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His eyes flicker with so much emotion it takes my breath away. Then he inhales once and puts the necklace back on. After one last look at me, he leaves.
A few minutes after he’s gone, Mona enters the room with a plate of food, which I eagerly consume, feeling starved. The food helps a little bit, and I gain some energy. My head becomes clearer, and I begin to analyze what a total nightmare the last twenty-four hours have been. Then I fall asleep. The next day I, repeat the same actions. The only time I get out of my bed is to check up on Lucia. She’s completely fine, seemingly recovered. She’s certainly better than me, which I am so glad about.
I return to my bed, tossing and turning until I finally come to a decision.
“Where’s my Papa?” I ask the guard posted outside my bedroom door.
I’m directed to his study on the second floor. My father sits behind his desk, an imposing man. He’s been like this all of his life. People like to tell me I take after him—his features and his countenance and sometimes I can see it. I’ve noticed we share the same mannerisms, but now all of that doesn’t matter. What matters is what I need from him right now.
“Aurora,” he greets me. “You should be resting, cara.”
He didn’t even come to check up on us. He probably confirmed we were alive and then thought nothing of us again. That’s his MO. He’ll do just enough to ensure we’re alive and then his mind goes back to what’s really important to him.
“I’m done resting,” I state. “We need to talk about what happened.”
He shoots me a soft, sad smile. “One of my own capos conspired against me. He wanted to abduct you girls and demand a hefty ransom. If you ask me, he was being short-sighted. He had the both of you in his grasp and was still so small-minded.”
I decide not to read into that too much.
“Where is he now? Dead?”
“No. Nicolas is with him in the dungeons. That boy certainly has a talent for drawing out a murder,” he says off-handedly.
My heart skips a beat at the mention of Nico. There’s no telling how much more time he’s going to give me. Although, from what my father is saying, he’s found something to occupy himself with.
“I’ve been thinking, Papa. I don’t think Lucia should continue to be raised in an environment like this.”
He pauses, arching a dark eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“We were kidnapped. I thought Lucia was going to die, Papa. And I was terrified.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.
“I know you’ll probably say something along the lines of fear being a weakness, but that’s all bullshit. We’re not one of your capos, and we’ve never shown any interest in matters concerning the outfit. We don’t belong here.”
“You do belong here, Aurora. This is your home.”
“I don’t want it to be my home anymore. I want to leave,” I say with a soft breath. “I’m eighteen. I don’t have to be here anymore. And I’m taking my sister with me.”
He studies me for several moments. I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“Do you understand the consequences of what you’re asking?”
“Papa, I don’t care.”
“You’ll have to leave everything behind, cara. I’m not sure you understand the implications of that,” he states.
I cross my arms over my chest as I wait for him to realize just how serious I’m being.
“You’ll have to leave Nicolas behind.” That sentence alone is enough to make me waver slightly. My father nods like he’s got me trapped. “If you really wanted it, I could have him go with you.”
My heart rate speeds up as I allow myself to consider that for the briefest moment. Would Nico run away with us?
The answer comes to me even before my father speaks again.
“Do you think he would leave with you and your sister? Nicolas has a lot of ambition, Aurora. He’s given a lot to establish a place for himself in the outfit.”
He’s right. I know he is. Nico would never throw it all away. He needs the outfit. He has his dreams and I would never ask him to give them up.
