26. CHAPTER 26
ARIA
I stared at the front door. I couldn’t believe Sebastian had left like that. What an asshole. My eyes flickered to the letter on the table for a split second. No, he wasn’t. I was for snapping at him. I shouldn’t have.
I sighed as I sat down on the sofa, my focus solely on that letter. I was scared to open it. I should have done it when Sebastian was here—then I wouldn’t have been trembling right now. But I didn’t want him to see me like this.
I shook my hands out, trying to stop them from shaking.
Maybe I should call him, ask him to come back?
I grabbed my phone off the table and found his number.
My finger hovered over it, hesitating. What if he didn’t want to talk after what I’d just done?
I couldn’t bear that rejection right now—not with this letter looming over me.
I took a deep breath in and released it slowly, trying to gather my wandering thoughts . No, I wouldn’t call him.
My mind flickered to Callum. He’d know for sure if it was Jason.
I found his number and dialled, tapping my foot nervously on the floor.
“Hello?” The voice was groggy, as if he’d just woken up.
“Callum …”
He cleared his throat. “Aria? What’s happened?”
“I need you to be honest with me.”
“Always.”
“Have you heard from Jason?”
There was a pause before he spoke. “Aria, he’s my brother. Of course I have.”
I stood, rubbing my hand over my forehead. “Is it you?”
“Is what me?”
“The letters, Callum. Is it you?”
“What letters? Is everything ok? You don’t sound right.”
I let out a heavy breath. Deep down, I knew he’d never do anything like that. He was the complete opposite of his brother, even though he was pretty high up in the organisation Jason ran.
Callum dealt with anything you could imagine—guns, drugs, money, and everything else that came with that lifestyle. Everyone knew who he was, and they feared him.
Yet, with me, he was different. He was kind.
“I’m sorry for what he did to you. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have allowed it. I would have kept you safe.” His voice was a whisper. “I miss you, my little Astra.”
The tears formed in my eyes, and I blinked, releasing them into the world. The name he only ever called me in private. He told me I’d always be his bright little star, no matter where I was.
Callum was five years older than me, and I considered him a brother.
“You paid me to leave.”
“Yes, to protect you.”
“I don’t need your protection,” I replied bluntly.
He let out a little laugh. “Still got that fire in you, Aria. You know how deep you were with us. If some of the men knew why Jason was on remand … well, let’s just say you wouldn’t be talking to me right now.”
I knew he was right. Where Jason had gone, I was forced to follow. Most of the time, I’d sat there whilst they all met to talk about “business.” Always quiet, always observing.
Always listening.
“I’d cross county lines for you, my little Astra. Just remember that.”
Then, he hung up.
I placed my hand on my heart to try and steady my breathing. I shouldn’t have called him. He was the past, and I was trying to move forward.
My eyes flickered over to the letter again. Not today. Today, I was going to go out and enjoy myself.
I straightened my tight, short black skirt and brushed over the invisible creases on my long-sleeved crop top. It had been a while since I’d worn anything like this, but I didn’t care. Tonight was about being the old me.
The bar I’d found down some back alley in Hackney was heaving as I entered.
The music was pumping loudly, and everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves.
I’d ordered a shot to drown the butterflies in my stomach, and I could feel it make its way through my system.
I’d managed to find a quieter area near the back, and I leaned against the bar, vodka and Coke in hand.
This was what I needed: some fun in my life without worrying.
“Aria, isn’t it?”
I turned to the familiar voice to come face to face with Nicholas Rossi.
“That’s me.”
“I never forget a pretty face.” He smiled, then took a sip of his drink. “By yourself?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“How about I keep you company?”
I hesitated. “Sure.”
He smiled, gesturing to the table in the corner. We made our way over and sat down.
“So, what brings a girl like you to a place like this?”
“I could say the same about you, with that tailored suit.” I raised my brows, then took a sip of my drink.
He let out a silent laugh, taking a sip of his amber liquid. “I own the place.”
“You … what?”
He nodded, then signalled the barman to bring me another drink.
“Is this how you know Sebastian?”
He leaned back in the chair, his eyes making their way from my bare legs to my eyes.
“I know Sebastian from a lot of places.”
This guy wasn’t going to tell me anything. I felt my phone vibrating, and I grabbed it out of my bag.
Sebastian.
I cut the call.
It started again. I watched it ring out, and then I switched it off.
“You can get that, if you need to.” Nicholas gestured towards my phone.
“It’s nothing important.”
I took another sip of my drink, and the next thing I knew, I’d been grabbed by my wrist and pulled from my seat.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Sebastian’s voice was laced with anger, and his eyes burned into me.
My heart pounded, fear running through me for a split second before my body caught up that it was just him. And then it turned into something different, a fire deep in my core that set everything ablaze.
“Let go, Sebastian,” I demanded, and he reluctantly released my wrist.
“I don’t think she wants you here.” Nicholas sat there, swirling his amber liquid, eyes on Sebastian.
“This has nothing to do with you,” he hissed.
Nicholas rose, stepping from the table and straightening his suit. “Oh, but it does when you’re in my establishment.”
Sebastian took a step closer to Nicholas, his body tense, fire burning in his eyes.
“You wouldn’t have this place if it weren’t for me.”
Nicholas smirked, letting out a heavy breath through his nose. “Sebastian Knight. The little rich boy who thought he could be a leader. Instead, he was just crying over his dead mum.”
Sebastian swung straight for Nicholas, hitting him clean in the jaw, causing him to stumble back into the chairs. My hands flew to my mouth, and knots started tying in my stomach.
“Sebastian!” I shrieked.
Before Nicholas even had a chance, Sebastian had grabbed him by his collar, and his left fist met Nicholas's face. My body weight shifted, forcing me to take a step back as I watched in horror. Sebastian hit him again, and this time, blood splattered in all directions.
“Sebastian, stop!”
I rushed over, grabbing Sebastian’s arm, trying anything to get him off Nicholas, but my efforts were in vain as the bouncers arrived.
It took four to finally pull Sebastian off Nicholas and keep him back.
Nicholas laughed as he stood, spitting blood.
“Look at her. She’s terrified of you.”
Sebastian turned to face me, and I tried my hardest to hide it, but he could always see through me.
“You’re such an asshole, Sebastian.”
I stormed through, pushing past them all as I went. I needed some air.