would see that nothing would change. Jack
Isabella knew about Markus’s check, so I had no problems telling her where I was going. “I wish I could be there to see it,” she replied. After hanging up with Isabella, I drove the rest of the way to Markus’ estate. The gate stayed closed for me again, so I reached out and pressed the button on
Aria’s POVSeeing William and Joe safe and sound at that table sent a rush of relief through me so quickly that I very nearly lost my balance. Liam, as if noticing, placed a hand at the small of my back just in time to keep me upright.I didn’t have time to think about anything else going on, or how
Joe remembered all the lessons about stranger danger. He knew they shouldn’t accept things from people that they didn’t know or trust.Even accepting this pie was probably a bad idea, though Joe thought that so long as they stayed in the diner, it would be okay.He kept glancing at the door.William
Aria’s POVIn our search for the children, we traveled along the roads to the park. There, I searched the kids’ favorite play areas: behind the slide, around the swings, near the seesaws and the jungle gym.William and Joe were nowhere to be found. Likewise, I saw no evidence that they had been here
Joe’s POVWhen William told Joe he was leaving, Joe knew he couldn’t let William go alone. The world was a dangerous place, and William was far too confident about things. Plus, with how William was talking, he sounded like he wasn’t planning on coming back.Joe hoped to convince him differently.So
Aria’s POVFor most of the day, I did my best to avoid Liam, but it was difficult. He seemed to be doing the same, giving me the space I requested, yet every once in a while, we’d find ourselves entering the same room or hallway, or going the same way toward the stairs.There was an awkward moment o
Aria’s POVBitter thoughts of Markus made me feel sick, but I pushed those dark feelings away and turned off the television again. With Markus gone, he could never hurt anyone ever again. He couldn’t haunt or stalk us.Liam might have already made his choice, but at least the children and I would be
Liam’s POV“Isabelle, I just need to talk to Aria,” I said, pleadingly. “If you just tell me where she is –”“Then you’ll continue to bother her.” Isabelle, arms crossed, glared at me in open disgust and distain. “She told me what she saw. And it makes me feel a thousand times worse, for having told
Liam’s POVI took my own car to Mr. Peters’ office. Several times on the route, I nearly turned and drove home instead, desperate to talk to Aria. Once, I stopped so long at a red light that Joanna called me on the phone.“Your father is dead, Liam. You have an obligation to him now. Aria will still
“I’m so sorry,” Isabelle said, her face downtrodden, her own make staining streaks down her face. We must have looked like quite the pair. It’d be laughable if my heart wasn’t so very heavy. “I totally misread the entire situation. When I saw that ring…”“How could you think anything but what you di