Chapter 87
Chapter 87
VENUS
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The airport was quiet in that way only wealth could afford. No crowds. No boarding calls buzzing through loudspeakers. Just the low hum of engines and the soft echo of footsteps on polished floors. The kind of silence that wrapped around you like velvet. Private. Controlled. Powerful.
Aaron’s jet waited on the tarmac like it had nowhere else to be. Like the sky belonged to him.
Sabine was already there, sharp in her tailored blazer, phone pressed to her ear. Connor stood beside her, eyes fixed on her like she was the sun and he’d just noticed how warm she was. She spotted me the second I stepped out of the sleek black car, her smile bright and immediate.
Gianna stood near the stairs, the breeze catching her curls, oversized sunglasses hiding whatever wicked thoughts danced in her head. The last time I boarded one of Aaron’s jets, I was barely conscious, held upright b drowsiness. Rome felt like a lifetime ago.
I smiled at the memory.
Aaron moved beside me, one hand tucked into his pocket, the other resting lightly on the car door. He looked like a man carved from power, from restraint like someone who didn’t just own planes but decided when and how the sky should
move.
He noticed my smile.
“Thinking about your first turbulence p>
“Stop teasing me,” I said with a soft laugh.
“Don’t worry, you’re in safe hands” His voice was low, unreadable.”You’ve got everything p>
I nodded. “Yeah p>
Our eyes met. And for a moment, the rest of the world-the plane, the people, the trip-just… fell away.
I broke the moment first.
“All right, then p>
I turned to climb the stairs, but his hand caught mine.
“Wait p>
He pulled something from his coat pocket. Small. Black. Velvet.
My heart stuttered.
He placed it in my palm.
It was soft, luxurious. I knew it was expensive, not because of the packaging, but because Aaron Sinclair didn’t do anything halfway.
I opened the box.
Inside was a necklace delicate, understated, elegant. A fine chain with a slim vertical bar as the pendant. The kind of piece you could wear forever. Simple and timeless.
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Chapter 87
I turned it over.
Engraved on the back, in faint, secretive script, were the words:
“For when the world forgets who you are.
Remember I never did p>
My throat tightened so fast I didn’t even have time to brace myself.
I blinked once.
Twice.
The tears didn’t fall, but they clung to my lashes like they didn’t want to leave either.
“Aaron,” I whispered, but no words followed.
He didn’t smirk. Didn’t shrug it off. He didn’t say it was “just a necklace p>
Instead, he stepped closer and lifted it from the box himself.
“Turn around,” he said gently.
I obeyed.
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His fingers brushed the back of my neck as he clasped it on me. The metal was cool against my skin. A whisper of weight. A second heartbeat.
When I turned back, he was still close. Watching me.
There was something in his eyes-guarded, aching, deep. Like there were a hundred things he wanted to say but couldn’t. Or wouldn’t.
He walked me to the base of the stairs, his hand resting lightly at my back like he wasn’t ready to let go.
Then came the voice.
“Oh
my God, the both of you make me jealous,” Gianna drawled, arms crossed and her smirk pure chaos. She leaned against the railing with all the grace of a queen bored at court.
I turned toward her, my heart skipping.
Of course she looked perfect. She always did. But that wasn’t why I felt like I couldn’t breathe for a second.
This was it.
The first time Aaron and Gianna would meet.
My best friend-the woman who knew about the contract nobody was supposed to know about. The one who’d held my hand while I cried, who called Aaron every name under the sun, and still said, “You don’t just hate him, V. You’re scared of how much you want him p>
And now here they were. Face to face.
I swallowed. “Aaron, this is Gianna. Gianna, Aaron p>
The pause that followed was just a second too long.
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Chapter 87
Aaron’s gaze swept over her, calm and unreadable. Controlled. But there was a hint of steel beneath it.
“Gianna,” he said with a polite nod, voice cool and composed.
She didn’t flinch. Just tilted her head slightly, lips curving into something amused. “Aaron p>
They shook hands.
Firm grip. No theatrics. But the air shifted, just a little.
“So,” she said, her tone deceptively sweet, “the infamous husband. Nice to finally put a face to the contract p>
My stomach flipped.
Aaron’s jaw ticked. Barely.
“And you’re the best friend who knows too much p>
Gianna beamed. “It’s my superpower p>
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was loaded.
Sabine glanced over, one brow subtly raised.
“Gianna,” I said softly, smile forced. Warning.
She waved a hand. “Relax, babe. He’s cute. Intense, but cute p>
Aaron’s arm tightened around my waist.
“And she’s mine,” he said, smooth and low, like he wasn’t just stating fact, he was drawing a line in the sand.
Gianna blinked. Then laughed. “Well, damn. If I had a man like that, I wouldn’t shut up about him either.” “Gianna!” I laughed, horrified and blushing.
Aaron didn’t even blink. He just looked at me with that expression that said, You brought her. Deal with it.
“I like her,” he murmured under his breath, only for me.
“You would,” I muttered back.
Sabine cleared her throat from behind us. “We’re set for takeoff p>
I turned to Aaron one last time.
“I’ll text you when I land p>
“You better p>
“Take care of things while I’m gone,” I teased. “Try not to drive anyone insane p>
“You assume I’ll try p>
I laughed, leaning in to kiss his cheek quick and soft. A touch just for us.
“Goodbye, Aaron p>
“Not goodbye.” His voice dropped, serious now. “Just ‘see you soon p>
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Chapter 87
I didn’t argue.
Because I knew.
This trip wasn’t just about space.
It was a test. Of what we were. What we could be.
“Aww, saps,” Connor grinned from behind.
Aaron turned to Sabine. “Take care of her, will you p>
Sabine mock-saluted. “Sir, yes sir p>
He flicked her forehead. She swatted at him, laughing, then pulled him in for a hug.
I climbed the stairs, the weight of the necklace cool on my collarbone.
Aaron stayed there, watching me board his jet, that unreadable look still in his eyes.
And I knew I’d carry that look with me-across state lines, across miles.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.