She’s been blindsided, and I’m guilty of that deception as I am of far more. She doesn’t need to know I was being selfish, keeping her for me alone. She’ll have forever with these people, and I wanted her without all their influence. Once I realized who she was, I had to see if we could be anything without her knowing our past and if it truly was fate bringing us together again.
A figure in black steps into my peripheral vision, and instinctively, I move to Aura. I place my arm around her, clutching her to me, and murmur, “Careful with this one. I’ve never trusted her.”
I know she catches my words as her body stiffens with each approaching step from the woman clad in all black. She’s a dark stain on the party, evil surrounding every inch of her. She stands out amongst the guests in her spiked ebony shoes, dress, makeup, and hair. Even the diamonds dripping over her are the darkest shade of black available. As she pauses to stand in front of us, I rumble, “Aura, this is your aunt.”
Black lips twist into a cruel grin as she stares down her sharp nose at Aura. Her words are slick and slimy as she falsely greets, “Darling! We’ve all missed you so. We were worried you were left for dead somewhere in a ditch.”
She was hoping as much, that I don’t doubt. As the next heir in line beside Aura, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the one who organized Aura’s disappearance in the first place. In fact, that makes the most sense out of everything. It’s an idea I’ve toyed with a time or two in the back of my mind, one that hasn’t gone away.
“Hello, forgive me for being rude, but I don’t know what your name is.” Aura is the last person who should be apologizing to this vile woman. I don’t interrupt as the last thing I want is to offer her aunt any pleasantries when she least deserves them. Rather, I bide my time standing behind Aura, steady as a stone for as long as she needs me to be.
“Never mind that, darling. One can’t expect much when your mind is so fragile.”
Bitch is an understatement when it comes to this woman. She has the nerve to be speaking down to Aura. There are plenty of us in this room tonight who can see her for what she really is. She may wear black as a silent suit of armor, but her favorite color is old-money green. She latched onto Steven and Lucia and hasn’t let go of the gold chain since.
Aura offers a kind smile while standing her ground. Needless to say, I’m proud of her to see she has a backbone even when faced with a powerful adversary. “Right, what shall I call you?”
“Aunty will suffice nicely.”
Luckily, we’re interrupted by her father. The eager old fool doesn’t want to relinquish his time with his daughter after being apart from her for so long. Living with her for the short time I have, I can understand his fondness. I don’t want to give her up either.
“Why the long faces? This is a party. Everyone should be celebrating and wearing smiles. The world is right once again, and I have my daughter home with me.” His face lights up as he gazes fondly at Aura, love and pride shining from him.
“Of course, Steven,” I agree. “It wasn’t the same without her around. We all missed her presence.”
Her aunt ruins the moment by saying, “It was certainly much quieter without a clumsy toddler getting into everything.”
“Aura, come with me. I need to speak with you for a moment.” I tug her far enough away we won’t be easily overheard by her aunt. My eagerness to get her alone is met with an icy glare. It’s what I deserve, my betrayal has run deep, and I’d bet she’s barely scratching the surface of her anger.
“What is it,” she asks with impatience lacing her tone.
I inwardly cringe but keep any apologies to myself. I refuse to grovel for merely keeping her safe. Were my ambitions strictly selfish? One could argue they are, but I always had her safety in the forefront of my mind. “Trust me when I tell you there’s something off with that woman. Don’t let her get too close or ever be alone with Diana. My gut tells me she’s guilty, of what, who knows. My gut never lies, so I won’t begin to doubt it now. You can’t trust her.”
“Did your gut also tell you to lie to me about knowing who I am? All this time, Philip, you knew who my mother and father were, and you chose not to tell me. What does that say about the type of person you are, or if I can trust you at this point as well? You owe me an explanation. It’s the least you can do after lying to me, after making me fall for you like a fool.”
Fuck. This is worse than I thought.
I can’t worry about that now, not when we’re in a ballroom full of serpents. “After years of experience chasing convicts, one thing I’ve learned is how to peg a criminal. No matter if they’re clad in silk-lined suits, five-day-old jeans, or in this case, a black evening gown. I know that I hurt you, but it wasn’t my intention. Be angry all you want but listen to me on this one last thing.”
“Fine.” She glances toward her father, and in my heart, I know she won’t be coming home with me. Another time maybe if I’m ever so lucky to figure a way to pay penance for my betrayal, and she allows me to touch her again. I reach for her elbow testing my theory, and she proves me right when she jerks away as if she’s been stung. If she only had a clue, I’m the one person here she can truly trust, betrayal or not.
Tilting my chin, I let her know she’s welcome to return to her family. I don’t want to keep her away from them any longer, not until she’s forgiven me and we can work through this.
Making my way back with her, I shake Philip’s hand. I offer a jerky nod toward the evil bitch in black and make for the exit. I hear them asking Aura about her singing and if she’ll grace the guests with a song. I regret sharing the detail about her with them and should’ve selfishly saved it for myself. This is her first night back in her home, and yet they threw a party full of people she doesn’t know and now want her on stage, playing the dutiful puppet. It’s something I’ve never been able to stand.
My family is nearly as wealthy as Aura’s, and it’s one of the reasons they had so many plans for us when we became adults. Fate just so happened to intervene and cruelly steal away all options offered to us. It had to wait until we were adults, both fucked-up in our own ways before finally realigning our stars. Even with a second chance at hand, we seem to be veering in separate directions.
Needless to say, I never quite lived up to my parents’ expectations, not that I give a fuck. Sure, I love them both, they were good to me growing up, but it doesn’t mean I’ll give up all that I am to be something I’m not. The stuffy business suit, married to Aura with four of our own little heirs running around, isn’t in my cards.
As soon as I’m free from open ears and prying stares, I retrieve my cell from my pocket. There’s a text from Beast, letting me know he’s sending a prospect with a file for me to take a look at. Periodically, he’ll do this, and I know it’s his way of checking up on me. Whereas, I’ll just randomly show up to make sure the fucker is still fighting his demons. I shoot him back a quick reply, grateful his new wife is keeping him too busy to dwell on the past. He deserves to be at peace.
I pull up Diablo’s number. It rings once before his gruff bark comes across the line. “Yeah?”