I knocked on her door at seven sharp because my father expected punctuality and I wasn't giving him any excuse to come down on her. Or me. Or worse, Lia.
Aria opened the door looking like she'd gotten about as much sleep as I had. Which is to say, none. Her eyes were shadowed, her hair still slightly damp from a shower, and she was wearing a simple sundress that somehow made her look both innocent and completely irresistible.
My body remembered exactly what was under that dress. Every curve. Every sound she made when I touched her.
I needed to get my head straight before I did something stupid.
"Good morning, Mr. Accardi." Her voice was stiff. Formal. Like we were strangers meeting for the first time instead of two people who'd spent an entire night learning exactly how to take each other apart.
"Cut the shit, Aria. Call me Kai." I leaned against the doorframe,watching her face flush. "We fucked. Multiple times. We're way past Mr. Accardi."
Her face went from pink to bright red in about two seconds flat.
"Don't—someone might hear you—"
"Then maybe stop calling me Mr. Accardi like I'm some distant relative instead of the man who made you come so hard you couldn't remember your own name."
She looked like she wanted to murder me. Or possibly die of embarrassment. Maybe both simultaneously.
"You're impossible."
"And you're pretending like you don't remember exactly how my hands felt on you. So I guess we're both living in fantasy land this morning."
I shouldn't be pushing her. Should be playing it cool, giving her space, not reminding her of things she clearly wanted to forget. But watching her squirm made something possessive in my chest purr with satisfaction.
She was mine. Even if she didn't want to admit it yet.
"Breakfast is in five minutes. My father hates tardiness. So unless you want to start your first full day here by pissing him off, we should go."
She grabbed her phone and followed me out, maintaining a careful three feet of distance like I might pounce on her if she got too close.
Smart girl. I absolutely might.
The dining room was already set for three when we arrived. Lia was picking at a plate of fruit, her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, looking younger than eighteen in an oversized sweater.
When she saw us—saw Aria specifically—she lit up in a way I hadn't seen in months.
"Oh my god, you must be Aria!" Lia was up and moving before I could make introductions, pulling Aria into a hug like they were old friends instead of strangers. "I'm so glad you're here. This house is such a testosterone factory, I was starting to forget what actual female conversationsounds like."
Aria relaxed slightly in my sister's embrace. I could see some of the tension bleeding out of her shoulders.
Good. Lia needed a friend. And Aria needed someone in this house who didn't want to either marry her or fuck her.
Well. I wanted to make her completely mine. But that was different.
"Aria Romano, this is my sister Lia. Try not to let her enthusiasm overwhelm you. She's been living with just me and our father for too long. She gets excited about new people."
"I'm not that bad." Lia stuck her tongue out at me, then turned back to Aria. "Okay, I'm a little that bad. But seriously, having another girl here is amazing. We can actually have real conversations instead of the usual grunt-and-business-talk that passes for communication around here."
A small smile tugged at Aria's lips. The first genuine expression I'd seen on her face since she'd arrived yesterday.
It did something to me. Made that possessive thing in my chest tighten.
She was beautiful when she smiled. Had been beautiful at the club. But here, in the morning light, with that tentative hope on her face? Devastating.
"It's nice to meet you too, Lia."
The moment shattered when my father walked in.
