LOGINHe took the violin out for her and put it into her hand, then took his place next to her. “This is what I do if I’m not working and I’m away from you, when I let you have dinner all on your own, when I stop myself from enjoying your company, like the fool I am,” he said, showing her the new pieces he’d written for her. She took them into her other hand, touched them like they were precious jewels. “Play with me?” Troy hadn’t touched a piano since the proposal. He sat here almost every night, writing for her, about her, but he couldn’t make himself touch the thing. It felt wrong to him too. But hearing the sound of her violin alongside his keys opened his heart the way it did that night on the rooftop. What she didn’t know was he had given up. Didn’t want to be in love with her anymore, not when it was so easy for her to turn away from him and seek out other men. Troy wasn’t looking for love on that
He wanted to tell her that they’d go back to doing everything together, that he wanted to be with her every second of every minute of every day, that he couldn’t be the man just watching her again because it was driving him up the wall. He had no idea how he’d done it all those months. He was so mad at the prospect of her seeing another man that he had to get them home, had to be away from her just for a little while. “Fine, but you better fucking show up then!” They were screaming at each other, both of their eyes swimming in rage, but she was relieved as he took her hand and dragged her back to the car. She looked absolutely livid, but there was something else. He hadn’t seen her eyes light up in that playful way in so long it was almost like seeing it for the first time, having it play with his head for the first time. He meant to stay away from her for at least an hour, was used to waiting an
2020, February, 14th Had she noticed that he went a little nuts when she left the bed without him? That his mind went right back to the night that she and Ethan were taken from him? Because he knew she was already awake, had been for a while, but she didn't try to move, stayed perfectly still in his arms. Troy appreciated these little kindnesses, but how long could they live like this? She didn't look unhappy. In fact Aria had told him a million times now that her home was with him and Ethan, not in a castle, not in Sartis Est or Warlanda, not anywhere but in his arms. He wasn't the same though. Troy didn't know if he could make the woman he loved happy anymore. They hadn't laughed together since Dean died. Her ministers were finally falling in line since his coronation and the official announcement of their engagement, but the deadline for them presenting themselves in Sartis Est as husband and wife was coming up. Her rigid country still demanded he b
“Let them go, Dean. I'll do whatever you want. I'll give you back your crown. I'll give you my very soul. Kill at your side.” “The hell you will!” she snapped. “I'll die before I watch you turn into him!” Troy gave her an angry glare, and she gave him one right back. Even as they glared at each other, they clung onto each other's hands fiercely. “But you'll never give me back my brother, not as long as they're alive. Not as long as you have another family,” said Dean. Watching him now, all the shit Dean had put Troy through, he finally understood. Troy had been wrong, after all. The last of Dean's soul wasn't Diane. It was him. This was the real reason they'd never gone up against each other. Somewhere deep down, despite everything, their bond still existed, meant something to both of them. “Don't force my hand, Dean,” Troy begged. “Don't make me do this.” “Looks like the cavalry's here,” s
“Is that supposed to scare me? I’ve looked into his eyes, seen all the shit you’ve put him through. His eyes are much more terrifying than yours. But you know that, don’t you? You know he’s better than you in every way.” This time, Kate punched Aria in the stomach. “Again, why is she still alive? Why can’t I at least off the kid?” "Kids are a no go for me," said Nathan as he brought Ethan into the room. Aria didn’t give a shit about Dean and what his plans were for her, because as it was, he’d already taken her family from her twice. If she was going to die here today, she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of getting to her. But he didn’t just have her, he had Ethan, too. Hot terror tore through her. “Stay the hell away from him!” she snapped, pulling hard against the men restraining her again. Dean looked her in the eye as he slapped a pair of cuffs on her, saw the fear mix with t
But she didn’t do any of that on her own. He was with her, at her side, every step of the way. Troy was her salvation. He carried her through the loss of her family, losing Aaron, the wars and finding baby Ethan. All that while stealing her heart, no matter how hard she held onto it for someone else, no matter how badly she didn’t want, didn’t mean to give it to him, he just kept asking, kept demanding it, kept making her need him. He always told her how strong she was, but Aria only ever felt that way because he was there. Where are you, Troy? I don’t care that it makes me weak to want you. Protect me, come for me, save me, tell me what to do, make me fall in line, anything as long as it’s you, as long as I can be with you. There was a knock on the door before Keira came through it. “We can’t wait anymore, Aria. You need to get ready.” Maids and beauticians flooded the room. Tears aren’t for monarchs, she reminded her







