Aria

"Shut up!" Nova gasped. "Are you serious? You went to Leo Ashford's VIP suite? As in THE Leo Ashford?"

I nearly tackled her. She was being so loud, and the last thing I needed was for everyone to hear. We were sitting beneath the old oak tree near the training grounds, and several other warriors were scattered around the area. If anyone overheard this conversation, the rumors would spread like wildfire through the pack.

"Keep your voice down!" I scolded, attempting to cover her mouth with my hands, but she was too quick and dodged me with a laugh.

"How can I possibly keep it down when my best friend went to Leo Ashford's hotel room last night and waited until now to tell me!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement and disbelief.

Nova worked as a waitress at the hotel restaurant where the engagement party was held. The hotel was called Carlton Resorts, and it was owned by David Carlton, the Delta of the Silver Moonlight pack. Which happened to be Leo Ashford's pack. She had connections and knew things about the powerful Lycan that most people could only dream about knowing.

I sighed heavily and told Nova everything that had happened, from the moment my dress ripped until the moment I received my mother's message about my father being arrested. I left nothing out, including the kiss that had made my entire body feel like it was on fire and the whole Marcus’s drama. By the time I finished talking, Nova's jaw had dropped so far down that I was certain it would touch the ground.

"The nerve of that asshole!" She hissed, her expression darkening with anger. "How dare he! He rejected you and now he wants you to be his little whore? He has zero shame."

I flinched at her harsh words, even though I knew she was right about Marcus. He was selfish and cruel, and he always had been.

"I am not sure what I am going to do, Nova," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. "There is no way I could come up with three million dollars to pay off my father's debt. It is an impossible amount of money. My family does not have those kinds of resources."

We both fell silent as our thoughts consumed us. The weight of the situation pressed down on my shoulders like a heavy stone. Then Nova's face lit up with an idea. I knew that look well, and I grew nervous as a smile spread slowly across her face. That smile meant trouble.

"You said that he gave you his shirt to wear?" She asked, leaning forward with curiosity.

I nodded slowly, unsure where she was going with this.

She gasped and grabbed my arm tightly.

"Is not it obvious, Aria? Leo is into you. That is the only reason he would give you his shirt. He wanted his scent on you! He is very picky about these things. In all my time working as a waitress at that hotel, you are the first woman he has ever offered his clothing to. I have heard the stories from other staff members."

I gawked at her, thinking she had officially lost her mind.

"Leo is not into me," I said firmly, shaking my head. "He gave me his shirt because mine ripped and I was practically half naked in front of him. There was nothing romantic or meaningful to it. It was just practical."

"Why would he even care about that?" Nova asked, folding her arms across her chest. "He is Leo Ashford and does not need to care about anyone's comfort or modesty. He is a powerful Lycan who could have anyone he wants. Besides, you mentioned that he kissed you heatedly. You were ready to go all the way with him, which is huge because you were planning on waiting until after you were married. There had to be some kind of connection last night. Chemistry does not just happen with anyone."

I glanced down at my hands, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

"Or maybe I was just hurting from Marcus's rejection and wanted to get back at him," I murmured. "Plus, I had a little too much to drink. Alcohol makes you do crazy things."

"Drunk actions are sober thoughts or something like that," she said, waving away my words dismissively. Then, she smirked mischievously. "You could use this to your advantage, Aria. Do you still have that lingerie you bought for your wedding night? The red one that you showed me?"

I stared at her in disbelief.

"You should pay Leo a little visit and make him an offer he cannot refuse," she continued, her eyes gleaming with what she thought was a brilliant idea.

I knew it was a bad idea the moment she spoke the words aloud, but her words continued to replay in my mind for the remainder of the day and night. They haunted me while I tried to sleep, whispered to me while I ate dinner, and echoed through my thoughts as I stared at the ceiling of my bedroom.

When I woke up the next morning, my mind was made up.

I went to my closet and grabbed my red lingerie. I had only tried it on once, and I felt self-conscious wearing it, but I knew what I had to do. I dressed in the lingerie and grabbed a long trench coat, wrapping it around my body to hide what was underneath. I left my hair down in soft waves and put on a little makeup to make my features pop.

It was no secret where Leo's office was. Everyone knew the famous Ashford Corporation building. It towered above the city skyline, a monument to his power and success. When I walked through the front door, the receptionist was typing furiously on her computer. She barely spared me a look as I approached the desk.

"Good morning, I am here to see Leo Ashford," I said as politely as I could, my heart pounding in my chest.

The receptionist looked upward at me and blinked a couple of times, looking less than amused by my presence.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Uh, no, but—"

"Look, I do not have time for this. Countless women come in here every single day and request to speak with Leo and I am going to tell you what I tell them. Mr. Ashford is incredibly busy, and he does not have time or patience to be dealing with another fan girl," she said bitterly, turning back to her computer.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment and anger.

"And what gives you the right to turn away those who come to see me?" A deep voice boomed from behind me, causing my entire body to freeze.

I froze completely. That voice was unmistakable. It was Leo.