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‘It’s decision day for the Silibri uniforms.’
‘What decision?’ Nico inhaled deeply and tried not to show his irritation.Really?Since when did he get involved in orders for uniforms?
‘They don’t like the green,’ Marianna said.
‘But it’s the same as in all my hotels. I want continuity—’
Nico halted himself, deciding that he would save it for the meeting. He nodded to Marianna, who gathered the bottles and, with Nico’s desk back to its usual order, headed out.
He was surprised when Aurora did not follow, and instead took a seat. ‘I thought you were supposed to be shadowing Marianna?’
Aurora could hear the irritation beneath the silk of his low tone and she spoke hurriedly. ‘I wanted a moment alone to apologise for being indiscreet. I was making a little joke about the times when you used to stay at our house.’
She grimaced then, because despite her best efforts that hadn’t come out right. There really wasn’t anything to make a joke about. Her father had used to find the young Nico asleep in the park after a beating from his father and had insisted he come and sleep at their home. Aurora would be moved to a made-up bed at the foot of her parents’ and Nico would be given her room.
‘Apology accepted,’ Nico said, and got back to his spreadsheets.
He was still angry, though, Aurora knew, and she was cross with herself too, for she had been so determined to be serene when she saw him.
Nico did not make her feel serene.
‘Anyway…’ Aurora continued, and under the desk she gave his knee a playful little tap with her foot. ‘We were never in bed together—you took my virginity on the couch!’
Her breath hitched as he caught her ankle with his hand and gripped it tight for a second. She wished—how she wished—that he would run that hand up her calf, but he scolded her instead.
‘I didn’ttakeit, Aurora. You very willingly gave it to me.’ He pointedly removed her foot and released his grip. ‘Youpleadedwith me, in fact.’ He turned back to the computer. ‘It’s forgotten now.’
Liar.
For Nico, sex was necessary and frequent—if a touch emotionless. And it was always a smooth and controlled affair, taking place in his suite at the hotel, never at his home.
It did not compare to the panting, hot, sweaty coupling that had taken place with Aurora.
Nothing could ever compare.
‘Forgotten?’ Aurora checked.
‘It happened just the once and it was a long time ago.’
‘Four years, Nico.’
Yes, it had been four years since that night, and Nico had been paying for it ever since.
That one slip had cost him millions.
Tens of millions, in fact.
Though the cost of a new hotel had been preferable to another night under the Messina roof.
He did not glance up as she stood and walked to the window.
This was hell.
Nico was aware he had treated her terribly.
He should never have slept with her.
They had been supposed to marry. Of course they had never had a say in it, but as they’d grown up it had become a given. Hernonna’s house had been left to her father, Bruno, and he had kept it for them to reside in after their wedding day.
