"I understand," Aria whispers. "I understand what it's like to be broken and scared and desperate for someone to make it stop hurting.""Stop talking," I say through gritted teeth."I can make it stop hurting," she continues, her hands sliding up my chest. "I can make you feel something other than pain and guilt. You just have to let me.""Aria—""I want you," she says, and her voice drops to something almost sultry. "I've wanted you since the moment you saved me, and I know you want me too, I can see it in the way you look at me.""I don't want you," I lie. "I want my mate.""Your mate, who's probably already dead?" The words are cruel and calculated and designed to hurt. "Your mate, who's gone and might never come back?"Something snaps inside me.I grab Aria by the shoulders and spin her around, slamming her back against the nearest wall hard enough that she gasps. Her eyes go wide with surprise, but there's no fear there, just desire and triumph like this is exactly what she wante
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