LOGINMaybe it was just the way she was, but Aria knew enough about the way she loved to know he’d be waiting a long time, maybe even forever. Could she really do this to him? With Bart, it was different. He had CC, and she had Troy, and they both knew what they were getting into. Not even Aria knew just how deep this thing with Troy went. They were many different things to each other, would always be many different things to each other. “I don’t want you to get hurt again, Aaron,” she cried. “I just can’t take doing that to you again.” This was the moment. He could just walk away. She would be okay. Bart would make just as worthy a king consort as he. But Aria had too much of him for him to just walk away from a chance to have her. He picked up the diary that detailed their meeting in the club and then the one that talked about their perfect week together. Even the ones that followed read like what it was, what they were, as they traded texts from thousand
2019, July 1st Dear Diary He came to see me today, was right in front of me and then he just wasn’t. Why did I run from him like I bloody always do? So what if I was a bloody mess? He wanted to see me, or at least I thought he did, and I wanted to see him. What did it matter how I looked? The way he watched me, sought me out as he followed me up to my room, he looked absolutely desperate. Should I have gone after him? I did try to find him as soon as the shock of him having left just as abruptly as he showed up wore off, but he was already gone. He’d returned home to Terres Somnia almost immediately after departing from Sartis Est. He is on a plane even as I write this. Maybe it was just as well we didn’t meet after all. What if he only came to break my heart? What if he only came to tell me that he’d moved on after all? Even if that was what he came to say, though, my stupid heart wants to hear it, wants to hear him. Should I call? Is there enough of m
Aaron was everything, gave her everything, just like he said he would. The way he looked at her, first like a lovesick teenager, then like a man in need, made her body move in ways she never knew was possible. There was nothing safe about what they were doing. There never would have been. How had she deceived herself into ever thinking something so idiotic? He was always going to own her, to completely take up everything that was her. She gave him an annoying grin when this time he came against her. This wasn't something that happened to him. Not so soon. Almost ever. He could usually go for hours. But everything had been different with her. He already knew he cared for her, already knew he loved her, but what just happened was something else. He was ruined for all women that weren't her. The way he was looking at her worried her. “What's wrong?” she asked. He just stared at her, completely perplexed.
He laughed. “Clearly, some part of you wanted me to see this. You left it right there in the open for me to find,” he said, pulling open a bedroom door. He looked back down into the diary as she closed in on him, diving onto him and sending them both flying onto the bed. He looked into her angry eyes as he quoted the last bit he'd read back to her. “The second our eyes met, and he smiled at me, I knew he had me. I knew I wanted him, wanted his hands, his lips all over me.” Adele was on top of him now, straddling him, looking like murder as she yanked the diary out of his hand. “You're such an ass!” she said, pouting as she whacked him over the head with the diary. He grabbed onto her out of habit, out of fear that she would try to run, but not this time. This time, she stayed put. “Me too,” he said, running his fingers through her hair. He pu
“Split vote, 50:50,” she announced. The overall response to the news was negative. Warlanda couldn't take any more uncertainty. “So what happens now?” CC asked. “As per Warlandian law, in the event of a split vote, effective immediately, Warlanda is now in the midst of a democratic election. The choice will fall to the people,” Madz announced, as if in answer to CC's question. Troy was pissed off. He really was, but he was also relieved. This meant that they still had time. He could still get to her, to them. “Will I take this? Will I win?” Troy asked Keira. “You're Troy Pierce. You've spent your youth trying to liberate these people. Almost definitely, Troy,” she answered. As Troy stared Dean down, his relief turned to terror. If he had more time to get to her, so did Dean. He tried to read his brother, tried to figure out if he sh
Before Troy had time to wrap his head around Madz' request, CC stepped forward and said, “Deal.” Everyone's eyes went to her. “Carr, these are dangerous people. They already have Ronnie—” James began. Bart's eyes were crazed. “There's no bloody way! Aaron and Ria are bad enough. I am not trusting these people with you!” “This isn't like last time, Caroline. This isn't a deal with Warlanda. It's with the House of Dormer,” said Cassie. “There are no take backs.” Troy spun around to CC and grabbed her shoulders. “If it comes down to it, I can't get you out this time, CC. The old lady may not look like much, but the House of Dormer plays dirty. They will do whatever it takes to get this done. So stay out of this!” CC had never seen Troy this completely unhinged. The anger coming off of him was raw, dark, deadly, exposed. “It’s not just your family







