He doesn’t look at me. Not even once.It’s deliberate, his avoidance is a silent, unspoken message: the other night meant nothing. That moment between us, whatever it was, is already forgotten.I tell myself it doesn’t matter, that I don’t care. But the way my stomach knots at his indifference betra
Aurora POVI jump so hard that I nearly trip over myself stepping back from him. Of course, Dominic doesn’t at all look startled. The only sign of surprise that colors his face is the single brow he raises in my step-sister’s direction. “You’re supposed to be making decisions, you know. This
“Ugh.” Camilla grumbles. “I don’t want to be around for that. Picking out jewelry is so boring.”“We’ll head home then, dear.” Beatrice folds both of her hands over her daughter’s shoulders. “Aurora doesn’t need us for that. Besides, Leonardo seems to have a fine taste in jewelry.”We head for the f
Aurora POVBefore I can process what’s happening, Dominic’s arm tightens across my chest, a protective barrier as he shifts the car into a different gear.My breath catches, terror seizing my body.A second later, the impact happens.Our car slams into the back of Leonardo’s vehicle, the violent jol
And then the call ends.It turns out Leonardo sustained a gunshot wound during the ordeal. Blood loss, the doctor had said after checking the older Guerraro out, nothing fatal. While the bullet hadn’t hit anything major, the injury still had been enough to keep him out cold, rendering him completely
Aurora POVMy breath catches in my throat as the door swings open, revealing Dominic’s dark gaze that instantly locks onto me.I freeze, not daring to even breathe while he states at me. I’ve been caught but how much they suspect I’ve heard is still up in the air. If they think I know their plans, w
Aurora POVI am about to be forced to marry the most ruthless mafia boss in the city, but right now, I wake up naked in an unfamiliar bed.The air is thick with the scent of cologne and something darker—smoky, rich, and intoxicating. The luxurious silk sheets wrapped around me are cool, a stark cont
Dominic POVPulling a crisp white button up shirt out of the closet and throwing it over his shoulders, Dominic’s hands worked quickly to pull it on and button up the front of it. The room still smelled like that woman—floral and something slightly spicy. A scent he couldn’t help but draw deep into
Aurora POVMy breath catches in my throat as the door swings open, revealing Dominic’s dark gaze that instantly locks onto me.I freeze, not daring to even breathe while he states at me. I’ve been caught but how much they suspect I’ve heard is still up in the air. If they think I know their plans, w
And then the call ends.It turns out Leonardo sustained a gunshot wound during the ordeal. Blood loss, the doctor had said after checking the older Guerraro out, nothing fatal. While the bullet hadn’t hit anything major, the injury still had been enough to keep him out cold, rendering him completely
Aurora POVBefore I can process what’s happening, Dominic’s arm tightens across my chest, a protective barrier as he shifts the car into a different gear.My breath catches, terror seizing my body.A second later, the impact happens.Our car slams into the back of Leonardo’s vehicle, the violent jol
“Ugh.” Camilla grumbles. “I don’t want to be around for that. Picking out jewelry is so boring.”“We’ll head home then, dear.” Beatrice folds both of her hands over her daughter’s shoulders. “Aurora doesn’t need us for that. Besides, Leonardo seems to have a fine taste in jewelry.”We head for the f
Aurora POVI jump so hard that I nearly trip over myself stepping back from him. Of course, Dominic doesn’t at all look startled. The only sign of surprise that colors his face is the single brow he raises in my step-sister’s direction. “You’re supposed to be making decisions, you know. This
He doesn’t look at me. Not even once.It’s deliberate, his avoidance is a silent, unspoken message: the other night meant nothing. That moment between us, whatever it was, is already forgotten.I tell myself it doesn’t matter, that I don’t care. But the way my stomach knots at his indifference betra
Aurora POVThe day to choose the wedding venue arrives, and like everything else in my life, I have no real say in it.Beatrice and Camilla have somehow managed to insert themselves into the process, acting as if this wedding is some glamorous social event rather than a prison I’m being forced into.
“What in the world are you doing back so early?” Beatrice calls from the top step of the staircase leading up to the second floor.The butler who took my coat and purse quickly hurries up the stairs, by-passing her to head down to my room.Her long, flowing robe trails behind her as she descends the
Aurora POVFor a brief, fleeting moment, everything stops.The weight of the world, the suffocating pressure of expectation from my family, the reality of my situation… it all fades into the background like it never existed at all in the first place. I can’t remember what I’d been worried about only