Unfortunately, every time I saw Aaron I could still feel the damage weighing heavily on my own back, and it made for a very frustrating situation, bec...ause every time my stomach knotted up with thoughts of Aaron Keslin, I had to adamantly tell myself that I didn't want him back--which I didn't. I think. No, I knew. I closed my eyes, thinking over the last Aaron-free week and could clearly understand that I'd been better off. He'd been nothing more than an unnecessary source of stress for me, and. Dozens of e-mails tracked the moral battle. Either of us could have walked away. Neither did.We'd agreed to meet at a wine bar for dinner. I got there a bit early and ordered a Riesling. Then a second. I'd positioned myself in the very back of the restaurant, faced so I could see the door. Madison arrived. She was prettier than her photos, and I hadn't realized how tall she was, at least 5'8". She didn't see me, so I stood up and walked to greet her. We paused for a moment, eye to eye, my hands. When he got a nod of acknowledgment from each of his concubines he headed off to the shower. He hoped that soon he would be able to have time to learn more about the people he had just coerced into slavery. In his mind he didn't hesitate to name what he had done, using the coming of the Sa'arm as a beater in order to drive people into his sphere of influence. The fact that the Confederacy had in essence conspired with him was of little moment. The fact remained that he could have stayed on. Our affair had arrived at its fated end.The rest of the night passed as if we were just lustful lovers and not two people going in different directions when the sun rose.She was already dressed when she woke me up. I got dressed in my guest room, taking my time to get used to not being able to do it in her bedroom anymore.I did not need to go with her to pick up Sean and Patrick, but I wanted to be there when she told them and our coach that I could attend the same college. The twins accepted.