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Aria gasped for air as her eyes snapped open. The rain had let up. She was alone in bed, with no sign of Evan, and a dull ache in her stomach. The sensation of being painfully penetrated still pulsed inside of her. Her panties were soaked, and she had broken a sweat. Their entire sexual encounter had been nothing but a dream. But it felt disturbingly real. She almost wondered if he had put a dark spell on her while she slept.
God, this is so embarrassing,she thought, knowing she would have to wash the sheets and her clothes in the morning. The empty glass on her nightstand let her know that everything had been real until the part where she had dreamed about entering Evan’sbedroom.
Perplexed by her unexplainable arousal, Aria could not understand why she had dreamed of having sex with him. But she was relieved it wasn’t real, because as angry as she was at Noah, she still loved him.
Stepping into the bathroom, she filled her empty glass with water, taking eager gulps before she got back in bed.
It meant nothing. It was just a stupid dream.She repeated this mantra as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ARIA
It would have been nice to have started my morning with a positive attitude, but as soon as I got out of the shower, my mood shifted like a swinging pendulum. Noah and Evan were arguing outside my door, and it sounded far from pleasant.
How did he know where I was?
I didn’t think Evan would have contacted him. And then it hit me: maybe Jess had accidentally revealed my whereabouts this morning… or Steph might have called and told him where I was. That bitch probably wanted to get me in trouble since she knew about Noah not wanting Evan around me.
“Where is she?” Noah yelled. “Where is my daughter?”
“Calm down, bro.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down! You had no right bringing her back here! You should have called me!”
“She begged me not to contact you. That’s how terrified she is of you, and I don’t blame her. You’ve got a hell of a temper.”
“Aria!”
I was panicking.
“She’s in the shower,” Evan said. “You need to cool it.”
“You find my daughter drinking underage at some sleazy nightclub, and you didn’t even think to call me first? I’m her father, not you!”
“I don’t understand why you’re so upset. I took care of her.”
“You’re not her guardian!”
“See, this is exactly why she didn’t want me contacting you. She wanted to avoidthis. You’re completely losing it, mate. You would’ve flipped the lid had I called you last night. Getting mad at a teenager while they’re drunk is counterproductive. I brought her back to my place so she could sober up in a safe environment.”
“Safe environment?” Noah let out a patronizing chuckle. “Being aroundyouis dangerous, not safe! You’re reckless, Evan. I’m on to you. Don’t you dare think for a second that I—”
“Stop it!” I screamed, opening the door. “Stop yelling at him, Noah!”
Standing across from the brawling brothers, I was dripping wet, wrapped in a white towel. Noah fixed his scornful gaze on me while I stared him down. That calm ocean in his eyes was polluted with gasoline, and I was the spark that had set the waters ablaze. I could almost feel his fury, which made me want to back off, but I quickly recovered my strength and straightened my posture. That magnetic attraction I felt was uncomfortably pulling at my insides. He was still so seductively desirable, even while he was unbelievably angry.
“You’re in big trouble, young lady.”
“I figured as much,” I calmly replied. “I know you’re angry and—”
“Angry doesn’t evendescribewhat I’m feeling right now.”
“Just don’t take it out on Evan.”
“I can handle my brother,” Evan stated.
“I know you can,” I said, switching my gaze to Noah. “If you want to lose it, then go off onme, because going to that ‘sleazy nightclub’ wasmyidea. Coincidentally, Evan was there—and he certainly hadn’t shoved a shot full of vodka down my throat. Weran into each other right when I was about to leave. He noticed I was a bit drunk and—”
