Memories flash quickly behind my eyes. Alessandro’s fist. The pain. The fear. The acceptance that he was finally going to kill me. My head jerks up and my eyes dart manically around the enclosed room. I rush to my feet. “I have to go.”

  “Go? Go where?” Lucia’s voice follows behind me as I dart around the apartment, frantically looking for my coat.

  “Anywhere but here. He’s going to come for me. I just know it.” Where’s my coat? My gaze scans the room, but I can’t find it. “I have to go.”

  Lucia moves in front of me and grabs my arms to get my attention. My breathing is ragged. I can’t concentrate on anything but the need to escape. “Aurora, it’s okay. Let me call Brenna. Tell her he was here,” she says calmly. “We’ll figure it out. Just give me a minute, please. Alessandro is gone for now. We have time.”

  Finally, her words slowly penetrate. I nod shakily. She slowly loosens her grip on me. My arms wrap around my waist, trying to fight against the cold that is seeping deep into my bones. I’m shaking so hard my teeth chatter. I stand there, almost in a daze. Vaguely, I can hear Lucia talking to someone, but the conversation isn’t processing.

  I’m itching to run. It’s a reckless thought. Alessandro is a powerful man in his own right. He has a lot of friends. There’s nowhere I can go where he can’t find me. I’m trying not to give up, but it’s so hard.

  “Brenna says to wait here just a little while longer,” Lucia says, startling me. She’s holding the phone to her ear. “She’s sending someone over.”

  Somehow, I have to keep it together until then.

  Chapter 20

  Jack

  * * *

  Da sits behind the behemoth desk he inherited from Grand-da and stares at me with a mix of emotions. Disapproval and disappointment seem to be battling with pride. I’m not sure which will win out. That sinking pit in my stomach grows. I’m thirty years old, yet at the moment, it’s like I’m a little kid again who’s sitting in front of Da getting a lecture on misbehaving.

  “I think it might be best if you refrain from attending any business meetings for a while. At least until things settle down,” he says.

  There’s no holding back my own disappointment. “So, hide?”

  Da cocks a brow. “More like don’t antagonize Emilio more than you already have. I heard about your confrontation at his office and again at the pub.”

  “Please tell me how seeking punishment against a man who almost killed his wife is antagonizing Emilio? Would you have let it pass, then?” I ask.

  “I’m sorry. Antagonize might not have been the right word. I just know how stubborn you both are. By questioning how he handles his business,”—I open my mouth to interrupt, but my father holds up a hand—“even if it’s for a worthy cause, you’ve backed him against a wall, Jack. Emilio is a powerful man who is going to push back. He’s fought hard to earn the respect of his men after Sal died and he took over.”

  “You think I don’t know that?” I ask incredulously.

  “I think that you are overlooking it, because of strong feelings. I understand. But you also know Emilio,” Da points out. “You know that he has no respect for someone who abuses a woman. Which means you should have trusted him to take care of this Alessandro in his own time and his own way.”

  He’s right. I slink down in my chair, but then I stop myself. I refuse to be sorry for what I did. “That’s not good enough. He nearly choked Grand-da to death after he hit Brenna on their wedding day. Threatened to put him in the ground if he ever touched her again. Emilio would have done it, too. You know it, and so did Grand-da.”

  “She was his wife.”

  “Only on paper. He didn’t know Brenna—only met her for the first time that day—yet he threatened a man’s life for her. A man his family only recently signed an alliance with. How is me threatening Alessandro Costa any different?” I don’t wait for an answer. “It’s not. I’d do it again.”

  Da leans forward in his chair, his stare intensifying. I neither fidget nor look away. “Do you care about this woman? I understand the two of you were already acquainted.”

  “I care what happens to her. Anything beyond that, I can’t answer. I do know there’s something about her that intrigued me back then. Still intrigues me.” I too lean forward and rest my crossed forearms on the edge of the desk. “Have you ever met someone and felt an instant connection to them?”

  Da shakes his head. “I’m afraid not.”

  “Not even Mother?” I ask in surprise.

  “You know that your mother’s and my marriage was arranged.”

  I nod.

  “Neither of us cared much for the other at first, I’m afraid. In fact, I’m pretty sure your mother despised me.”

  I hadn’t realized.

  “I assume by your question, it’s because you feel something for this woman? Aurora, is it?” Da continues.

  This is the first time I think I’m truly acknowledging it. “I can’t explain it. Hell, it may not even mean anything or go anywhere. We had only a brief conversation, but just standing next to her, it felt like I’d known her my whole life.”

  Talking to Aurora had been easy. Comfortable.

  “She sounds like a special woman.”

  I blink and glance up at my father. “I think she could be. Which is why I’m not sure I can just stand by and wait for Emilio to decide if, or when, he’s going to do something.”

  “You are my son, Jack. I love you, and I’m proud of the man you’ve grown into. This is an untenable situation for everyone involved. There’s Brenna. Your brothers. Even your Aurora. Whatever happens, I want you to know that I’ll support you the best way I can.”

  “I love you, too, Da.” I nod respectfully and head out of his office. Paddy waits for me in the hallway.

  “So?” he asks. “What’s next?”

  “I haven’t figured it out yet. Based on everything Aurora said, her husband isn’t going to let this pass. For the moment, with him still not showing his face, she’s safe, I think. But I plan on keeping watch for him. The minute he shows—whether it’s approaching her, or hell, even Emilio—he’ll regret it.”

  “Whatever you need from me, you got it,” Paddy says.

  My phone rings. I glance at the screen and then at my brother. “It’s Brenna.” I frown. “Hello?”

  “Aurora needs your help,” she says without preamble.

  “What happened?”

  “Lucia just called. Alessandro was outside their apartment.”

  “That son of a bitch,” I growl and want to punch the wall.

  “What’s going—” Paddy starts to ask, but I wave him off.

  “Call her back and tell her I’m on my way. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” I disconnect the call, my own panic rising. Rage nips at its heels. If that fucker even breathes on her, he’s a dead man.

  Leaving Paddy to chase after me, I rush down the stairs, completely forgoing the brownstone’s elevator. There’s no time to waste. I narrowly dodge running over Caitlín in the living room.

  “Where are you going?” she hollers after us, but I don’t stop until I’m in the driver’s seat of the car.

  Paddy jumps in next to me. “What the hell was that?”

  “Costa was outside Aurora’s apartment.”

  “Christ.” He runs his hand through his hair. “What are you going to do?”

  I don’t answer. Instead, I focus on the road and getting to Bath Beach as soon as I can. I won’t be satisfied until I can see for myself that she’s okay. Horns blare and more than one person flips me off as I weave in and out between cars.

  “Get out of the way,” I yell. These are the times I fucking hate Brooklyn traffic.

  It takes far longer than I hoped, but at last, I pull up to Aurora’s building. There’s not a single parking space open on the street nor in the small lot in front. I double-park and am out of the car, running across the concrete and grass. The front door is locked and there’s an intercom pad on the wall. I don’t have an apartment number, so I start hitting all the buttons until finally a woman answers one of them.

  “Whatever it is you’re selling, we don’t want any.”

  “Lucia?”

  “Who is this?” she asks.

  “It’s Jack.” My toe taps an inpatient beat.

  “Top floor.” The door buzzes and there’s a sharp click of the lock disengaging. Paddy arrives just as I grab the handle and jerk it open. Taking the stairs two at a time, I get to the third floor. A door at the end of the hallway opens. Lucia stands there, nibbling on her thumb. My frantic pace finally slows, and I stride forward. She steps back and lets us in.

  “Where’s Aurora?” I ask more harshly than intended.

  “She’s in her bedroom. Second door on the right.” She points behind her.

  With marked cautiousness, I make my way across the living room and down the hall, leaving Paddy and Lucia in the entryway. I pause outside the door. It’s quiet in there. I’d imagined her crying, but it’s eerily silent. I lightly rap a single knuckle on the wooden surface. “Aurora. It’s Jack. Can I come in?” I ask softly.

  At first there’s no movement inside. I try to be patient, but adrenaline is rushing through my system, and I’m getting antsy. Then, a faint rustling noise comes through. There’s a loud snick and a crack appears. It grows wider and…she’s there. Pale skin makes the black, purple, and green bruises that much darker. Red-rimmed eyes won’t meet mine. Tangled hair lies in a ratty mess around her shoulders.

  I try to temper the rage coursing through me so I don’t scare her, but it’s more difficult than I imagine. My fists clench at my sides. I want to slam them again and again into Alessandro’s face until it’s nothing more than mangled flesh. Then I want to put a bullet in his brain.

  “Can I come in?” I ask again.

  Aurora takes a couple steps back, pulling the door open with her until it’s wide enough for me to pass through. I take in the spartan room with only the queen-sized bed and a narrow bureau occupying it. The closet door is slid open halfway. Even with the darkness and distance, I can tell it’s empty of any clothes. I turn around, and Aurora is still standing at the door, a look of hopelessness on her face. I know what I have to do.

  “I’m getting you out of here,” I announce. “Taking you someplace where you’ll be safe.”

  Chapter 21

  Aurora

  * * *

  I can’t believe Jack is here. Part of me wants to cry in relief. Then his words process. “What?”

  “Brenna called me. Said Alessandro was here. Outside. I’m going to take you somewhere he won’t be able to find you,” he says.

  A hysterical laugh bursts out of me. “He’ll always find me. Haven’t you figured that out yet? There isn’t any escaping him.”

  Jacks moves toward me, and I stumble back, throwing my arm out in front of me. He stops in an instant, his hands clenched tightly at his side. I try to draw my gaze away from them, but I can’t bring myself to. He shoves them in his pocket. My gaze darts up to meet his, and a flush covers his cheeks.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologizes.

  A hint of guilt builds, along with the lie that I’m not scared, but I squash it. We both know I am.

  “Aurora,” Jack says softly. “Let me help you. I can keep you safe. You just have to trust me.”

  God, I want to more than anything. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “I know it’s hard and that you’re scared. But you’re not alone anymore. Please.” Jack’s eyes beg.

  “Let him help you, Rory.”

  I whirl around. Lucia stands in the doorway. Her expression is also pleading. My body trembles with fear. You can do this, a tiny voice whispers. I take as deep a breath as I can without causing pain. My gaze bounces from her back to Jack. There’s tension in his frame, but he doesn’t make any demands. His face is blank. He only lets his eyes express his plea.

  The small voice inside me becomes more insistent. Louder. Finally, I give a shallow nod. His tense muscles visibly relax. I turn back to Lucia, whose eyes are shimmering with wetness. She gives me a small smile of encouragement. “Let me put together a bag for you.”

  “I need to make a couple phone calls,” he says, and with only a single glance in my direction, he walks out of my bedroom leaving only my aunt and me.

  She gently grips my hand and pulls me along until we’re across the hall and standing in her room. I lower myself to the corner of the bed while she scrambles around and grabs a small suitcase. Then she starts tossing clothes in it. She disappears into the en-suite bath and moments later she’s back and throwing more things into the luggage.

  I feel like I should be doing something to help, but I can’t do anything more than just sit and watch. It’s like I’m a pawn on a giant chess board that someone else is controlling and moving all the pieces. I can only go where they put me. It’s a horrific feeling, but I’m not sure how to escape from it.

  “There should be enough clothes in there to last a few days.” Lucia closes the zipper. Her eyes meet mine. “There’s all the toiletries you might possibly need. I’m sure if there’s anything missing, Jack will get it for you.”

  “Everyone is always taking care of me,” I say almost absently. It’s something I’m starting to recognize, and I don’t like it. When am I going to start taking care of myself?

  Lucia grabs my hand in hers and squats in front of me. Her gaze narrows onto my face. “There’s nothing wrong with letting people take care of you when you need it.” Lucia grabs my hand in hers and squats in front of me. Her gaze narrows onto my face. “Brenna is working on having a lawyer draw up the divorce papers. I know that when the time comes, you’ll be able to take care of yourself. It might seem like forever, but you’ll get there. I promise.”

  I’ve never had anyone have as much faith in me as she does. I jump from the bed, pulling her with me, and throw my arms around her. “Thank you for everything.”

  Her return embrace is gentle. “We’re family, Rory. You’re my best friend. I’d do anything for you, and I know you’d do the same for me.”

  I hold her tighter, and for as long as I can, until at last she pulls away. She palms my cheeks and wipes away my tears with her thumbs before releasing me to grab the suitcase. I follow her out of the room where Jack and another man waits. His hair has the same reddish hue, and they both have the same blue eyes. Is this his brother? He eyeballs me with an inscrutable expression. I hope I’m imagining the hint of disapproval in his gaze. I don’t want to cause any discord between Jack and his family. He takes the suitcase from Lucia and heads out the front door without a word. Jack’s gaze catches mine, and my cheeks heat.

  “Are you ready?” he asks.

  I ignore the screaming cautioning me against what I’m about to do and nod. “I think so.”

  He glances at Lucia. “If you need anything, call Brenna. She’ll know how to get in touch with me.”

  “You got it,” she replies.

  I give her one last hug and then move to the front door. Jack reaches out to place a hand on my back, but pulls away at the last minute. Memories of the last time he touched me surface, but I lock them away. I lead the way down the stairs until we reach the front door. Jack heads out first.

  The bitter cold sends a sharp nip to my skin. The sun is deceiving. From inside, it looked like a beautiful, warm day. But winter is in full swing, bringing with it the freezing temperatures. I shiver against the chill. He guides me past a few cars in the small parking lot in front of the building until we reach a Mercedes. Jack opens the back door. My suitcase isn’t anywhere to be found, so I assume it’s in the trunk. His brother is behind the wheel. He doesn’t even glance in my direction.

  I climb inside the warm vehicle, expecting Jack to take the front, but he gets in with me. Quickly, I scoot all the way over, careful not to touch him. He closes us inside and his brother pulls out. My gaze wanders, studying every vehicle on the street we pass. Is someone watching me from one of them?

  “Paddy will make sure no one follows us,” Jack says, breaking the silence that is thick and choking.

  “I trust you.” The words come out rusty and unsure. “Can I ask where we’re going?”

  “A penthouse I own. It’s been empty for a couple years and has a high-tech security system. The elevator can only reach that floor with a special keycard.”

  It does sound safe. A question has been rattling around in my head since Jack announced we were leaving, but I’ve been afraid to ask it. “Will I be there alone? Or is someone going to stay with me?”

  He glances at the back of his brother’s head before turning to me. “You won’t be alone.” He pauses briefly. “I’m staying with you.”

  Mixed emotions war with each other. On one hand, I feel safer knowing that someone—that Jack—will be near in case Alessandro finds me. On the other, I’ll be alone with Jack. I’m not sure that’s a good idea.

  “How long?” I ask.

  Jack raises a questioning brow.

  I clear my throat. “How long will you be staying there, I mean?”

  A fierceness crosses his face. “Until Alessandro is out of your life.”

  My stomach drops. “What if that never happens?”

  “Oh, it will.”

  “How can you be sure?” I push.

  “Because I’ll make it happen. Even if that means getting rid of him myself.”

  Chapter 22

  Jack

  * * *

  Aurora’s terror is nearly palpable, but I’m proud of how well she’s keeping herself together. When I’d rushed over, I didn’t have any plan other than to make sure she was safe. The idea to move her to the penthouse came out of nowhere.

  Paddy has been awfully quiet. A rare occurrence. I’ve caught his eye in the rear view mirror a few times, but then he turns his gaze back to the road. Like I told Aurora, I trust him to make sure we don’t have a tail.