Chapter 21
Aria’s Pov
I did not want to be here.
From the moment we left the house, my stomach had been twisting itself into knots, getting tighter the closer we got to the Moretti ranch.
“Do you think they’ll let me ride one of their horses? Cassandra asked for the fifth time, flipping her stupidly perfect hair over her shoulder like she was in some kind of shampoo commercial.
I rolled my eyes. Of course, she was excited.
The triplets had invited us. Matteo, Enzo, and Dante Moretti. Three of the richest, most powerful, and ridiculously attractive men I had ever met.
Not that I cared.
I wasn’t like Cassandra, practically vibrating in her seat just thinking about them. I wasn’t going to fawn over them or act like they were untouchable gods walking among us.
Even if they did look like that.
“I doubt it,” I muttered, staring out the window.
Cassandra huffed, crossing her arms. “Why not?”
“Because you don’t even like animals, Cass.”
She gasped dramatically. “I totally do! I just… don’t, like, interact with them.”
Victor, my stepfather, chuckled from the front seat. “Maybe today will be your chance, sweetheart.”
Cassandra beamed, while I scowled.
By the time we pulled up to the ranch, my throat was dry.
And then I saw them.
They were standing there like they’d been expecting us.
And just like always, they looked too perfect to be real.
Matteo leaned against the fence, his signature smirk already in place. The wind ruffled his messy dark brown hair, but somehow, it still looked effortless. His black t–shirt clung to broad shoulders, his jeans sitting just right on his lean frame. He had that cocky, amused energy–like he was always in on some joke no one else knew.
Enzo stood next to him, more serious, sharp–eyed. He wore a half–unbuttoned black button–up, the sleeves rolled up just enough to expose strong forearms and veins and tatoos that made my stomach do a weird little flip.
Then there was Dante.
1/4
Chapter 21
Dante wasn’t smirking like Matteo, He wasn’t analyzing me like Enzo,
He just watched.
With gray eyes like a brewing storm, he made something as simple as standing still look intimidating. His all–black outfit. long–sleeved shirt tucked into dark jeans–only added to the sharp, untouchable aura around him.
I swallowed hard.
Cassandra was already fixing her dress, adjusting her hair. She had ended up choosing a different outfit from the one i borrowed her which makes me believe she only did that sodhe could get the best riding clothes i had and prevent me from wearing them. I scoffed, it is something she’s capable of. She practically skipped out of the car, beaming.
“Oh my gosh, this place is gorgeous! You guys are so lucky!”
None of them answered.
Their eyes were on me.
I didn’t even remember agreeing to ride, but somehow, I ended up on horseback.
The second the horse started moving, I forgot about them.
This–this I loved. Riding made me feel free. Like I wasn’t trapped inside my own head, fighting thoughts I didn’t want to have. The wind in my hair, the powerful rhythm of the horse’s movements–it was like everything else disappeared.
I felt their eyes on me, but I refused to look.
I focused.
On the way the horse responded to me. On the way it felt like flying.
And then–Cassandra shrieked.
I turned just in time to see her flailing, gripping Matteo’s arm like she was about to die.
“Oh my God, I can’t! Help me!” she gasped.
Matteo raised an eyebrow, leaning in like he was going to save her. Instead, he just smirked.
“Maybe you should stick to ponies, princess.”
I snorted before I could stop myself.
That was when I felt it–Enzo’s gaze snapping to me.
Like he had been waiting for me to react.
Like he had been watching me this whole time.
After riding, we sat under a massive white tent for brunch, the table filled with food so expensive it felt wrong to eat it.
2/4
Chapter 21
Cassandra was eating up the attention, flipping her hair, giggling at everything Matteo said. She might as well have been in a romance novel.
Matteo let her talk, but every few minutes, his dark eyes flicked to me.
Enzo barely spoke, but every time my hand moved, I felt like he noticed
Dante… Dante just watched me.
Then my mother decided to ruin everything.
She sipped her drink, her voice fake–sweet. “Aria has always been a little wild. Rough around the edges. She fits in better with animals than people.”
I froze.
Heat crawled up my neck.
I stabbed my fork into my food, hard, staring at my plate.
I knew what she meant.
And so did Enzo.
His glass made a soft clink as he set it down.
“Wild things can’t be caged,” he said smoothly. His voice was low. Dark. Dangerous. “Not that you’d understand.”
My mother’s smile faltered.
Victor shifted uncomfortably.
And my heart was beating too fast.
Just when I thought I could escape, Victor opened his mouth.
“You know, the boys need a vet for their animals. Aria would be perfect for the job.”
I choked on my drink. “No.”
“Yes,” he countered smoothly.
I turned to him, scowling. “I don’t want to work for them.”
“Too bad.”
I wanted to throw my fork at him.
Matteo grinned, far too amused. “Guess we’ll be seeing a lot more
of
you,
Stellina.”
Stellina?
3/4
Chapter 21
Enzo’s smirk was lazier, his voice darker. “Hope you can handle us.”
My stomach flipped.
I grabbed my drink, taking a huge sip just to distract myself.
Dante said nothing.
Until we were leaving.
I was almost free–almost to the car–when I felt it.
A hand catching mine.
I turned–and Dante was there.
Slow. Deliberate. Unstoppable.
He lifted my hand, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my knuckles. His–gray eyes burned into mine, unreadable, consuming.
“See you soon, Aria,” he murmured.
Then he turned and walked away.
I stood there, frozen. My heart hammering.
Cassandra’s voice broke through my haze. “Why do they care about her so much?”
“I have no idea,” my mother muttered.
But I wasn’t listening.
Because all I could think about was them.
And the way I’d just fallen straight into their trap.
