Chapter 5
I look across to Aurora. This is for her.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and the flight-or-fight instincts that are kicking in.
Never did I think I’d be betraying my own family, but let’s face it.
That’s exactly what I’m doing right now.
And it’s all for her. The girl who killed my cousin.
I’m sorry, Kenny.
I hope he can forgive me. When the time comes to face my cousin again, I hope he understands I didn’t really have a choice. The thought of letting her go off to the other side of the world without me being there to keep her safe, well, I can’t.
I don’t take my eyes off her. Her hand continues to squeeze mine, and somehow my anxiety starts to dissipate. I don’t know how she knew. I’ve learned to control my features. I can endure a lot of shit and no one would know it bothered me.
She knows, though. Aurora can read me better than I can read myself. Which is why, even when I was telling her how much I hated her, she never believed me.
I give her a small smile, trying to reassure her that we’re going to be fine. That I’m fine. Neither of us says a word, not until her father pulls up right next to a jet. I take a look, trying to figure out who the damn thing belongs to, but there are no identifying marks on it.
I climb out of the car. My shoulder fucking aches. I reach a hand back inside for Aurora anyway. “You need to take some pain pills,” she repeats.
“I’ll survive,” I tell her. I’ve never been a fan of drugs, and I’m not afraid of a little pain either.
“Yeah, but you don’t need to suffer while surviving,” she says.
“He’s about to be locked on a plane with you for two days. There aren’t enough drugs in the world to take that kind of suffering away.” Enzo wraps an arm around Aurora’s shoulder.
I hate it. I know it’s stupid. Irrational. He’s her brother. But he’s touching her. I don’t like anyone touching her.
The asshole tilts his head while glaring in my direction.
Then he smiles and kisses the side of her face.
“Your boyfriend is jealous that I’m hugging you.
That’s weird,” Enzo says, assuming I can’t understand him.
I keep my face neutral. Aurora has no idea that I know Italian.
It wasn’t hard to pick up the language over the last few months.
“Leave him alone. I mean it, Enzo. I can and will make your life hell if you chase him away.” Aurora replies, thinking I’m none the wiser.
“I’m going to miss you, little sister. Make sure Lorenzo keeps up with your training. I know he’s not as great a teacher as yours truly, but he’ll do,” Enzo says, switching back to English.
“Thank you. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” Aurora tells him.
“Come on, let’s do this before I change my mind,” Mr. Valentino grumbles.
I release Aurora’s hand when she reaches her father, and step back a little. He holds on to her tight, and I consider the idea that maybe he won’t let her go. I wouldn’t blame him. She’s not easy to let go of.
Eventually he does, though. Then Mr. Valentino looks at me. “Not a hair on her head is to be harmed. Know there isn’t a rock you will be able to hide under if something happens to her,” he says.
I nod. There aren’t any limits I won’t cross to protect Aurora. It doesn’t need to be said. He knows that.
Aurora wraps her hand around mine. “Let’s not pretend I’m a damsel in distress who needs a man to protect her. We all know that’s not me.”
“Aurora, don’t do anything stupid and do not—I repeat—do. Not. Put yourself in unnecessary danger,” Mr. Valentino warns. “You are my pride and joy. Do not put the most important thing in the world to me in jeopardy.”
“Standing right here,” Enzo grunts, only to be ignored.
“I won’t. I promise. I’ll be safe,” Aurora tells her father.
Settling into the lounge-style seats on the jet a few minutes later, I look over at Aurora. “You were right,” I tell her.
“About what?” she asks.
“Your family. They are better than mine. My father would have killed you in front of me. Not let me run off with you.”
“You don’t know that, Connor. I’m sorry I’m the reason you're leaving your parents. Maybe this will all blow over,” she suggests.
“It won’t, and you’re not the reason. I’m the reason. I’m choosing you, Aurora. I think, for the first time in my life, I’m doing something that I actually want to do.” I pause. “Be with you.”
“I want you to be with me too.” Aurora smiles. “ When this all blows over, Connor, I might just marry you.”
“When this is all over, I might just ask you to marry me,” I reply.
“Pfft, I don’t need you to ask me, Connor. I know you want to marry me.” She smiles, so sure of herself. “Besides, if you don’t, I might have to marry someone else, and you know what married people do, Connor? They fuck. A lot.”
My eyes narrow in on her. She’s fucking with me. I know she is, and it’s working. “Aurora, marry me. Now. Like right now.”
“There’s no priest, or church, and my mom isn’t here so I can’t marry you right now.” She shrugs. “But play your cards right and I might one day.”
“You do know I’d never actually let you marry anyone else,” I tell her. She’s out of her mind if she thinks I’d let her even date anyone else. “We are all in, Aurora Valentino. I’m leaving everything, everyone I’ve ever known to be with you. I’m choosing you. I need you to choose me too.”
Her face softens. “Connor, I chose you the moment I saw you. There has never been any other choice. I love you. If you want to get off this jet in London and disappear, just you and me, we can do that,” she says.
“I would never ask you to leave your family. Besides, I get you all to myself for how ever long it takes to get to Australia, right? There’s a bedroom behind us.
I’ve never joined the mile high club, and I know for a fact that you haven’t either.
” I smirk. I’m the only man she’s ever been with.
I have all of her firsts. This will just be another one to add to the list.
“You’re injured,” Aurora states as if that’s going to stop me.
“I don’t care,” I tell her right as a stewardess approaches us.
“Hi, my name is Helen. I’ll be taking care of your and your sister’s needs until we land in London,” she directs to me.
“Thanks, Helen. Is there only one bedroom?” I ask her.
“I’m afraid so, sir. These seats do recline, though,” she says, pointing to our loungers.
“That’s okay. We can share a bed. It’s not like we haven’t before.” I wink, giving the woman my signature smile, the one that causes all the ladies to blush.
“If there is anything you need, you can press the buzzer,” Helen says and then disappears.
“You don’t have to flirt with everyone in a skirt, you know,” Aurora snaps at me.
“That was not flirting. I was being polite,” I tell her.
“You smiled at her.” She scowls.
I turn that same smile on Aurora. “You don’t like my smile, babe?”
“You know I do, which is why I want to keep it to myself. I don’t want you smiling at other people.”
She’s fucking serious. I almost laugh, and I would if I didn’t think she’d stab me.
“Aurora, princess, I cannot go through life without smiling at people. That’s just not going to happen.
” I pick up her hand. “But I promise they will be fake smiles. The only real smiles I will ever give will be to you.” Bringing her hand to my lips, I kiss each knuckle. “And to our future children.”
“Children? You’re getting way ahead of yourself there, O’Malley,” she says.
“Nope, we will have a herd of children. I want lots of little mini-Auroras.” I know our future is going to be full of love.
Our children won’t grow up in fear like I did.
They won’t have to prove themselves worthy of a family fucking name.
They will be whomever they were born to be.
Just like Aurora always is. “Do you know what I love most about you?” I ask her.
“My boobs.” She smirks.
My eyes dart down to her chest. “I do love them. But, no, that’s not it. I love that you are unapologetically you. You embrace your true self and you don’t hide it.”
“From you,” she says. “I don’t hide it from you. Everyone else doesn’t know me like you do.”
She’s referring to her insecurities, her lack of feelings when it comes to killing.
“I don’t give a fuck about anyone else seeing you, Aurora. I see you.”
“If this plane crashes and we burn alive, just know that it was worth it. You were worth everything.” She leans in and presses her lips against mine, not caring one bit that we’re supposed to be brother and sister right now.