CHAPTER 58

Aaron’s POV

I woke up with my heart in my throat.

Wrong ceiling. Wrong sheets. Wrong everything.

Lucian’s room.

And Lucian.

He was on his side facing me, one arm under the pillow, breathing slowly and Shirtless. That dragon tattoo on his ribs rose and fell inches from my face. The one I’d stared at for thirteen years and never touched.

_No. No no no._

Last night hit me like a freight train.

The club. The car ride. The whiskey I never should’ve touched because I’m a lightweight idiot. His hand on my knee. “Talk to me, Aaron. You’ve been off all night.”

And me — me with a mouth full of alcohol and years of shit I’d swallowed — just _breaking_.

_I’ve loved you for Thirteen fucking years, Lucian. Since I was 11 and stupid. Since before I knew what it felt like to want someone who looks right through me. You happy? You got what you wanted?”_

I didn’t even remember his reaction. Because I passed out. Right there. In his arms. Like a damn amateur.

Now it was morning. I was in his bed. And he was _right there_.

Panic was cold water in my veins. I had to get out. Before he woke up. Before he—

His eyes opened.

Just like that. No warning. Dark, alert, and locked on mine.

“Morning,” he said. Voice like gravel. Like he hadn’t just heard me spill thirteen years of pathetic down his shirt.

I scrambled. Sheets tangled around my legs. “I — I should go.”

I was halfway out of bed when his hand caught my wrist.

“Aaron.”

I froze. Couldn’t look at him. “Let me—”

“Freshen up.” His thumb brushed over my pulse. Once. “Meet me at the gym in 30 minutes. We’re training.”

That made me look at him. “What?”

He let go and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling like we were discussing the weather. “You heard me.”

“Lucian, last night I—”

“30 minutes,” he repeated. Then he closed his eyes. “And don’t be late.”

Dismissed. Like I hadn’t just handed him my heart on a liquor-soaked platter.

I got out of there before I could throw up.

---

The Gym - 30 Minutes Later

It was full. most of our men. Grunting, weights clanging, bags being murdered. Normal.

Except Lucian was in the ring already, taping his hands, laughing at something Viktor said. He didn’t look up when I walked in.

That was worse than yelling.

I kept my head down. Grabbed wraps. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

_He’s gonna pretend it didn’t happen. He’s gonna act like I’m still just Kael’s friend, just another—_

“Aaron, you wanna spar?” Marco jogged over, gloves up.

“He trains alone today.”

Lucian’s voice cut across the gym. He hadn’t even looked away from Viktor.

Marco blinked. “Oh. Uh, sure, boss.”

He backed off.

My throat closed up.

For the next hour, that was the pattern. Lucian worked around the room. Corrected stances, Traded jokes, Praised a good hit.

And every single time someone stepped toward me?

He’s with me.

He trains alone.

Not today.

Never looking at me. Never acknowledging me. But marking me. Like a fucking dog.

I hit the heavy bag until my wraps were damp with sweat and my shoulders screamed. Because if I stopped, I’d think. And if I thought, I’d remember the way he’d said my name this morning — soft, like a secret — then shut me out like I was nothing.

Was this punishment? Was this him telling me I’d ruined everything?

_You did this to yourself,_ I thought, driving a cross into the leather. _Thirteen years you kept your mouth shut. One night of whiskey and now he knows. Now he—_

“Break.”

Lucian’s voice. The men started filing out. A few clapped my shoulder on the way past. “Damn, Aaron. You’re gonna break the bag.”

I couldn’t answer.

Then it was empty. Just us.

He was unwrapping his hands, slow. Still not looking. “Your form’s shit when you’re emotional.”

“Then stop ignoring me,” I snapped before I could stop myself.

Now he looked. Walked to me, stopped a foot away.

I’m not ignoring you.

Could’ve fooled me

My voice cracked. God, I hated myself. “You’re acting like I didn’t— like last night didn’t—”

“Like you didn’t confess you’re in love with me?” He tilted his head. “You think I’d forget that, Aaron?”

Then why—

“Because you ran,” he said, like he read my mind. “You passed out before I could answer. You tried to sneak out this morning. You’re still trying to run.”

He stepped in. Tapped my chest, right over my heart. “So now you stand here. You train. You deal with it. Sober. Awake. No whiskey to hide behind.”

My breath shuddered out of me. “And if I can’t?”

His eyes dropped to my mouth for half a second. Then back up. “Then you’re not the man I thought you were.”

He walked past me. Paused at the door. “Breakfast. Don’t be late for that either.”

And he was gone.

I sank onto the bench, hands over my face.

He hadn’t said no. He hadn’t said yes. He’d said _stand here and deal with it._

Thirteen years of waiting and I had no idea if I’d just won or lost everything.

---

Vera's POV

Breakfast was a war zone.

Lina was mainlining coffee and glaring at Aaron every time he moved. Aaron was staring at his plate like it owed him money. And every two seconds his eyes would flick to Lucian, then away, fast. Like he’d been burned.

Lucian? Lucian was cutting his eggs like he hadn’t just psychologically tortured his best friend in the gym. Smirking. The bastard.

And Kael.

Kael was watching me.

Not eating. Not talking. Just tracking every move I made like I was prey that might bolt. I was still sore from last night. Still angry. Still _wanting_, damn it.

Where’s Livia? I blurted out. Anything to cut this tension.

The table went dead quiet.

Lucian looked up, Our sister?

Yeah. I put my fork down. “I haven’t seen her since we got back. She wasn’t—”

“I sent her back to school,” Lucian said, smooth as silk. “It’s safer.”

wait ...they have a sister? Lina mumbled into her mug.

Lucian’s eyes slid to her. Because we are monsters, you think we can't have a Sister?

Lina swallowed and shut up.

I frowned at him. “You just sent her away? Without—”

“She’s 19, Vera.” Kael’s voice was quiet. “She doesn’t belong in the middle of this. Not after the heat we brought back settling that score.”

Aaron made a sound in his throat. Lucian didn’t even blink in his direction.

“And she agreed?” I pressed.

“She didn’t get a choice,” Kael said.

The possessive thing. It really did run in the family.

I pushed my plate away. “Right.”

Kael’s hand covered mine on the table. Warm. Heavy.

I ripped it away.

His eyes darkened. Just a bit. Lucian saw it and huffed a laugh into his coffee.

“Don’t start,” Aaron muttered to his plate.

“Start what?” Lina asked, lost.

“Nothing,” Kael and I snapped together.

We glared at each other.

Then his leg brushed mine under the table. Slow. Deliberate. His calf dragging against mine, then pressing. Staying.

My breath hitched.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t have to. His eyes said _still aching? Good. Remember who did that to you._

I hated how my body answered.

Lucian stood, napkin hitting his plate. “Meeting. Aaron.”

Aaron jerked like he’d been shot. Stood without a word and followed Lucian out. Didn’t look back.

Lina watched them go. “What the actual hell was that?”

“my thought exactly,” I said again. My voice wasn’t steady.

Kael stood. Rounded the table. He didn’t touch me yet.

“My office,” he said. “Now.”

Lina’s eyes went huge. Oh no. I’m not—...I didn't...it wasn't me.....I did not....

“Not you.” Kael’s eyes never left mine. “Her.”

My brain said _say no. Say you’re done._

My feet were already moving.

Because I was still aching. Because last night he left me wrecked and wanting.

And God help me, I needed him to finish what he started.

Kael didn’t wait to see if she followed.

He already knew she would.

The hallway felt too quiet as Vera walked behind him. Every step echoed louder than it should have. Her body was still on edge, still carrying last night, still not settled.

By the time they reached his office, her chest was tight with something she refused to name.

Anticipation.

Annoyance.

Something else.

Kael pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Vera followed.

The door shut behind her with a soft click.

He didn’t turn immediately.

Just walked further in, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the chair like none of this mattered.

Vera crossed her arms. “If this is another ‘you disobeyed me’ speech, save it.”

That got his attention.

He turned slowly

“Speech?” he repeated.

“Yes,” she said flatly. “You seem to like those.”

He took a step closer.

“You think this is about last night?”

“I think everything with you is about control,” she shot back.

That made something flicker in his expression.

“Careful,” he said quietly.

“Or what?” Vera stepped closer too now. “You’ll remind me again that I’m yours?”

Kael’s gaze dropped to her mouth.

“You say that like you don’t already know it.”

Her jaw tightened. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

“Keep telling yourself that.

Kael closed the distance completely this time,

Close enough that she could feel the heat off him again.

“You walked out of my house,” he said, voice low. “You put yourself in a situation I couldn’t control.”

“There it is,” she muttered. “Control.”

“No,” he corrected. “Risk.”

She held his gaze. “I can handle myself.”

“I know you can.”

Her brows pulled slightly. “Then what’s your problem?”

Kael tilted his head just slightly.

“You think this is about whether you’re capable?”

Kael’s hand finally came up,

he brushed a strand of her hair back, You’re still shaking, he said quietly.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

Kael’s eyes didn’t leave hers.

“Next time you leave,” he said, voice calm again, back under control, “you don’t do it without telling me.”

Vera studied him for a long second.

Then—

“…We’ll see.”