Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
ARIA
I was fighting a losing battle, and the terrifying part was that I'd stopped wanting to win.
The past two weeks had fundamentally changed something inside me. The careful walls I'd built, the distance I'd tried to maintain, the resistance I'd clung to—all of it was crumbling. And I was letting it happen.
Worse, I was enjoying it.
And it had everything to do with him, Kai Accardi. But after yesterday one question kept ringing in my mind.
Who is Kai Accardi?
I sat in the garden, my book forgotten in my lap, staring at nothing while my mind replayed every moment with Kai. The way he looked at me. The way his voice dropped when we were alone. The way his hands had felt on my skin.
I was falling for him. Slowly, inevitably, catastrophically falling for the one man I absolutely could not have.
And I knew it. God, I knew how reckless this was. How dangerous. How utterly insane.
But knowing didn't stop my heart from racing when I heard his footsteps. Didn't stop the heat that flooded through me when he got close. Didn't stop me from wanting him with an intensity that scared me.
"A penny for your thoughts."
I jumped, my book nearly sliding off my lap. Kai stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me with those dark, intense eyes.
He was wearing dark jeans that hung perfectly on his hips and a black t-shirt that clung to muscles I'd felt under my hands. His hair was slightly messy, like he'd been running his fingers through it. He looked dangerous and gorgeous and completely unfair.
My thoughts immediately went places they absolutely shouldn't. Places involving significantly fewer clothes and considerably more touching.
Stop it. Stop sexualizing him like some hormone-addled teenager.
Except he was looking at me like he could read every inappropriate thought, and a slow smile spread across his face.
"You look beautiful today."
The compliment caught me off guard. Made warmth bloom in my chest.
"Don't I always look beautiful?" I tried to keep my tone light. Teasing.
"You do." His voice dropped, went serious. "You always do. I can't seem to keep my eyes off you, which is becoming a serious fucking problem."
The honesty in his words made my breath catch. The way he was looking at me like I was the only thing in the world worth seeing made my heart do something complicated in my chest.
I looked at him. Really looked at him. And my smile faded as reality crashed back in.
What were we doing? Where could this possibly go?
He noticed immediately. Of course he did. Kai noticed everything.
He crossed the distance between us, sat down on the bench close enough that I could feel his body heat. His hand found mine, fingers intertwining gently.
"What's going on in that head of yours?"
The concern in his voice, the way he was looking at me—like my thoughts actually mattered, like my feelings were important—it melted something inside me that I'd been trying to keep frozen.
"What are we doing, Kai?" The words came out quieter than I intended. "We both know this thing between us—whatever it is—it can't end well for either of us. So why can't we just stop now? Before it gets worse?"
The question brought silence between us. Part of me desperately hoped he'd agree. That he'd be the strong one and walk away.
But a bigger, more terrifying part prayed he wouldn't. Prayed he'd fight for this. For us.
Because even though I'd just suggested stopping, the thought of actually doing it terrified me more than any potential consequences.
He was quiet for a long moment. Then he reached for me, pulled me closer until I was practically in his lap. His arms wrapped around me, solid and warm.
I could feel everything. Every hard line of his body. Every breath. Every beat of his heart against my chest.
My hands landed on his chest, fingers splaying across the solid muscle there. I could feel his heart hammering beneath my palm.
"Feel that?" His voice was rough. Raw. "My heart beats for you.
Has since the moment I saw you in that club.
I haven't been the same since we met, Aria.
You've fucked me up in ways I didn't think were possible.
And I don't have it in me to let you go.
Even if I wanted to—which I don't—I couldn't. You're under my skin.
In my head. Consuming every thought I have. "
His hand came up, tilted my face so I had to look at him.
"I'm gathering evidence against my father. Crimes that violate Council rules. Things that will get him removed from power. It's taking longer than I want, but I'm close. And when I take him down, when I'm in control of this family, you won't have to marry him. You'll be free. We'll both be free."
Hope fluttered in my chest, fragile and terrifying.
"And Lia?"
"Protected. Always. That's non-negotiable." His thumb brushed across my cheekbone. "I want something different than this violent life. Something better. And I want it with you."
The intensity in his eyes made my throat tight.
He leaned in, his mouth moving toward mine. My eyes started to close, my body angling toward his automatically.
"Oh my god, am I interrupting something?" I heard a familiar voice saying, startling us.
We broke apart so fast I nearly fell off the bench. Lia stood there, her eyes wide, a knowing smile spreading across her face.
Kai stood smoothly, his expression shifting to neutral so quickly I almost believed I'd imagined the heat in his eyes seconds ago.
"Just discussing security protocols." His voice was bored. Casual.
"Right. Security protocols that require you to be practically sitting in her lap." Lia's smile widened. "Very thorough security measures, brother."
"Weren't you supposed to be shopping with Mrs. Rossi?" Kai's tone was pure annoyed older brother.
"We finished early. Good thing too, apparently, or I would have missed this very professional security briefing." She winked at me.
Kai shot her a look that would have made most people back away. Lia just laughed.
"Fine, fine. I'll leave you two to your very important work." She started walking away, Kai muttered something in Italian that I was fairly certain involved creative threats against his sister's life and Lia stopped and replied him in Italy.
Despite everything, I laughed. The sound surprised me.
"I should go." Kai looked at me, and the heat was back in his eyes. "Before I do something that gives Lia actual ammunition."
He walked away, leaving me with Lia in the garden and my racing heart and spinning thoughts.
"So." She dropped onto the bench next to me, grinning like the cat who got the cream. "You and Kai."
"There's no me and Kai—"
"Oh please. I saw the way he was looking at you. The way you were looking at him. That was not 'bodyguard and charge' energy. That was 'I want to rip your clothes off' energy."
My face burned. "Lia—"
"I don't mind, you know." Her voice went softer. Serious. "Actually, I think it's good. Kai needs someone. He's been alone for so long, protecting everyone else, carrying all this weight by himself. He deserves to have something—someone—that's just for him."
"But it's dangerous—"
"Everything in this life is dangerous." She took my hand.
"But Kai is a good person. I know years of living under our monster father's control has hardened him, changed him in ways that aren't always pretty.
But deep down, he's still the brother who used to read me stories when I had nightmares.
The one who took punishments meant for me.
The one who's been planning for years to take down our father so we can finally be free. "
Her words made my throat tight.
"Just be careful, okay?" Her grip tightened. "I'm serious, Aria. If our father finds out about this—about you and Kai—he'll kill you both. And he'll make it slow. Make it hurt. Make sure everyone knows what happens when people betray him."
Ice flooded my veins.
"So whatever this is between you two, you need to be smart about it. No more almost-getting-caught in the garden situations. No more looking at each other like you want to devour each other where anyone can see."
I nodded, unable to find words.
After she left, I sat there for a long time, her warning echoing in my head.
She was right. This was dangerous. Reckless. The kind of stupid that got people killed.
I should stay away from him. Should stop this before it went any further.
I made myself a list of reasons why:
One: He's my future stepson. That's sick and wrong on multiple levels.
Two: His father will literally murder us both if he finds out.
Three: Lia could get hurt. Mrs. Rossi could get hurt. Everyone I care about could suffer because I can't control myself.
Four: This is insane. Completely, utterly insane.
Five: I'm falling for him and that's the most dangerous thing of all.
I kept on making more list through out the day and night, the night were worst, I couldn't sleep. The nightmares were worse than usual—Papa's burned face morphing into Kai's, Mama's voice telling me I was making a mistake, Salvatore's cold eyes watching from shadows.
I woke up gasping, my heart racing, sheets tangled around my legs.
Two in the morning. Perfect.
I lay there for a while, trying to calm down. Trying to fall back asleep. Failing miserably.
Finally, I gave up. Pulled on my robe over my sleep shorts and tank top and headed downstairs for water. Maybe some warm milk. Anything to quiet my racing thoughts.
The kitchen light was already on.
I stopped in the doorway, my brain short-circuiting. Kai was there, leaning against the counter, shirtless, drinking coffee like it was a normal hour for caffeine.
He was... god. He was gorgeous in a way that should be illegal.
Broad shoulders that tapered to a lean waist. Defined abs that proved he spent hours in the gym. That trail of dark hair that disappeared into his sweatpants. Scars scattered across his ribs and chest—evidence of a violent life. Muscles that flexed as he raised his coffee cup to his lips.