Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
NICO
“ W hat am I to do?” I ask the grave of my mother. She’s long gone now—having died when I was much younger. But she was the one person who could offer me good advice, and I’ve found myself in a position where I desperately need it.
I thought I loved Aurora. No. I know I did. Do. But she betrayed me. Lied to me from the start.
I said to her the first day we met that I expected honesty from her, and she couldn’t give it to me.
Yes, I kept things from her, too. I couldn’t tell her everything about my job or the terrible things I’ve done to people. But I was transparent about that with her.
She married me so she could kill me.
That’s not something I can just forget.
Aurora did tell me she changed her mind. That she really does love me. And, in her defense, she had a good excuse for wanting me dead. Though I wasn’t responsible for Giovanni Costa’s death.
Andrew was.
I sent Andrew to meet Giovanni in LA to secure the business deal no matter what. When Giovanni proved incapable of going through with his side, Andrew killed him.
I didn’t sign off on it, but I did have to face the consequences of it.
How can I fully blame Aurora for her actions? She told me she loved her father more than anyone. I have to assume she was telling the truth. I would kill anyone who killed my loved ones.
In fact, I did just that with my parents.
Another Mafia member killed my parents, and I got my revenge on him long ago. So long ago now I barely remember it all.
How can I judge Aurora for doing the same? She never tried to kill me. She never would have succeeded if she’d tried, but she never did. She chose me. She chose our life together.
She killed her aunt to protect me.
But can I forgive her?
“I know what you would say.” I smile down at my mother’s grave. “You would say to forgive her. That I’ve found happiness with her. But now that I know the truth, it changes everything.”
At least, I think it does.
How can Aurora and I ever go back to the way we were before I found out she only married me to kill me?
I have no fucking idea.
Not getting the answers I need from my mother, I leave the cemetery and spend the day driving around the city. My mind wanders to everything and nothing.
When I get tired of driving, I find a hotel to stay in the for the night, and I end up staying there for a couple of days.
Aurora will be fine at home. I never wanted her to be my prisoner, but there she is, being my prisoner. It’s just until I figure out what to do with her.
But the longer I stay away, the more irritable I become. Ignoring Aurora won’t give me what I need.
What I need to do is talk to her again.
So, after a few days, I finally go home.
I expect to find Aurora in one of the guest bedrooms, but she’s not. Enzo is stationed in the foyer, and I go to him for answers. “Where’s Aurora?”
“What do you mean? She’s locked up.”
“I figured, but why isn’t she in one of the guest bedrooms? I told Andrew to put her in one before I left.”
Enzo glances down, not responding.
My chest turns tight when I realize what happened. “Where’s Aurora, Enzo?”
“She’s still in the basement.”
“She’s been there all this time?”
“Yes,” he says, finally meeting my gaze.
“Bastard.” I walk away before I can kill him in my anger and hurry into the basement.
And what I see turns me cold.
Andrew stands in Aurora’s cell, looking down at her as she lies on the floor unconscious.
“What the fuck?” I snarl.
Andrew whirls around, staring at me with shock. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”
“No shit.” I rush to Aurora’s side and check her pulse. She’s alive, at least. “You were supposed to do as I said.”
“I didn’t think she deserved to be brought upstairs.”
“You fed her at least?” I scoop Aurora up into my arms.
“She’s a traitor. Traitor’s don’t deserve food.”
For the first time, I see Andrew for who he really is. “You’re fired.” I storm past him and up the stairs, carrying Aurora to safety. I might feel betrayed by her, but I can’t watch her die.
I care for her too much.
No. I love her too much.
“You can’t fire me,” Andrew says, following behind.
“Of course, I can. I could kill you instead if you would prefer?” I run outside and put Aurora in the backseat of my car.
Andrew doesn’t comment.
I drive Aurora to the hospital, leaving Andrew behind in my rearview mirror.
ANDREW
None of this is going how I expected. Aurora was supposed to die, and we were supposed to be done with her.
Now, I’m fired.
I’ve worked hard for Nico for years, but I’m a man who saves my own skin first.
I bring my briefcase with me when I enter the police station and find Detectives Chase and Morgan. I place my briefcase down on Chase’s desk.
“Everything you need to bring Nico Mancini down is in there.”
NICO
I stand by Aurora’s side as she lies in the hospital bed, getting pumped with fluids. She had an extreme case of dehydration. The reality is, she could have died if I’d waited even a few more hours to get to her.
Aurora looks so tiny in the hospital bed. I’m not sure I can forgive her, but I do know I can’t stay mad at her for lying.
I want Aurora to survive.
A knock on the door makes me turn around. It’s Detective Chase and Detective Morgan.
“Interesting your wife came in with a bad case of dehydration. Want to tell us why she almost died, Mr. Mancini?” Chase asks, strolling up to me.
“I don’t have to talk to you,” I growl.
“Actually, you do.” He pulls out a pair of handcuffs. “You’re under arrest for the murder of Giovanni Costa.”
“What?”
“Your pal Andrew told us everything.”
Andrew. Fucker. I should’ve known he’d do something after I fired him. I was just too caught up in Aurora to even think about it.
“My wife is sick,” I say. “I should be here for her when she wakes up.”
“Not gonna happen.” After cuffing me, Chase shoves me out of the room. I know not to fight. It will only make it harder for me to get out of this situation.
The part that upsets me the most is Aurora won’t know I’m the one who saved her.
That I still love her despite everything.
AURORA
I hear the beeping before I open my eyes.
It takes a moment for my vision to settle, and then I realize I’m in a hospital.
I’m alive.
For days, I was stuck in that basement cell, thinking I would die, and now, I’m here, alive, with a second chance.
A nurse walks in and checks on my vitals.
“How did I get here?” I ask.
“Your husband brought you in.”
My heart flutters at the thought of Nico. “Where is he?”
“I’m not sure. Just get some rest, ok?” She pats my arm, then leaves the room.
I rest for a while, staring at the ceiling, wondering what exactly happened. Why did Nico leave me down there to die, then save me? I guess it’s his punishment.
Andrew steps into the room. The sound of my heart monitor picks up its rhythm.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Nico is arrested for the murder of your father. Thought you should know.”
“He told me he didn’t do it.”
Andrew tilts his head to the side in a mocking gesture. “And you believed him? You have no one anymore, Aurora.” He sidles up to my bed, and the beeping of my monitor goes off the charts. “You have no one anymore. No one to save you. No power. You thought you could get one up on the great Nico Mancini. Well, you didn’t. I did. And now, you’re going to die for it.”
He picks up a pillow at the end of my bed and brings it down on my face.