LOGINI ran a hand through my hair, exhaling heavily as I pushed myself up from the booth. I was done for the night. Done with the drinks, the noise, and the suffocating weight of my own thoughts. The only thing I wanted now was to go back home, strip out of these clothes, take a shower and fall into my cold, empty bed.As I descended the stairs, my gaze instinctively drifted toward the bar.Aria was still there, slumped over the counter, her head resting on her arms. But she wasn’t alone.Three men surrounded her, their voices raised, faces tense with agitation.I narrowed my eyes.Her body was limp, like she was either asleep or too far gone to register what was happening around her.A spark of irritation flared in my chest.I changed direction, my feet moving toward the scene before I even made the conscious decision.I pushed forward, my steps slow but deliberate, my patience wearing thin.The commotion at the bar was starting to draw attention, and the last thing I needed was a scene
I knew Aria wasn’t exactly the most responsible person, but this? Drinking herself into oblivion in the middle of a club, alone?I clenched my jaw, irritation prickling under my skin.Was it because of what I said to her?Was she drinking like this because of me?The thought made something twist in my gut, something uncomfortable and unwelcome.My jaw locked as I downed the rest of my drink in one go, never taking my eyes off her.My phone buzzed on the table, the screen lighting up with a name that made me feel something.Megan was finally calling.For a second, I considered ignoring it. Hell, I should ignore it. But then, a thought crossed my mind—what if she was calling to say she was home already? If she was, I could leave this damn place and go back.The phone buzzed again.I exhaled sharply, snatching it up and pressing it to my ear."Yeah?" My voice was flat, emotionless."Ace..." Her voice was soft, filled with hesitation. "Baby, I'm so sorry. The director kept making us redo
The guilt hit me like a wave. A part of me, the part that still had a sliver of humanity left, wanted to call out to her, to apologize, to take back the cruel words. But another part of me—maybe the larger part—was relieved. This was it. She’d quit. She would be gone. I’d gotten to her, and that was exactly what I wanted.My marriage wasn’t going to be ruined by her anymore. The thought made my chest tighten. I had pushed her so far that she would leave. She would quit, and I wouldn’t have to see her here again. The idea of her no longer in my life, no longer lurking around my home, filled me with an odd sense of relief.Still, the guilt lingered. She was hurt, broken by the words I had thrown at her.No matter how much she tried to mask it, I knew my words got to her. It wasn’t just in her voice—it was in the silence that followed, the way she tried so hard to pull herself together but couldn’t quite make it.I didn’t know if I should feel bad or if I should just feel grateful. My
More tears spill down her cheeks, and she turns away from me, her back rigid as she desperately wipes at them. But it’s useless—they keep falling, betraying her. Then, the soft padding of small feet against the floor catches my attention. Lacey shuffles into the living room, clutching a teddy bear in one hand, her other hand rubbing at her sleepy eyes. She blinks up at us, confusion knitting her tiny brows.Aria stiffens, sucking in a sharp breath before hurriedly swiping at her tear-streaked face, forcing a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. But Lacey isn't fooled. Her frown deepens, her little voice laced with concern."Aria, are you crying?" Lacey’s small voice is laced with concern as she clutches her teddy bear tighter, tilting her head to the side. Her big, drowsy eyes flick between Aria’s tear-streaked face and mine, her little brows furrowing in worry.Aria quickly crouches down, smoothing Lacey’s messy hair with trembling fingers, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite
I turned to Aria, my glare sharp enough to cut through steel. My patience? Gone. My restraint? Holding on by a thread.“How dare you bring a man into my house?” My voice was low, lethal. “How shameless can you be?”She let out an exhausted sigh, as if I was the problem here. “I didn’t bring him, Ace. He just showed up."I barked out a laugh, hollow and cold. “Right. That's why u decided to fuck him in my living room." She folded her arms, her lips pressing into a stubborn line. “I wasn't going to fuck him. We were just kissing"I scoffed. "Kissing? I saw him grab your ass."She rolls her eyes like she had the upper hand. “Ace, people grab each other when they kiss sometimes, that doesn’t mean—”My jaw clenched, fury clawing at my chest. “Don’t bullshit me,” I snapped. “I saw him grab your ass like he owned it. You let him pin you against my wall, moaning like a desperate whore. And I’m supposed to believe you weren’t seconds away from screwing him in my goddamn house?”Her face redde
Aria's breath caught sharply as she pressed a hand against George's chest, pushing him back—but it was too gentle. Too damn gentle."George," she hissed, her voice strained with something that didn’t belong in a workplace. "I’m at work.""And?" George smirked, not an ounce of hesitation in him. "What, is your boss some kind of tyrant who won’t let you have visitors?"If only he knew.She sighs, clearly exasperated. “I still need to put the kids to bed.”He pouts. Actually pouts. “Come with me instead.”Oh, he’s got some fucking nerve.I exhale slowly, my control hanging by a damn thread. If this jackass doesn’t leave my house in the next ten seconds, I swear—Then, just as I thought things couldn’t get worse, the bastard pulled her into him again, kissing her. More desperate this time, his hands greedily roaming over her body like they were in a damn brothel. And she fucking let him.The nerve of him. And Aria? She was breathless, clearly enjoying every second of it. She was suppos
**Aria**Skylar cocks a brow. "So you're saying that Mr Alessandro shoved his hand inside your panties?""Yep" I replied popping the p and shoving a handful of popcorn into my mouth.Skylar's jaw dropped. I could already see the gears turning in her scandal-hungry brain, calculating the juicy scoop
Ace has been avoiding me all week.Big, bad Mr. CEO said he’d make me quit this job myself, but instead, he’s running from me like a spooked cat.He leaves the house at an ungodly hour and comes back so late that even the ghosts are probably asleep.I have single-handedly made a grown man avoid his
The hand around her throat moves down her chest, stomach, and presses its way into her pajama pants. My fingers are shoved into her underwear, and she lifts her right knee to give me better access. I chuckle in her ear, kissing my way down her neck.Her right hand reaches up, gripping a hold of m
I try to focus on my job, but I’m too distracted. My wife won’t listen to me, my house has been infiltrated by a professional menace, and now my head is pounding.I have a lot of work to do, but I can't concentrate, because of the argument we just had. I hate arguing with my wife. It hurts my feeli







