Killian tightened his hold on the steering wheel as he took the corner onto Wilshire. His jaw was set firmly, the city lights casting fleeting shadows across his face while he drove. Yet, his mind was stuck back at Aria's apartment - the place where he felt he ought to be.
The night had been going perfectly. They’d laughed, shared stories, and flirted through dinner in that soft, unspoken way that felt like something solid was finally taking shape. Killian had felt it - that rare sense of peace, of possibility, of clarity. For the first time in a long while, things with Aria weren’t just promising - they were real.
And then Chloe’s call had ruined it all.
He’d had to lie. Something vague about work needing him urgently. Aria had nodded, understanding as always, but he hated himself for
