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“I’m sorry about your mother, Adrian,” I say sympathetically.
I don’t remember much because we were so young, but I know Adrian’s mother died a few years after mine. I didn’t realize she’d been murdered.
“I don’t need apologies. I want justice,” he grits out.
“You can still get it,” I assure him. “Look, one thing about Nico is that no matter what, he always has a plan. And I’m sure he took into account what happened to you when he decided to work towards an alliance with the Bratva.”
“Meaning what?”
“Instead of getting angry, negotiate with him. Tell Nico you want your mother’s murderer brought to justice.”
“I doubt he’ll be willing to accede to that after my actions today,” Adrian points out.
“Yeah, you might have jumped the gun on that one,” I admit. “So just bide your time. Say yes to whatever the Don is planning, and then later, when the air is clearer, and things aren’t as chaotic, you can strike. You’ve waited a long time for your revenge, Adrian. You can wait a while longer.”
He smiles once I’m done talking. It’s a genuine one I think.
“I’m impressed, Aurora. I can finally see why he wanted you at his side. You’re good at this.”
The compliment doesn’t fill me with any form of happiness. I don’t want to be good at this. It shouldn’t be who I am. Adrian finally sheathes his knife, sliding it into an old-looking scabbard.
“That’s a cool dagger,” I find myself saying.
“It’s one part of a set,” he murmurs. “A family heirloom. My favorite weapon for murder.”
“Oh, how charming,” I say dryly.
He grins. “Come on, princess. Let’s go back to your husband before he sends the guards after you.”
When we return the air in the house is calmer. Nico and the other men already moved into the room where table meetings occur. After one last smile directed at me, Adrian heads over there as well. I would have liked to be present, but wives have no place there. And I think it’s in my best interests to be as far away from all that as possible.
One of the maids in the house approaches me once I’m left alone.
“Welcome back, Mrs. Ramirez,” she says.
I have to fight very hard not to frown at the name. At this point, even I am unsure what my last name is. I was born with the name Maranzano, but when my sister and I left, we changed it to Kent for anonymity and now everyone knows me as Aurora Ramirez.
It’s a wonder I have any sense of identity. All this change is bound to give me whiplash.
“Hi, Corinne,” I greet the brown-haired woman. She’s been a great at helping me get situated since I started living at the compound again. “How are you?”
“Very well, ma’am. I wanted to ask if you would like us to move your things into the Don’s room, or if you’d like them to stay in your room.”
I hesitate before replying. When I moved back here, I immediately chose my childhood bedroom because it was, and still is, the most comfortable room in the house. It’s the place I feel most at ease. But now that Nico and I are in a good place, I don’t want to be separated from him. It’s how distance grows between couples.
I wish we’d spoken about it. No one would care that much if we used separate bedrooms, despite us being a married couple. But I feel like it’s a conversation we should have together as far as whether we’d like to share the same space.
“She will be staying in the same room as the Don, of course,” someone answers for me in a clear voice.
I turn around and gasp at the sight of the older woman with graying black hair and a stern expression in her brown eyes.
“Oh my God, Mona!” I scream before rushing forward and wrapping my arms around her.
I’m starting to realize I left a lot of people that I cared about when I decided to leave with my sister. Mona’s one of those people. I missed her so much.
“I was starting to think you were staying away on purpose. Nico told me you were around here somewhere, but you didn’t come and see me,” I state, pulling back to look at her.
She offers me a warm smile. “You’ve grown up so much, Aurora.”
