Aria's POV
I pulled back slightly, my heart hammering against my ribs. The question hung in the air between us, heavy and inevitable.
"Damian, I..." I started, then stopped. How could I explain this without hurting him? "I want to. God, you have no idea how much I want to."
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"But?"
"But not yet." The words tumbled out quickly. "Not until everything with Ethan is settled. I need to finish this, cleanly. "
I trailed off, searching for the right words. "I want to give you all of me. Not the version that's still tangled up in legal battles and Pack politics."
The silence stretched between us. I watched his face carefully, trying to read his reaction.
Finally, he exhaled slowly through his nose.
"Alright."
That was it. Just
