Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Aria’s POV

He sat in the VIP section. The section that had been empty just minutes ago. When had he arrived? How long had he been watching?

Because he was definitely watching.

Those black-gold eyes were locked onto me. Burning. Fierce. His jaw was clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitching from across the room.

He looked furious.

No. Furious wasn’t the right word.

He looked murderous.

My entire body went rigid. My breath caught in my throat. The music faded to a distant roar.

Kael. Here. Watching me dance with another man.

Why did that make my pulse race? Why did that make my skin flush hot?

I should look away. Should pretend I hadn’t seen him. Should focus on Marcus and his kind words and his gentle hands.

But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t do anything but stare.

His eyes held mine. Dark. Intense. Demanding.

What was he thinking? What right did he have to look at me like that? He’d thrown me away. He’d told me to disappear. He’d made it perfectly clear I was nothing to him.

So why was he staring at me like I’d committed some unforgivable sin?

"Aria?"

Marcus’s voice cut through my daze. I blinked. Looked up at him.

"You okay?" He frowned slightly. "You went pale all of a sudden."

"I’m fine." Another lie. My hands were shaking. I hadn’t even noticed I’d clenched them into the fabric of his jacket. "Sorry. Just... got dizzy for a second."

"Want to sit down?"

"No." The word came out too fast. "No, I’m okay. Keep dancing."

If I stopped now, Kael would know he affected me. Would know that seeing him here had thrown me completely off balance.

I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

So I forced myself to focus on Marcus. On his warm brown eyes. On his handsome face. On everything that wasn’t the black-gold gaze burning holes into my back.

Marcus smiled. Relieved. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"You know," he said, moving closer, "I really am glad you said yes to this dance."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." His hand slid lower on my waist. Almost to my hip. "I don’t usually approach women in bars. But there was something about you..."

He trailed off. Leaned in.

His breath was warm against my ear.

"Something special," he finished.

My skin prickled. Not with attraction. With awareness. With the sensation of being watched.

I didn’t need to look. I knew Kael’s eyes were still on me. Could feel them like a physical weight.

What was he doing here? Why wasn’t he with Rebecca? Why was he sitting alone in the VIP section, staring at me like I’d betrayed him?

I was the one who’d been betrayed. I was the one who’d been used and discarded. He had no right—no right—to look at me like I owed him something.

Anger flickered in my chest. Hot and welcome.

Good. Anger was better than fear. Better than longing. Better than the pathetic hope that kept trying to resurrect itself no matter how many times I killed it.

"You’re really beautiful," Marcus murmured against my ear. "I know I keep saying that. But it’s true."

His hand was definitely too low now. Almost inappropriate. I shifted my weight, trying to create distance.

But before I could pull away—

I glanced at the VIP section again.

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