Was I playing a game where I held every advantage? Definitely.
Did I feel even remotely guilty about it? Not even a little bit.
Because here's what people didn't understand—what Aria herself didn't understand yet. She was marrying into this world whether she wanted to or not. Either to my father, who would systematically break her until nothing of her spark remained. Or to me, if I could figure out how to make that happen without getting us all killed.
And if she was going to survive either scenario, she needed to be stronger. Harder. More aware of the predators surrounding her.
Including me. Especially me.
By the end of the week, I could see the effect clearly. She jumped when I spoke. Her hands trembled slightly when I got too close. Her breathing would quicken at the mere sound of my footsteps. It wasn't out of fear, but she had became hyper aware of my present.
I was living rent-free in her head, occupying her thoughts constantly. And fuck if that didn't satisfy something dark and primitive inside me.
That was not all this was about, I wish this could be all games and fun but I had business in the city that couldn't be delegated. Collections that needed my personal attention. Dealers who'd been late on payments and required a very clear reminder about consequences.
I found Aria in the library, curled up in that chair by the window she favored.
"Get changed into something dark that you don't mind getting dirty. We leave in twenty minutes."
She looked up from her book, confusion flickering across her face. "What? Where are we going?"
"I have business in the city. You're coming with me."
"I'd rather stay here—"
"Not optional." I moved closer, watched her press back into the chair instinctively. "I'm responsible for you while my father's gone. Where I go, you go. Twenty minutes, Aria."
"Kai, I don't want to go to whatever—"
"Eighteen minutes now. I'd hurry if I were you."
The fear in her eyes did something to me. Not satisfaction—something infinitely worse. Something that made me want to pull her into my arms and promise she'd be safe. That I'd protect her from everything, including myself.
But I couldn't make that promise. Wouldn't make that promise.
Because real protection meant preparation. And preparation meant understanding exactly what kind of brutal world she was trapped in.
"Why?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Why do I need to come?"
I crouched down so we were eye level. Forced myself to hold her gaze even though what I was about to say would terrify her.
"My father has been married twice before. Both wives are dead. The first supposedly died in a car accident—except there were no skid marks, no evidence of defensive driving, and witnesses who conveniently disappeared. The second drank herself to death trying to cope with being married to him." I let that sink in. "If you want any chance of surviving long enough for me to figure out how to stop this wedding, you need to understand what survival actually means in this world."
Her face had gone pale. "I don't understand what that has to do with—"
"It means being strong enough to do whatever it takes. Smart enough to see threats coming. Hard enough to make difficult choices." I stood up. "You've lived your whole life sheltered, protected, kept in a pretty bubble. That ends now. If you're going to make it out of this alive, you need to see reality. The ugly, brutal, violent reality. Seventeenminutes."
I walked out before she could argue. Before the softness in her eyes could weaken my resolve.
Because that was the thing nobody else saw. When I looked at Aria Romano, I didn't just see the girl from the club or my father's future wife. I saw someone who deserved better than this life. Someone whose spark hadn't been extinguished yet by years of violence and compromise.
And I'd be damned if I'd let my father be the one to snuff it out.
Seventeen minutes later, she appeared at the front entrance wearing dark jeans and a black shirt. Her hair was pulled back. Her face was set in stubborn, angry lines.
Good. Anger was better than fear.
Marco was already waiting by the car. He raised an eyebrow at Aria but didn't comment.
