22. Dion
22
DION
I t’s Aria’s engagement party today, and even though I tried to convince myself that I’d be able to handle it, I don’t trust myself not to lose my shit.
But there’s no way I’m telling Evan that he might’ve been right. I can handle it.
I’ve been so preoccupied with coming up with a reason to justify our presence at the party, completely forgetting that I’m going to come face to face with Andrew and Aria .
Aria , who hasn’t spoken to me since I asked her to meet me the other night. She never responded.
Sitting in the confines of my car, my fingers tap anxiously on my phone screen as I stare at the thread of messages I sent to her.
Me: I know where to find you, little liar.
Me: Please give me a sign of life.
I’ve tried giving her space, respecting the boundaries she might need, especially with the engagement looming over us. But something doesn’t feel right.
The only reason I haven’t been pressing her is that I got Xander to virtually plant a tracker on her phone. It gives me some peace of mind knowing she’s safe, though it doesn’t ease the ache in my chest or the questions swirling in my mind. Tonight , I’ll tell her about the plan we’ve set in motion and about the talk with Dimitri .
Despite the uncertainty, one thing remains clear: I miss her. I miss her presence, her warmth, her light that brightens up even the darkest corners of my mind.
I hop out of my car outside Evan’s building, the Saintville , and throw my keys at the attendant.
Angelica will also be there. She and Evander have been getting closer, but she still has no idea who he truly is.
So , in the hopes of not uncovering his revenge plan, we had to come up with an excuse as to why we were attending Aria’s engagement party. Realistically , all Godfathers are to be present, but Angelica doesn’t know that Evan is head of the Vasilakis clan.
We’ve thought of nothing.
Like a pair of bumbling fools, we’re stuck in this situation because we couldn’t think on our feet, and we’ve become the poster children of incompetence. The real Dumb and Dumber .
I walk inside and nod to the concierge. The elevator doors open with a chime, and I step inside, pressing the button for Evan’s penthouse, perched high above the city.
When the doors slide open, I go straight to his living room and pull out a bottle of ouzo from the bar cart.
Evander pops out from the hallway and snickers when he sees me. “ I didn’t know it was that kind of night.”
Unamused , I pull two shot glasses from the cabinet and pour our drinks.
“ I’ve spent the whole day trying to figure out how to avoid tonight, and the best I could come up with is to get drunk and pretend I was never there,” I say glumly, passing him a shot glass.
We clink the glasses together and shoot the ouzo back, the burn down our throats making us grimace. I grab the bottle and pour some more.
After our second shot, we decide it’s time to go.
When we hop in the elevator, Evan leans against the mirrored walls, his reflection staring back at him with an unreadable expression. I can sense his unease—it matches my own.
“ You sure you want to do this?” I ask, breaking the silence.
He nods with a forced smile. “ Yeah , let’s just get it over with.”
As the driver navigates through traffic, I try to relax, despite the nervous energy buzzing through me. Our conversation drifts from business to lighter topics, providing a welcome distraction.
When we finally arrive, Evander’s driver maneuvers the car up the driveway of the Kastellanos estate. He turns off the ignition and turns to us. “ Here we are, gentlemen.”
Stepping out of the car, I straighten my suit jacket. I look to my side and see Evan doing the same. We make a fucking striking pair. Evan in a classic black tux, me in midnight blue.
As I step into the grand foyer of the mansion, my senses are immediately on high alert. Holy fuck there are a lot of people here .
Among the sea of guests, my gaze scans the crowd almost automatically, seeking out a familiar face. Aria . She must be here somewhere.
My chest tightens. This isn’t my scene. It never has been.
Each voice, each movement, is an intrusion into my bubble. When I’m in a crowd, I feel exposed, vulnerable. And I fucking hate it.
So , I’ve never tried to force myself to blend in, always kept myself more on the sidelines of business.
I wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, I used to be the kid who never shut up and talked to everyone. I thrived on chaos and noise, feeding off the energy of those around me.
But when my parents died, everything changed. Suddenly , the world felt colder, lonelier. And though Evander and Ignatius were there to pick up the pieces, I could never quite shake the emptiness that settled in my chest. We leaned on each other, and silence became our companion.
I weave through the crowd, my breaths shallow as I try to find a sliver of space. I decide to slip outside, the cool night air a welcome relief against my skin. My hand trembles when I reach for my pack of cigarettes, fingers fumbling as I light one up.
The smoke curls around my head and a semblance of calm washes over me.
As I turn the corner of the patio, I catch a glimpse of someone standing in the shadows.
My heart stumbles. Even from a distance, I recognize her silhouette.
I pause, my gaze fixed on Aria .
Her gown looks as if it’s made of black liquid velvet, the fabric shimmering with every blow of the wind. The back of the dress dips into a deep V , showcasing her gorgeous, blonde hair cascading along her slender back.
She’s breathtaking .
Aria stands there, looking out into the garden and lost in her own thoughts, unaware of my presence. A surge of peace overtakes me at the sight of her.
I take a drag from my cigarette and walk over.
Aria finally turns, and our eyes meet. A flicker of something, shock maybe—or is that fear ?—flashes in her expression. What the fuck ?
But , as quickly as those emotions appeared, her face softens, a charged moment passing between us.
Every time I see Aria , everything else fades into the background and my heart swells with an emotion I can’t place. I want to drink her in and ask for seconds, thirds.
“ Eísai ómorfi, astéri mou ,” I murmur, before moving closer and burying my face in her hair. She smells like flowers, as if I’m standing in the middle of a blooming garden. A blush rises to her cheeks, but she doesn’t say anything.
“ I sent you some messages a few days ago. Why aren’t you talking to me?”
Aria stammers. “ You shouldn’t be here.”
“ What do you mean?” I’m confused. I understand that if someone sees her alone with another man, it’ll look suspicious, but the way she’s acting is…different, not in her usual character. A sense of dread tightens my stomach.
I turn her face to me. “ Aria , what’s wrong?”
She backs away from me, her eyes full of sorrow. “ Please go.”
“ Did something happen?” I ask, now worried.
There’s a split-second pause before Aria scowls. “ Look at where I am, Dion . At my fucking engagement party! It’s too late.”
Frustration makes me snap.
“ If you hadn’t spent the last week ignoring me, you’d know that I’ve been working on a plan,” I spit. “ There’s a way out of this. I spoke to?—”
“ Stop ,” she hisses and retreats a few more steps, her shoulders slumping. “ I can’t do this anymore, Dion . I mean it,” she murmurs, suddenly sounding defeated, looking up to the sky to keep her tears at bay. “ It’s over. Whatever you’re doing—just stop.”
I throw my cigarette over the balcony and grab her by the shoulders. “ Don’t give up on me now, astéri mou . I have a way out. You have to trust me,” I tell her, almost begging her to listen, my voice filled with desperation.
Aria looks at me, and her expression says what a thousand words couldn’t. I’m losing her.
She looks away, her gaze far off in the distance. “ No , Dion . I don’t want this anymore. I – I don’t want you anymore. It’s over.”
I stand there, stunned, as her words sink in. “ What are you saying?” I don’t believe my eyes and ears. She’s said in the past that we couldn’t do this anymore, but she never meant it. I knew it in my heart. But now…
Her eyes brim with tears, her lips trembling ever so slightly. “ I don’t want to be with you. I’m marrying Andrew .”
My chest clenches as if I’ve been stabbed, but beneath it, anger courses through me. “ The fuck you are, little liar,” I shout, and Aria recoils, her gaze darting around to make sure no one else has heard. “ You don’t love him.”
She locks her jaw before meeting my gaze with something like pity in her eyes. And right then, I feel like a complete, utter fool. “ Yeah , well. I don’t love you either, Dion . I made a promise to my father, and I’m going to keep it.”
My heart splits in two. I don’t fully understand this emotion, but I know that without Aria , I’ll never come close to experiencing anything like this again.
I brace my hands on the balcony railing and let my head hang between my shoulders. “ I’m not letting you marry him, Aria .”
I’m not letting her marry him . Fuck this.
I turn around and hike up Aria’s leg around my waist, pulling her dress up to her hips. She yelps in surprise but doesn’t push me away. My fingers dig into the flesh of her bare ass, bringing her closer as I smash my lips onto hers in a feverish kiss. Her lips are soft and warm, responding to me with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.
Mine .
I slip my index through the fabric of her thong and rip it off. Aria gasps into my mouth, wrapping her arm around my shoulders, her fingers grasping onto the nape, pulling me closer.
But then, she pushes me away, her hands firm against my chest. “ Dion , stop,” she whispers urgently, glancing nervously over her shoulder. “ My fiancé is just behind those doors.”
“ Fuck your fiancé. You’re mine,” I growl, trying to pull her back into my arms. My heart is pounding, the taste of her still lingering on my lips.
“ No , Dion ,” she pleads. “ I have to go. Please , let me go.” Her eyes are wide, filled with regret and an emotion so strong it takes my breath away.
I feel her slipping away, the warmth of her body retreating. My hands drop to my sides, clenching into fists.
“ It’s over,” she repeats once more.
The cool night air chills the spot where she was pressed against mine. My chest tightens, a hollow ache settling in.
I look deep into her eyes. “ Go on. Pretend that you’re happy alongside your fiancé in front of all those people. But just remember, I know who you think about at night when you’re alone. The sounds you make when you’re desperate to come.”
Aria’s breath hitches in her throat as I close the distance once more and weave my hand up her dress, shoving my middle and ring fingers up her entrance.
My thumb circles over her clit as I move my digits inside her tight walls. Aria clenches around me when I curl them upward, beginning beckoning movements. It doesn’t take long for her legs to shake and moans to escape her pouty lips.
In a matter of seconds, Aria’s inhales come in short bursts as she struggles to contain her moans.
“ That’s it, little liar. Let everyone hear how fucking eager you are to come all over my hand while your fiancé is right behind those doors.”
“ Oh , fuck,” she whimpers, her release dripping all over my fingers.
“ What a filthy fucking girl.”
I pull my digits out of her to smear her lips with her wetness.
“ I know who your heart belongs to, and it’s not. Fucking . Him .”
With that, I move away. “ Oh , and good luck trying to convince him you’re a virgin. I took that, too.”
I disappear back into the party.
My heart is still racing from the confrontation, Aria’s words echoing in my mind like a relentless drumbeat, too caught up in my emotions to even care about the crowd around me. I make my way to the bar and order a stiff drink. “ Bourbon , please.”
Evander appears behind me. “ What’s gotten up your ass?”
I scoff. “ I just saw Aria ,” I mutter, chugging down the glass of liquor. I need more if I want to wash away the memories of her words.
“ Another one,” I ask the bartender.
“ What happened?” Evan asks impatiently.
Not wanting to rehash the details of our conversation and feel her rejection for a second time, I simply say, “ She told me it’s over. And she seemed to mean it.”
“ Dion , I know you. When you want something, you don’t give up easily. I have no doubt you’ll get the girl if you really want her.”
My brother knows me well, and he’s right about this. I’m not a quitter.
When I set my mind on something, I don’t stop until I get it. I’m relentless.
Nothing can stand between me and what I want. Not even Aria herself.
She might think she wants to be with Andrew to fulfill her family obligation or whatever it is that’s made her change her mind, but I know her feelings lie with me. She can deny it all she wants. I’ll keep pushing until I succeed.
“ I really do, bro.”
Evander clasps me on the shoulder and gives it a squeeze. Then , we grab another drink.
I lean against the bar, staring at the amber liquid swirling in my glass. Maybe if I get tipsy enough, I can forget that I’m even here, forget the congratulations, forget the smiles, forget everything. Just for tonight.
I lift the bourbon to my lips, letting the burn of the liquor wash over me, momentarily numbing the pain. The clinking of glasses and the murmur of voices fade away.
The alcohol starts to do its work, coursing through my veins and clouding my senses, and soon, I don’t care that I’m surrounded by people anymore. I barely even notice them.
It’s just noise, insignificant against the backdrop of my own turmoil. I’m here, but not really. And for now, that’s all I need.
I haven’t seen signs of the happy couple or their families, yet, but right now, it doesn’t matter.
Soon after, we’re ushered into the dining hall for the celebrations to commence.
I catch a whiff of food, and my stomach rumbles loudly. Drinking always makes me fucking hungry.
Then , the doors swing open again. And there she is.
Like a vision, she appears in the breathtaking gown I saw her in not long ago. Accompanied by her mother, she walks in, commanding attention and admiration from all around.
I drink in the sight of her, and despite—or maybe because of— the haze of alcohol, something blooms in my chest.
What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve never had feelings of this kind for anyone before. It’s like my heart deemed itself irreparable, closed off to any semblance of emotion.
Now , everything’s different.
Aria makes her way to the head table, where her fiancé awaits, but for a moment, time slows, the world narrowing to just the two of us. Our eyes lock, and she takes a shaky breath, her steps faltering just slightly.
I mouth the word, “ Mine .” A silent claim, a declaration only for her.
Aria’s eyes widen and a delicate blush spreads across her cheeks.
She doesn’t look at me again as she takes her seat, but the message has been received. I can see it in the way she glances down, her teeth nibbling on her lower lip.
She can tell me it’s over all she wants, that she doesn’t want to be with me, but I know the truth.
Aria makes me feel all these things I can’t quite understand.
Now fate is fucking mocking me, dangling something I can’t reach right in front of my eyes.
Is this fucking hell ?
Yet , despite how beautiful she looks, I’m consumed by a bite of jealousy.
Aria’s not wearing that gown for me. She’s not here for me. She’s not getting engaged to me .
I try to distract myself during the dinner, the food and steady flow of wine helping ease some of the tension in my shoulders.
The clinking of a glass pierces through the air, drawing all eyes toward the head of the table. Philip Kastellanos rises to his feet with a commanding presence.
“ Welcome , everyone. And thank you for joining us on this joyful occasion to mark the engagement of my beautiful daughter, Aria , and Andrew Galanis .”
Poutánas yos . This is all his fault.
Andrew leans over and murmurs something in Aria’s ear, causing her to smile, even though it looks strained. He then wraps his arm around her shoulders, and she leans into him. Intense rage courses through me like a wildfire. That’s my girl.
Suddenly , the room seems to grow hotter.
I push my chair back from the table, the wood scraping against the floor. A few people at our table startle, looking over at me. Evander gives me a warning glare to sit back down, but I can’t think of anything over the pounding of my heart in my ears. Rage is boiling inside me. I get off my seat and run across the dance floor, fists clenched, to where Philip is standing.
There are some shocked yells before I start releasing a torrent of blows at his face, each strike landing on his nose. The cracking of his bones reverberates in the air.
Hands grab at me, attempting to pull me back, but I refuse to stop.
Voices blur into background noise, drowned out by the thundering of blood in my ears.
“ Dion .”
Aria’s screams pierce through the chaos, a desperate plea for reason, but it’s as if her words are lost in the storm raging within me. “ Dion .”
My vision narrows to a tunnel, oblivious to anything else around me.
“ Dion ,” the voice is louder now, and the chaotic scene dissipates like smoke in the wind.
I blink, disoriented, and turn round.
“ What the fuck, bro?” Evander hisses, staring at me with concern and confusion. “ It looked like you were about to have a seizure.”
The violent confrontation was all in my head. I blink a few more times, trying to dispel the lingering remnants of the vivid illusion. It was just a fantasy, a dark figment of my imagination.
“ Holy fuck. I’m so drunk,” is all I manage to say, words slurring.
“ Dion , come on, man,” Evan’s voice is gentle but firm, as he helps me to my feet. “ Let’s get you home.”
I sway unsteadily, the alcohol still in my system, but I nod in agreement. “ Yeah , okay.”
Evan wraps an arm around my waist, supporting me as we make our way out of the crowded room. The stares of the onlookers feel like daggers, piercing through the haze with judgment and pity.
As I stumble down the hall, my vision blurred, I see Dimitri at the other end. Our eyes meet, and I can tell he’s waiting for some sign from me. I shake my head, signaling that the plan with Aria didn’t work out. He understands immediately, his face falling. His shoulders slump, mirroring my own disappointment. I turn away.
Bringing my attention back to Evan , I mutter, “ I’m sorry.” I know the last thing Evan wanted was to take care of my drunken ass.
“ Don’t worry about it,” Evan replies. “ We all have our moments.”
I nod, though the motion makes my head spin.
Evan guides me out into the cool night air, the darkness offering a welcome break from the chaos in my head.