Page 16 (1/2)

Chapter One

Sebastian

Aria left me Or I drove her away I don’t knohich one is the most accurate descriptor, but either way the result is the same It’s been three days since Aria walked out of my suite, three days since she’s answered the phone or a text or even shown up to work She called in sick yesterday and the day before, which gives uilty about The fact that she’s skipping shifts when she so obviously needs thethat can be said about how she feels about seeing ht now

Part of me wants to text her not to worry, that I won’t bother her when she coh to know it The second she walks through the casino door, I’ that she talk to me

I hurt her I fucking hurt her and I don’t even kno it happened How I got so out of control I think back on those moments, on the whole interlude, and all I can remember is how much I wanted her Hoanted her to want me the same way And how out of control I felt because of that want That need

So I took it out on her I pushed her and pushed her and pushed her, not to punish her as she believes, but because I couldn’t be alone in all that want All that need I had to know that she felt the same way about me That her mind and body and soul cried out for mine the same way mine do for her

Instead, I took it too far Pushed her too hard Hurt her when that was the last thing I ever wanted to do And I don’t have a clue how I’m supposed to fix it Especially when she won’t even step foot in my damn casino

I even went to her apartht like some kind of stalker She wasn’t there Or, if she was, she wouldn’t open the door to me Either way, I’m totally screwed I can’t see her, can’t talk to her, can’t apologize

Then again, even if I could…what then? Do I tell her how out of control I felt? How vulnerable? Just the thought , with apologizing for hurting her—but explaining? Telling her what s I did? I don’t know if I’m ready for that—or even if I’m capable of it

I just know that I’d like the chance to try

But until she comes back to work—if she co The lack of control grates on me

Rubbing a hand over my face, I try to clear s I need to do today Things that include setting into motion the plans Ethan and I made to solve the problems of his brother, Brandon, and Nico Valducci in one fell swoop It won’t be easy and it’s going to take ti lined up the ant it, but if we do everything exactly right, Brandon and Valducci will be in prison, awaiting trial, before the end of the year

The work is slow going—especially when I get an email fro when I’ seconds, I just stare at the co to decide hoant to answer him

Technically, I’ot the phone call about my father and decided that I needed to come back here, to help out with the Atlantis and all his other business dealings, I hadn’t been prepared to resign yet Not when I didn’t knoas going to be waiting forto react to it And not when I had less than forty-eight hours to wrapto have to return to Vegas after I’d sworn never to set foot in this city again

I’ve been here teeks noo e part of me that misses the work I used to do—work that mattered, work that let ed children all over the world—I’ back Not when the Atlantis and a nus are in such a precarious financial state I can’t walk away from that

And I can’t walk away from Aria

The thought cout Because it isn’t supposed to be like that It isn’t supposed to be so serious, so all-consu to stay in a city I despise just to be close to her

Not when I’ve only known her a week