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I sigh when I open my eyes and realize we are truly back in New York. I’ve been trying to reach my mother for the last twenty-four hours to tell her to cancel whatever she’s planning, but to no avail.
My mother.
I don’t know if I could believe that she is who she is. The woman I met is nothing like the mother I imagined. But then again, maybe I’m too hard on her. She’s only trying to help me by trying to get me out of this marriage with Lev because she thinks I don’t want it. All I need to do is tell her that I love Lev and I do not intend to leave him.
If only she would pick up her damned phone!
Dread is clawing at my gut as I battle the thought of Lev being in some sort of danger. I can’t allow anything to happen to him.
I sit up and glance to my side. He didn’t sleep beside me, and it makes me feel empty. He’s been withdrawn since we got back from Miami yesterday night; once again the cool, aloof stranger he’d been before we went on that trip.
Perhaps he’s just preoccupied with this auction.
I miss him, and that feels ridiculous. It’s barely been twenty-four hours since we got home. The fairy tale has ended and I want it back.
The ringing of my phone has me shooting up and I scramble for it desperately. Without checking, I know who is calling.
“Mother,” I say, hearing the resignation in my own voice.
“I’m glad you answered, Aurora. We don’t have much time to talk. I need you to—”
“Look, Leila, we really need to discuss something,” I cut in, getting right to the point.
“Discuss what?” she responds. “Everything is set. I just need to be sure you know your part.”
My part?
I don’t have a damn part!
“Leila, you don’t understand,” I say. “I can’t have anything happen to Lev.”
“Why not?” she snaps.“That’s the only way to get you out of there.”
What?
No!
This is absolutely not what I signed up for.
“What are you talking about?”
“I told you that I’ve put plans in place to get you out of there, Aurora. Don’t you think I would do anything in my power to protect you?”
This is insane! Is she actually telling me she’s planning to confront my husband in the middle of a drug deal?
I don’t understand any of this.
“You’ve got it all wrong,” I say sharply. “You’d be wasting your time targeting him anyway. He won’t even have it. There’s someone else who—” I snap my mouth shut as I realize what I’m doing.
“Someone else?” she says. “What do you mean?”
Shit!
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “I just think this is a mistake.”
She suddenly goes silent. I hear a sharp breath on the other end of the line, and then distant conversation. It’s as if someone is whispering something.
“Mother?” I ask, pushing the phone closer to my ear.
