Chapter 13 Aerin
AERIN
Falco’s rejection stings.
In the garden last week, I was so sure I had him where I wanted him.
Everything was perfect.
We were alone, I was dressed up, and I’d pushed him far enough that he scared Frederick away with just a few words.
The moment Falco shoved me up against the statue, I thought all my dreams were going to come true.
I practically begged him.
Instead, he refused. His loyalty to my father and the family rules clearly overrides his fleeting interest in me and it hurts. For the rest of the week, Falco didn’t speak to me.
He kept his distance, watching like a hawk from far enough away that his presence was felt but I couldn’t talk to him without raising my voice.
I wanted to assure him that I had no intention of telling on him to my father, and that I understood his position and didn’t care because I liked him, but there was never a chance.
Maybe he’s right.
Maybe I’m only attracted to Falco because he’s the biggest rule I can break.
With no one to talk to about any of this, a guard who refuses to acknowledge me, and parents only concerned about my upcoming wedding, lunch with my brother is the only respite I have from drifting painfully through my own thoughts.
“What’s on your mind?” Giacomo forks one of the olives on his plate.
“Hmm?” I glance up and flash him a smile. “Nothing.”
“I can tell when you’re lying to me, squirt. Come on, tell me.”
The secluded restaurant Giacomo has brought me for lunch is flooded with sunlight and the warm aroma of fresh bread clashes with the flowers hanging from pots up above and the pasta dish in front of me.
Giacomo’s security cleared out all the surrounding tables. They linger nearby, casually leaning against walls and resting near the window. They appear much more relaxed than Falco.
As always, Falco stands some distance away between me and the door.
My chest aches each time I glance at him and he’s not looking at me. He used to always watch me and now I never see him looking.
Did I ruin things? Was he truly only helping me and appearing interested because it made his job easier?
I stab a pasta spiral and glare at it.
Giacomo sighs. “Listen, squirt. I know you’ve been through a lot this month. The shooting at the restaurant, the shit at the warehouse, and then the explosion?” He shakes his head softly. “I’m amazed you’re holding up.”
I glance at him, swallowing down the truth that as terrible as these things have been, they’ve also been exciting. I replay Falco saving me over and over in my mind each night to help me fall asleep. “It’s fine.”
“Bullshit.” Giacomo eats another olive. “Dad trains you to say it’s fine. He trains us to accept these things, like our lives are expendable to him, but that’s not the truth. This shit hurts.” His voice wavers slightly. “You could have died, Aerin. Do you get that?”
“Of course I do.” I lower my fork. “I…I dunno. It was scary, all of them were, but I’m okay.”
Giacomo doesn’t look convinced and worry floods his eyes. “What does Dad say?”
“About what?”
“About what’s going on. Someone is trying to kill you. Is he investigating? Does he even care?”
“Of course he cares, I’m the heir remember? He says he’s got everyone looking into who is behind this.”
The flash of pain in Giacomo’s eyes makes me wince.
“Sorry. I just mean he’s obligated to care, y’know?” I grab his hand, but he pulls back.
“It’s fine. We both know out of the two of us who is more reliable and trustworthy.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“I do,” he replies softly. “I was never built for leadership. I enjoy life too much.” He drowns his smile in a swig from his beer. “But please, tell me what happened with the attempts after the restaurant. I get around a lot. There might be something I know that he doesn’t.”
Over the rest of my pasta dish and into dessert, where we share a slice of black forest gateau, I tell my brother everything about the three attempts on my life. He’s as easy to talk to now as he was when we were little and hiding away from an explosive argument.
I tell him all about how the people at the club made me think they wanted to be friends and how desperate I was for that to be real, so following them and slipping away from security was exciting and something I was eager to do.
I leave out a couple of details about nearly falling to my death and focus on how Falco saved me.
Then I tell him all about the safehouse and how angry Falco was, but how safe we were until I cuffed us together.
I leave out what happened in the shower. I’ll take that secret to the grave.
Giacomo bursts out laughing. “You’re a hindrance to yourself, squirt, you know that?”
“How was I supposed to know the door was going to blow up?” I giggle. “If I’d known then there’s no way I would have done that. I was just frustrated by Falco and his ‘I can’t trust you blah blah’ and then yeah… he saved my life again though so Dad’s getting his money’s worth.”
Giacomo glances past me to Falco and nods. “So where did you two hide out after the explosion?”
“Falco guided me to this house on the edge of the city. His friend Pidge lives there. Some tech guru. I think they must have been in the army together at some point because they both had the same look. That sort of haunted pain that lingers around the eyes, y’know?”
“Interesting.” Giacomo’s mouth thins. “I didn’t know he had friends.”
“Me neither.” I chuckle. “But I guess even the worst people have someone who can stand them.”
“You think Falco is the worst?”
“Yes,” I reply immediately, sinking my spoon back into the cake slice. “All he preaches about is Dad’s rules and the family and everything. He’s as loyal as they come, which I know is a good thing, but it just makes me feel…”
“Smothered?” Giacomo offers.
I nod. “Exactly.”
“Why do you think I acted out so much.” He smiles. “Although in hindsight, my scrabble for freedom pretty much secured your lack of any.”
“Yeah, thanks for that. Dumping the family on my shoulders, huh?”
“While I get to live my life.” He smirks. “It’s blissful.”
“Tell me,” I demand. “Tell me about the people you were with at the nightclub or where you were when you missed the family dinner, which by the way, was also my engagement announcement.”
“What?” Giacomo’s brows lift. “To who?”
I pause eating. “Wait…you really don’t know?”
He shakes his head. “Dad’s marrying you off already?”
“Hm. To the Irish.”
“Shit…” His eyes drop to the table. “That’s fucked. I’m sorry, squirt.”
My stomach knots and the sweetness of the gateau sours in my mouth. “I’m trying really hard not to think about it, so please, distract me.”
Giacomo obliges with stories of a trip to the cinema that turned into sneaking into all the movies until they got caught, spending hours at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and several street races that nearly landed him in prison, but he’s quick to assure me that he’s far too skilled to be caught.
We live such different lives.
Giacomo doesn’t have to worry about who he falls for or who catches his eye.
That romantic freedom is what I’m most envious of.
As my brother details his latest romantic conquest, my attention drifts to Falco behind me.
Would I be interested in him if my life was as free as Giacomo’s?
Would he even look my way if he wasn’t paid to be my shadow?
My stomach knots tighten as my thoughts jumble together.
Rejection, impending marriage, attempts on my life from unknown sources that Dad calls a part of life due to my lineage… Do I really want this life?
“Tell you what.” Giacomo smacks his lips together, sucking on his spoon as he leans forward. “I’m going to take you out for some fun. You sound like you really need it. This time, I’ll take you to meet some of my real friends. How does that sound?”
My heart lifts immediately. “Really?”
“Sure! It’s the least I can do since you’re about to be married off like a goat.” Giacomo laughs.
I kick him hard under the table. “Don’t be an asshole!”
“Sorry, sorry. Listen, I know life is all sorts of fucked for you right now. Trust me, take it from the black sheep. It becomes bearable if you sneak in some real fun every now and then, and I do have you for the whole day so…” Giacomo stands.
Like a wave, his guards melt off the walls and approach.
Falco does the same.
“We’re leaving,” he says as I stand, looking past me at Falco. “You’re dismissed.”
“No,” Falco replies flatly.
I glance between them, confusion swirling in my gut while a buzz of excitement rushes through me.
It settles deep in my core as Falco makes it clear that he’s not to be dismissed.
It shouldn’t be hot, but it really is.
I fight to keep the smile off my face.
“No?” Giacomo repeats. “Aerin is coming out with me, so you won’t be needed. As you can see, I have my own team. She will be well protected.”
Falco doesn’t even glance at Giacomo’s security. His gaze is locked and unwavering on my brother. “I go where she goes,” he says flatly. “That’s my job. So I can assure you I’m not going anywhere.”