“Who?” Aria asked.
“Both of them. Grace and Cosima. They’re friends. Grace must have put her up to this. That cunt.”
Aria jerked away from my anger, eyes wide and shocked. Fuck. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. My nose in her hair, I breathed in her scent. At once, my anger dimmed. Aria wasn’t supposed to witness my brutal, vengeful side.
Aria softened in my hold. “Grace wanted to humiliate me. She looked really happy when I found you.”
“I bet,” I muttered. Grace and Cosima had probably met right after the incident and laughed their fucking heads off. They wouldn’t laugh for much longer. “She’s a fucking rat trying to humiliate a queen. She’s nothing.”
Aria was a queen, and nobody would treat her as anything less than that.
“How did she react when you told her that you couldn’t see her anymore?” Aria asked curiously.
I hadn’t seen or talked to Grace since our last fuck, and I had no intention of doing so. I’d never even considered telling her that we were over. Why? We’d never been a couple or even an affair. I’d messaged her when I’d wanted to fuck, and she’d always come running. We hadn’t gone on dates or even been exclusive. Far from it.
“You promised you wouldn’t see her or other women again,” Aria whispered, and I realized my fucking mistake. She tried to escape my embrace, body trembling, but I didn’t allow her to pull away.
“I did, and I won’t. But I didn’t talk to Grace. Why should I? I don’t owe her an explanation, just like I don’t owe a fucking explanation to the other sluts I fucked.” Aria was stiff in my hold, not believing me. I tilted her face up so she had no choice but to meet my gaze. She needed to get my next words into her head. “You are the only one I want. I’ll keep my promise, Aria.” It was the goddamn truth. I desired Aria like I’d never desired a woman—in the obvious way, but also in a deeper way that didn’t even make sense to me.
Aria searched my eyes. “So you won’t see her again.”
“Oh, I will see her again to tell her what I think about her little stunt.” I’d probably end up killing her. I’d never been more furious in my life. Grace tried to mess with my marriage, and I knew she wasn’t done yet—if I didn’t put a stop to it once and for all.
Aria touched my arm. “Don’t.”
I stared at her incredulously. I thought she wanted me to end it verbally.
“I don’t want you to talk to her again. Let’s just forget her.”
Forget how Grace had not only tricked me but also tried to humiliate my wife? “Please,” Aria begged, her fingers digging into my biceps.
Fuck. How was I supposed to deny her when she looked at me like that? Begging didn’t work with me, but Aria…
I nodded, even if I knew I couldn’t do nothing. I’d keep my word and not contact Grace, but I sure as hell wouldn’t forget what happened. Next time I saw her father to give him money for his campaign, I’d tell him exactly what was on my mind. He knew that Grace was good for nothing. “I don’t like it, but if that’s what you want…”
“It is,” she said quickly. “Let’s not even talk about her anymore. Pretend she doesn’t exist.” Aria gave me a small smile. I touched her parted lips, loving their softness.
“Your lips are too fucking kissable.”
Aria averted her eyes in embarrassment. Shy and sweet. That men like Fiore Cavallaro and my father had chosen this kind of woman for me was a miracle, but one I was definitely grateful for.
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” she mumbled.
“More bad news?” I asked carefully. The Grace thing was already souring my morning.
Aria shrugged. “Well, I guess that depends on your viewpoint. I want Gianna to visit me. Her school doesn’t begin for another two weeks, and I miss her.”
I stifled a groan. “It’s been only a few days since you saw her.”
“I know.” Aria’s expression became pleading once more, and I knew I was screwed. If Matteo found out that Gianna was coming to visit, he’d be ecstatic.
“Where would she stay?”
I immediately knew what she was up to.
“I don’t know. Maybe in our guest room?” She bit her lower lip with that smile, her eyes so fucking hopeful that I knew there was no way I could say no to her, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Your sister is a major pain in the ass,” I muttered.
Aria leaned closer, her expression pleading.
My eyes dipped down her nightgown to her beautiful tits. “How about a deal?”
Aria’s smile fell, anxiety taking over. “A deal?”
She sounded as if I was going to force her to let me fuck her. I wanted nothing more than finally being with her, claiming her, but not if she was so fucking terrified. “Don’t look so nervous. I’m not going to ask you to sleep with me so you can see your sister. I’m not that big of an asshole.”