19. Her Ruin
Chapter nineteen
Her Ruin
As I step out of her cabin and into the cold night air, I can still feel the ghost of her in my arms. My hands are shaking, and I clench them, trying to rein it in, but the feeling lingers, stronger than I could’ve anticipated.
That was the first time I had her in my arms in five years, and it hits me like the best fucking high. She’s soft, warm, and she didn’t hesitate—not even a damn second. She wrapped herself around me, her voice breaking as she clung to me, sobbing, asking me where I’d been.
Years of craving that moment, and there it was, more intense than I’d ever imagined. And she didn’t push me away. She held on, let herself fall into me like I was the only thing she trusted. Hell, maybe I am.
It’s all part of this. All part of showing her what she’s missed, what she’s been aching for, even if she hasn’t realized it yet.
She’s built this life, tied herself to a guy who probably gives her everything I can’t—safety, predictability, a nice, comfortable future. The thought alone makes my jaw clench, my fists tightening until I feel my nails dig into my palms.
A fiance. She has a fucking fiance. The word alone feels like poison, settling in my chest, reminding me of how easily he’s walked into a life I had no part in, one he’ll never fucking deserve.
The thought of him touching her, of her giving him even a sliver of what she gave me tonight, makes me want to drive my fist through something and break it until it’s unrecognizable.
But no, I’m not going to get rid of him. Not yet. That would be too easy, too clean. I’m going to make her see what she’s been running from, make her crave me in a way she can’t ignore. She’s going to know exactly what it’s like to feel torn, to want something that’ll break her.
I pull my keys from my pocket, jaw clenched as I head toward my bike, the thought of her with that other man burning through me. That guy has no clue who he’s up against. None.
Because this isn’t about wiping him off the board—it’s about her. It’s about making her see the truth, feel the difference, realize she’s been lying to herself with every “I miss you” she tosses his way.
I’m going to unravel the life she’s wrapped herself up in, that fake sense of safety, and make her crave the very thing she’s been hiding from— me.
I throw my leg over the bike, settling into the seat as the engine growls to life beneath me. It’s a familiar, steady rumble, one that’s kept me moving when the rest of the world felt like it was closing in.
I glance back at the cabin, feeling a pull to go back in, to press her up against the wall, make her feel what she’s been missing all these years. But there’s time for that. Tonight was about the first move, about getting further into her head and planting the seed.
She’ll lie there tonight thinking about every second we just had. And tomorrow, she’ll wake up with that ache still there, the craving I’ve left inside her growing stronger.
It won’t take long before that craving becomes something she can’t ignore. I smirk to myself, revving the engine and letting the power of it pulse through me. This is only the beginning.
By the time I pull up to the garage, the place is quiet except for the low hum of classic rock bleeding from an old speaker near the workbench. Luca and Matteo are standing around a half-built bike, each with a beer in hand, talking low and easy.
They look up when they hear my bike rumble in, Luca’s brow lifting, and Matteo giving me one of those shit-eating grins, the kind that says he already knows exactly how my night went.
I kill the engine and swing off, running a hand over my face to keep from grinning like an idiot. I can still feel the buzz from earlier, the heat of Aria in my arms, the way she fell into me, sobbing like she never thought she’d see me again.
Fuck, I can still feel it in my chest, like a hit of pure adrenaline; burning and addictive.
Luca raises his beer, smirking a little as he looks me over. “So, how are those plans of yours going?”
I give him a look, shrugging as if I haven’t just set half my world in motion tonight. “Better than I expected,” I say, grabbing a beer from the cooler and twisting the cap off with a quick flick.
I take a swig, feeling the cold rush down my throat, grounding me, taking the edge off. But it doesn’t do a damn thing for the way she’s stuck in my head, the way her voice is still echoing there, asking me where I’d been, why I didn’t come for her.
Matteo chuckles, leaning back against the bike, that cocky grin widening as he elbows Luca. “Look at the glint in his eyes, man. You don’t need to ask how it’s going. That alone tells you everything.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I mutter, but I can’t keep the smirk off my face. “It’s under control.”
Luca crosses his arms, looking me over with that careful, calculating stare of his, like he’s piecing something together.
“So, she’s got a fiance, yeah?” he asks, and there’s no judgment in his tone—just pure curiosity. He knows how I feel about her, and he’s not about to question it, but he’s always been the one to make me think twice, to consider the shit I’m not seeing.
I nod, taking another long pull from the bottle, letting the bitterness sit on my tongue before I respond. “Yeah. Some doctor or lawyer or whatever. Real stable type. Safe.”
Matteo snorts, exchanging a look with Luca. “Figures. Always knew she’d end up with some bland and boring fuck.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I say, shrugging. “Let her have him for now. He’s just a placeholder. I’ll make her see what she’s missing, remind her who she really belongs to. I’m not just gonna knock the guy out of her life. No, I’m going to make her realize she doesn’t want him. Not like she wants me.”
Luca raises a brow, a small, approving smile slipping through. “Ruthless as ever. And here I thought you’d lost your edge after all these years.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Luca, my edge is sharper than it’s ever been. I didn’t go through hell without her just to play it safe now.”
Matteo lets out a low laugh, nodding in agreement. “So what’s the plan, Dom? You got her rattled, got her thinking about you. What’s next?”
“Tonight was just the first step,” I say, smirking. “I want her to feel me in every inch of that house, every corner. I want her to look at him and feel like she’s betraying me just by breathing the same air. By the time I’m done, she won’t be able to look at him without thinking of me, without feeling guilty for craving what I can give her.”
Luca nods slowly, taking a thoughtful sip of his beer. “So you’re taking your time even after all these years. Smart. She’s already hooked, huh?”
“Oh, she’s hooked,” I say, unable to keep the satisfaction out of my voice. “Saw it in her eyes tonight. She jumped into my arms like she was just waiting for me to come back. Like nothing’s changed.”
“Except everything has,” Luca adds quietly, giving me that knowing look, like he gets it. Like he knows the weight I’m carrying, the twisted need that’s only grown over the years. He’s right, too. Everything has changed, but it doesn’t matter. Not when it comes to her.
“Just don’t get sloppy,” Luca warns, his voice steady. “You’ve waited a long time for this. Wouldn’t want to screw it up by rushing in too hard.”
I give him a look, tipping my bottle his way. “You think I don’t know that? I’ve waited years for her to build something just stable enough to ruin. I’m not gonna waste this chance. I want her to choose me, want her to see that this life she’s holding onto isn’t gonna make her happy. Not the way I can.”
Luca leans back, studying me with a quiet intensity that’s as close as he gets to pride. “Glad to see you’re not letting anything get in the way. Not even some safe, clean-cut guy who thinks he can protect her.”
“Protect her?” I scoff, shaking my head. “He doesn’t even know what she needs protection from. The real shit—the stuff that keeps her awake at night, that dark edge in her that she’s tried to bury? He doesn’t get that. He’ll never get it, because he’s too busy playing it safe.”
Matteo snorts. “Bet he doesn’t even know what she’s running from.”
“He doesn’t,” I say, my voice low, cold. “But I do.”
And that’s the difference. I know her better than she knows herself, know the darkness she keeps tucked away, the part of her that always wants something more. Aria loves the chase, and she’ll deny herself that until the need is too strong.
I know it all too well and I’m going to use that, twist it until she can’t see anything else. I toss the empty bottle into the trash, cracking my knuckles and feeling that same twisted satisfaction settle over me.
Aria has always been mine. She just needs to remember it.