While Ivy was dealing with her shady tutor, Aria found herself locked in a silent battle—her thoughts relentlessly circling back to Kade.. Aria’s POV: The moment Kade left the doorway, I slammed the door shut, pressing my back against it, my pulse hammering in my throat. Slowly, I slid to the floor, the broken plate fragment clutched tight against my chest. I lifted it, turning the jagged edges between my fingers. *Why did he even give me this?* I thought. But deep down, I knew. I knew he gave me so I’d never forget, so I’d keep on reliving what had happened earlier. And *fuck* it was working. The memory hit me like a fever—his hand gripping mine, guiding it down the hard planes of his chest, lower, *lower*..before letting go. Leaving me burning. “Next time, I won’t stop.” That voice—dark, teasing, *dangerous*—curled around my thoughts like smoke. The way he’d looked at me.. like he knew exactly what he was doing. Like he *wanted* me to break. And God, I wan
Ivy’s POV Professor Vance dropped the bomb like it was nothing. “Ivy, meet your new tutor.” *Hell no.* I didn’t need some calculus babysitter hovering over me, judging my every wrong answer. I could figure this out on my own. “Professor Vance,” I said, my voice tight as I glared at Lucas—*the tutor*—leaning against the wall like this was all some big joke. “I’m not interested.” Vance didn’t even blink. “Unfortunately that’s not one of the options.” He leaned forward, palms flat on his desk. “Either Lucas tutors you, or I call your father.” My throat closed up. *Damn it.* If my father found out I’d failed another exam, he’d be breathing down my neck—or worse, locking me in my room with a stack of textbooks until graduation. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. Vance just stared, unimpressed, while Lucas watched me like I was some fascinating experiment. “Ivy.” Vance snapped his fingers in front of my face. “We’re waiting.” He tapped
**Meanwhile, back at Lancaster’s House…** Ivy’s POV: Sleep was a luxury in this house. Especially when my father was on a warpath. I jolted awake to the sound of his voice cracking through the hallway like a whip. “Tear this City apart if you have to. Find her!” *Ugh.* I dragged a pillow over my head, muffling the chaos downstairs. Maybe if I pressed hard enough, I could drown him out and steal another hour of sleep. My sister had been gone less than forty eight hours, and already, the house felt like a fucking crime scene—tense, airless like the walls were holding their breath. Just as my body relaxed back into the mattress— *Knock. Knock.* *For the love of Christ, what’s the matter this time?* I didn’t bother moving the pillow. “Go away.” “M-Miss Ivy?” A whisper. One of the staff—Maria? Marta?—hovering like a startled bird. “Your father wants you downstairs.” I lifted a corner of the pillow. The sky outside was still pitch black. “For what
Aria’s POV: They heard. They saw. *Fuck* Kade’s gaze slid from the girl’s waist—where his hands had been gripping—to the shattered plate just beyond the door’s crack. A beat of silence. Then, slowly, his eyes trailed up from the broken porcelain to me, frozen in the doorway. My face burned under his stare, my fingers twitching at my sides. Keisha’s head whipped toward the door, her glare slicing into me before flipping back to Kade. “Who the hell’s this bitch?” “I-I was just looking for Rand,” I stammered, dropping to my knees. My hands trembled as I scrambled to gather the shards, my gaze locked on the floor. The sharp edge of the broken plate bit into my arm. “Fuck.”I hissed, shaking my hand before forcing myself to finish. And just then, the bed creaked. Kade pulled out of her with a wet sound, snatching a towel to wrap around his hips. Keisha straightened, her breasts swaying as she yanked her panties up her thigh with an irritated jerk.
Aria’s POV: Through the crack in the door— I saw him. Kade. Bare-backed and glistening, fully nude , sweat painting his skin like he’d just finished the first round. The air was thick with sex and his cologne—dark, intoxicating. I knew Kade was attractive, but this? This was something else entirely. *Oh my* His shoulders were broad, the kind that made fingers itch to trace the hard line of muscle down his back. The afternoon light caught the sweat along his spine, that tantalizing dip between his ridges—like an invitation. And lower..*oh* His waist tapered enough just enough to steal my breath, muscles flexing as he searched for something in a drawer. Then those two sinful dimples right above his— A voice shattered my staring. “Can’t wait for you to fucking ruin me.” My gaze snapped to the girl sprawled on the bed. *Jules?* I leaned closer, tiptoeing, my back bent as I strained to see through the crack. The plate in my hand wobbled. It couldn’t b
Aria’s POV: He took a step closer, the kitchen light catching the edge of his smirk. “Figured I’d learn the name of the girl who’d scream mine eventually.” My jaw dropped, and then I laughed—sharp, humorless. Not because anything was funny, but because I couldn’t believe his audacity. I laughed because if I didn’t, I might’ve cracked this plate over his skull. And then I spoke, voice dripping with venom. “If you think I’m one of those girls your ‘words’ work on, you’re severely mistaken." Kade smirked, unfazed. “C’mon, princess. A name’s not that hard to give up." My fingers tightened around the plate, knuckles whitening. “Stop fucking calling me pri—“ “Alright, enough." Rand’s voice cut between us like a referee’s whistle. He strode into the living room, his expression a mix of exhaustion and exasperation. His gaze flicked from Kade’s smug face to mine, lingering on his brother like he was mentally counting to ten. “For the love of Christ, y