The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Chapter 58

ARIA’S POV

This had to be the worst kind of punishment.

Not yelling. Not fighting. Not even the insults.

No. This… this was worse.

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Being trapped in the same house with him. Watching him choose someone else. Listening to it. Imagining it. Feeling it.

A broken sob slipped past my lips as I curled tighter into myself on the bed, my pillow damp beneath my face.

I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t. With shaky hands, I reached for my phone and scrolled through my contacts, my vision blurring from tears until I found her name.

Elena. The call rang once. Twice.

Then, she answered and her voice flowed through the speaker, “Aria?” Her voice came through, soft but alert. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

That was all it took. I broke down completely.

“Elena…” My voice cracked, and the tears came harder. “I…I messed up….everything is messed up…”

“Hey, hey….slow down,” she said gently. “What happened? Talk to me. Why the hell are you crying? What’s wrong?”

And I did. I told her everything. The kiss. The fight. The pictures. The professor. Leonie. Julian. Every single painful, humiliating detail.

By the time I was done, my throat hurt and my chest felt hollow. There was silence on the other end for a

moment.

Then Elena sighed softly. “Aria…” she said carefully, “you didn’t do anything wrong.”

A shaky laugh left me. “That’s not what it feels like.”

“I know,” she replied. “But listen to me and believe me when I say that this isn’t about you. This is about him.”

I swallowed.

“He’s Julian Vance,” she continued. “You knew what you were walking into when you moved in with him. The attention, the drama, the ego…”

Her words stung. Not because they were wrong. But because they were right. “So what am I supposed to do?” I whispered. “Should I just sit here while he treats me like this?”

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Chapter 58

There was a pause. “For now?” she said reluctantly, “Yes.”

My chest tightened. “Elena…”

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“I’m serious,” she cut in gently. “You can’t fight him like this. Not when he’s already decided what to believe.”

Tears slid down my temples into my hair. “So I should just… take it?” I asked bitterly.

“No,” she said softly. “Survive it. Focus on yourself. School. Your future. I closed my eyes. “I’m here for you, okay?” she added. “Always.”

A small, broken breath left me. “Okay.” We hung up shortly after. And just like that, I was alone again.

At some point, the crying stopped. Not because I felt better. But because I physically couldn’t anymore. My body felt heavy. Sticky. Uncomfortable.

I sniffed, wiping my nose with the back of my hand before grimacing. God, I was a mess.

Sweat clung to my skin. My face felt tight from dried tears.

“I need a shower…” I muttered hoarsely.

Dragging myself off the bed, I peeled off my uniform, not even caring where it landed, and made my way into the bathroom.

The warm water helped. A little.

It washed away the physical evidence of my breakdown, but not the ache sitting deep in my chest.

Still, it was something. By the time I stepped out, wrapped in a fresh towel, my breathing had steadied slightly.

I pushed open the bathroom door and froze.

Julian. He was sitting on the couch. Like he owned the space. Like he hadn’t just turned my world upside down.

My heart skipped violently.

He was still shirtless, now in black pants, his hair slightly messy, his legs spread casually as he leaned back like he didn’t have a care in the world.

A slow, dangerous smirk played on his lips. My stomach twisted. I hated him. God, I hated him.

And yet, my traitorous heart still reacted. Still noticed. Still felt him. “Come here,” he said, his voice low.

And the worst part? My body moved. Before my brain could catch up. Step by step, I walked toward him, like I was being pulled by something I couldn’t fight.

“Aria…” he murmured. Then his hand reached out, gripping my waist, pulling me down until I was seated on his thigh.

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Chapter 58

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My breath hitched. “Julian…” He didn’t let me finish. His lips crashed into mine. Hungry. Rough. Desperate. Like he’d been starving.

For a split second, I melted. My hands instinctively pressed against his chest, my lips parting as I responded without thinking.

Because no matter how much I hated him, I still wanted him. And that terrified me.

But then, reality hit. Hard. Leonic. The hickey.

Everything. How dare he kiss me like he didn’t just break my heart? My teeth sank into his lower lip.

Hard. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as he jerked slightly.

I pulled away instantly, my chest heaving as I scrambled off his lap, putting distance between us.

Fear flickered through me. But I stood my ground. His tongue swiped over his lip, catching the blood.

And then, he smiled. He actually smiled.

“I missed that,” he said quietly.

My brows furrowed in disbelief. “You’re insane.”

“I missed you,” he corrected, his gaze locking onto mine.

I scoffed, anger flaring again. “No, you didn’t. Go back to Leonie.”

His expression didn’t change. “I didn’t touch her.” I froze.

“What?”

“I didn’t sleep with her,” he said simply. Something inside me wavered.

But I shook my head quickly. “Don’t lie to me, Julian. I saw the hickey.”

“She gave me that. I won’t deny it but I didn’t sleep with her.”

My breath caught. “What?”

“Last night,” he continued, leaning forward slightly. “After you walked away.”

My mind scrambled. “No…”

neck.” “She came up behind me,” he said, his voice softer now. “In the living room. She kissed my

My chest tightened. “I had left her in the room,” he added. “Went to drink instead. That’s when she cornered me and did that. I pushed her away immediately, Aria. I didn’t sleep with her.”

Silence. Heavy. Confusing. “And everything she told you this morning?” he went on. “They were all lies.”

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Chapter 58

I swallowed hard. “She wanted a reaction,” he said. “She got one.”

My anger faltered. Not gone. But… shaken.

“You expect me to just believe that?” I asked quietly.

“I don’t expect anything.” he replied. “I’m telling you the truth.” My heart pounded.

Because a part of me believed him.

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God help me, I did. But I couldn’t ignore the fact that he had crushed my heart earlier. “But you still hurt me,”

I whispered. His jaw tightened slightly. “And you still don’t trust me,” I added.

Silence. Then, he said the words. “I know I hurt you. I’m sorry, baby. And as for Leonie, she’s gone.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I sent her away,” he said.

I hesitated, then turned and walked out of the room, my heart racing as I glanced around the apartment. Empty. No suitcase. No Leonie.

Gone.

A strange mix of relief and lingering hurt settled in my chest. When I turned back, he was standing behind

Close. Too close. His hand lifted slightly, brushing against my arm as he leaned in again.

“Aria…” I turned my head. His lips brushed my cheek instead. Not my lips. Not this time.

“I’m still mad at you,” I said quietly.

“I know.” He replied, his warm breath mingling with mine.

“I don’t forgive you.” I told him again, our lips barely inches apart.

“I know,” he said again and then there was a pause.

My chest rose and fell unevenly. Because despite everything, despite the anger, despite the pain, despite the confusion, one thing was painfully clear.

I wasn’t done with him. And he wasn’t done with me. And that? That was either going to fix us or destroy us completely.

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