I will always come for you — pt 2

Back at the palace, Aaron was anxious to see Aria. She refused to leave her room after last night’s incident and if she did leave it at any point during the day, it was not to see him. Operation romance had 100% tanked. What did she mean that asshole was her fiance? And if that was true, why wasn’t he happier about it? If she had a fiance, it meant that CC and Bart were in the clear and he could stop this whole thing altogether. So why was he so paranoid that she wouldn’t come tonight? Why was he imagining her in her dress? And why did punching Troy feel so damn good?

Aaron didn’t get to see Aria, but he did get to see someone. King Henry sighed, looking between his son and Prince Troy and his black eye.

"It’s my daughter’s birthday. Is it really asking for too much that the two of you act like adults?!"

He turned to Aaron.

"You represent this house when you act. The last time you punched him, we almost went to war. Do you really want to be in that position again?"

Aaron looked like he was poised for a nasty comeback, but King Henry shut him down, holding up his hand.

"And you, Prince Troy. I was under the impression that you were here to engage the attention of Queen Aria so that she might give a favorable response to your proposal, not hit on my engaged daughter. Am I wrong?"

Engage the attention of, favorable response. Did that mean she hadn’t given him a response yet? That there was still time? Or was last night her response? Are they now engaged?

As Aaron and Prince Troy exchanged glances, it was clear Prince Troy didn’t know any more than he did. Aaron turned his eyes back to his father.

"Don’t forget that you’re the one that almost married my sister off to prince perfect over here. He provoked Bart and could’ve cost CC the only person she’s ever loved for a second time. I would throw both punches again in a heartbeat," Aaron answered. "Besides, he has hands. He can punch back."

King Henry gave Aaron a warning look. Aaron glared back just as fiercely.

"I’m a lover, not a fighter. And I apologize for the intrusion last night. I meant no harm. I was simply charmed to see your daughter again, that’s all. Queen Aria is absolutely my only objective, I assure you, Your Majesty."

To Aaron he said, "You needn’t trouble yourself with an apology, Your Highness. I understand that my future queen is a beautiful woman. Who knows what kind of things that face has and can make men do?"

Aaron was all fury at his calling Aria his future queen. He didn’t know what Troy was implying by the rest of it, but he was sure he didn’t like it.

"Spare me. Keep your charm and your lips to yourself and stay away from my sister."

With that, Aaron got up and walked right back out of the office. He wanted to add "And Aria", but he had no right to her. If she wanted to marry this prick, that was her problem. It had nothing to do with him. Besides, despite his unstable relationship with his father and his words to him, Aaron didn’t want any trouble with Warlanda. Last time was no walk in the park. They almost lost CC because of his reckless behavior.

When Aaron got to the door of his father’s office, he ran into Cassie. She smiled at him.

"It’s been a while since I saw that look in your eye."

His anger gave way to a smile.

"What look?"

"The look of a man in love. Here, I got you something. Women love flowers and heaven knows you won’t apologize with your mouth."

She handed him a corsage.

"I’m not giving her that."

She took his hand and put the corsage in it.

"Up to you, kid."

***

Entering the ballroom was more difficult for Aria than she had imagined it would be. She watched CC open the dance floor with King Henry and remembered doing things like that with Ethan. Aria wasn’t as close to her father as she was to Ethan. So when she insisted on him taking her out onto the dance floor at her first ball, he obliged happily. He always gave her anything and everything she wanted with a smile. It was funny how a room full of people could suddenly make her feel so weak, when she’d survived fleeing her own country after a war that took her entire family with only a single tear to date. All the smiling faces and happy people made her realize how she didn’t fit with them anymore, because Aria wasn’t happy. She wasn’t sad either. She wasn’t anything.

"I got you something. Apparently I’m supposed to apologize or something and I’m not very good at that."

His voice pulled her back to the ballroom. Aaron was standing in front of her with a corsage in his hand. She laughed. Laughing didn’t feel wrong when she was with him.

"Isn’t this a little old school for you?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Apparently my playbook isn’t as great as I thought it was. Maybe it’s time to go back to basics."

Damn, he almost seemed like a romantic as he slid the flower onto her wrist. There almost seemed to be depth to him after all. But Aria had changed her mind about him once before and he had changed it right back for her. He took her hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor and she let him, because even if he was just playing with her, just then Aria didn’t need a king consort, she needed someone to hold her, just for a little while and he did it so well. She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck.

Aaron froze for a second, before responding to this sudden display of intimacy. Just who was playing who here? Were they still playing? As his arms went around her waist, he heard Cassie’s words echo in his head and then Zoey’s.

The look of a man in love.

If you want her to like you, really like you, there can't be any tricks. You gotta give a little to get some.

He couldn’t deny that he liked looking at her, liked the feel of her in his arms. Lately, that hadn’t been the case at all. There hadn’t been a single woman since Zoey and he wasn’t exactly raking them in before her either. He’d been damn near a saint for some time now. He was surprised he still knew how to hold a woman and dance with her at all. His eyes were about to close as he held her close, gave in to how good it felt, when two familiar faces came into view.

"Emily? With Troy?"

Aria pulled away instantly. He looked down at her and hurt flashed in her eyes. He knew it was his fault somehow, but he didn’t for the life of him know what he’d done.