scared her.
She looked attractive. It was the first time in a while that she felt that way. Aria couldn’t remember the last time she’d done herself up to that extent.
Probably back when she’d been a teenager, she guessed, staring at herself in a daze.
I am so doing this. I can’t believe I’m going all out like this.
"Aria?"
Her shoulders tensed. In the mirror, she caught sight of Douglas, standing at the door to the room and looking at her with a mixture of worry and heat.
His eyes raked over her exposed back and she shuddered. Not because she liked it, but because a strong wave of disgust hit her as he devoured her with his stare.
Once, she would've given anything to have him stare at her like that. With undisguised hunger.
Aria didn't say anything, just stared at him in the mirror. He took a step into the room and she tensed further, almost as if her body was offended by his very presence.
Bitterness crossed his face. “Where are you going, Aria?”
She didn’t bother answering his question. He’d lost the right to ask her that.
The bitter expression on Douglas’ face deepened, twisting his face, and showing her a glimpse of what was inside him. "Did he send you those clothes?”
Aria remained quiet, not moving from her seat. She didn’t owe him any answers. She knew who Douglas was referring to, and if he chose to believe that Chase had sent her the clothes, then that was his prerogative.
Douglas' eyes froze on her chest. He had the nerve to lick his lips. Aria was surprised by the urge to gag that overcame her. She swallowed in an attempt to dispel it.
His eyes trailed up and she watched as he took in her hair and makeup. "Did he instruct you on how to do your hair and makeup?"
Did he believe that Aria was meeting with Chase? Whatever. That thought wasn’t half as insulting as the fact that he believed she wasn’t capable of doing anything of her own volition. As if she’d needed a man’s instructions to decide to doll herself up.
Aria rose, watching as his eyes fell to take in the dark blue pumps she was wearing. She kept her face and tone nonchalant as she walked toward the nightstand and grabbed her purse. She also made sure to pick up the ring next to it. “No.”
Douglas’ eyes flew up to her face and flashed with anger. "No?"
Aria ignored him. She wasn’t going to spend time explaining anything to him. She was done. Without saying another word, she walked right past him and out of the room.
She heard him take off after her. His heavy footsteps followed her the whole way down the stairs.
"Aria!"
She ignored him again as she reached the first floor.
"Aria, I'm talking to you!" Douglas yelled.
She continued walking toward the door. "And I am not talking to you. You’re not even supposed to be here.” He had no concept of the term “we’re over and this is my house.” The damned locks were going to have to be changed, obviously.
Douglas’s hand wrapped around her upper arm, stopping her. She didn't turn to him. Aria couldn’t stare at him while her body was busy rejecting his touch, shocking and making her nauseous all at once.
For a moment, she had to wonder: how could things change so much in a matter of mere weeks?
He’s been sleeping with God knows how many women while you stayed here, cooking, cleaning, and waiting for him.
Oh, right.
"You want this, don't you? You went through all that trouble of looking like that, when you've never done it for me,” Douglas spat, venom coating his every word. “Is it because you want to fuck him? You little who—"
Aria turned around, her hand connecting with Douglas’ cheek so loud it echoed all around them.
His hand flew up to his cheek, his shocked gray eyes connecting with hers.
Anger pounded through her, making her feel like an animal. "Fuck you. I'm the whore? Me ? Fuck you, Douglas Colton. "
He stared at her, mouth wide open.
All the fury that she’d held inside popped into her blood vessels at once,
She looked attractive. It was the first time in a while that she felt that way. Aria couldn’t remember the last time she’d done herself up to that extent.
Probably back when she’d been a teenager, she guessed, staring at herself in a daze.
I am so doing this. I can’t believe I’m going all out like this.
"Aria?"
Her shoulders tensed. In the mirror, she caught sight of Douglas, standing at the door to the room and looking at her with a mixture of worry and heat.
His eyes raked over her exposed back and she shuddered. Not because she liked it, but because a strong wave of disgust hit her as he devoured her with his stare.
Once, she would've given anything to have him stare at her like that. With undisguised hunger.
Aria didn't say anything, just stared at him in the mirror. He took a step into the room and she tensed further, almost as if her body was offended by his very presence.
Bitterness crossed his face. “Where are you going, Aria?”
She didn’t bother answering his question. He’d lost the right to ask her that.
The bitter expression on Douglas’ face deepened, twisting his face, and showing her a glimpse of what was inside him. "Did he send you those clothes?”
Aria remained quiet, not moving from her seat. She didn’t owe him any answers. She knew who Douglas was referring to, and if he chose to believe that Chase had sent her the clothes, then that was his prerogative.
Douglas' eyes froze on her chest. He had the nerve to lick his lips. Aria was surprised by the urge to gag that overcame her. She swallowed in an attempt to dispel it.
His eyes trailed up and she watched as he took in her hair and makeup. "Did he instruct you on how to do your hair and makeup?"
Did he believe that Aria was meeting with Chase? Whatever. That thought wasn’t half as insulting as the fact that he believed she wasn’t capable of doing anything of her own volition. As if she’d needed a man’s instructions to decide to doll herself up.
Aria rose, watching as his eyes fell to take in the dark blue pumps she was wearing. She kept her face and tone nonchalant as she walked toward the nightstand and grabbed her purse. She also made sure to pick up the ring next to it. “No.”
Douglas’ eyes flew up to her face and flashed with anger. "No?"
Aria ignored him. She wasn’t going to spend time explaining anything to him. She was done. Without saying another word, she walked right past him and out of the room.
She heard him take off after her. His heavy footsteps followed her the whole way down the stairs.
"Aria!"
She ignored him again as she reached the first floor.
"Aria, I'm talking to you!" Douglas yelled.
She continued walking toward the door. "And I am not talking to you. You’re not even supposed to be here.” He had no concept of the term “we’re over and this is my house.” The damned locks were going to have to be changed, obviously.
Douglas’s hand wrapped around her upper arm, stopping her. She didn't turn to him. Aria couldn’t stare at him while her body was busy rejecting his touch, shocking and making her nauseous all at once.
For a moment, she had to wonder: how could things change so much in a matter of mere weeks?
He’s been sleeping with God knows how many women while you stayed here, cooking, cleaning, and waiting for him.
Oh, right.
"You want this, don't you? You went through all that trouble of looking like that, when you've never done it for me,” Douglas spat, venom coating his every word. “Is it because you want to fuck him? You little who—"
Aria turned around, her hand connecting with Douglas’ cheek so loud it echoed all around them.
His hand flew up to his cheek, his shocked gray eyes connecting with hers.
Anger pounded through her, making her feel like an animal. "Fuck you. I'm the whore? Me ? Fuck you, Douglas Colton. "
He stared at her, mouth wide open.
All the fury that she’d held inside popped into her blood vessels at once,
Similar Books
