Chapter 37
ADAM
My heart pulsed thunderously loud between my ears as I descended the staircase, slowly approaching the living room where Fletcher said Aria was waiting for me.
I found her sitting perched on the edge of the couch, her fingers fiddling with the frayed edge of Fletcher’s blanket.
“Aria?” I murmured, and she jumped to her feet, spinning around to face me. Her cheeks were rosy pink, as if she was embarrassed to have walked in on something she’d rather not see. God…
She looked at me—really looked—and I felt like a bug under the lens of a microscope. I swallowed hard, but didn’t say a word as her blue eyes studied me. Did she find me disgusting now? Despicable and a liar for leading her on? For hiding something like this behind her back?
“Did I…interrupt something?” she finally asked, her voice guarded.
Did I lie? Tell her the truth? What was the right answer? I didn’t fucking know!
“No.”
“Does your roommate often wear your clothing?” She tilted her head to one side, dark curls cupping her heart-shaped face.
“Sometimes,” I replied as calmly as I could.
“I see.” She pursed her lips, which were painted pink today, glossy with a hint of a shimmer. In fact, she looked beautiful, in a flowered blue dress that matched her eyeshadow, as if she’d dolled up just for me.
I felt like an asshole.
“And your father—”
Something inside of me splintered, then. Without thinking about the consequences of my actions, I lurched forwards and grabbed her wrist, yanking her closer to me and shocking us both. She gasped and stared up at me, wide-eyed.
“Aria.” I sucked in a sharp breath. “My father doesn’t know. No one does.” I grit my jaw until my teeth ground together, the muscle in my jaw ticking. I stared at her, but she didn’t look away or submit like I expected.
I was the one who pulled away. I let her go, withdrawing, my expression crumpling as my arms wrapped around myself.
“My entire life, it’s been about him and what he wants.
What I want and what I like doesn’t matter in his eyes.
All that matters is money and reputation.
He never cared who he had to fuck over to get it. ”
I breathed in, slow and shaken, then let it out. “Why are you here, Aria?” I finally asked, my voice going dull. Defeated. Because she knew. Because everything was suddenly so fucked up and my wolf was shrieking, howling at the top of his lungs, snarling at me to take my mate and run.
“I… I wanted to show you the ring…” She held out her hand, but the wind had left her sails as reality set in. Her brows pinched together as the diamond glistened beneath the light. “That your father bought me.”
I dropped my gaze. “It’s stunning, Aria,” I murmured.
“Only the finest for an Omega such as yourself.” I shook my head slowly and took a step back.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I don’t know what I can offer you besides financial security and the Sinclair name and, later, pups that I’ll sire but probably resent because they were born of necessity and not love.
That’s no life for either of us.” I swallowed hard.
She looked down at her hands. “I see.”
I cursed under my breath and spun away, raking both hands through my hair. My nails snagged at tangles, but the little nip of pain did little to calm my raging thoughts. I didn’t know what to do. Everything was falling apart, right in front of me.
“Adam?”
I slowly turned back to her, guilt weighing heavy on my heart. I opened my mouth to apologize, but she spoke first.
“Do you love him?” Her words took my breath away, but apparently, my silence was answer enough. She nodded, her expression growing more serious.
“If you love him, then you need to make the right decision for you, even if that means abandoning your place as heir and moving on with your life. You’re unhappy. I can see it in your eyes. You deserve to marry who you want to marry.”
I swallowed around the lump growing in my throat, but I couldn’t seem to form words. She smiled, then, and reached out to touch my face. Her fingers were warm and gentle.
“You need to follow your heart, Adam. I promise, your secret is safe with me. I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone. We’ll carry on with the engagement as if nothing ever happened, until you make a decision otherwise, alright?”
“Aria…”
She smiled up at me. “Your boyfriend seemed so happy and relaxed when he first opened the door,” she said. “It’s obvious you’re doing something right. Take care of yourself, Adam Sinclair.” Patting my arm, she turned and walked away, seeing herself out.
As the door closed behind her with a soft snick of sound, my legs threatened to dump me on my ass. I staggered over to the couch and sank down onto the cushions, dropping my head into my hands, my entire world still reeling.
What the hell just happened?