Page 70 of The Billionaire’s Contract Bride

His gaze locked onto hers. Very slowly, he lowered the barrel of the gun.

Lucien burst into the room accompanied by three armed guards. They grabbed Victor, pulling his arms behind his back and hauling him away through the side exit.

Damien and Aria were left alone in the lingering smoke.

He took one step toward her.

Aria raised the gun Damien had given her. She had no intention of shooting it, she didn’t even really know how. She would hate to hurt Damien, but she couldn’t have him near her right then. Not after what she had just witnessed. Not after what he had just done and claimed was for her.

Damien stopped immediately.

“I came for you,” he said, his voice rough.

“You came because you cannot tolerate losing what you believe belongs to you.”

“Both can be true.”

“Did you know my father was murdered?” She demanded, her voice trembling.

“Yes.”

The single word shattered whatever fragile hope she had held onto. “Who ordered it?”

“I do not have legal proof.”

“Who, Damien?”

“Augustus.”

Aria closed her eyes, breathing through the wave of nausea. When she opened them, Damien had not shifted an inch.

“Did you marry me because of the ledger?” she asked.

“No.” She found herself relieved by that more than she would care to admit.

“Did you begin watching me because of it?”

“Yes.”

The next question was harder to ask. “Did you know Victor would come for me?”

“I knew it was a possibility. I believed my security detail could prevent it.”

“Your security detail let me walk off the estate alone!”

“Because you demanded freedom from me,” he said quietly.

“And some part of you wanted to prove I couldn’t survive without you.”

His silence condemned him.

Aria slowly lowered the gun. “You used me as bait.”

“No.”

“Some part of you did.”

Damien looked visibly sick. “...Yes.”