Chapter Forty

CHAPTER FORTY

MAXIMO

The car engine came to a stop directly in front of the beach house. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling a heavy breath. My heart was still heavy despite my efforts to forget everything that had happened in the past hour. I wished I could forget the details of my argument with Aria, I wish I could forget how her words cut me like a knife, how the mixture of hurt, pain and guilt settled in my stomach.

But I couldn’t.

I accused her of being impulsive, but heck! Bringing Aria here was an impulsive decision, one I hoped would get her to open up to me. I knew she hated being in my mansion. She hated being locked up. She hated being stuck with me.

But the realization that was too painful to accept was the fact that she hated me too, so much that she wouldn’t mind risking her life or dying just to get away from me.

The pain in my chest returned in full force, squeezing and burning my lungs, making it hard to breathe. My hand tightened against the steering wheel before