Aria’s POV
I woke up to the sound of voices, low and distant, muffled by the walls of the penthouse, yet sharp enough to pull me out of sleep like a hand yanking me by the wrist. For a moment I lay still, staring at the ceiling, my chest tight, wondering if it was in my head again, just another leftover from the nightmares, but then I heard the shuffle of feet, the scrape of a chair, and I knew it was real.
I got up quickly, my legs heavy from sleep, and pulled on the sweater hanging by the chair. The air was cold against my skin, smelling faintly of smoke and bleach, and my stomach churned because the only voice I recognized was his, low and hoarse, though softer than usual. The other voice I didn’t know, a stranger’s tone, calm and practiced, speaking in measured words, like someone wh
