Chapter 24
24
Aria
A slow clap echoed from behind her. The crowd who had gathered had dispersed the second Daniel had disappeared. Aria’s hands clenched at her sides, and she glowered at Cayden. She couldn’t recall a time in her life when she was filled with more fury.
“I told you to let me handle it,” she snapped.
He stopped his clapping as he took a step toward her. “Oh, sweetness, you know I can’t trust you to do something like this on your own. He had to see for himself that you chose me. Telling him would never be enough.”
“How would you know?” she choked out, the reality of her situation bubbling to the surface. She’d broken things off with the man of her dreams so she could save him from Cayden’s clutches.
The man reached for her, cupping her face in his palm. She jerked away from him, his touch stinging. Her reaction caused a frown to cross his lips, but he didn’t attempt to touch her again. “You always did wear your feelings on your sleeve. He would have known that you weren’t being honest with him. Just like I could tell that day I met him that you were in love.”
She flinched. Neither one of them had admitted to having feelings for one another. It had felt too soon.
Now, she wished she would have said something before.
How could she have predicted that Cayden would stake out her cousins’ place and follow them to the club tonight? He’d wanted her to go out with him tomorrow. She’d thought she’d at least have one more night with Daniel before her life came crashing down around her.
Cayden had pushed her into a corner. No escape routes could be found. But she’d make the same agonizing choice again as long as Daniel came out on top. He was more important.
She glared at him again. “I did what you asked. Now you’re going to leave him alone.”
He lifted a brow, wagging a finger as he did. “That was only part of the bargain. I can’t have you running off again, now can I?”
Her blood ran cold. How had he known that was exactly what she would do? If she wasn’t here with Daniel, she’d hoped that Cayden would lose interest in hurting him.
A slow, sinister smile dragged across his lips. “See? I know you better than you know yourself. If you want me to leave your poor boy toy alone, then you’re going to have to do a bit more.”
Aria’s jaw ached from how tight she clenched it. “What do you want,” she muttered between her teeth.
Cayden made a show of pulling out the ring he’d shown her over a year ago.
She sucked in a breath and shook her head. “No.”
“No? So you’re going to accept that I will call in those favors and get Daniel booted from the program at my alma mater?” He clicked his tongue with disappointment. “I thought you actually cared about that man’s future.” Cayden gestured to the space around them. “This town…” His lips curled with disgust. “It’s not exactly a place where people can make something of themselves, is it? With a degree like the one Daniel is chasing? He could go further than most of the people he knows.”
Aria’s eyes narrowed venomously. “I don’t even know how you knew he was part of that program.”
He shrugged. “I’m on the committee who picked the poor sot. I knew I recognized that name.” Cayden snorted. “Imagine my surprise when I discovered the man we picked is also the man who would help me get everything I deserve.”
Her stomach roiled at what he was saying. Daniel was the pawn in this game they were playing, and he would be the key to her undoing. How had she not known that Cayden was so involved with the university? His degree was in business and economics. Why would they include him in choosing the recipient of the scholarship?
As if he heard her question, he answered it. “I guess I was lucky enough to be one of the alumni they picked from my department. A lot of planning went into that scholarship. It was the first of its kind, you know. They’re testing it out to see if it’s something they can offer in the future.”
She huffed, folding her arms. “I didn’t ask.”
“I don’t care.” This time his tone was cold. It was her familiarity with his darker side that made her skin crawl. She needed to get away from him. But how could she? He’d basically threatened to drag Daniel through the mud no matter what unless she agreed to marry him.
And that wasn’t the worst of it.
Cayden had already created a failsafe. If Daniel’s demise wasn’t enough, Cayden was going to go after the Palmers and the Keagans as well. Any information he could get on them and their businesses would aid him in his treacherous plans.
Everyone she cared about would be ruined if Cayden had anything to say about it.
She’d been defeated.
He grabbed at her left hand and shoved the ring onto her finger. The force of it caused a sharp pain and a tear on her skin. She stared down at the gaudy ring and frowned. Not only was the ring something she would never wear, but he’d definitely done something to make her finger hurt. It would likely swell too much for her to take the piece of offensive jewelry off.
Cayden only grinned.
Aria wrenched her hand away from him, and he pouted.
“Now, sweetness, is that any way to treat your fiancé?”
She wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up losing the contents of her stomach right then and there in the middle of the ballroom. She hated him. She hated everything he’d done to her and the way he made her feel. It was only a matter of time before she became the shell of herself that she’d been when she left Georgia.
Cayden gripped her chin in his hand and pressed a kiss to her cheek in spite of her protests. Then he stared down at her like she was something he owned.
Maybe he was right.
“We’re going out tomorrow as planned. I’d like to get some pictures so I can post them to our social media. We need to make the announcement official.”
“Why?” she demanded. “Isn’t it enough that I broke up with him? Why can’t you leave me alone? Wouldn’t you prefer to find someone who loves you back?”
He reached for her hand, drawing her closer as he lowered his voice. “Love? You are so na?ve. Love doesn’t exist. Marriage is a contract between two people. I spent far too much time training you to be exactly what I wanted you to be to start over.”
She attempted to pull away from him again, but his grip only tightened, and she grimaced from the contact. “I’m hardly the same woman you knew a year ago.”
Cayden’s voice took on a husky, almost growling quality that might have given her goosebumps if it had come from a man she trusted. “I’m not worried. One wrong move and everyone you care about will be hurt.”
That was it. Checkmate. He knew her too well to believe that she was capable of letting those she loved be harmed because of her. He banked on her kindness and loyalty. Still, she couldn’t succumb to his will entirely. “I won’t leave Copper Creek. If you want me, you’re going to figure out a way to stay here.”
His eyes narrowed. He looked her up and down, then shrugged. “Eventually you’ll see my way.”
She shook her head. “Never.”
Sophia wrinkled her nose as she held onto Aria’s hand. “I thought you hated the guy.” She and Mateo had arrived two days later, and the second they were here, Daniel had left. Everything worked out with her father. He’d been denied parole. At least her mother and sister would be okay.
Aria tugged her hand back and placed it in her lap. “Well, I guess I didn’t hate him as much as I thought.” She felt numb. These were the words she’d said to her sister as well when Cayden had insisted on her calling her family.
“You’re such a liar,” Sophia muttered under her breath, but Aria still heard it.
She was alone. Or at least she had to make sure she was in order to keep everyone else out of the mess that surrounded her.
“Are you sure?” Sophia pressed again, staring hard at Aria.
Forcing one of her famous smiles—one that Daniel had always seen right through—Aria nodded. She tried to make her voice sound as sweet and awestruck as possible. “He’s going to take care of me. What more could I ask for?”
Sophia didn’t look convinced. “Umm… love?”
Aria didn’t deserve love. Not for the way she’d cut Daniel out of her life. He’d tried calling a few times. She’d heard him stop by at least once as well—but she’d pretended to be taking a nap. The man was still trying even though she’d done everything to push him away.
Tears stung at the back of her eyes.
He’d get over her eventually. He might never forgive her, but he’d find someone to make him happy. And that thought made her sick to her stomach. Daniel deserved happiness. He deserved to find someone who could see how amazing he was and who wouldn’t get tied up in the darkness of her past.
She heaved a sigh. “It’s fine, Sophia. I’m fine. He came out to check on me with all this stuff with my dad going on. And… one thing led to another.” It was the best lie she could come up with despite hurting more than she could have ever prepared herself for.
Giving Sophia one last weary smile, she settled back on her bed. “It’s getting late. I’m going to turn in.” She was going to need all the rest she could get if she was going to have to deal with Cayden tomorrow.
Sophia gave her one more fleeting look of concern before getting to her feet and leaving the room.