- ARIA
The silence that followed the storm was worse than the noise.
Luca was still draped over me, his weight heavy and warm, but the air felt thin. The adrenaline that had fueled my defiance was gone, replaced by a cold, hollow realization of what had just happened.
He’d used me. He’d used my body and my voice to humiliate a friend, to mark a territory that didn't need marking.
I felt a sob hitch in my throat—not a quiet one. It was a jagged, ugly sound.
"Get off," I whispered, my voice thick.
Luca pulled back slightly, his eyes still shimmering with that dark, post-intimacy satisfaction. "Aria—"
I didn't let him finish. I swung.
The sound of my palm hitting his cheek echoed through the silent house, sharp enough to make the dust motes fly off.
My hand stung,
