Chapter 10

Aurora POV

The relief that washes over me is sudden, overwhelming. For the first time tonight I actually feel safe. What a surprising twist of events that is.

This man—dangerous and calculating, the same one who had no problem blackmailing me the second he found the opportunity to—is the same one who just saved me from… well, probably being taken into one of these empty rooms and locked inside with a man hellbent on pinning me to the nearest hard surface.

I don’t know where he came from but now that he’s here, I’m happy to see him. His stance is relaxed, casual like always, but underneath that is something. It’s a quiet, simmering violence that makes the air thick with aggression.

Theo straightens slowly, trying to stand as he regains his composure. “Jesus… we were just talking.”

Dominic doesn’t say a word. Instead, all he does is take a single step forward, causing Theo to stiffen in response.

The entire hallway descends into an uncomfortable silence, one that rings in my ear loudly.

Theo knows better than to push his luck, especially right now when it seems like Dominic is more than happy to continue to throw him around and slam him against whatever’s available.

He just shakes his head and steps away throwing his hands up in defeat. “Sorry. You’ve never cared about Leonardo’s whores before. I didn’t think testing out the goods would be that big of a deal.”

My face flushes in humiliation.

How ironic that he thinks I’m a whore when I’m the farthest thing from it. Though, in the mafia world, it isn’t like women are ever believed even when we are telling the truth. Up until Dominic, I’d been as virginal as the Holy Mary.

Dominic says nothing, just gestures with his chin, a simple and silent order to go.

I exhale slowly as Theo retreats down the hall, leaving us behind.

I should thank him, or at least say something, but instead all I can do is stare at him when he finally turns around to look at me. For the first time since this nightmare began tonight, I don’t feel completely alone.

What is happening?

“You should get back to the venue.” He murmurs, his voice unusually quiet.

I swallow and quickly nod.

I’m not going to argue. Not if it gets me tangled up in another mess with someone else.

Leonardo is in an unusually good mood when I return to him.

Maybe it’s the alcohol or simply the satisfaction of a deal well made, either way he grabs me as soon as I’m within reaching distance and pulls me flush against him.

“Let’s head upstairs.” His breath stinks of alcohol.

My eyes roam around the venue again, Dominic nowhere to be seen once more. No one is coming to save me this time, especially the son of the man who currently has his hand wandering along my ass cheek.

I don’t have room to say anything when I’m pulled from the venue and into a service elevator right outside of the main ballroom. As soon as the doors close behind us, Leonardo leans in close to me again, an eager smile playing on his lips.

“I’ve got a surprise upstairs waiting for us.” His hand squeezes my ass again. “How about we head up? ”

His voice is low, slurred just enough to tell me that whatever alcohol he’s consumed tonight has made him much more comfortable being handy with me than usual. Clearly, he has more in mind for this evening than simply showing me off like a trophy.

I swallow hard, my pulse thundering. “What kind of surprise?”

“A view of the city from the rooftop.” Is all he says before shifting his hand up to grab my arm.

I want to run, scream, fight to get away from here but I can’t when he practically drags me out of the ballroom and over to one of the elevators. His finger punches the panel a few times, missing the floor number twice before finally getting it.

I do my best not to vomit all over his suit when we reach the top floor and I’m pulled out of the elevator. Instead of bringing me to the rooftop like he suggested, I find myself standing in front of a hotel door. He ways slightly, his movements sluggish, as he fumbles with retrieving a keycard out of his pocket.

My eyes widen. “Aren’t we going up to the roof?”

He mutters under his breath while missing the slot twice before finally sliding the card into place. The lock beeps and with a delighted laugh, he shoves the door open and me with it.

“Finally.”

I’m shoved inside before I can think to step away, barely catching myself on the small entryway wall before I topple over in these tall heels. He’s on me before I can recover, dragging me over to the bed.

“Wait—” My body hits the bed, bouncing twice as the plush mattress envelopes me.

Oh god.

He’s clumsy as he tries to undo the buttons at the front of his shirt, giving up halfway before moving on to his tie instead. He mumbles something else under his breath that I can’t understand, my heartbeat pounding too hard in my ears to properly take it in.

God, this is it.

I’m too frozen to move, to try anything but sit here and wait for the inevitable to happen. Even if I were to try and escape, where could I possibly go?

My father knows I’m supposed to be at this event with him. If he finds me back at home too early, he’ll know I ran away.

My fingers dig into the sheets, needing to try one last ditch effort to save myself. “Aren’t we going to wait for the wedding night?”

Leonardo grunts, swaying again. His eyes are half-lidded, hazy with intoxication. Right before my eyes, I watch him tilt towards the left and then completely collapse onto the ground.

My jaw drops, bewildered.

For a moment, I don’t move. All I can do is stare at his prone body laying on the floor in a heap—much like the one Theo had crumbled into after being slammed against the wall by Dominic.

The room is utterly silent, save for my own panicked breathing.

Is he dead?

Then, a soft snore leaves him.

I blink a few times before blowing out a slow breath.

I’m relieved but only to know that he’s alive and I won’t be punished for inadvertently killing him. Sliding off the bed, I find myself standing over his prone body, wondering what in the world I’m going to do.

I can probably pretend we slept together, or let him assume as much, if I can get him onto the bed and undressed.

But if he believes we have, won’t it only encourage to try again when he’s sober? It’ll just give him the greenlight he’s been desperate to get since the moment he met me at that dinner.

Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. What do I do?

I can’t do this.

A shadow shifts in the doorway, movement catching my attention.

My head snaps up.

Dominic steps into the room, another man following close behind him.

My eyes widen.

“I-I didn’t,” I stutter. “H-he just collapsed, I swear.”

Dominic merely snorts. “I know. I gave him a sedative.”

My mouth drops open again.

What?

Dominic turns to the man behind him, nodding into the room. “Take care of him, I’m going to take her somewhere else for the night.”

The man nods. “Understood.”

The second Dominic gets close to me, enough to reach out and touch my bare arm, I practically collapse into him. My sobs wrack my body, everything trembling as he pulls me away from the fallen form of his father and out into the hallway.

“Relax,” he says. “He’ll be fine. No one will question it. He’ll think he drank too much.”

“I’m—” I can barely get anything out between my sobs.

He frowns, watching me with an expression I can’t quite place. Frustration? Confusion? Maybe both. “Aurora, it’s fine. I told you, no one is going to question it.”

Now that the dam is broken, I can’t stop. Now that I’ve started, all of the years of pain I’ve endured seemed to have come bubbling up to the surface. The weight of everything crashes into me all at once, relentless and unforgiving. I’ve spent my whole life existing in this world with no control over anything.

I’ve never had choices, knowing that my life doesn’t matter.

In the grand scheme of things, I’m nothing more than a tool to be used. A pawn, a piece to be moved and sacrificed as needed.

And now here I am, yet again, at the mercy of another powerful man.

“I’m…” I swallow. “I’m living in a black bubble. I’ve never… no one respects me. I don’t have choices like you.”

The last word comes out sharper than I intend, laced with resentment. I’m expecting him to be angry, to strike me just like my father would if I were to say anything like this to him.

But he doesn’t.

To my surprise, he reaches out and brushes the back of his hand gently over my cheeks, clearing away some of the tears.

My breath catches in my throat.