"Aria." His voice cracked slightly on her name. "You're....you're so beautiful. So much like your mother, but I can see....I can see parts of me too."
Aria stood frozen in the doorway, Damien a steady presence at her back. She opened her mouth to respond but no words came out.
Alexander seemed to realize he was staring and took a deliberate step back, giving her space. "I'm sorry. I promised myself I wouldn't be overwhelming. That I'd be calm and respectful and give you all the space you needed." He laughed, but it sounded slightly unsteady. "I'm failing at that already."
"It's okay," Aria managed. Her voice sounded strange to her own ears....too high, too tight. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm....this is strange for me too."
Alexander's gaze moved to Damien, and something shifted in his expression. Assessment. Recognition. The look of one powerful man acknowledging another.
