Chapter 16 Aria
Aria
The sky was covered by dark grey clouds as the rain started to come down fast. I stood in the doorway, trying to protect myself as much as possible.
Of course, I’d decided not to bring my coat because Sebastian had dropped me off right outside earlier and was supposed to be collecting me from the same place.
I clicked the side of my phone to check the time. It was my final therapy session, and he was late. I’d been waiting over twenty minutes.
He was never late.
I brought up his number and pressed call. It rang a few times, then went to voicemail, as it had the various other times I’d tried.
Where was he?
I let out a heavy sigh, giving up hope that he was on his way, and opened the Uber app. Just as I was about to confirm the ride, a black Mercedes pulled up at the curb.
He’d sent Logan.
Again.
My last session, and he wasn’t here for it. I chewed my lip, starting to fiddle with my sleeves.
Logan stepped out, putting an umbrella up, and hurried over to me. “Hey, Aria, Sebastian has been held up.”
My shoulders slumped, and I shook my head. “Of course he has.” I ignored the umbrella, stepping out into the rain and sliding into the passenger seat.
I watched as he rushed over to the car, put the brolly down, and got in himself.
“Is everything ok?” he asked, and I met his gaze.
“I just thought with it being my last session, Sebastian would be here.”
“He would be if he could.”
“Would he, though?” I snapped. “I’ve hardly seen him lately.”
“He loves you.”
“Does he?” I let out a heavy breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be snapping at you. It’s not your fault.”
“It’s fine, and I get why you might think that, but you’ll always be his priority.”
I wasn’t quite sure anymore. Everything else seemed to come before me now. It was like I was no longer his priority, that everything we’d gone through to be together meant nothing to him.
“Is he at home?”
Logan started the car and pulled away from the curb. “No. He said to get ready for tonight and asked me to drop you off to meet Serfina and Hayden. That he’d meet you there.”
“Wow, really?”
“I’m sorry.”
“What an asshole,” I muttered under my breath.
An awkward silence fell around us. Sebastian had turned Logan into my personal driver, which I didn’t need. I was perfectly capable of getting public transport. In reality, though, I just wanted the man I loved.
“How old is your daughter?” I asked, trying to break the silence.
“She’s four, but it feels like she’s a teenager already.” He chuckled.
“I’ve heard girls are much more independent than boys. I think that carries on into adulthood.” I laughed.
“I don’t know. I was very independent. I had to be. I grew up in foster care.”
“Oh, I didn’t know. Is that why you joined the army?”
“Partly, for that stability.” He paused for a moment. “I craved having a family, and being in the army brought that, but it also brought heartbreak when we lost someone.”
“I’m really sorry, Logan.”
“Now, I’ve got my own little family, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Sebastian is family to me, too.” His eyes flicked to me, then back to the road. “You mean the world to him.”
I let out a sigh, chewed the side of my lip, and turned to look out of the window.
Logan had dropped me off at the club a few hours later, and I managed to get in straight away with Sebastian’s name.
The music was getting louder with each step I took, and as I entered the main area, the bass vibrated through me.
Looking around the sea of people, I managed to spot Serfina, who was waving frantically at me by the bar, next to Hayden.
Surprise, surprise, no Sebastian.
“Aria!” Serfina squealed as I reached her.
“You look so pretty,” I said.
Serfina had a dark green silk minidress on, and her natural chestnut curls had been straightened.
“Aww, thanks, girl!” She took hold of my hand, twirling me around. “Look at you, Miss Hot Stuff.”
I looked down at the lace lavender dress I was wearing.
The bodice was a corset style, and the lace was see-through around the stomach area.
It was strapless and hugged all the right curves.
I wasn’t afraid to show my scar to the world anymore.
Not with having such incredible people around me.
Hayden wrapped his arm around Serfina’s waist, pulled her to him, and kissed her cheek. “Where’s Sebastian?”
“I’m here,” he said from behind me, and I spun around to see him standing there. “Sorry I’m late. There was so much I needed to do at the office.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to him.
“Don’t,” I said, removing his hands.
He furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong?”
“We’ll talk about it later. I just want to enjoy my night.”
“Hayden and I will get some drinks,” Serfina said, and wandered off with him.
“Nyx.” He took hold of my hands. “Please don’t be like that with me. I’m sorry. I got caught up.”
“You didn’t collect me from my last therapy session. You knew how important that was. What it meant to make it to the end of it all. To finally close that chapter of my life.”
“Your last session?” he repeated.
“Yes. Please don’t tell me you forgot?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
He hesitated. “No, I didn’t.”
My mouth opened. Did he just lie to me? “I needed you, not Logan.”
“I know, and I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. You’ve come so far with it all. You’re so strong, Nyx, and I’m so proud of you. Of everything you’ve become.”
“I just wish you were there to share it with me.”
“I’m here now, and we can celebrate together.” He kissed my forehead. “There’s so much going on at work at the moment. You know what it’s like.”
I did know, but I always knew he’d never put work before anything important. That wasn’t him.
“It can’t just be work. I get you’ve got a lot on there, but you’ve never been like this.”
He placed his hands on my hips, leaning down. “I’ve never had to deal with someone else in the company trying to take over everything. I’m making sure Luxe Corp stays with me. You know how important it is to me.”
I let out a heavy sigh. I did know. He’d taken it upon himself to protect his granddad’s legacy.
“Please, forgive me.” He gave me a little smile, moving my hips, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “There’s my girl.” He kissed me softly, and I let myself melt for him.
He took hold of my hand and ran his thumb over the cut from the glass last night, his eyes fixed on it.
“I’m so sorry that I hurt you.”
“That wasn’t your fault. Accidents happen. Besides, it was just a little cut.”
“But if I hadn’t—”
I placed my hand on his cheek, and his eyes met mine. “Don’t do that. I know you’d never hurt me. Tonight is about enjoying ourselves and having a good time.”
Serfina and Hayden returned, drinks in hand.
“Here, girl, I got you a Honey Bee.” Her eyes danced as she handed it to me.
“A what?” I questioned, looking at it.
“It’s the start of our cocktail adventure.”
“It’s rum,” Hayden explained as he handed Sebastian a whisky.
Serfina rolled her eyes. “It’s not just rum. It’s honey, lemon juice, and a bit of water. It’s a Honey Bee. You’ll love it. I promise.”
I was celebrating, so I might as well enjoy myself. I held the glass to my lips. The citrus smell hit me, then as I took a sip, I was surprised how refreshing it tasted with the honey. It wasn’t too sweet. Then, the rum hit me, burning smoothly down my throat.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” Serfina said, taking a sip of her own.
Sebastian slid his arm around my waist and planted a kiss on my head. Maybe tonight was going to be a good night after all.
Tonight, I felt free from every little thing that had burdened me from my past. I never had to worry about feeling that way again. I’d had a little too much alcohol, but I didn’t care, because I could do what I wanted for myself.
We’d been at the club for a few hours, and I’d spent most of it on the dance floor with Serfina. As I danced with her, my eyes met Sebastian’s at the bar. He’d been there most of the night.
“Girl, he hasn’t taken his eyes off you,” Serfina said as she twirled me around.
“I hadn’t noticed.”
Total lie. I’d could always feel when he was looking at me. It was like a spark that ran through me, lighting everything up all at once.
“Oh, please,” she giggled, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. “I’m going to find Hayden.”
I gave her a nod, and she wandered off into the crowd. I glanced back over to Sebastian and decided to make my way over to him.
“Everything ok?” he asked as I reached him.
“Come dance with me.” I held my hand out.
He smiled, took hold of it and spun me around, and I let out a giggle. He planted a kiss on my head, then guided me through the crowd.
He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I draped mine around his neck, feeling the heat from his body against mine.
“I am sorry about today.” Looking into his eyes, I could see he meant it. “I love you so much, and I never meant to make you feel that way.”
“Thank you for apologising. I know it’s hard at Luxe Corp right now, but it’ll get easier.”
“Will it? I don’t think having Caspian there will make it any better.”
“You need to learn to let people help you.”
“I don’t need it. It was working fine without him.”
“Stop being so stubborn with everything.”
I felt his arms tense around my waist as his eyes darkened. He spun me around, pulling my back flush to his chest, and I could feel how hard he was. His hands rested on my hips, swaying them to the beat of the music. “Forget work. I want to enjoy you tonight.”
“Oh yeah?” I breathed out. “How are you going to do that?”
“Do you know how hard it was not to rip this dress off you earlier?”
His lips traced down my neck, my head falling back into him as I closed my eyes. Heat radiated from his body into mine, and that intoxicating scent of his flooded my system. His fingers trailed down, skimming the hem of my dress, and his lips curled against my neck.
“I need to feel you,” he whispered in my ear.