Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

"She was in the store that night. When I was shopping for Daniel and you ...surprised me," Ariana said, her

heart pounding. "I remember her voice. You were about to kiss me and then-"

Thomas's face lit with understanding.

"Holy crap. She's the one who knocked into the rack and stopped us."

"I knew I recognized her voice. She said she was sorry," Ariana said. "That must have been the first time she

saw us."

"How did you recognize her voice tonight, but I didn't even notice in the store?" Thomas asked.

"I have a thing for details," Ariana said quickly. "Who cares? The question is,

what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't know," Thomas said. Anger and panic were beginning to creep into his voice, and the

glass crunched more loudly, more insistently under his feet as he crisscrossed the room. "If she tells, I'll lose

everything. Easton, my inheritance." He stopped abruptly in front of his door and slammed his fist into it.

"Thomas!" Ariana jumped off the bed and grabbed his arm before he could swing again. She ignored the

small voice in the back of her mind telling her Thomas hadn't said he couldn't lose her. "Stop it!" She gripped

his sweater, trying to pull him away. He shrugged her

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off, but she ducked between his body and the door, blocking him. Taking his hand, she saw that tiny drops of

blood had surfaced on his knuckles.

She held his gaze, held onto the connection between them like a rapidly fraying thread. She could feel him

pulling away, pulling back from her. And it was all because of Mel. She was to blame.

"It's my fault," he said, his voice cracking. "This whole thing is my fault."

"No." Ariana cupped her hands around the back of his neck. It was drenched with sweat. "Don't. Don't say

that."

"Why shouldn't I?" Thomas snapped, pulling away. His upper lip twitched slightly. "It's true, isn't it? None

of this would be happening if I hadn't screwed her over. I can't lose Easton. I can't."

Thomas took a deep breath and looked at Ariana. She could see his breathing start to normalize and she felt a

flutter of pride. He trusted her, loved her. She was capable of calming him. He was just upset because he

knew Mel could ruin everything for both of them.

"We have to do something," Ariana said firmly. "We have to stop her."

"What can we do?" Thomas said. "The girl's nuts. You said she wants you to stay away from me, right?"