Chapter 89

Aurora POV

The room is dark, save for the slip of light spilling from under the doorway from the hall outside of it.

Dominic lies beside me, one arm draped across my waist like he’s afraid I’ll disappear again if he lets go. His touch is warm and deceptively comforting. It would be so easy to fall for this again… for him.

But I can’t. Not if I want to live my life freely and without the pressure of the mafia always breathing down my neck.

My thoughts are a mess—spinning, unraveling, tying themselves into knots I don’t know how to loosen. Lying here beside him, I feel like I’m standing on a knife’s edge.

One wrong move and I fall and die, either because of the lie I’ve been building with Alek or letting myself give in to my own stupid emotions and fall back into Dominic’s arms, where I’ll be nothing more than a puppet.

The irony is suffocating now that I think about it.

First my father asks me to become a mole and now Alek. Both men who wanted me to dig up dirt on Dominic, coaxing me into agreeing to their terms under threats and duress. All because Gianna’s freedom depends on it and mine probably does too.

But here’s the thing no one seems to understand: Dominic is good at what he does.

He’s too good.

He makes me want to believe that his intentions are real. Even now, as I lie in this bed wrapped in his scent and the echo of his breathing whispering silent apologies against my skin. I want to believe that maybe he meant some of the things he said to me back when he pulled me up off the ground and held me in his arms.

But Dominic Guerrero is a master manipulator, a king forged in death and violence.

He didn’t claw his way to the top by being soft. He’s the enemy.

I remind myself of that with every breath, every heartbeat, every slow slide of his fingers over my skin as we lie together in bed. As if we weren’t on opposite sides of a war that’s going to explode the second he learns what I’m doing.

I didn’t want to give in. I

didn’t want to want him.

My body doesn’t care about strategy, though. It never has when it comes to him.

I sigh and roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling and counting the faint hums of movement from beyond the doorway. He shifts beside me, mumbling something incoherent, his arm tightening slightly before going slack again.

I wait.

Five more minutes.

Ten.

When I’m sure he’s deeply asleep, I slip out from beneath his hold.

My bare feet hit the cool floor, sending a shiver racing up my spine. I tighten the strap of the robe around my body before slowly shuffling across the room to the bathroom and close the door behind me, turning the lock with a faint click.

I sit down on the closed lid of the toilet and reach into my bra to retrieve the burner.

No new messages from Alek.

Damn it.

I bite the inside of my cheek.

Part of me is relieved to have a little time to gather myself before jumping into the next phase of this plan while the other is infuriated. After everything I did tonight by throwing myself into a fake escape, letting his men put their hands on me, nearly getting shot in that damn alley, he doesn’t even bother to check my texts?

God, he’s just like every other man in this world. He only wants what he wants, when he wants it.

But I’m not going to sit around waiting for him.

I open a new message and find the number to the burner phone I left with Gianna. It’s a long shot that she’s even going to check it at this hour but if worse comes to worse, she’ll see it in the morning.

To my surprise, my phone vibrates seconds later with her reply: OMG! You’re alive!

My eyes sting immediately.

Yeah, I got taken back to the hotel we were staying at when we first got here. Dominic’s sleeping right now. Not sure what the others are doing. How are you? You still doing okay?

There’s a pause that has me holding my breath, staring at the screen like I can will it to answer faster.

Yeah, all good over here. Alek came by to check on me but he didn’t ask me out to dinner or anything. Maybe he really did change his mind and only cares about you helping him take out Dominic.

I exhale slowly, typing: Maybe. I’m just glad he isn’t trying to bother you.

There’s another pause, then: Me too. Be careful, okay? Don’t let him talk you into anything. Especially if he tries to seduce you again. You have to remember he’s probably just doing it to get info on Alek.

I stare at her words for a long time.

You’re right. Thank you for the reminder.

She replies with one final message: Love you, Aurora. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Stay safe please.

Love you too, G.

I hold the phone to my chest for a moment before powering it off and slipping it back into the hidden spot between my breasts. I adjust the robe over myself again, splash water on my face, and stare into the mirror.

The girl I see staring back has secrets etched into the corners of her eyes, bruises barely fading on her jaw, and a mouth that curves like it forgot how to smile without a dagger tucked behind it.

I don’t know who I am in this moment. A survivor? A traitor? A woman desperately trying to pretend she may not still be in love with the man she’s trying to destroy?

I turn away from the mirror out of disgust, no longer being able to stand the sight of myself, and unlock the door, stepping back out into the hallway of the suite.

Only to find Romero standing in the dim light outside the bathroom.