CHAPTER 3

ARIA

“What are you doing here?” Karlo’s voice cut through the room. Karlo sounded irritated, not shocked, not guilty. He did not even try to cover himself as he sat up in bed with my sister still straddling him.

My sister turned toward me, smirking, and I instantly knew she was happy I caught them.

“Oh, Aria,” she said, her tone dripping with mockery. “Does your daddy husband know you are sneaking out to see another man? That is a little shameless, do you not think?”

For a second, I could not breathe. I could not even think. The sight before me was something I never imagined I would see. My sister, in the same bed as the one person I thought I could trust.

“Get out,” Karlo snapped, his voice rough. “Go back to your old husband, Aria.”

His words pierced my heart. I could barely see through the blur of tears welling up in my eyes.

I turned to my sister, my voice shaking. “How could you do this to me?” I whispered. “I am your sister. Why do you hate me this much?”

She did not flinch. She did not even look sorry. Instead, she tilted her head, smiled sweetly, and stuck out her tongue in a mocking gesture.

“Get out!” Karlo snapped, like my presence only angered him more.

“I am your mate,” I said, tears already pouring down my face. “Does it not hurt you to see me hurt this way?”

“I reject you, Aria,” he declared, like he did not even need to second guess it. “From this moment, you are no longer my mate.”

The realization of what he just said tore the remaining pieces of me that were still together, and seeing them together made the pain even worse. I could not take it anymore.

I turned around and walked out. My legs felt heavy and my head dizzy.

Behind me, I could hear their laughter.

What had I ever done to make them so happy to hurt me like this? I trusted him. He was supposed to be my safe space in all of this madness, but he betrayed me with the one person I never imagined. My sister.

The world around me was spinning, and I could not steady myself. My knees buckled, and I was falling. But before I could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught me.

Then I saw him.

Davin.

He was holding me steady, as if I weighed nothing at all.

“You will be fine,” he said softly, his eyes locking with mine.

For a moment, his voice was not cold or commanding. It was gentle and almost tender. The hard lines of his face seemed to soften, and I could swear there was something like concern in his eyes.

I wanted to speak, but my throat burned too much to form words. More tears welled in my eyes and spilled down before I could stop them.

Davin’s arms tightened around me as he carried me toward the car. I did not resist. I could not. I did not even have the strength to wonder how he found me or how he arrived so fast, but I was grateful he was here.

The ride home was silent. He did not say a word, and neither did I.

When we finally pulled up to the Ironcrest mansion, Davin lifted me in his arms, carried me to my room, and gently laid me on the bed.

Then, without a word, he sat beside me and began to rub my head softly, his fingers moving slowly through my hair in calming circles.

After being in that position for a while, I was feeling much better, and I sat up to thank him.

“Thanks for getting me,” I said, feeling stupid for running away in the first place. “And also thanks for not scolding me.”

“What happened?” he asked, and I could sense the concern in his voice.

“My mate rejected me,” I answered, bowing my head as the whole scenario began to play in my mind again.

“Look at me,” he said as he brought his hand to my chin and lifted my face up to meet his eyes. “He does not know what he just gave up.”

Then he kissed my forehead.

Next, he kissed the corner of my eyes and began to kiss away the tears.

I was so still, and my heart began to pound harder in my chest.

His lips went down to my nose, and he kissed the top of it.

By now, my heart was pounding even harder as I wondered what was going to happen next.

Maybe he was just trying to console me, and I was getting stupid ideas.

Before I knew it, his lips came crashing onto mine.

He was kissing me.

Davin was kissing me, and I should have been pushing him away, but I found myself enjoying it and wanting more.

I felt his arms circling my waist and pulling me closer, and that action made my body react even more. Why was my body reacting like this?

I should not have been doing this, but I found myself parting my lips to accept his tongue.

This kiss was not rough or soft. It was needy.

His hand moved up to my chest, and he began fondling me through my dress.

By now, my chest was falling and rising, and my body was responding even more.

Davin was kissing me after I had just been rejected by my mate.

I am such a mess. My body was responding to the first man who showed me a little kindness after being rejected.

His hand was pulling up my dress now, and I found myself adjusting my posture so his hand could reach between my legs better.

His hands reached my panties, and he began sliding his fingers up and down through the fabric.

I could not think anymore, and I let out a moan as I felt my body trembling.

My moan must have clearly gotten to him, because I heard him groan. Before I knew it, I was lying on my back, and he was towering over me.

Pushing my panties aside, he used his hands to cup me while applying pressure with his thumb.

“Fuck,” he groaned as he looked at his fingers that were now covered in my wetness, and immediately he dipped a finger inside me.

At this point, I felt like I was melting and shattering as I moved my hips in response to his touch.

How did I go from being heartbroken and depressed to this?

With his finger still slipping in and out, he used his other hand to open the buttons of my dress and pulled down my bra.

Now my breasts were exposed, my nipples in desperate need of attention.

Leaning in and grasping me, he began stroking with his tongue.

“Oooh,” I moaned as the tingling sensation spread through my body.

He slipped in another finger, his pace becoming faster, his thumb still playing with me.

I felt like I was on fire as he sucked hard and his fingers moved relentlessly.

I held onto the pillow and sheets like I was holding on for dear life. My body shook and shuddered deeply as I moaned under the intensity of what he was doing to me.

The sensation was building relentlessly, and I knew I was on the brink of exploding.

“I am going to come,” I said, almost like I begged, as my body tightened.

And suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

My senses snapped back, pulling me out of my euphoric state as I quickly pulled away from him and covered my body with the sheets.