ARIA
Five Years Ago
England only seemed to get about a week of decent sun each summer, and right now, I was soaking it up in my bikini on a lounger by the pool.
It was only a few months ago that my mum had thrown me a surprise party out here in the garden for my eighteenth.
Luckily, Sebastian had pre-warned me, knowing all too well I hated surprises.
My eyes drifted from my book and caught Sebastian strolling along the pool’s edge with his hands in his pockets.
His white shirt had a few buttons undone, with the odd tattoo peeking through.
His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, showing his inked-up arms. And that platinum ID bracelet he always wore sat over his watch—a bracelet his granddad had given him before he passed.
This man seemed to command attention wherever he walked; his presence was intoxicating.
“Thought I’d find you here,” he said as he sat down on the lounger, his shoulder touching my bare skin, causing my heart to pick up speed.
“What you reading?” He took the book from me, examined the back, and let out a silent laugh.
“Didn’t have you down as a dark romance girl, Nyx.
Thought you’d be reading Romeo and Juliet again. ”
I plucked the book back from his grasp and placed it down. “I thought I’d try something new. Besides, when have you ever been interested in what I read?”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his chest, and his scent instantly flooded my system. “You’d be surprised what I’m interested in.”
Those damn butterflies appeared like they always did when he looked at me, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
“Where have you been? I haven’t seen you for a few days,” I said.
He’d left the house Friday night, and it was now Sunday. I’d texted him a few times, and he’d replied with short responses. It wasn’t like him.
“Don’t worry about it, Nyx. I had to go away for business.”
I narrowed my brows, looking him up and down. He’d normally tell me when that was the case, and he’d always stayed in contact.
“Thought you hated business trips?”
A small smile curled on his lips as he leaned in closer, causing my heart to race. “Do you know what I really hate?”
“What?”
He swooped me up. “That I’ve not had the chance to do this yet.” A smirk curled on his face as he reached the pool edge.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned him.
Before I had a chance to say anything else, he’d thrown me straight into the pool. The water was cold, and goose bumps spread over my skin. I swam to the surface, catching my breath and wiping my face to clear my eyes. “You asshole,” I said, trying not to laugh.
He stood there for a beat, chuckling to himself, before crouching down and holding his hand out. A mischievous grin tried to creep over my lips, but I stopped it from forming as I swam over to him.
“Sorry, Nyx. I couldn’t resist.”
I took his hand and tugged, catching him off guard, causing him to lose his balance and fall straight into the pool.
I burst out laughing as he ran his hand over his face, then pushed it through his hair to brush it back.
His bright blue eyes met mine.
“You’ll regret that.”
“I doubt it.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
He swam over, boxing my body against the wall and resting his hands on each side of me. I could feel my breath getting shallow as my heart pounded against my chest.
“I’ll get you back.” He smirked, then moved to the side of me, pulling his body out of the pool, and then held his hand out again.
Water dripped from the bits of his black hair that had fallen over his eyes. I watched as they slowly ran down his neck and disappeared into his shirt that was now glued to that perfectly chiselled chest of his. The ink looked like it was bleeding through the fabric.
“You going to stare at me all afternoon, or are you going to take my hand this time so we can get you dry?”
The blood rushed to my cheeks. I couldn’t believe he’d caught me gawking at him. I took his hand, and he pulled me out, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close as we started walking back to the house.
I caught Stephen watching us at the patio door, then he disappeared as we reached the house.
“Are you cold?” Sebastian asked as we entered the kitchen.
“Sebastian, it’s like thirty degrees.”
Before he could respond, Stephen called to him from further in the house.
“Sebastian, get in my office, now,” he said, and I could tell he was trying to control his anger.
Sebastian’s arm tensed before he slowly removed it from my shoulders, turning to look at me.
“Go upstairs, I’ll be up in a bit.”
He walked over to Stephen’s office, the door closing behind him. I couldn’t help myself—I crept over, listening in on the conversation.
“Is there something wrong with you?”
“What are you talking about?” Sebastian replied.
“She’s your sister. Do you know what people would say if they saw you two together like that?” Stephen hissed.
I heard Sebastian scoff. “Is that all you care about? Your precious reputation?”
“Do not push me, boy.”
My heart sank.
I’d heard Stephen shout at Sebastian a few times, but this seemed different; it was about me.
I grabbed the door, pulled it open, and marched in.
My heart raced, and I swallowed a few times to wet my dry throat.
My eyes darted to Sebastian as his bright blues hit me, then over to Stephen.
His face was red, and he did not look happy to see me.
“It’s not Sebastian’s fault. It’s mine. I pulled him into the pool.”
“This is nothing that concerns you, Aria.”
“But you wouldn’t be shouting at him if it wasn’t for me.”
“Go to your room. Now,” Stephen snapped.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Sebastian growled, taking a step closer to him.
I took a deep breath to stop myself from trembling. “It’s fine. I’ll go.”
I turned and rushed out of the room. The tears hit my cheeks before I even made it up the stairs.
A few hours had passed, and I hadn’t seen Sebastian. He hadn’t replied to my messages either, so I was now outside his bedroom door, hand mid-air. I took a deep breath and knocked. After waiting for what felt like a lifetime, I knocked again, louder. It wasn’t long before Sebastian opened the door.
He’d changed into some joggers and a T-shirt, and his earlier pulled-back hair was now all messy. Yet it wasn’t that that I was fixed on.
It was his split lip.
I reached to touch it. “What happened?”
He gently wrapped his fingers around my wrist to stop me. “Don’t worry about it, Nyx. I’ve had worse.”
That was easier said than done. Due to the fighting he was involved in and the way his dad treated him, it surprised me how he managed to be so caring towards me when all he seemed to have in his life was darkness.
“I do worry, though,” I said quietly, freeing my hand and touching his lip.
He tried to hide it, but I saw him suck a breath in through his teeth. He gently took hold of my hand, lowering it back down. “You don’t need to.” His eyes gazed into mine.
He had my whole body melting with just his touch, making me forget my name.
“What are we watching?” he asked, moving to allow me into his room.
This room was always kept pristine, and nothing was ever out of place. There was never any washing lying around like you’d imagine from a twenty-two-year-old man, or any clutter.
His room was huge but held the bare minimum.
The bed sat to the far left with a huge TV on the wall opposite.
There was a bedside table on each side of the bed, and a cabinet that sat against the far wall next to a desk.
His walk-in wardrobe was always neatly arranged, and everything had its rightful place.
It was normally my room where we’d end up watching movies until the early hours of the morning, or until I’d fallen asleep.
“You choose,” I said, turning around to face him.
He snorted, trying to hide a laugh. “You say that, then we always end up watching some rom-com.”
I took a few steps closer to him. “That’s because you secretly love them.”
He let out a chuckle. “If that’s what you think, Nyx.”
“How was the trip?”
“Speaking of trips … I got you something.”
He picked up a small box and handed it to me. Whenever Sebastian went away, he always brought me something back.
I opened the box, my eyes widening. Staring back at me was a pair of butterfly studs. Little blue diamonds filled their wings. They were so beautiful.
“Sebastian, I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.” He smiled.
“Thank you.” Then, before I lost my courage, I quickly kissed him on the cheek.
His eyes met mine, sending heat straight to my cheeks. He was about to say something when his phone started to ring, and he soon answered it, clearing his throat.
“Hayden, what’s up? … I can’t right now. I’m busy with Aria.” His eyes drifted to me. “Ok, ok.”
He hung up the phone. “I’m sorry, Nyx, I need to go deal with something.”
I slumped my shoulders, giving him a small smile. “It’s fine.”
“Don’t go to sleep, because I’ll bring you some chicken balls and we can watch something then, I promise.” He grabbed his keys and wallet, placing them into his pockets. “I won’t be long.” He then rushed out the door, leaving me standing there, alone.