Aria POV
I stepped into the hallway and froze. It wasn't Damien. Instead, Lucas Hayes stood in my entryway, holding a bouquet of flowers, his warm smile in place.
"Lucas?" I moved toward the stairs but didn't descend. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw the news." He held up the flowers. "Thought you might need a friend."
"How did you get in? There's security."
"I told them I was your business partner. They let me through." He climbed a few steps. "Aria, are you okay? Marcus Blackwood's claims sound serious."
"They're lies." I backed up, suddenly uneasy. "Lucas, this really isn't a good time."
"I know." He kept climbing. "But I couldn't leave you alone. Not when you're going through this."
The smell of the flowers hit me then. Roses. Too many of them, too strong. The scent made my stomach turn. I could hear his shoes on the hardwood stairs.
"I'm not alone. Damien is."
