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Mona has my burger ready in no time. Once I’m done eating, I thank her with a hug, grateful to have her in our lives. I decide to head back to my room and try to sleep since it’s clear Nico won’t be home anytime soon.
I do manage to fall asleep soon after getting back into bed. When my eyes open again, it’s to the sound of rustling in the room, right before I’m pulled backward into Nico’s warm chest. He hugs me from behind, placing a soft kiss on my neck.
“What time is it?” I murmur sleepily.
“Four a.m. I didn’t mean to wake you, baby,” he says in a low voice.
I remember what happened earlier today despite my sleep-dazed state.
“Are you okay? No stab wounds or gunshot wounds?”
He chuckles roughly. “I’m perfectly fine. Just sorry I worried you,” he says softly against my hair.
I exhale a soft breath. I’ll have more to say tomorrow, but for now, I’m just glad he’s here. “It’s fine, just go to sleep, Nicky. You must be tired.”
It’s a testament to how exhausted he is that he doesn’t argue any further. And after a couple of minutes of reassuring myself that he’s really okay, I’m lulled back to sleep as well.
CHAPTER 26
NICO
When my eyes open, it’s to the sight of my wife standing in front of a mirror in our bedroom and getting dressed. It takes me a few seconds to fully wake up, and then I’m sitting up with a frown. I didn’t even feel it when she slid out of bed. Usually, I’m up the second there’s even the tiniest sound in the room, but since Aurora came back into my life, my insomnia has practically disappeared.
All I need to do is have her in my hands, and then I’m out for the night. It’s kind of a double-edged sword, because I hate feeling vulnerable, especially since I have so much to protect.
“Hey, baby,” I say in greeting. “Are you going somewhere?”
She turns around in the process of braiding her hair, and her eyes narrow.
“You’re finally up,” she notes.
“Yeah. And I asked if you were going somewhere.”
“I have to go in to work, Nico. I told you, we’re in the middle of a small crisis,” she says, and there’s a note of frustration in her voice. Some of it seems to be directed at me.
Which is to be expected. I sigh softly before getting out of bed and walking toward her. I pull her into my arms despite her small protests.
“You’re upset.”
“Of course, I’m upset,” she mumbles against my chest. “You scared me yesterday.”
“Things went wrong during the shipment delivery yesterday. I wasn’t expecting an ambush. But I was perfectly safe, I promise.”
“You’re always making promises, Nico,” she says, pulling away to look me in the eye. “But what if something had happened last night? What if you had gotten hurt?”
“Aurora, I’m fine.”
She lets out a soft breath. “And you’d better stay that way.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She smiles when I give her a mock salute.
“You’re so annoying. And I’m still heading in for work,” she states, her hands moving back to her hair so she can complete the side braid she was working on.
“How are you handling things there? Do you need me to do anything?”
She shakes her head. “No, I’ve got it covered. I just need to get to the site, and I’m already late. Can you come pick me up later?”
