41. Dion
41
DION
I can’t get the image out of my mind.
Two months later, and I can still see Aria lying on the church’s floor, blood pooling around her. It was supposed to be a day of celebration. Instead , my heart was ripped out of my chest. After a year without her, she almost lost her life right in front of me. Twice .
I’ve been staying at Evan’s penthouse since the incident, not wanting to be alone while Aria is in the hospital. There’s something about being in my house that’s driving me fucking crazy. I see her everywhere.
Her laughter echoes through the halls, her scent lingers in the air.
I can’t bear to stay there, not when every corner, every room, holds a piece of her. It’s as if the walls themselves whisper her name, a constant reminder of what I almost lost.
I tried to distract myself, busy my mind with mundane tasks, but nothing worked.
The only respite I found was in the greenhouse, and that only distracted me for a short while.
I had to get the fuck out of there, and Evander was gracious enough to let me stay at his penthouse. Not like I gave him much of a choice, anyway .
The sun is just beginning to rise, and I’m already restless. I’ve barely been able to sleep, just replaying the images in my head repeatedly, thinking what I could’ve done differently to keep Aria safe. I’m going crazy.
I step outside of Saintville and take a deep breath, letting the cool morning air fill my lungs. Then , I set off on my run, keeping a steady pace. I need this.
When we captured one of the attackers and forced him to tell us who orchestrated the attack, he told us it had been Philip — Aria’s own fucking father.
A flip had switched, cold fury washing over me, sharper and more deadly than anything I’d felt before.
The first time I saw her in the hospital, I could hardly breathe.
Every day, I visit her and bring flowers, trying to make her feel safe, like she’s back in her studio, surrounded by things that make her happy. I wanted to bring her a piece of home, to remind her she’s not alone.
I approach a gentle incline and push myself a little harder to distract myself, but it’s pointless.
My chest constricts as a flash of her bleeding on the floor hits me again. When we found out they were going to induce Aria into a coma…
“ Dion , we have the best doctors,” Evander says, trying to calm me down, even though his own pain is clear. Angelica was hurt as well in the attack. “ Aria’s strong. She will pull through this.”
I clench my fists, breathing heavily. “ How can you be so sure, Ev ? She almost died. She could still die. I can’t lose her.”
Evan places a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “ I know, D . I know. But you have to hold it together. For her.”
As I crest the hill, each step feels like a release and a torment at the same time. My breathing is ragged, pulse thudding in my ears. The scenery blurs as I push harder, trying to outrun the worry, the what-ifs, the rage toward Philip and Andrew for ruining her life.
Philip had fled the city like a little bitch the instant he heard trouble was looming and then decided to attack us on Evander’s wedding day, almost killing his daughter in the crossfire. I was already planning on sending him to his grave; that solidified my decision.
We then found out that Peter’s will had also been changed: Angelica was no longer the beneficiary of the Kouvalakis estate. Philip was.
The motherfuckers were planning a full takeover.
At first, when Philip had bolted, we hadn’t really cared about his whereabouts as we didn’t fully know his implication in the entire situation.
We tracked him to an underground lair at the border of Antium where I bombed our way in.
There , we found Angelica fighting her way out. It was a sight to behold.
After that, Philip was taken care of, never to be seen again.
Despite Philip’s death, Galanis still wants to go through with the wedding, and by law of the blood pact, we can’t stop him—unless we kill him. Something I plan to do soon.
Andrew is lucky he hasn’t seen me since he showed up at Evan and Angie’s first wedding reception. He’s been laying low, apparently being away on “business” most of the time.
Finally , I stop, doubling over with my hands on my knees, gasping for breath. But nothing matters right now other than Aria .
I have to protect her.
I straighten up, looking out at Schuylkill River . Right then, my phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I pull it out, seeing Angelica’s name on screen.
“ Hey ,” I respond, my voice strained from exertion.
“ Dion . She’s awake.”
Aria
My consciousness gradually returns, and it’s like emerging from a deep, murky pool. With effort, I attempt to open my eyes, but they feel glued shut. The light filtering into the room is a glaring spotlight, intensifying the throbbing ache in my head. I groan and shut them again.
“ Hey , you’re awake.” My brother’s voice is filled with relief, though tinged with concern.
I hear my mother rush to my side, and softly brush my hair back from my forehead. Her touch against my hand grounds me amid my confusion. “ It’s okay, agápi mou . Take your time,” she murmurs.
“ Do you need some water?” Dimitri asks.
I try to speak, but my throat feels dry and scratchy, I manage a weak nod, grateful for the offer.
I muster all my strength and try again, coaxing my heavy eyelids to obey. Finally , they relent, revealing the blurry outlines of the hospital room.
As my vision clears, I take in the sterile surroundings—the pristine white walls, the beeping monitors, the faint smell of antiseptic. And the unmistakable fragrance of flowers.
When I look around, what I see takes my breath away.
Throughout the room are vibrant bouquets of flowers, perched on every available surface.
I’m stunned, my mind struggling to reconcile the stark contrast of the hospital with the unexpected burst of color before me. Mama notices my surprise and follows my gaze. “ Your friend brought them for you,” she explains, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes at the beautiful gesture from Dion . But it also stirs up conflicting emotions, as my mind drifts to Andrew .
My mother’s keen intuition picks up on my inner panic, and she squeezes my hand, her eyes filled with understanding. “ Don’t worry, sweetheart,” she whispers. “ We made sure Andrew wasn’t around when Dion visited.”
Relief floods through me.
Despite my mother’s silence on the matter, I can sense her curiosity simmering beneath the surface. She knows there’s something more between Dion and me, something I’m not ready to admit just yet.
With a shaky breath, I manage a faint smile. “ Thank you, Mama .”
My mother returns my smile. “ He’s a good friend,” she says, leaving the unspoken questions hanging in the air between us.
Dimitri hands me a glass of water that I chug down immediately.
“ How are you feeling?” he asks, his eyes scanning my face for any signs of discomfort.
“ I’m okay,” I murmur, my voice coming out faint over the hum of machines. “ I’m just glad to see you both.”
Seconds later, a doctor enters the room. “ Hello , Ms . Kastellanos . Glad to see you’re awake.”
I recognize him instantly. He’s the same doctor who saw me when I almost overdosed. The dreadful night only he and Dion know about. I want to keep it that way—no one else should know. My heart starts beating faster.
The doctor gives me a knowing smile, the kind that says he isn’t going to say anything. For a moment, I’m frozen, unsure how to react. Then , I give him a small, grateful nod, trying to appear calm and collected. “ Hi .”
“ How does your body feel?”
“ Hurts ,” I mutter, a grimace crossing my face as pain courses through me.
My mother exchanges a worried glance with my brother, her hand squeezing mine gently. “ We’ll make sure you’re comfortable, agápi mou . Dr . Grant will take care of you.”
The doctor nods, his eyes filled with understanding. “ We’ll get you some pain medication right away.”
A nurse comes in and begins the examination and my mother leaves to talk to the doctor. As soon as the nurse is done, he also heads out of the room.
Suddenly , all the memories of what I overheard rush back, and I wince at the sharp pain in my head.
My brother notices my distress and furrows his brow. “ What’s wrong?”
I swallow hard, trying to compose myself before responding. “ How long have I been out?”
“ Two months,” he murmurs.
My breath hitches. “ Tell me everything that’s happened,” I demand, my voice edged with urgency.
“ Okay . Well ...” He hesitates. “ Baba was…killed.”
Pain slices through my chest, and I let out a rough, shaky exhale. “ How ? Why ?”
“ Are you sure this is the right time, Ri ? You just woke up.”
“ Yes , Dimo . I need to know the truth.” It might be a hard pill to swallow, but I don’t want to stay in the dark any longer.
His eyes flicker, a flash of discomfort crossing his face before he quickly masks it.
“ After the wedding, Philip had Angelica kidnapped,” he says, his voice trembling with rage. “ He was planning to hurt her.”
My mind reels. The reality of what’s happened crashing into me like a tidal wave.
I lurch forward, and my brother hurries to my bed, putting a bucket under my mouth. I retch violently, and the acidic taste of bile fills my mouth, my body convulsing with each motion. The room spins around me as I heave, expelling the horror that’s lodged itself deep within me.
Dimitri puts a hand on my back and caresses me until the puking stops. The nurse attempts to come back in the room with my mother, but Dimo shoos them away. “ Leave us!”
When the waves of nausea finally begin to subside, I lean back against the pillows, drained and shaken. Tears stream down my face as I curl up, the sobs racking my body.
“ I’m sorry, Riri ,” Dimitri says with a solemn expression.
My heart clenches. “ Is Angie okay?”
“ Yes , she’s fine. A little shaken, obviously, but he didn’t manage to lay a finger on her. Your friend is a little badass,” he says while wiggling his brows, and it manages to make me crack a smile.
“ You’re an idiot.”
My brother chuckles.
I run my hands over my face to wipe my tears. I can’t believe all this. I never expected my father, the man I looked up to with unwavering admiration most of my life, to be capable of such heinous acts. He has always been a pillar of strength in our family.
“ I never thought...” I stammer, my voice trailing off into a choked whisper. How can I reconcile the image of the loving Baba I once knew with the monster he became? And with everything we found out about his role in the Sisterhood …is this how Angelica felt about her own father? My chest squeezes at the thought. I can’t wait to hug her and never let go.
My brother’s hand tightens on my shoulder, a silent reassurance amid my crumbling reality. “ None of us did,” he murmurs.
“ Why would he want to hurt Angie ? It doesn’t make sense.”
“ He was going to use her to get to Evander . Peter was going to leave his estate to our father, not Angelica . But with her marrying a Godfather , father’s position was in jeopardy. Evan and Ang could’ve fought him to regain control.”
I feel the blood drain from my face. My father, willing to sacrifice an innocent life for his own selfish gain.
“ Evan and Dion went to rescue her?—”
“ And when they found her, they killed him,” I finish for him, and Dimitri confirms with a bob of his head.
Silence hangs heavy in the air.
Cold fury starts to rise within me. “ Well , he deserved it,” I seethe.
My brother nods, and I can see in his eyes a mirror of my own emotions, unending anger and disgust, mixed with grief and sorrow we can’t help but still feel. But there are too many pieces to this puzzle, too many unanswered questions lingering in my brain.
“ Is there anything else?”
“ Nothing you need to worry yourself with right now, Aria . You have to focus on your recovery,” Dimitri replies.
I narrow my eyes, sensing the evasion in his response. I know there’s something he’s omitting, but I let it go—for now.
There’s a gentle knock on the door. Dimitri , my ever-watchful guardian, stands and lets the nurse back in. I can hear their muted voices as they discuss something in hushed tones.
I’m suddenly too tired to concentrate. My body feels like it’s been through a war, every muscle protesting with a dull ache.
As the nurse administers the dose of pain meds, a wave of drowsiness crashes over me with unexpected force.
Before I can even utter a word of thanks, my eyelids betray me, fluttering shut.
A loud knock jolts me awake.
I rub my eyes and sit up in my hospital bed. “ Come in,” I groan.
The door cracks open and Andrew stands there, holding a box of chocolates, a strained smile plastered on his face. I grit my teeth and force myself not to call out for my family. I can do this. I can face him.
“ Morning , Aria .” He places the box on the nightstand, his eyes scanning over the flowers in the room. I wonder if he knows who brought them.
“ Just thought I’d bring you a little treat. How’s recovery going?”
“ Good , thanks,” I reply, forcing a cheerful tone. What do you want, Andrew ?
He takes a deep breath. “ I’ve postponed the wedding…again.”
I blink, trying to keep my composure. The promises made to him by my father about the Kastellanos business should be null and void, since Dimitri has no intention of honoring Baba ’s wishes. My father was going to leave the business and estate to Andrew , but Dimitri and Dion were able to switch the will back in my brother’s name. So , how is the wedding still on?
Andrew’s mouth turns up in a wicked smile. “ You’re probably wondering how we’re still getting married. Well , sweetheart, the arrangement was sealed in blood, so it’s my right to carry on with it.”
A blood pact? My hands tremble, and I struggle to take a full breath, feeling the panic rise up my throat. “ Why , Andrew ? You don’t love me, and you know I don’t love you. My father’s dead. Why do you still want this marriage?”
Andrew slams his fist on the table, making me flinch. “ It’s none of your fucking business,” he growls, eyes narrowing.
At this point, it seems like he’s playing this twisted game just to get under my skin. He gets a high out of intimidating me . Sick fuck .
He grabs me in a bruising grip, pain shooting up my arm.
“ This isn’t about your father’s wishes or Dimitri’s power. This is about what I want, Aria . What my family deserves. What I’m owed.”
“ You can’t force me into this.” Tears well in my eyes, but I try to blink them away, refusing to let him see my fear.
Andrew laughs, a cold, hollow sound. “ I can and I will. You belong to me now, and you’ll do as I say. Get with it or I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“ It already is!”
His face contorts with anger, his hand crashing across my face, the sting spreading through my cheek like wildfire. I gasp, my vision blurring for a moment as pain explodes in my head.
His expression is cold as he watches me struggle to keep my eyes open.
I raise a trembling hand to my cheek, the warmth of his strike radiating through my skin.
Andrew stares at me for a moment longer, then turns and walks out.
The door closes behind him, and I let out a choked sob.