Chapter 58

Aurora POV

“Tell me what’s going on with Dominic.”

I don’t know what to say.

I don’t know what I can say, actually.

The bag slung over my shoulder feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, even though I’ve strategically stuffed it with clothes on top to hide what’s really inside on the off chance one of the twins—and now apparently my father—were to look inside.

His eyes flick to the bag, just briefly, but it’s enough to make me tense.

“Are you going to answer me or are you determined to continue playing dumb?” he asks from behind his desk. His voice is deceptively calm. That kind of flatness never means anything good. I’m on edge the longer I sit here and stare at him.

“There isn’t much to tell. Dominic hasn’t been around lately for me to talk to him. He’s busy with his family.”

His eyes narrow. “You must think I’m stupid if you assume I’ll believe a lie like that. He’s been absent from our meetings, which means he’s with you.”

I shift on my feet. “He isn’t. He told me a week ago he was leaving for somewhere but never told me where. I don’t know anything more than you do. All he said was he’d be back before the wedding.”

He stands slowly. “You mean to tell me you haven’t broached the subject with him at all this entire time? Your wedding is in less than a few weeks. I don’t want the excuse that he’s not around. Make him come back to talk to you. Make something up to get him to come around again.”

I instinctively take a step toward the door. “I really should get going. My car is waiting—”

Before I can reach it though, he crosses the room and grabs my arm, yanking me away from it. I stumble, nearly falling against the armrest of one of the leather chairs when he tosses me towards it. My bag falls from my shoulder, landing on the floor next to my foot.

“You will talk to him tonight, Aurora. I want a detailed report on what exactly is discussed between the two of you. I expect a phone call from him later on this week to tell me he’s changed his mind and is now interested in marrying Camilla.”

“But—”

“You will break things off with Dominic.” He looms over me, his face growing redder by the minute. “Make him believe it’s what you want. That you were just a placeholder for your sister. I’m not going to tell you this again. Do you understand me?”

My chest tightens, stomach flipping so violently I feel sick. “You’re insane if you think that’ll work. He’s… he’s not that easily swayed.”

“You will make it work,” he snarls. “Or I’ll kill you myself. And while I’m at it, I’ll sell that little friend of yours—what’s her name? Gianna? I bet I could fetch a damn good price for her.”

My mouth opens but no sound comes out. I’m too stunned to say anything back.

He’d sell his own consigliere’s daughter? Not only to punish me but as a way to get an in within Dominic’s organization?

“That’s right. Even my consigliere’s daughter isn’t off-limits if you know how to spin the story just right. Stefano’s loyal, but he’s also pragmatic. I’ve known him a long time, Aurora. I know how to get him to bend to my will.”

Shock barrels through me, cold and sharp. “He’d never go for that.”

“Oh, he will,” my father says, a nasty smirk working its way onto his face. “That’s the consequence you will have to live with if you don’t do as I say.”

I don’t want to know what that means. Actually, I don’t want to know what he plans on doing in order to get Stefano to agree to give his daughter to some crazed psycho who will no doubt be frothing at the moment to get their hands on Gianna.

He grabs me arm and yanks me up from the chair, shoving me toward the door. “Now get out of my sight.”

I stumble again, barely catching myself before my knees hit the ground. My legs feel like they’re made of rubber, like I’m trying to run underwater. Somehow, I manage to get the door open and practically trip down the hallway as I run for the front doors, my breath coming in ragged bursts.

By the time I make it out to the car, my hands are shaking so badly I can barely get the handle open.

“Drive,” I whisper as I slide into the back seat. “Please. Just… drive.”

Luca exchanges a glance with me in the rearview mirror. To his credit, he doesn’t ask any questions. He throws the car into reverse so fast the tires squeal and then we’re speeding down the estate driveway, heading toward the safety of the safehouse once more.

It’s only when we’re almost past city limits that Luca glances in the rearview at me again.

“You okay?”

I nod quickly, my hands twisting together in my lap. “I’m fine.”

I can see it in the way his eyes narrow slightly that he doesn’t believe me, his mouth twitching with the words he wants to say but doesn’t. Still, he has enough sense to simply nod and turn back to the road, letting us lapse into silence again.

The rest of the drive is a blur. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest it’s all I can hear, a steady, panicked drumbeat that drowns out everything else. I stare out the window, trying to slow my breathing.

He’ll kill me.

He’ll sell Gianna.

He has the resources and the ruthlessness to do exactly as he’s promised just to spite me.

By the time we reach the safehouse and the car slows to a stop, I feel like I’m going to be sick. I mutter something that might’ve been “thank you” before pushing open the door and staggering to my door, my bag still heavy over my shoulder.

Once inside, I head straight to my room, not bothering to look for Gianna before I slip past my bedroom door and shut it behind me with a quiet click.

I don’t even make it to the bed, I just slide down against the wall, knees pulled to my chest and arms wrapping tightly around them as the bag slips off my shoulder and hits the floor beside me with a dull thud.

I can’t hold it in anymore.

The sob breaks free before I can even think about stopping it. It’s not just crying, it’s gut-wrenching and bone-deep sobbing. My body shakes with it, my hands pressed against my face as it feels like it’s about to explode from the pressure.

For the first time in a long time, I feel completely and utterly helpless.