Chapter 43

ARIA'S POV

"Aria!"

Dante's voice cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality. I blinked and focused on his face.

"I asked you what you did to Linda!" he repeated, his voice low and dangerous.

I straightened my back and met his glare with a calmness I didn't quite feel. My heart was racing, but I would be damned if I'd let him see that.

"Nothing," I replied simply, my voice steady.

Dante's nostrils flared, his anger visibly rising. "Nothing?" he repeated, his voice rising. "So you're just going to stand there and claim innocence? You're not even going to defend yourself?"

I shrugged, pretending not to care. "It's a waste of time defending myself if no one is going to believe a word I say.”

"Cut the crap!" he snapped, taking a step closer. "Did you or did you not do something to hurt her?”

I could see the doubt in his eyes, the way he wavered between wanting to believe me and already believing the worst. And honestly, it made something in me snap.

For crying out loud, I was so