Chapter 12
I managed to convince Connor to go and sleep for a few hours.
He didn’t want me roaming around this house without him.
There are too many men around—his words, not mine.
I rolled my eyes and reminded him that my body only lights up for him.
I have literally never been attracted to another single human in my life.
Besides, anyone who works for my family wouldn’t go against their vow to the empire. They would never touch me. No, it took falling for the enemy to find someone who didn’t care what my last name was.
I’ve been aimlessly roaming around the halls of this huge-ass castle. I’m going to go out of my mind if I’m stuck in here for too long. I’m not the type of person meant to be caged. I need freedom.
It is a nice cage, though. Kyla and Lorenzo seem happy together too.
I finally get it. I never thought I’d ever want to leave New York or my family.
Now, I think I’d follow Connor anywhere.
The idea of disappearing with him, of us becoming new people, has crossed my mind.
It’d absolutely break my parents’ hearts, and I know my family would never stop looking for me.
But if it keeps us safe, it’s an option.
He chose me. I keep thinking about the sacrifice he is making to be with me. I want to ensure that our relationship is on even footing. That it’s not just him making all the sacrifices.
I have no idea how we are going to get out of this, but I do know that Valentinos always end up on top. That said, it would be ironic if I were the first to go down.
I shake the thought from my mind. Nope, I’m not letting Connor’s psychotic parents win. How did he turn out so… normal?
He’s sweet. I should get checked for cavities. That’s how damn sweet he can be. Maybe not when he’s yelling at me for wanting an emergency exit plan. But I get that too. If he’d voiced something similar, I wouldn’t be so calm myself.
I find my way down into a cellar. Jesus, anyone would think Kyla has a drinking problem.
This place is stocked and not with the cheap shit either.
Picking up a bottle of red, I consider waking Connor up and making him drink with me.
Until movement catches the corner of my eye, and I’m instantly on alert.
I reach for a knife, but quickly realize I don’t have any on me. I really need to fix that soon. No wonder I feel out of sorts. The only thing I have is the bottle in my hand. It’d be a shame to have to break it when I crack it over some asshole’s head. What a waste of perfectly good wine.
Gripping the neck of the bottle tight in my right hand, I spin around and raise my arm in the air.
“Wait, don’t hit me.” A young feminine voice has me dropping my arm immediately.
“Zara McKinley, are you trying to get yourself killed?” Kyla’s younger sister stares at me with wide eyes.
“Not exactly,” she says.
“Why are you snooping around here?” I ask her.
“I’m not snooping. I’m hiding.”
“Obviously. From who?”
“My dad. He’s lost his damn mind.” She shakes her head back and forth.
“What’d you do?” Because I know her dad. He dotes on his daughters to the next level. If he’s pissed off, chances are he has good reason to be.
“I got caught street racing last night. Cops locked me up, so I had to call my Uncle Xavier to come and get me,” she explains.
“You got arrested? Holy shit, no wonder Dom is pissed.” I laugh.
People think that being the heiress to a multi-billion-dollar empire is everything anyone could dream of.
I’ve seen how Kyla and Zara grew up, though, and it’s not easy when your every move is watched, judged, and reported on in the tabloids.
There’s a certain image to uphold when your last name is McKinley. And while Kyla is a model student who never gets in trouble (well, if we’re not counting the whole running off and marrying my brother in Italy thing), Zara’s different story. This girl is always in trouble.
“Street racing? Really? Why?” It’s not like she’s doing it for the cash. Clearly.
“Some asshole said I couldn’t beat him,” Zara sneers before adding with a smile, “I did. So worth it.”
“Worth your father’s wrath?”
“I also had to endure one of my Uncle Xavier’s lectures. You know, considering the type of criminals he defends, I didn’t think he’d get so pissy about a little street racing charge,” she huffs.
“Those other criminals aren’t his nieces.” I laugh. I’ve met her uncle. He’s Melbourne’s best defense attorney, Xavier Christianson—however he’s nowhere near as good as my papa. “How long until you think your dad will find you?”
“I give it another two hours, tops,” Zara says.
“Good. I need a drinking partner, and you’re already dead, so what’s one more charge against you?” I hold up the bottle of wine. “But, if your dad asks, you supplied yourself. I did not give a minor alcohol.”
She’s almost legal. She’ll be eighteen soon, which is the drinking age in this country.
“Deal.” She smiles. “So, why are we drinking. Wait. What are you doing here?” she questions, as if just now realizing I’m in Australia.
“Long story,” I groan.
“I’ve got about an hour and fifty-eight minutes until I’m pig food,” she says with a raised brow.
Her father is not going to feed her to the pigs. We both know that. He might feed them the asshole she was racing, though. “Were you the only one arrested?” I ask her.
“Yeah. I made sure I got caught so he didn’t.”
“He who ? Who is he?”
She smiles. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Right. Let’s find somewhere comfy to sit.”
“I know a spot.”
Zara brought me into the library, of all places, to sit around drinking. This room wouldn’t have been my first choice. We polished off the entire bottle and grabbed a second, which is now almost empty as well. I have a really nice buzz going on.
The door slams open. And loud, purposeful footsteps echo through the room. “One hour, fifty minutes.” Zara laughs.
“Zara McKinley, you have three seconds to get your ass outside and in my car!” Dominic yells.
Oh yeah, he’s pissed .
Standing, or more like wobbling, I turn and smile in Dom’s direction. “Dominic, always a pleasure to see you.” I walk towards him, about to lean up and kiss his cheek, because that’s what we do when we greet people.
Dominic grabs on to my arms, steadying me. “Are you drunk?” he asks.
“Not drunk .” I shake my head. “A little buzzed.”
“Aurora, for the love of God, tell me you didn’t give my underage daughter wine,” he groans.
“I didn’t.” I smile. “She gave it to me.”
Dominic lets go of my arms. Once he’s satisfied I’m not going to stumble and fall on my ass, he walks over to the door and yells at the top of his lungs. “Lorenzo!”
“Oh, now we’re both in trouble.” Zara laughs again. “It’s really not that big of a deal, Dad.”
“ Not that big of a deal ?” Dominic mimics his daughter. “You were fucking arrested for street racing, Zara. Who the hell were you racing?”
“Myself,” she says.
“Yourself, huh? Is that why Ares De Bellis was arrested with you? Just happened to be in the area?” Dominic narrows his glare at her.
I turn to look at Zara. “Ares? Really? You told me you were arrested alone.”
“I was. I have no idea why Ares was arrested. Maybe he was racing someone else?” Zara suggests. I can see through her argument, though.
The kid is the son of one of the De Bellis brothers. There’re five of them and they all belong to a prominent crime family here in Melbourne. My cousin Zoe married one of Ares’s uncles.
“What’s going on?” Lorenzo looks right at me, like I’m the cause of all the chaos.
“It wasn’t me. She’s in trouble for street racing with Ares.” I smile. “But she won, so I don’t know why everyone is so angry.”
“Sort your sister out, Lorenzo,” Dominic tells my brother. Then he turns to Zara. “Car, now!” With that, he storms out of the room in the same fashion he stormed in.
“Good luck,” I tell Zara as she passes me.
“I’m his favorite. I’ll be fine.” She smirks. “I’m not the one who ran off and got married in Italy.”
Lorenzo looks at me. “You’re drunk,” he states.
“Tipsy, not drunk,” I tell him.
He walks over to me, bends at the waist, and before I know it, I’m over his shoulder.
“Whoa, the room is spinning. Put me down!” I yell.
He doesn’t. He continues walking. To where? I have no idea. All I can see is floor. I hear a door open, then my body is flying through the air and I’m landing on a bed.
“She’s your problem now. I don’t have time to babysit her.” Lorenzo storms out and slams the door behind him.
I roll over and find Connor staring at me with a puzzled look on his face.