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I watch as he fixes the cuffs of his jacket. He’s dressed more formally than I’ve ever seen him in a blue suit. He even took the time to style his dark hair and trim his beard. He looks great, not as imposing and glum as he usually is. There’s even a smile on his face. I tilt my head to the side, observing him.
“What’s got you in such a good mood?”
“It’s your wedding, boss. Plus, you’re Don now.”
“You sound as if you doubted that I would succeed,” I say.
“Of course not. But it does feel good that we’ve finally gotten to this point. You got the kingdom and the woman.”
At that I stiffen. “I didn’t get the woman. Aurora still hates my gut.”
“She really doesn’t.”
My eyes narrow. “I wasn’t aware that you knew her so well.”
“You forget, boss, that while you were in Mexico on that secret operation, I was here, guarding her. She and I spent a lot of time together that year.”
“Don’t remind me,” I grit out, uncomfortable with the idea of her spending any time with any man who isn’t me.
I realize that, in truth, I have no claim to her and that my jealousy is unwarranted. But when it comes to Aurora, I can’t help but feel like this. I’ve felt like this since I was a kid. It’s unnerving.
“Anyway, boss,” Vlad continues, tone carefully controlled. His eyes shift nervously, like he can tell he’s on thin ice. “At the risk of you punching me, I think you need to ease up on her.”
“Meaning?”
“Don’t be so intense all the time. This isn’t the version of you she knew and liked. You’ve always been like this, but not with her. Remember when we were fifteen? She was teaching you how to ride a bike, and you fell on your ass. I’ve never seen you laugh like that before. For a second, I thought you’d be mad, then you looked at her, and the both of you just lost it.”
He smiles like it’s a fond memory and I resist the urge to actually punch him. Unfortunately that would draw the attention of everyone in the ballroom.
“I told you never to mention that day ever again,” I grit out.
It’s one of the more embarrassing moments in my past. I don’t have a lot of those. I remember Aurora practically forcing me toward the back of the compound. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone there. She had recently found out I couldn’t ride a bike and refused to let it go. So, I agreed to one lesson. Which was a complete disaster. Even worse, Vlad was there, hiding behind one of the trees. He ran off before I could confront him about it.
He’s right, though. I was happy back then. Things were easier.
“Yes, but my point is, the two of you used to be friends. And I think you need to learn how to be friends again.”
“I doubt that’s possible. There’s too much history, too much baggage.”
“So what? You’re just going to let her go?”
My jaw clenches, and I shake my head. “That’s not going to happen.”
I already made the decision to do that once. And being around her again makes it clear that it was the wrong one. Vlad gives me a “there you have it look”, although he also looks a little wary. We don’t have talks like this often. I’ve known him half my life, and despite Adrian’s ridiculous claims about being my best friend, Vlad might be the closest thing I’ve got to a confidant. He’s not just my friend; he’s my brother. I know he would give his life for me in a heartbeat. And if I’m being honest, I would give mine for his.
“I’ll go back to surveilling the party, boss.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
Once he’s gone, I decide to go in search of Aurora. I send Danny a text asking where she is. When I arrive, she’s pacing back and forth between the ends of a hallway. Danny’s leaning against the wall, watching her.
“You can go,” I tell him once I arrive.
He inclines his head before walking away. I take his place, just watching her for a couple of moments. She’s changed out of her wedding dress and is now wearing a shorter white dress which stops above knees, hugging her waist, before flowing down. Her brown hair billows down her back in loose ringlets. Her eyes are furrowed in concentration, and she pretends not to notice my presence as she continues her pacing.
“Do you want to dance?” I ask, breaking the silence in the hallway.
She stops short, shooting me a confused look. “You hate dancing.”
