Aria had spent the whole day trying to forget him. She buried herself in work, stayed late at the office, even took the longest way home. But when she turned the corner to her street, she saw him leaning against the lamppost outside her building, dark coat wrapped around him like a second skin.
Her stomach twisted. Heat and fury surged at once.
"You have got to stop this," she snapped, marching toward him.
His eyes flicked up to hers—calm, unreadable, but burning underneath. "I told you I can't."
"You don't listen, do you?" she hissed. "I said I don't want you in my life. You can't just follow me around like some—"
"Protector?" His voice cut in, soft but sharp. "Or stalker?"
"Both," she bit out. "And I don't want either."
He stepped closer. Too close. Her pulse hammered, but she refused to step back. Not this time.
"You're lying," he said quietly.
Aria's hands balled into fists. "You think you can just walk into my world, decide what I feel, what I want? You don't own me. You don't know me."
His jaw tightened, eyes flashing. "I know you're trembling right now. Not because you're afraid of me—because you're afraid of what happens when you stop fighting me."
The words struck deep, and something inside her snapped. She shoved at his chest, anger spilling out like fire.
"God, you are so arrogant! I don't want you, I don't need you, and I swear if you don't leave me alone—"
Her voice broke off when he caught her wrist mid-swing, pulling her flush against him. The air between them sparked, sharp and dangerous. His breath mingled with hers, his eyes burning into her.
"Then why can't you stop shaking?" he whispered.
She opened her mouth to curse him, to shove him away again—but instead, her lips crashed into his.
It was furious, clashing, desperate. His hand tightened around her wrist, the other sliding up to cup the back of her neck. She gasped against his mouth, half in rage, half in surrender, but she didn't pull back. Couldn't.
Her anger melted into heat as his kiss deepened, claiming her with a hunger that made her knees weaken. For one reckless, breathless moment, Aria gave in—fire meeting fire, until she wasn't sure if she hated him or wanted more.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathing hard. His forehead pressed to hers, his voice rough and low.
"Tell me again you don't want me."
Her lips trembled, words lost. And in that silence, she realized the danger wasn't just him—
…it was her own heart betraying her.