Chapter 135

Liam’s POV

In a flash, I grabbed Joanna’s wrist and pulled her hand away from my chest. “Don’t presume to touch me.”

Joanna’s flirty smile slipped right off of her face.

“I don’t care how long we’ve known each other, Joanna. Aria is the one that I love. You will not change that. And if I continue to hear that you are targeting her as you are, I will see you gone from this place. Do you understand?”

“You are threatening me?” Joanna gasped. She spoke with quiet disbelief, but anger flashed in her eyes.

The matter was quite simple to me. “You are threatening her.”

Aria was my wife. She would always be my preference. If there was actually some issue with her work performance, I would be more lenient with Joanna’s behavior, while still finding it too extreme. I could have brought Aria, Joanna, and HR into a meeting and worked through the issue.

But this targeted campaign of Joanna’s had nothing to do with Aria’s work. This was entirely personal, based on a grudge that had been simmering behind the scenes for several years.

I’d tried to protect Aria from it as much as I could. With my efforts, Aria didn’t know who Joanna was, or at least she shouldn’t have. I didn’t want Joanna to affect my personal life at all.

Aria was my family, and Joanna could never accept that. That wasn’t Aria’s problem to deal with; it was mine.

“Get out of my office, Joanna,” I snapped. “Pray I do not call you back for a second-version of this conversation.”

Joanna’s lip curled up into a snarl. “Don’t play games with me, Liam. We both know there is nothing you can do.”

“Get out,” I said again, more firmly, some of my own anger seeping in.

Joanna startled slightly at my own dark tone, but she recovered quickly, straightening. “Fine.” Turning she hurried toward the door and pushed out of it.

I followed, making sure she left and didn’t harass my assistant.

Oddly, my assistant wasn’t sitting behind my desk. Aria was.

Joanna in her huffing fury didn’t seem to notice as she stormed by and headed into her own office.

I did, though. Instantly.

Had she heard Joanna and I talking? How much did she hear?

I waited until I heard Joanna’s office door slam. Then, looking at Aria, I tipped my head toward my office, indicating that she should join me within it.

Without a word, Aria stood and walked into the office. Following her, I gently closed the door behind us.

Walking toward the far wall, Aria wrapped her arms around herself. I hated how small she seemed to be trying to make herself.

She could have been spiraling, depending on how much she heard or didn’t hear. I’d been trying to protect her for so long, that it was second-nature to keep her in the dark about a few things.

Perhaps that was wrong of me, especially if it led to misunderstandings like this.

The only question now was where to start.

“I can’t fire her,” I said. That seemed as good a place to begin as any. From here, I could work backwards. “Even though I really want to.”

“Why?” she asked me, her voice small.

“The club has been experiencing some… financial difficulties. With the expansion, we overextended. I’ve been scrambling to try to make ends meet.”

“You didn’t say anything about this…” She sounded hurt.

It made my chest ache.

“I wanted to, Aria. Those nights when I wanted us to stay up and talk. I swear I was genuine then, but I’ve been working to the bone. I’ve just been so damn tired…”

I hated making the same old excuses all the time. I wanted to be there for Aria, for William and for Joe, but then entire club had been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, all because the board of directors overestimated our earnings.

“We’re talking now,” Aria said, offering an olive branch.

I was exceedingly grateful for it, and for what it meant: she was still willing to try. She wasn’t shutting the door on me. She was just waiting for me to walk through.

With some relief, I exhaled, not realizing how tense I had been until just that moment.

Watchful, Aria waited patiently for me to continue.

“Joanna came to the rescue. I don’t know who called her. It sure as hell wasn’t me. But still, she swooped in with an open purse and all the answers to our problems,” I explained. “Given some… history between Joanna and I, I was hesitant to accept her help, knowing she would try to lord it over me, but with the team in need, I couldn’t block the incoming money for personal reasons.

“Because of the sheer amount she invested in the team, she’s been given equal managerial authority. On paper, I’m still the president and she is merely helping me. In truth, we are equals, and I can’t do much to tether that authority.”

Aria listened carefully, nodding here and there. “You said you had history.”

“Yes,” I explained. “But it’s not what you are thinking.”

“Did you two date?” Aria asked. She seemed embarrassed by the question. Dipping her head, her cheeks turned pink. “If it’s none of my business…”

How could she think that? She was my wife. She had a right to know anything about my life that she wanted, and I was happy to put her at ease.

“We never dated,” I said. “There are no romantic ties between us whatsoever, despite what she wants.”

“She wants you.”

“Yes,” I said with a sigh. “Unfortunately.” I closed my eyes for a moment, pushing down my growing disgust. I didn’t care about Joanna, but I did care immensely for Aria. Resolving this misunderstanding was my top priority.

Stepping closer to her, I held her gaze as her eyes lifted to mine. I hoped she could see the sincerity in my eyes.

“You are the one I love, Aria. My heart only belongs to you.”

The words hit home. Her eyes softened and she whispered my name, “Liam…”

“I’m sorry that I haven’t been here for you, Aria, and that I’ve given you reason to doubt me. But I will do better, if you can continue to be patient with me.”

She looked at me for a long time before she finally nodded.

I knew she trusted me, but I could also sense her unease.

I’d do whatever I could to help ease it.

Too soon, we both had to get back to work. Yet, as Aria left my office to return to the track, I went to my desk, sat in my chair, and lifted my phone.

This call was not going to be easy. I’d been putting it off for far too long, and things had built up that desperately needed to be said.

The phone rang a few times before being picked up. A familiar voice said, “Hello?”

Swallowing my nerves, I pushed as much confidence and strength into my voice as I could, hiding my nerves, and said, “Hi, Dad.”