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“Almost catatonic,” I say softly. “She’s been through a lot.”
“What’s the plan?” he asks.
“Marco will be on the run. The hit wasn’t sanctioned, and all of the Espositos will be on the lookout for him,” I say. “The problem should take care of itself, but I need to keep Aurora safe in the meantime.”
“Noted,” Dante says easily. “Use the cash safe in the safehouse,” he says. “There’s about thirty grand in there.”
“Thanks,capo,” I say, and I mean it.
“No problem. I’ll keep your sister safe.”
I hang up the phone and Aurora comes out of the bathroom, the shirt and shorts hanging off of her.
She rubs her hands across her arms.
“Where should I sleep?” she asks meekly.
I gesture upstairs. “There’s three bedrooms up there,” I tell her. “Pick one.”
She flinches a little at my tone and I feel like a real asshole. Sure, tonight has been stressful for me, but it’s been a lot more stressful for her.
“I don’t want to sleep alone,” she says quietly, and I nod, pouring another glass of whiskey and offering it for her.
“I’ll stay with you,” I promise. “Until you fall asleep.”
She looks up at me and throws back the whiskey in the glass.
“Thank you,” she says quietly. “For everything.”
I shake my head. “Thank you for keeping an eye on Francesca. I’m sorry it didn’t go the way we wanted.”
She puts the glass down on the table and turns, looking back at me as if expecting me to follow. I grab the duffel bag so that I can change into something more comfortable and follow her up the stairs. I head into the master bedroom, since there’s a bathroom in there, and change into a T-shirt and a pair of sweats. Having my dress clothes off seems to make my chest feel less tight, at least.
When I come out, Aurora has climbed onto the bed, getting up under the covers, and she’s lying on her side, looking at me.
“Nico?” she asks softly when I sit down in the chair next to the bed. “Will you hold me? Just for a little while?”
I swallow hard, thinking I can’t deny her such a simple request after everything she’s been through.
I climb into bed with her and put my arms around her, drawing her close. She sighs and leans back against me, and I move my hips away from her ample ass, not wanting to embarrass her or myself.
“Goodnight, Aurora,” I say, thinking that there’s no way I’ll be able to sleep, but I’m out almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.
5
AURORA
Iwake up with Nico’s arms wrapped around me, and it takes me a long moment to figure out where I am and what’s going on. Then I remember last night, a flash across my memory of Bruno’s face, and I gasp.
Nico murmurs something in his sleep and rocks against me, his morning erection pressing against my ass.
I swallow hard. My teenage self would belivingright now, having Nico in bed with me, holding me, pressing up against me, but I don’t know how to handle it.
I just don’t want to think anymore. I don’t want to see Bruno’s dead body, think about the fact that he’s just...gone.
I don’t want to think about Marco’s heavy breaths as he chased me through the woods, how I was only able to get rid of him by climbing over a rose bush which cut along my legs.
So, instead of thinking, I turn around and press my mouth against Nico’s.
