45. Ricky
RICKY
That was harsh and had nothing to do with the case, and Aurora knows it.
“Fuck you,” she mouths before she climbs in the backseat.
I’m lashing out at the wrong person. She’s not my problem.
My problem is her boyfriend—sorry, her fiancé .
My problem is her thigh touching mine in the backseat and my skin vibrating with awareness.
My problem is now, I must contend with Ethan’s family.
My problem is command breathing down my neck.
Since Jax is aware of the investigation, my team wants action, wants a plan in place before he runs to his father, which may have already happened.
I had a lot of time to reflect on my flight—six hours, to be exact. My gut tells me I pushed Jackson too far, drove him to negotiate with Kyle to prevent Aurora from being used as bait.
Jax sacrificed their relationship to keep her out of his father’s depraved world. Why would he turn around and put her in harm’s way? Even with two agents to safeguard her, he doesn’t trust us.
He may have also leveraged the investigation, threatening to talk or turn over evidence if Kyle didn’t leave Aurora and Ethan alone.
It’s reckless, but above all, this trio will protect each other.
They’ll do anything for one another. They’ve proven it repeatedly. Even Jackson’s fuck-up was an attempt to protect Ethan and Aurora.
I tried to tell my team they were inseparable. The harder we push, the tighter their bond will become.
And I’m on the outside. I shouldn’t care, but for some fucking reason, I do.
I’d go against my team to shield Jax from the legal consequences of running to his father, if I could. I’ll keep my mouth shut concerning Ethan’s family unless they’re a danger to Aurora. I wouldn’t hesitate to compromise my integrity for them.
Still, I’m on the fence. I’m at a loss. Jackson can’t get me into a party, and I doubt he’ll share evidence with me. I spooked them with my suggestion to use Aurora.
I can protect her. I’ll always protect her, and that means protecting Jax as well.
Kyle isn’t going anywhere. Eventually, we’ll have another run-in, most likely during Jackson’s first game back.
All I can do is lie low, be invisible and work on my relationship with Aurora. Right now, I’m the enemy. She won’t speak to me unless necessary, and I didn’t do myself any favors with that spousal privilege comment.
I miss the days when she was affectionate toward me, when she needed me, when I was the one who made her smile.
Jesus, I’m being overdramatic.
I didn’t get where I am by not being able to shut off my emotions, but the switch short-circuited when I met Aurora, flickering between fuck this and fuck that.
And now, I’m in a car with two of the Rossi boys.
While we cram in the back, Dante drives, and Desmond faces the back seat, telling Aurora all about our new place.
One brother, Dante, is quiet, while the other loves to talk. Not just talk—he animatedly gestures with his hands, and Aurora giggles. She’s smitten with Ethan’s family.
“We only had one property available in the Fashion District. Pretty cool, though. Used to be an old factory loft. It’s on the top floor, with a massive rooftop terrace.” He extends his arms in emphasis. “And it has a gallery studio... I think that’s what it’s called.”
He peers over at his brother, and Dante nods in agreement.
Aurora cocks her head, her brow pinched, her voice brimming with curiosity. “A gallery studio?”
“Yeah, a room of windows with natural lighting and a workspace. Hard to explain, but it’d be perfect for you. We could get some of those giant-ass mirrors if you’d like.” Again, he talks with his hands.
My eyes gravitate to Jackson, and we share a glance full of suspicion. No way Ethan’s family just happened to have the perfect studio space in the Fashion District.
“There are four bedrooms that used to be offices,” Desmond continues. “The living area is so huge, you could play hockey inside, but the layout is strange. The galley kitchen is tiny, and we have yet to remodel.”
Probably because they recently bought it. I bet they’d remodel if Aurora asked.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She gives him a warm smile. “Only Jax cooks, and we’ll be out of your hair shortly.”
I have a feeling we won’t be leaving anytime soon, not if Ethan and his family have anything to say about it.