ARIA'S POVMy breath hitched, and I felt myself stiffen under his gaze. The car suddenly felt smaller, the air heavier.I wasn’t sure what was happening, but something was shifting between us, something I hadn’t expected. I could feel it, and I knew Finn could feel it too.He shifted slightly in his seat, turning more towards me, his eyes still locked on mine.I wanted to break the silence, to say something to shake off the strange tension that was hanging between us, but the words wouldn’t come. My throat felt tight, like something had lodged itself there, refusing to budge.And then, slowly, Finn leaned closer.My heart skipped a beat. He didn’t speak, didn’t say a word. His eyes flicked down, lingering on my lips, and my breath caught in my chest. My mind seemed to short-circuit as I watched him, frozen in place, not sure of what to do or say.This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not with Finn. Not right now.But there he was, inches away, his eyes dark and focused. I could feel the hea
FINN’S POVAs Aria's words trailed off, I realized that she was terrified. Not of me, but of whatever had just happened between us.The weight of that moment—the way I had leaned in, the way I almost crossed a line neither of us were ready for—it was too much for her. And I didn’t blame her. Hell, I wanted out of my own head.What the hell was I even thinking?The clarity struck me fast, like a cold bucket of water thrown over my head. I shook off the stupid, reckless thoughts that had been swirling in my mind, the ones that had nearly driven me to kiss her.“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, the words tumbling out in a rush. I didn’t even wait for her to respond. I turned on my heel and got back into the car, slamming the door shut behind me.My heart was pounding, my thoughts racing as I sat there, trying to get a grip on myself.The car started up again, the hum of the engine filling the tense silence. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my head buried in my hands, trying so
ARIA'S POVAs soon as I stepped into the house, all thoughts of Finn and the… the kiss disappeared from my mind, replaced by the heavy tension in the air.Adam was sitting on the sofa, his posture rigid, his face tight with an expression I rarely saw on him. And seeing him like this made my stomach twist with uneasiness.“Hey,” I greeted softly, trying to keep my voice steady as I dropped my keys on the small table by the door. “What’s going on?”Adam’s eyes flicked up to meet mine, and for a moment, he said nothing. Just stared, like he was trying to figure out how to break whatever news was sitting on his shoulders.My pulse quickened, and a million thoughts rushed through my mind. Was something wrong with the pack? Had something happened to Father?Then Adam cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the quiet room. “Aria,” he began slowly, his voice low, careful. “We’ve got a problem. A big one.”My heart skipped. A problem? I took a step closer to him, my fingers fidgeting with the s
ARIA'S POVAfter pacing back and forth in my room for what felt like hours, I finally made my decision.I couldn’t do this alone. Going to see that rogue by myself was nothing short of suicide.My hands trembled as I ran them through my hair, trying to calm my racing thoughts.I had to tell Adam. He would know what to do—he always did.I took a deep breath and made my way downstairs, trying to mask the anxiety that was building up inside me.When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw Adam sitting on the sofa, looking utterly exhausted. His eyes were heavy, his body slouched in a way that told me he hadn’t slept at all.I knew he had been working nonstop, calling for help, reaching out to every connection he had, trying to track down the rogue. And it was all for my sake.The guilt hit me like a wave. He was doing all of this to protect me, and yet here I was, about to burden him again.I paused, and as I watched him my heart ached. I really didn’t want to add to his burden, I shou
ARIA'S POVThe streets were empty—eerily quiet for this time of the night. Not a single soul was in sight. The street lights dimmed and flickered as if they were on their last breath.The further I drove, the more empty it became, the darkness swallowing the road ahead of me like a black hole. The silence in the car felt deafening, broken only by the soft hum of the engine.It reminded me of a haunted graveyard, the kind you see in horror movies, where nothing good ever happens.I swear I could literally hear my instincts screaming at me to turn around, to head back home where it was safe, but I shook the feeling off. I couldn’t let fear paralyze me now.Suddenly, the car jolted, hitting something hard on the road. I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat as I slammed on the brakes. The car screeched to a stop, the sound cutting through the night air like a scream.I gripped the steering wheel, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps as I stared out into the darkness. For a moment,
DANTE'S POVFinn and Aria’s sudden departure weighed heavily on my mind. The moment they drove off together, something in me shifted, unsettled.I couldn’t shake the look I had seen in Finn’s eyes—intense, burning, filled with desire. It wasn’t just protective concern; it was something deeper, something that made my gut twist in ways I didn’t want to acknowledge.Desire for Aria.I tightened my grip on my wine glass just thinking about it.Heck! I should have stopped Finn from leaving with Aria, should have said something. But what could I do? As her ex-husband, I had no right. As Finn’s brother… I didn’t know how to handle it.It was a mess, a twisted knot that no amount of reasoning could untangle.Let it go, Dante. It’s not your place anymore. I kept telling myself that, but it didn’t help. The thought of Finn looking at Aria like that… of them being together… it gnawed at me, made me feel like my chest was going to cave in.And then, there was Linda.“Dante, are you even listening
DANTE'S POVThe flames surrounded the car quickly, licking up the sides like they were hungry for more. I stood frozen, staring at the scene in front of me, my mind spinning.The night air was thick with the sharp stench of burning rubber and metal, and there was something about the way the flames curled around the wreckage that sent a chill crawling down my spine.I wanted to go over, to see what had happened, but the darkness around the crash felt thick, heavy with danger.It was too quiet, too still, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t supposed to be here. Everything about this scene screamed to stay away.My hands tightened on the steering wheel, and I thought about driving off, leaving this mess behind.A car explosion in an empty area like this? It was suspicious, to say the least. No one would blame me for getting out while I still could. It was none of my business.But then it hit me—PAIN. It was sharp and sudden.A searing bolt of pain shot through my chest, like m
DANTE'S POVThe thought echoed in my mind, louder than the crackling flames.I looked again, squinting through the thick smoke, and that was when I saw the sparkle—the familiar sparkle from the diamond bracelet I had given her. It kept on catching the light from the flames, flashing like a warning, and my breath caught in my throat.It had to be Aria. It was really her.“Aria!” I shouted, my voice rough, but there was no answer. My pulse spiked as panic clawed its way up my chest. I couldn’t waste any more time.Without even thinking for more than a second, I rushed into the flames, my body moving on instinct.The intense heat was suffocating, the smoke thick enough to choke me, but I didn’t care. My mind was a blur, my only thought to get to her. To save her.The fire had not reached the front of the car yet, and I thanked the goddess for whatever safety features had kept the flames at bay. The driver’s seat was still intact, though the rest of the car was a twisted mess of metal and