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●WARREN'S POV●

I'm glad it didn't take too much convincing on my part to let me take her home . One, I really do need to have some quality time with Alex . He needs to know that I knew about them. Most importantly, he needs to know where we stand . I love him, he's my brother but I need to know that this won't happen again.

I lost too much time with that woman and he was right last night . I should have broken it off with Penelope , when she told me she loved me that first time . But I didn't want to be the one to break her heart . I was a coward . Instead I grew cold towards her, in hopes that she would leave on her own.

My family and friends thought that I threw myself into my work because of the breakup but the reality was , I threw myself into work as a way to breakup with her . We were both miserable and that's mostly because my held out my heart for someone else . Someone I was hoping I could meet again.

Second, I wanted to take Aria home because I really wanted to have some alone time with her, even if it is for a short moment . As soon as Alex walked through those doors for dinner and brought her in , my heart immediately knew who she was . She's changed , she grew up . A beautiful woman stood before us and I was mad . Mad that my brother found her first.

Third, I wanted to take her home so I can see how she's been living . From what I know now , she didn't take the easy way . This woman sitting next to me was determined to carve her own path and make her name mean so much more than what her father did . I appreciate the fact that she didn't grow up spoiled and I'm thankful.

When we were kids she was my bestfriend. It wasn't just summers that we spent together but many weekends when our fathers had retreats or some kind of business meeting. Eventually we became close . I still curse Trip for scaring them away from us .

"Thank you for taking me home," she says as she sits comfortably next to me .

"I wanted to . It's good to see you again after all these years," I say to her with a smile . If only I could spend just a little more time . But unlike my brother who jumps at the chance to take advantage of things, I will do what's right and have a talk with him first.

"How are things going with Trip? He's behaving?" I had to ask.

"The only thing I can say is that we're on the right track and he's been making it easy for me," I smile at her answer . He better behave himself , although I know this is her specialty.

"Good , I'm glad . If he's out of line once, you let me know."

She replies with , "I know he's got a reputation . I get it . And not a good one at that . But , he's trying . I can tell underneath all of that, he really wants to be better," Aria defends Trip.

I sigh , "I understand. But don't let him play the 'misunderstood' card with you . I know you're the best at what you do , I just can't imagine something happening to you again."

Aria and I are 3 years apart . I was 8 when they pulled her body out of that lake . The image of this sweet girl lifeless is something that will forever be ingrained in my memory . Trip was so scared , I know deep down that he never wanted to have any harm come to her but it still did. I couldn't protect her then because we were kids . But as adults , you better believe that I will do whatever I can to protect her now.

"Thank you Warren. I appreciate the concern, i mean it," she says to me as she places her hand on top of mine . That simple gesture , the warmth of her touch sent all sorts of feelings inside of me . The need to protect her is even more .

I finally pulled up to her building . She definitely is doing something right . Aria doesn't live too far from Alex , that's because she too lives in a nice neighborhood. And, is only a couple blocks away from me.

"Did you want to come up?" She asked as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"I really want to but I have to get back . I need to talk to Alex," but I really wanted to stay . Damn me and my need to stay responsible. "Maybe another time?" I try to test the waters .

She gives me a warm smile , "I'd like that."

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●ALEX POV●

When I woke up I smelled the faint scent of breakfast foods . I walked to the kitchen and see a plate leftover and a pot of coffee out . It's very quiet in my place and I wonder where Aria is .

I made my way to the bedroom I had her in and noticed that she was gone . I then went to Warren's room and he too was not there . Please tell me that they didn't go off somewhere together .

Not wanting to waste another moment I go to the entryway to look for my keys. Damnit . They're not here. "Arghh" I let out in frustration . What is he playing at? Is he trying to get back at me because of Penny?

Before I get a chance to really lose my mind the elevator doors open . Warren waltz in but stops in his tracks once he sees me staring at him .

"Where have you been? Where's Aria?" I say in a low voice .

"Relax , little brother . I just dropped her off . I wanted to talk, you and I," he says matching my serious tone .

We walk over to my couch . He sits in the chair across from me , "We need to air this out before we can't come back from it," he starts .

"Okay, lay it on me War."

"Penny told me everything," he just lays that hammer down.

"If she didn't tell you , I would have, eventually ," I say to him .

"I know you would have . But she had her own conscience to deal with. Did you know she's getting married?" If he had said this to me a year ago , I may have had a reaction . Hell , if he had said this to me a month ago I probably would have then. But for some reason this news doesn't affect me nearly as much as I thought it should have.

He stares at me for a second and then continues , "if you liked her so much Alex, why did you do all that behind my back?"

"I don't know. I was caught up in her ," I truthfully answer.

"And when you finally were free of her, what happened?" He looks at me with concern.

"I felt empty but free at the same time," something I didn't think I would say in regards to the end of my relationship with her .

"Alex, she had some issues to overcome. I suggested taking a break a few times from her . But she would threaten me ," I'm shocked to hear him say that .

"Like what things?" I ask him.

"The first time was hurting herself . The second time she lied to me about being pregnant and lastly , what made me stay put was her telling me she has dirt on dad's company, " he finally tells me .

I knew after being with Penny for that short time that something was off about her . She was hot and cold with me but mostly she kept going on and on about Warren . It broke my heart but what did I expect?

"I didn't know," I told him .

"I didn't tell anybody . I felt trapped and so work became my escape . And when she became more frustrated with me because of it , I knew I needed to throw myself into it ," he continues, "she wanted to be a Wells . She wanted what came with the name and she knew I was the heir to dad's company . But she couldn't force me to love her."

"She mentioned that there was someone else?" I was curious to know if this was true.

He doesn't answer me right away but when he does it wasn't something I was expecting , "Yes. But she wasn't in my life when I was with Penny. She always had my heart and although I lost myself in other things during that time I never forgot her . It just happens that she's back again and I'm hoping for good. "

Something in the way he said that made me slightly nervous . Who was he talking about. Why didn't I know about this girl? I mean , why would I have? I wasn't exactly around . Maybe the girls would know .

"Oh , I'm sorry that you had to deal with that alone . Looking back at everything I'm actually happy you didn't end up with Penny, not because I loved her but knowing what she was doing to you makes me mad . She didn't pull the exact same thing but close enough ," I say to him.

"Hearing what happened between the two of you hurt . Not because it was Penny , but because it was you , Alex. You were my bestfriend and then you disappeared. Between that and her confession , it hurt me a lot," he sighs.

I feel my heart wretch, knowing that I caused my own brother pain . I feel even worse now that he's explained to me what happened with Penny all that time ago. "War? Forgive me? For everything? Because I never wanted to cause you that kind of grief."

"I forgave you the second I came over last night . I love you , but don't think that's something that I'd let you do again," he says to me . Relief washing over my body .

"Don't worry , I won't be doing that any time soon . I mean, I have Aria, who else could I ask for?" And I meant it . In the short while that we've known each other I already feel an attachment to her .

"Alex....." Warren says , "don't hurt that woman ." That's all he says and gets up to hug me and go back to his room.

Why is he so protective of Aria? He's said it twice in less than 12 hours . Why would I want to hurt her?