Aria is staring out the window as the cab pulls up in front of my apartment, but the excitement I expected is missing. Noah told me sheâs always dreamed of working in Silicon Valley, and I hoped that accomplishing that would be enough to take away her sorrow.
âYouâre quiet. Tired?â
Aria turns to glance at me and forces a smile, but it doesnât reach her eyes. âYeah,â she murmurs, before looking away again.
She seemed fine as we boarded the plane, but she was lost in thought from the second we took off, and she hasnât snapped out of it. The pain in her eyes tells me sheâs thinking of Brad, and I hate that thereâs nothing I can do to make her feel better, to make her see that he isnât worth her heartache.
Aria barely realizes weâve come to a stop, and she jumps in surprise when I open the door on my side of the car. I walk around to open her door, but sheâs already stepped out before I reach her.
She rushes to get her luggage from the trunk and I follow her, placing my hand on her shoulder when she attempts to lift her suitcases. Theyâre half her size, and not exactly light.
âLet me,â I tell her. She looks up at me gratefully, and it guts me. Sheâs so used to taking care of herself that it didnât occur to her Iâd carry her suitcase? She dated that asshole for a year⦠surely he was at least a little chivalrous?
The thought of Aria with him angers me all over again, and I grit my teeth as I lead her into my building. She deserves to be treated right, and I despise that he got to have a year of her life. A year sheâll never get back. A year that might just leave her scarred, when sheâs already been through so much.
I step aside to let her into the house, suddenly feeling nervous. When I left, I didnât expect to be coming back here with Aria. Not that it matters. Everything is spotless. Yet somehow, Iâm a little uncomfortable. I wonder what sheâll think of the place I call home these days. Itâs nothing like her apartment. Itâs devoid of color and character, and Iâm not sure sheâll like it.
âWow,â she whispers, her eyes on the floor to ceiling windows. She walks past me and straight to the windows that are currently portraying a stunning skyline. She places her palms against the glass and I smile as I leave our suitcases in the corner. I walk up to her, stopping in my tracks when she turns to look at me, a beautiful smile on her face.
âThis is amazing,â she says, and my heart overflows with a feeling I canât quite name. Itâs relief, I guess. Relief to see that spark back in her eyes. Aria has always loved and appreciated the simple things in life, and itâs what I adore about her most. She didnât notice my crazy expensive interior, or the art on my walls. No. Itâs the view that captivates her.
âCome on,â I tell her. âIâll show you around. Your bedroom has the same view too.â
Her eyes widen, and the excitement I see in them has me feeling such intense relief. Iâve been worried about her⦠about the responsibility Noah handed me. I donât know if Iâm able to watch over her the way he expects me to.
âNo way,â she mouths, her lips tipping up into a smile.
I chuckle and grab her hand, pulling her along. I show her every room in my home, and every gasp that leaves her lips delights me. Sheâs giddy as I show her the rooftop pool and my boxing ring, but itâs mostly the view that excites her.
Eventually, I pause in front of my guest room. Iâve had a guest room for years now, but other than Noah, no one has ever stayed in it.
âThis is your room,â I say, leading her in.
Aria looks around wide-eyed, and I follow her gaze, trying to see my home through her eyes. I spent two years picking the perfect place, and then almost another year renovating it. Itâs got everything I always wished I had growing up. A lot of space, a stunning view, and every amenity I could think of, everything I used to see on TV and thought Iâd never be able to afford. My home⦠itâs a fulfilled promise to myself, and I think Aria gets that.
She looks far more lively than she did on the way here, and I realize Noah was right. Asking if Iâd let her stay with me was the right choice. Every time she has a moment to herself, sheâs lost in thought, her expression betraying her heartbreak. Aria is one of the strongest women I know, but I have to admit Iâm worried about her.
She turns to face me and smiles. âThank you, Gray,â she says. âFor the job, for letting me stay here, for everything. I promise I wonât bother you for too long. Iâll try to find a place to stay soon.â
I shake my head and gently pat her head. Sheâs in flats today, and I love how small she is. âNo need, Ari. Iâm happy to have you here. Iâm always alone, you know? Itâll be nice to have you around. You make me feel like I have a family of my own.â
She smiles at me, her gaze filled with understanding and affection â and thatâs what I love about her. She never looks at me with pity in her eyes.
âIâll leave you to settle in,â I say, and she nods.
Iâm smiling as I walk out of her room and across the hallway, into my own room, my thoughts on Aria. I usually dislike people intruding in my space, but Iâm glad to have her here. Iâm glad I get to watch over her, and I have a feeling I might genuinely enjoy having her around.
Iâm still smiling by the time I get into bed, and my smile only widens when I realize Nyx texted me. Sheâs never texted me first.
I chuckle, surprised at the random text. Before I can even reply, another one comes in.
I smile at my screen like some sort of lunatic, unable to help myself. Nyx has me curious as hell. I want to know who this incredibly clever woman is. I have my suspicions, but Iâm unable to confirm them. I want to know more about her; I want to know what makes her tick. What sheâs built is nothing short of admirable, yet she always seems so down to earth and funny.
I laugh to myself, knowing sheâs about to say something strangely and uniquely Nyx.
I smirk. Sheâs not wrong, but Iâve done all of that anonymously. I canât help but wonder what Nyx would think if she knew who I am. I have no doubt she can easily find out, so maybe⦠just maybe, she already knows. I doubt it, though. Sheâs never once given me any indication that she knows, and stuff like that usually slips.
Iâm oddly nervous as I await her reply. Nyx and I have been friends for a while, and it isnât until recently that Iâve started to be playful and flirty with her. I enjoy teasing her, but so far sheâs not given me any indication of whether sheâs receptive to it, or whether Iâm crossing any boundaries.
I worry Iâve overdone it when she goes silent. I wasnât joking when I said I was going to steal her heart. Nyx is my dream woman. I donât even care that Iâve never seen her before⦠though Iâm starting to suspect that I . I have a feeling she might be much closer to me than I initially thought, but Iâm not sure yet.
I stare at my phone, a dull ache in my heart. Nyx has single-handedly helped hundreds of people over the last couple of years, all people that were let down by the justice system. Sheâs ridiculously smart, and she clearly has a heart of gold. Thereâs no way a woman like that isnât beautiful. If she is who I think she is, then sheâs downright breathtaking.
I laugh because sheâs right. I did just make that about myself.
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I smile at my screen, wondering who she is. Is she lying in her own bed as sheâs messaging me?
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I laugh. This woman. Sheâs not wrong, but I wonder if sheâd still act the way she does if she knew who I am. Itâs surreal to me too, but my company is one of the largest software engineering firms in the world. We make so many corporate solutions that I lose track myself.
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I stare up at my ceiling as I lock my phone. Nyx⦠sheâs always been so cold and distant, but tonight was different. Iâm not sure what prompted her to reach out to me, but Iâm glad she did.