Page 117 of Aria

“No!” I rushed forward, pushing Noah’s extended arm out of my way.

“Damnit, Combs!”

I ignored Noah’s plea and faced my attacker with newfound courage. “You have no power over me, Ian. I won. Isurvived. You can shoot me dead right now and that won’t change.” Advancing on him, I basked in the startled look on his face. “You’re the weak one. You feed off damaged women. You rape because no self-respecting woman would even look in your direction. You spent years in jailobsessingover me.” I looked him up and down with pity, then spat at his shoes. “You’re pathetic.”

Only a swift beat passed before I found myself staring down the barrel of a gun.

I inhaled sharply.

Ian’s hand was shaking as he pointed the pistol between my eyes. “You’re a dumb bitch,” he growled.

“Jesus, just stop,” Noah blared from behind me. “We can work this out. You don’t need to do this.”

I glanced back at Noah. He was stepping forward with his hand out, as if to offer a truce. The fear was evident on his face. Beads of sweat pooled along his dark hairline despite the frigid temperature. “Noah, get out of here,” I ordered. “I’m the one he wants.”

“Neither of you are going anywhere,” Ian snapped, waving the gun back and forth between us. “You think I won’t do it?”

“Please,” Noah begged. “Please… don’t hurt her.”

Ian let out a scathing laugh and pointed the gun back at my forehead. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t blow her brains out all over your snappy dress shirt.”

My eyes squeezed shut. All I could hear was the sound of my pounding heartbeats thudding against my ribcage.

Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump.

Then Noah’s words fell out, stealing my breath:

“Because I’m in love with her.”

The world went quiet.

My eyelids shot open as I turned to face Noah, who was standing a few feet beside me. Everything around me faded away except for him. There was no gun. There was no Ian.

There was only Noah.

He wasn’t looking at me. His hands were raised in surrender, the words coming so naturally—as if it was the obvious response.

Theonlyresponse.

I wanted to race over to him. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and bury my face against his neck. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to feel his tongue twining with mine, saying those words over and over again, in a thousand different ways.

Did he mean it? Did he really…loveme?

There was a loaded handgun pointed at my head, and I didn’t even care.

Noah Hayes loved me.

But the world came rushing back when a loud crack pierced my eardrums.

Then another.

My ears rang, everything moving in slow motion. My brain felt cloudy, so I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the smoke as I glanced down at my dress.

There was no blood, no pain. I hadn’t been shot.

Noah.

I lifted my chin.

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