Chapter One
{ ARIA }
I froze at the hotel doorway, my hand pressed against the cold wood. My eyes drifted back to the bed—the rumpled sheets still warm, still faintly scented with him. My heart ached in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Every part of me screamed to crawl back, press into that warmth, and forget the world outside. Forget the humiliation of losing my case. Forget the verdict, the shame, everything.
But I couldn’t. I had rules. I was always cautious.
And yet… Last night, in the middle of heartbreak and rage, I let myself fall into the arms of a stranger.
I sighed, looking back at the bed.
I wanted to. God, I wanted to. Every inch of me ached for him—for the feel of his hands on my waist, holding me close. His lips had been slow, deliberate, and possessed me completely. The memory of that kiss made my knees tremble, my chest tighten, my pulse race. My lips had parted instinctively, my body remembering what my mind refused to allow.
He had whispered “Little Dawn…”—soft, possessive, claiming—and it had burned into my skin, my heart, my soul. I could still feel his breath against my neck, the warmth of his chest, the deep, low groan he’d let slip, vibrating through me. Every touch left me trembling; every whisper left me dizzy with desire and disbelief that someone could affect me so completely.
I remembered the gentle insistence of his hands on my waist, tracing me, touching me like I was fragile yet pulling me closer like he couldn’t get enough. My stomach twisted at the memory of his lips traveling lower, the slow, teasing brush that made me gasp and shiver. My body had been on fire, every nerve alive, every heartbeat begging for more.
And worst of all…
I remembered the sound he made when he released inside me—a deep, broken groan against my neck. Raw. Intimate. Unforgettable.
I shut my eyes, mortified.
Stop.
Stop remembering him.
I stepped out of the room before my knees betrayed me.
I wanted to go back. I wanted to melt into him again, lose myself in that intensity. But I couldn’t. I had rules. I couldn’t allow attachments. Not after losing my case yesterday. Not after a night I could never undo. I pressed my palm to my mouth to steady the tremble, to calm my pulse that refused to settle. Even though I longed for him, I couldn’t go back.
“Never again,” I whispered, trembling, and stepped away from the bed. Not now. Not ever.
---
The cab ride to the firm was a blur. Every bump made my pulse spike; every stop made my chest tighten. I forced my mind onto work, onto the lost case—anything besides him. But the memory of his lips, his hands, the whisper of Little Dawn clung to me like fire.
My fingers reached for my mother’s pendant—the only connection I had to her, the one thing that usually calmed me when I was anxious. But I didn’t feel it. Panic flickered. I searched again.
Gone.
The realization punched the air from my lungs. I felt heartbroken, staring out the window as the city blurred past me. I’d lost it. I’d lost the only piece of her I had left.
---
When I stepped into the office, whispers and glances met me. Heads turned—pity, curiosity, sympathy. I hated all of it.
“Aria!” Maya rushed toward me, concern etched across her face. “Are you okay? We were worried after the verdict. Seriously, you looked like you’d seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady as I hurried past her.
Maya caught my arm, eyes narrowing playfully. “Fine? Really? You’re glowing, Aria. Glowing! What did you do—cry into your pillow all night? Or…?” She smirked, raising a brow.
“I said I’m fine,” I repeated, pulling my arm away, my cheeks warming.
“Hmm…” She circled me like a cat eyeing a prized bird. “Are you blushing? Because, wow… this is new. My poor little Aria Hayes, look at you.”
I groaned inwardly. “I’m tired. That’s it. I’m tired.”
“Tired?” Maya laughed. “Sure. I think someone had a little… adventure last night. Don’t tell me you went out with your case files.”
“Maya! Stop. You don’t—”
“Oh, I totally do,” she cut in, leaning in. “I see it in your eyes. That shiver? Evidence. Aria Hayes, the careful, cautious lawyer… suddenly all fire and heat. Who is he? Did you even get his name? Did you get his contact?” She raised a brow higher.
I stiffened. “Maya, seriously. Enough.”
She leaned back with a sly grin. “Fine. But you’re glowing, Aria. Radiating. Something has definitely changed.”
“I… I just need to get back to work, okay?”
She relented, though her smirk didn’t fade. “Alright. But one day, I’m getting the full story.”
James, leaning over his desk, cleared his throat. “You know it wasn’t your fault. That judge and your rival—there was no way you could win.”
Lisa nodded softly. “Exactly. You did your best. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“I said I’m fine,” I muttered again, though my heart still raced, my mind was still trapped in last night.
Maya waved her hand in front of me. “Aria! Earth to Aria!”
“I’m tired,” I whispered again, forcing the lie out.
She handed me a thick file. “Here’s the full record from your lost case. The partners want you to review it. Don’t worry—you’ll get them next time.”
I gripped it, determination flaring. “I will never lose another case again.”
Maya’s hand brushed my arm. “We’re here for you. And don’t think I won’t keep teasing you until you spill. I have my ways.”
Then the intern appeared, breathless. “Miss Hayes! The boss says… there’s a man waiting for you in his office.”
My stomach dropped. My palms went cold.
Not him.
It can’t be him…
I walked down the hall, each step heavier than the last. My pulse hammered. My mind raced—half dread, half the burning memory of his lips, his hands, the whisper of Little Dawn. Every nerve in my body vibrated.
Which man?
Who was waiting for me?
My heart thumped violently as I approached the door. My stomach twisted. My hands trembled slightly. Even though I had promised myself I would never go back, I couldn’t stop imagining him there… or someone else who might bring that same fire with them.
The intern opened the office door.
I stepped inside.
And froze.
---
