Aria's POV
Dinner with Aiden at The Celestial was going far better than I had expected.
The city stretched beneath the windows in a wash of glittering lights, and for the first time in weeks, I felt myself relax. Aiden was not an easy man to read, but tonight he was unexpectedly charming—calm, attentive, and dangerous in a way I was trying very hard not to notice.
"Try this," he said, pouring a deep ruby wine into my glass. "It's from a small vineyard in France. Rare, but worth it."
I hesitated. "I probably shouldn't. Wine and I have a complicated relationship."
"One sip," he said, his voice low but certain. "You might like it."
There was no force in his tone, yet somehow it still felt like a command. I lifted the glass, aware of his gaze following the movement, and took a sip. The w
