Chapter 90
Chapter 90
VENUS
London was loud in a different way.
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Not the car horns and rushed chaos of New York, the kind that wrapped around your throat and made it hard to breathe. No, this city hummed with old power. Stone walls and stories buried beneath centuries of cobblestones. It whispered instead of screamed.
And somehow… that made it harder to drown things out.
I stood barefoot on the balcony of the villa—Aaron’s villa, I’d found out earlier-and cradled a mug of something too sweet. The kind of drink Gianna made when she didn’t know what to say, just that you needed warmth.
The robe I wore wasn’t mine. It was too soft, too expensive, too him. And the breeze that kissed my skin only made the silence feel more intrusive.
Gianna had disappeared inside a few minutes ago, muttering about serums and sleep and “not pouting over your emotionally constipated billionaire p>
I should’ve laughed.
But I didn’t.
Because I could still feel him.
The press of Aaron’s fingers against the back of my neck.
The slow, deliberate way he clasped the necklace around me.
And the words.
For when the world forgets who you are.
Remember I never did.
I lifted the pendant between my fingers, turning it over again and again. It hadn’t left my skin since he gave it to me.
Hadn’t even thought about taking it off.
God, he was…
Frustrating.
Tender in ways he didn’t know how to admit. Sharp in others. Ruthless when necessary. And maddening in all the quiet, vulnerable in-betweens that made my chest ache.
I’d thought the airport would be a clean goodbye.
A breath of fresh air.
Distance.
But then he’d handed me this necklace. Said nothing. Not a word. Just silence and silver.
No explanation.
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Chapter 90
No confession.
No safety net.
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And still… here I was. Standing on his balcony. Wearing his robe. Drinking his hot chocolate. Holding a piece of him against my skin like it could answer all the questions clawing at my chest.
The door creaked behind me.
“Still out here?” Gianna’s voice was soft, familiar and tinged with knowing. “You know if you stare into the night long enough, it doesn’t blink back, right p>
I glanced over my shoulder. “Just getting some air p>
“Right.” Her tone was amused. “That’s what we’re calling it now p>
She walked over, two steaming mugs in her hands. She handed me a fresh one-hot chocolate, extra marshmallows, of course-and leaned against the railing beside me like she belonged there. Like she’d always been there.
“I’m fine,” I said before she could say anything else.
She didn’t respond. Just took a slow sip of her drink and looked out at the Thames like she wasn’t quietly watching me
crumble.
“Did he call?” she asked finally.
I shook
my
head. “Texted p>
She hummed, like she expected that.
“You’re wearing that necklace like it’s oxygen,” she said after a beat.
I reached up and touched it again-reflex. “It doesn’t mean anything p>
Gianna arched a perfectly shaped brow. “Sure it doesn’t. That’s why your dramatic ass almost cried when he gave it to you
“I did not p>
“You blinked aggressively. Same thing p>
A laugh slipped out. Quiet. Unintended.
She grinned. “There she is p>
We stood
for
while.
The city stretched
dout before us, glittering and ancient. Alive in a way that made you feel small.
Then her tone changed.
“You’re gonna have to make a decision at some point, V.
I didn’t look at her. “What decision p>
“About him. About the contract. About whether you want more than what you signed up for p>
I stared straight ahead. “I don’t know what I want p>
She shifted beside me, her voice soft but pointed. “You’re allowed to want him, you know. Even if it started as a lie. Even if
SAT
15:15 Sat, Jan 3 G
Chapter 90
it’s messy p>
“But he doesn’t want me,” I said, quiet. Not angry. Just… tired. “Not in the way that matters p>
Gianna turned to face me fully. “Did he say that p>
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“He doesn’t have to.” I gave a small shrug. “He’s drawn the lines. I’ve just been too stupid to stop crossing them p>
She shook her head. “And yet… he gave you this.” Her fingers tapped the pendant. “That’s not a line, V. That’s a breadcrumb p>
My throat tightened.
But I didn’t answer. Because if I spoke, the truth might spill out, and I wasn’t ready to say it out loud.
Because I wanted to believe her.
I wanted to believe that the way Aaron touched me meant something.
The way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.
The way his voice lowered when he said my name, like it cost him something.
The way he held me that night on the couch, like he didn’t trust the world with me and wasn’t sure if he trusted himself either.
But Aaron Sinclair didn’t do love.
Didn’t do forever.
And I couldn’t afford to want something from him he wasn’t capable of giving.
Not when my heart had already cracked open.
“I’m scared,” I admitted quietly, voice barely above a whisper. “Of wanting more p>
Gianna smiled. But it wasn’t teasing anymore. It was sad. “Wanting more doesn’t make you weak, V. Pretending you don That’s what breaks people p>
The door opened again.
Sabine this time, hair up, silk robe cinched tight like it was armor. “Okay, I’ve given you both space to angst. Come inside before you catch a cold. We’ve got work tomorrow, and I need you looking like a goddess, not a ghost p>
Gianna rolled her eyes. “Yes, General p>
We followed her inside.
But just before I stepped in, I turned back one more time.
Looked out at the dark.
At the stretch of night that separated me from him.
From the man I had fallen in love with.
The man who would never love me back.
The necklace was cool against my chest. I reached for it again.
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Chapter 90
I didn’t take it off.
Couldn’t.
Not yet.
Because maybe it didn’t mean forever.
But it meant something.
And for tonight…
That was enough.
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.