Sam strikes again. He might not want to anger Aria too much. Three people as offerings. How are they involved?
DANE. I felt the weight of hundreds of stares, sharp and unyielding, slicing into me from every angle. Aria’s hand was in mine and the only thing that kept me from feeling like I was about to suffocate underneath it all.I had seen my parents eye me the same way when we walked onto the stage minutes ago. Their faces had given nothing away, but I knew damn well they were measuring me too. They were trying to figure out how I could’ve treated Aria the way that I did. They weren’t alone in that because I often questioned myself about it as well.Had my mate been anyone else, I doubted that I’d be standing next to them right now with a solidified mate-bond.The Goddess really did give me the most fucking incredible mate. Someone that I’d never deserve but would spend each and every damn day proving myself to her. She’d never again question her place in my life, which was right beside me.There was a storm of judgment and uncertainty that thickened the air as the pack looked at me. They w
ARIA.The bond flared with his emotions rushing through me in a dizzying wave—shame, guilt, fierce love, and unshakable resolve.My throat tightened upon feeling it all, especially the love part. We hadn’t expressed it to each other yet. But feeling it made me realize that I felt that way about him as well. Many people would question how in the hell I could love someone who had hurt me so damn much. It was something that even I questioned, but it was because he’d made it a point to show me who the true Dane was. I hadn’t expected him to say all of that so plainly, not in front of everyone, not with the weight of his mistakes laid bare. But he didn’t flinch. He didn’t hide. He stood there, ready to shoulder the judgment, as long as I stayed behind him where he could protect me.Bex’s gaze darted between us, wide with shock. Gambit muttered a curse under her breath, while Adam just sat back, arms folded, studying Dane like he was trying to decide if this was the same man who had once
ARIA.Tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them. I felt his lips brush them away, and the tenderness of it only made me cry harder. Not from pain, not anymore, but from the overwhelming ache in my chest that came from finally being seen.The bond thrummed inside of me like a second heartbeat tethered to his. It was warm and steady, filling me with more than just sensation. I could feel him. And I could feel the way that he had meant every single word that he whispered to me.And Goddess, how badly I’d needed that.For so long, I’d carried the belief that I wasn’t enough. That I was wanted only for what I could do for others or pitied because of what I’d endured. Now with him still inside of me, and the mark on my neck throbbing in time with our bond, I finally understood what it felt like to be wanted for me.Just for being Aria.“You make me feel… safe,” I admitted softly.His answering kiss was slow, reverent, his lips brushing mine like a promise. Then he lowered his mo
DANE. My hands slid to the hem of her dress, the silky fabric pooling between my fingers. I looked at her, needing to be sure, needing that unspoken permission. And Goddess, when her eyes met mine, steady and burning with trust, I knew I had it.That trust undid me more than any kiss ever could.I lifted the dress slowly, deliberately, revealing inch after inch of her flawless skin. My lips followed the rise, the curve of her waist, teasing her ribs, until the fabric was gone and she was sitting before me in the most breathtaking sight I’d ever seen.A matching bra and panty set—sinful and elegant all at once. Black lace against her pale skin, clinging to her curves like it had been made just for her. My mouth went dry, and a groan escaped before I could stop it.“Fuck, Aria…” My voice was hoarse, reverent. “You’re perfect.”She shifted under my gaze, a soft blush staining her cheeks, but the way she bit her lip and arched toward me told me she loved the way I was looking at her. Like
ARIA.I was straddling Dane’s lap, feeling his hard-on underneath me. His hands immediately went to my hips, gripping me just enough to ground me without holding me back.I just wanted to feel something other than the crushing weight of the memories that apparently never wanted to be buried. The ones that clung to me like shards of glass pressed beneath my skin, small but cutting, always there no matter how I tried to shake them loose.I wanted him to make me forget, to drown out the whispers of words once said.To overwrite them and replace with something softer. Something good. Something positive. “Fuck,” he cursed, his voice low, husky. Each syllable vibrated through me, and I leaned forward, pressing my chest against his, letting him feel just how much I needed him.I leaned in, my lips ghosting over the side of his jaw, and he groaned, a deep, guttural sound that went straight to my core.“Goddess, you’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispered, his hands sliding up to cradle my fac
DANE.Finch and Adam had both attempted to come and grab Aria away from me. Their glares had been filled with fire that they probably hoped would burn me where I stood.Both of them wanted her anywhere but near me, and truthfully, I couldn’t blame them. After what happened, after everything that had been laid bare in front of the pack like dirty laundry hung out in the wind, why wouldn’t they want her shielded from me?But then she looked at me, and her voice was steady when she asked me to take her to my suite so that we could talk.Not Finch.Not Adam.Me.I should’ve felt relief. Instead, nerves rippled through me like a low-grade current, thrumming in my veins. She had told me earlier that we were okay, but I didn’t see how we possibly could be. Not after the shame of having our rawest, ugliest truths thrown onto screens for everyone to dissect. Not after I had felt her emotions crashing down on me like a tidal wave.And yet… hope was a stubborn, reckless thing. A part of me clung