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“Maybe they can help me write an ending as well. Because I have no clue what to do.”
Lucia pauses, and I can see her trying to decide on whether or not to speak. I roll my eyes.
“Just say it. I’m surprised you’ve held out this long, if I’m being honest. Come on, spit it out.”
“Okay. I just have one question. Nico makes you happy. And I can tell you love him. What exactly is holding you back?”
“A long history of issues between us and the fact that we’re not exactly normal people. He’s the Don of a crime syndicate, Lucia. And there’s no way that’s not going to have an effect on our relationship. I know he would do anything for me. But what if one day that’s not the case anymore?”
Lucia arches an eyebrow before clearing her throat.
Okay, you’re going to kill me for this, but just listen. Over the past few years, Nico and I have been in contact?—”
My eyes widen at that but she barrels on before I can speak.
“He got in touch with me about two years after we left home. He said he was reaching out because he was worried about us. And I’m sorry, Rory, but I also missed him. You weren’t the only one that had to leave everything behind.”
I feel myself grow paler, stricken at that.
Lucia continues, “I don’t want you to start thinking you made a mistake. I understand why you did what you did. We almost died, and you wanted us to be safe. You were protecting us, and I know now that it was the right choice. We couldn’t protect ourselves then. And Papa seemed to be doing a shitty job of it. You did the right thing, Rory, but it hurt that I had to leave. I lost contact with all my friends, with Nico, Camila, everyone I knew, and it was a little lonely. When Nico got in touch with me, I was happy.”
“I didn’t realize.”
“And I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t approve. But he and I would just text occasionally. He’d ask how we were, if there were ever any problems. You remember that guy who tried to assault you in your junior year of college?”
My eyes darken at the memory. “Vividly,” I grit out.
“Well, I told Nico about him because I was angry no one was doing anything about it. And I didn’t follow up, but I’m pretty sure Nico made him disappear.”
My eyes widen. It suddenly hits me that I never saw that guy around campus again after that night. Sabrina and I went to a party, and this guy approached me, wanting to hook up. He was pretty charming about it, too. But I refused because I knew about his reputation for sexually harassing girls. He tried to force me into going with him. I ended up punching him in the jaw and asking him to fuck off. Thankfully he did because I was also alone at the time. I called Lucia afterward to rant about it and the fact that guys like that never get any punishment for their actions.
I guess she made sure he did get punished. And she used the devil himself to do that.
My head falls into my hands, and I let out a soft breath.
“You shouldn’t have gotten him involved, Lucia.”
I’m not sure that guy deserved whatever horrors Nico unleashed on him.
“I’d do it again, given the chance,” my sister states. “But that’s not the point. He’s always been there for you, Aurora. You might not have seen him, but over the past ten years, Nico has been working behind the scenes, protecting you. He kept us safe even when you left him behind. He never forgot about us.”
My eyes well up with tears. “I’m just scared, Lucia. I’m scared I’ll make a mistake that’ll ruin us both. And now I even have a baby to think about. It’s not that simple anymore.”
My sister sighs. “Are you going to tell him about the baby?”
I probably should. I hate that I’m keeping it from him. He deserves to know about it, but I’m not even sure how he’ll react. I don’t want this baby to be the reason we get back together.
“I’m not sure, Luce.”
CHAPTER 29
NICO
The only thing I have left from my parents is a small box of the things they cherished the most in this world. When things get too hard and I feel like shit, I like to go through it. A baseball my dad caught at a game he went to with my mom. The flute my mom would use to wake me up for school in the morning. It drove me crazy when she would blow it in my ear back then. Now, I’d give anything to hear it and have her be there for me. Both of them.
The bedroom feels cold without Aurora in here. I sit at my desk, staring at the bed and wishing more than anything to have her back in my arms. I know I fucked up. I pushed her too hard. And of course, she pushed back. Maybe if I hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
Before the fight, I was almost completely sure that she would choose to be with me. Now I have no fucking clue. I rearrange the sides of the Rubik’s Cube in my hand, needing to do something to keep my mind busy. And my hands as well, because I’m this close to calling her, and I promised myself I’d give her as much space as she needs.
