Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
AURORA
E verything feels numb when Nico drives us home. My toes and hands and face—numb.
“I always wanted to be a father,” Nico says. “Now I get the chance.”
I don’t respond as I stare out the window. I barely even recognize my reflection.
“Aurora? Are you all right?” When his hand brushes my arm, I jump.
“Uh … yes. I’m fine.”
He frowns. “You don’t look fine. Are you sure you’re ok?”
I’m pregnant with your baby , I think. The man who may have played a part in my father’s murder. The man I tried to kill. The man I might be in love with .
“I’m just in shock. I didn’t expect to be pregnant.”
“Well, we’ve had sex a few times now. It was bound to happen.”
“I know,” I snap, sounding harsher than I intend.
Nico pulls into our driveway and stops. Once again, I’m blown away by how many guards stand around the outside of his mansion. Always watching. Supposedly to keep Nico and me safe, yet I’m not safe here.
“You don’t sound happy about this,” he says, not looking at me.
“I’m just surprised. That’s all.”
“I thought you wanted to be a mother.”
“I do. Just …”
He finally turns to me. “Just not with me?”
“What? No! Nico, I care for you. It’s just all happening so fast. I mean, we’ve only been married a couple of months now. We’re still getting to know each other.”
“And we can still get to know each other during the pregnancy.”
“I just have so many questions. Like am I going to raise this child on my own?”
The hurt in Nico’s eyes almost makes me vomit. “Why would you ask that? I’ll be here.”
“But you’re always working. Are you going to be here for our child?” Or will you be dead, because I killed you?
“Of course, I’m going to be here. I can take time off work.”
“You don’t really have a job where you can just ‘take time off work,’” I say, using air quotes. “And you know it. I need to know that if we’re going to have this child, you’ll be present in its life.”
“If?” he asks in a low voice.
“What?”
“You said ‘if,’ as in you think we’re not going to have this baby? Are you thinking about an abortion?” Nico’s hands tighten on the steering wheel.
I can’t tell him I already tried Plan B and a poisonous tea. I didn’t mean to say ‘if.’ It just slipped out.
“No,” I say clearly, and he relaxes slightly. “I don’t want an abortion. I’m just scared.”
His eyes soften, and he reaches over to me, placing his hand over my stomach. “You will not be alone in this, Aurora. I’ve always wanted to be a father. I’ll be involved. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Ok,” I whisper. It makes me feel better knowing Nico really wants to be involved in this.
But it also fills me with more guilt. This baby growing inside me has now bonded me to Nico forever. Whether he’s dead or alive doesn’t matter. I’m truly his now.
And I know at this moment I cannot kill him.
I’ve wavered for weeks over what Beatrice wants me to do, but I know for a fact I can’t do it. If Nico were to die, it will not be by my hand.
I can’t have one foot in or one foot out. Choosing this baby means choosing Nico. I have to let Beatrice know I won’t kill him, but that can wait. Right now, I just want to be happy with my husband.
I lean forward and kiss him. It’s sweet and gentle. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asks.
“For being a good man. I want this baby, and I want you.”
“You have me.”
No I didn’t. Not before—because I wouldn’t allow myself to have him.
I kiss Nico again, and it turns passionate and hungry like we could eat each other alive. Nico pulls me into his lap, my legs straddling either side of him. I don’t care if his guards can see us. I’ve made my decision, and instantly, I feel happier. The guilt lifted when I chose Nico.
I moan softly as I rock my hips against his lap. Within seconds, he has an erection straining against his pants. Nico grabs my hips, his grip tight, as he kisses me deeply.
He grips the end of my dress and pulls it up before tugging my panties down. I’m already aroused. Just moments ago, I was wondering what to do about this pregnancy, and now, I know I’m all in. There’s no other choice. I will not kill Nico. I want to be happy with him, and I’m not going to change my mind. The freedom that gives me turns me on.
I unzip his pants, reach into his underwear, and pull out his cock. Nico groans when I run my hand from tip to base. My fingers brush his balls, making him jerk his hips up.
“I need to be inside you,” he growls. I gasp when he pulls my hips down, entering me in one thrust. I settle on him and begin rocking my hips and back and forth. This position allows him to get deeper within me.
“Nico,” I whisper against his lips.
His hand brushes against my belly so gently I almost cry. “I’ll take care of you, Aurora. I always will.”
I moan, grinding myself against him.
The sound of our lovemaking fills the car. Nico buries his head into my neck while I grip the back of his hair. Thrust, thrust, thrust.
Nico grips my thighs so tightly I wonder if I’ll bruise. The thought doesn’t bother me. All that matters is being with Nico.
“Oh,” I moan as my orgasm hits me. Nico holds me tighter before he comes, groaning against my neck.
Neither of us moves for a long time after that. Being in Nico’s arms—there’s nothing better than that.
Nico and I attend a charity event for children’s cancer. He told me on the drive over that he really does care about giving back. I can’t help but suspect it’s also a good look for him. The philanthropic man who gives to children’s cancer—a good way to keep the police off your back.
Except the police are here tonight.
While Nico and I sit at our table and listen to a speaker discuss who the proceeds help, I spot Chase and Morgan.
“Nico,” I say, nudging him.
He takes one look at the detectives and growls low in his throat. “What the fuck are they doing here?” When he starts to stand, I grab his arm.
“Maybe we should just leave them alone,” I suggest.
He sighs and sits back down. “Fine. But if they start anything …”
“Then you have permission to punch them.”
Nico’s lips quirk as he puts his arm around me. “What would I do without you?”
I place my hands over my stomach, and Nico reaches down and covers my hands with his, showing his care for the baby growing inside of me.
This is the right decision. Choosing Nico and our baby, I no longer have to feel guilty. I can just be with him. Beatrice won’t be happy when I tell her, but she can just deal with it.
Detective Chase saunters over to us and Nico tenses when he leans against our table. “Having a date night?”
“Actually, yes,” Nico growls.
“Mmm. That’s good. You’ll need to spend as much time as you can with your wife before you’re thrown in jail.”
Nico doesn’t rise to the bait. If the detectives had anything on him, he’d be in handcuffs by now.
My hands encompass my stomach even more. Now that I’m pregnant, I really don’t want Nico to get arrested. I’m fairly positive he didn’t kill my father, but someone did, and Nico may have played a part in it. I just hope he never gets caught and stays by my side, protecting me.
Chase huffs and walks back over to Morgan, who doesn’t stop looking at me. It’s like he’s waiting for me to crack, but I have too much at stake now. I’ll never crack. I’ve made my choice to be with Nico, and I can’t back out now.
As the detectives walk past our table, heading for the exit, Chase mutters, “Good luck with your baby on the way. You’ll need it.”
Nico stands up and storms over to Chase. “How do you know about Aurora’s pregnancy?”
“I didn’t. I just saw the way she was holding her stomach and guessed. You just confirmed it for me.”
Nico doesn’t hesitate this time—he punches Chase square in the face. I gasp, standing up. Morgan has his gun drawn and pointed at Nico before Nico can do anything else.
“Assaulting an officer,” Morgan says. “Cuff him.”
Chase pulls out a pair of handcuffs and wraps them around Nico’s wrists.
“You baited me into that,” Nico mutters.
“Did I?” Chase asks innocently.
“Nico?” I ask.
“I’ll be fine. This won’t stand, and they know it.” The detectives lead Nico out of the room. The crowd watches him go and then turn their gazes onto me.
I can’t be here. Nico was supposed to protect me, and now, he’s getting arrested. I have no one. Not my father. Not Beatrice. Definitely not Andrew.
I run outside to our car, then drive myself home.
The next morning, Nico is still in jail. I spent the entire night pacing back and forth, considering how to get him out. Only one person I know has enough power.
I knock on Beatrice’s hotel door.
“I take it he’s not dead yet,” she says after shutting the door and blocking the crack with a towel so Jeremy can’t overhear us.
“No. He’s in jail. Can you help him get out?”
Beatrice stares at me for a long moment before laughing. “And expose who I am? Nico would question why your aunt has the power to get him out of jail. No. I can’t do that.”
“But I need him,” I blurt out.
She goes very, very still. “Why would you say that? You’re supposed to kill him.”
“I know, but …”
“But?”
Here it comes. The moment of truth. There’s no holding back anymore.
“I’m not going to kill Nico.”
Beatrice huffs. “Like hell you are. You’re supposed to kill him.”
“No. Not any longer.”
“What changed? You can’t actually like the man, can you?” When I don’t respond, she slowly laughs. “Oh my god. You do! You care for him now. Need I remind you, Aurora, he murdered your father?”
“No. I don’t think he did.”
“Then you’re delusional.”
“I’m not going to kill him. And neither are you. End of discussion.”
Anger courses across Beatrice’s expression. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, girl.”
“Yes, I do. I’m married to Nico Mancini. I have more power than you do. And I’m carrying his child.”
Beatrice blinks. “You’re pregnant.”
“I am. Nico would never hurt me now. I’m safe with him, and I’ve decided I’m not going to kill him. I’m going to live my life with him.”
Beatrice turns away from me and leans over the table in the corner. “You’re going to ruin everything because you couldn’t keep your legs closed?”
“You wanted me to seduce him. Make him fall in love with me.”
“Yes. But I never said you should fall in love with him!” she screams and turns back around to face me. I see the knife in her hands, and I don’t have time to react before …
… she stabs me in the stomach.
I gasp and clutch her arms. “Why?”
“Because I won’t let you ruin this for me.” She pulls the knife out of my stomach, and I drop to the ground as blood seeps out of me.
Beatrice steps over my body and heads for the door.