She falls quiet. I keep peeking glances at her from the corner of my eye. Her clothes hang on her. She looks like a child curled up in the corner, even though I know that under those baggy clothes she’s all woman. I try not to think about it. She’s been traumatized and abused. I picture her flinching away from me when I moved toward her too fast, and I get angry all over again.

  Finally, Paddy turns into the driveway leading to the secure, underground garage. The metal gate opens and he pulls in. The gate closes behind him as he maneuvers through the dimly lit cavernous space and finds the parking spot designated for the penthouse. He exits the vehicle and circles around to the trunk while I step out and wait for Aurora.

  I hold out my hand to assist her. She glances down at it like it’s a venomous snake. Her throat bobs with a hard swallow, and her eyes dart up to my face. I can tell the moment she makes a decision. Her shoulders straighten, and she takes it. Skin as soft as satin brushes across mine. On instinct, I tighten my fingers. Aurora’s breath hitches and there’s a slight pause. My grip loosens, she exhales, and continues out of the vehicle. The second she’s upright, she releases me. I bank my disappointment, and instead glance at Paddy.

  His normally animated expression is blank, but I detect a spark of maybe anger, in his eyes. He blinks and it’s gone. Then he pivots, Aurora’s suitcase in hand, and heads toward the elevator. The three of us enter, and moments later, it opens to a giant entryway with a narrow strip of floor bisecting a pool of water that leads to a set of double doors.

  I swipe my keycard over the electronic panel on the wall beside the door. A green light appears along with a pleasant beep. I swing the left side open and proceed through it. Motion-sensored lights engage, illuminating a spacious living area decorated in contemporary black and silver.

  Two black leather couches are parked perpendicular to each other in the middle of the room, with a burnished, silver-topped coffee table in front of them. They’re centered over a large gray-and-black patterned area rug. Aurora’s wide-eyed gaze travels around the room seeming to take everything in.

  “I know it isn’t anything fancy, but you should be comfortable here,” I tell her.

  She swivels her head in my direction. “It’s beautiful.”

  Behind us, Paddy clears his throat. “Where do you want this?” He holds up Aurora’s suitcase.

  “You can put it in the master suite.”

  He raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth as though to say something, but then shuts it and turns away without a word, leaving me alone with Aurora. “Let me give you a tour and then I’ll show you to your room.”

  “Okay.”

  We cross the living room and enter into the kitchen full of stainless steel appliances and more black accents. “I called the housekeeper and asked her to pick up a few things. I’ll make sure the fridge is stocked with whatever you need. Do you cook?”

  Her face flushes. “Yes. I’ll try not to eat too much, though.”

  Once again, I take her in. I miss her curves. The nipped in waist. The wide hips. The lush ass. Did that asshole husband of hers make her lose weight? “Eat whatever you want, whenever you want. There is no one here to tell you otherwise. If you want to order in something, just let me know.”

  Her expression seems a bit self-conscious. Yet another sin to add to the shoulders of that bastard, Costa. We travel through the rest of the house, including the room I’d briefly used as an office and pseudo-library. “I don’t know if there are any books of interest to you, but feel free to look through them and help yourself.”

  Paddy is in the living room when we return. His gaze follows as we pass on our way toward the bedrooms. We stop in front of the master suite. The light remains on. Aurora moves past me. Her suitcase is sitting at the foot of the king-sized bed that dominates the room. “You can store your things in the dresser and there should be some hangers in the closet. The bathroom is through there,”—I gesture—“and there are towels under the sink.”

  I glance at her when she doesn’t say anything. Aurora’s gaze seems to be locked on the bed. I clear my throat, and she jumps. “I’ll let you get settled. If you need anything, I’ll be in the living room.”

  She peeks nervously up at me from beneath long, lush lashes. “Thank you. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome.” I leave the room to go talk to Paddy. He’s clearly got something he wants to say. It’s been evident since we got to Aurora’s place. He’s pacing the length of the room upon my arrival, but stops as soon as he spots me.

  “It’s no wonder you want to kill him,” he says with a biting rage. “She looks like she’s been in some fecking street fight and came out on the losing end. That piece of shit deserves what’s coming to him.”

  A part of me that had remained tense loosens. “You’ve been awfully quiet since we first arrived to get Aurora. Well, aside from the angry glances you kept throwing her way.”

  “I was pissed. I didn’t realize the extent of the damage Costa had caused her. Christ, the poor girl is nearly black and blue all over. The bastard broke her arm,” Paddy growls. “God knows what’s going on under those clothes if that’s what her face looks like.”

  Instantly, I’m picturing her wearing nothing at all. My mouth waters at the image of rose-tipped breasts. I start to imagine what she’ll look like when she puts more weight back on. How those mounds will fill out again.

  A stinging pain to my arm snaps me out of it. “What the hell was that for?” I rub the offending spot where Paddy flicked his finger against me.

  “You zoned out, and didn’t hear a word I said. I asked if it was a good idea for you to stay here. It might be better if you have one of our soldiers guarding Aurora.”

  An instant denial spills forth. “I need to know that she’s safe. Our men are good, but I don’t trust anyone else to keep her out of danger. Besides, I don’t think she’d be comfortable with a stranger.”

  “Those all sound like very convenient excuses,” Paddy says. “I just want you to be careful. Don’t do anything you both might regret later.”

  “Nothing is going to happen between us.”

  He stares for several beats. “Keep telling yourself that.”

  With that he strides past me and out the penthouse door. Moments later, there’s the ding of the elevator and then all is quiet. I glance around the place and my gaze drifts toward the hallway leading to where Aurora hides away.

  Chapter 23

  Aurora

  * * *

  As soon as Jack leaves, I lock the door behind him and then collapse onto the bed. My suitcase at the end of it gives a little bounce. Nothing about this seems real. Not the aches and pains over my entire body. Not the fact that I’m finally away from Alessandro. Certainly not the fact that Jack is the one helping me.

  My memories of him don’t live up to the reality. He’d been charming. Dashing, even. His smile had been flirtatious, but genuine. This version of him is so much more. Bigger. His shoulders have filled out. The boyishness of his face has hardened, making him appear more rugged than before. Gone is the playful flirt. In its place is an intensely serious man. He’s far more dangerous than before. In more ways than one.

  Twice, he’s offered to kill Alessandro for me. I’m not entirely naïve about the goings on inside our organization, but I’ve also been far enough removed from it that until my marriage, it had never directly affected me. From his fierce glares, there’s no question that he’d actually do it.

  That isn’t the only thing that makes him dangerous, though. It’s how I feel whenever he’s near. My heart races just like it had on that balcony. My lips tingle with remembrance of his kiss. I remember his gentleness. A thing I’ve not had in far too long. Until I placed my hand in his downstairs, I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be touched with kindness. A shiver skates down my arms from the rough, sandpaper texture of his fingers and the friction it generated against my skin.

  “Stop it,” I whisper out loud, my gaze traveling to make sure no one witnesses me talking to myself.

  Nothing can come of this…awareness. Not while there’s so much chaos in my life. Maybe not even after. Because I may not survive it. A familiar frisson of fear nips the back of my neck. I jump up from the bed and head into the bathroom to splash water on my face. The reflection staring back at me makes me grimace. Sunken cheekbones, discolored by bruises, stand out. The clothes Lucia loaned me drape sloppily over my frame.

  I step back from the sink and pull my top up and over my head and slip out of my pants—tasks I’m still having minor difficulty with because of this stupid cast. My fingers trace over each line of my prominent ribs. Mottled bruising decorates my entire torso. I trace the sharp lines of my protruding collarbone. A step backward reveals a flat stomach and equally sharp hip bones.

  I turn my back toward the mirror and twist to look over my shoulder at the damage. My flesh is flayed and raw. Thick patches of scarring coalesce with the scabbed over and open wounds caused by the metal tip of Alessandro’s belt—his favored weapon of choice after his fists. There even looks to be an outline of a shoe across my lower back. I quickly glance away, unable to stand the sight of it.

  The draw of the shower is too much to ignore. I search for a towel, finding them exactly where Jack said they would be. Then, I run the water, letting it heat up to the perfect temperature and climb in. I’d give anything to wash my hair, but it’s too much to do with only one hand. Making sure to keep my arm out of the stream of water, I clean myself using a bottle of shower gel that smells exactly like Jack.

  Once I’m finished, with clumsy movements, I wrap myself in the towel and step back into the bedroom. I rummage through the suitcase and put on a clean shirt and pants. My gaze travels around the room. As much as I’d like to, I can’t hide in here forever. Still, I procrastinate a little longer by unpacking and putting my limited amount of things away. I’ve just closed the dresser drawer when my stomach rumbles with hunger. There’s nothing left to do but head out to the living room in search of Jack and food.

  He’s not there when I arrive, nor is his brother. My heartbeat skips and a familiar tangy flavor fills my mouth. I take several deep breaths, trying to quell the flare of panic threatening to rupture. He said I wouldn’t be left alone. Then a muffled voice reaches me. Shaky legs carry me across the room in the direction of the small library or, possibly, office.

  “She’s safe.” I can make out Jack’s words. I peek around the corner. He’s sitting behind the desk with his phone to his ear. I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I can’t seem to help myself.

  “Emilio can grumble all he wants. You’re his wife, Brenna. I trust you can manage to soothe his pride and keep his mind on other things,” he says. There’s a long pause. “There’s no reason he needs to know where we are. You can just tell him that Aurora is with me while he does, or doesn’t do, whatever it is he decides.”

  Another long pause. Jack glances up, and before I can jump back out of sight, our eyes meet. “I have to go.”

  There’s a definite squawk on the other end of the line, but he disconnects the call and lays his phone on the desktop.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I say, taking a tentative step into the room.

  “You didn’t,” he assures me with a smooth lie I’m grateful for. “Is everything all right?”

  For the second time, my stomach rumbles. I slam a hand over it. “Um, sorry. I was wondering if there was something I could eat?”

  Jack quickly stands from his chair, and out of reflex I take a small step back. He pauses, and I flinch at both our reactions. His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t acknowledge my movement. “There might be something in the pantry, if you’d like to follow me.”

  “Thank you.”

  A bit more slowly, something I hate that he has to do, because he shouldn’t have to, he passes by me and heads into the kitchen. I trail behind.

  “Have a seat,” Jack instructs when we get there.

  I settle onto one of the black upholstered dining room chairs while he rummages through the pantry. “There are a couple cans of chicken noodle soup,” he calls over his shoulder. “No crackers, though.”

  “Soup is fine.”

  He comes out holding a large red and white labeled-can. Within minutes, a steaming hot bowl is placed in front of me.

  “Thank you,” I say a second time. It seems as though recently that’s the only thing I can.

  Jack takes a seat, and my breath stutters. The scent of his cologne is a subtle fragrance behind the smell of my meal. Doing my best to ignore his presence, I slowly take a few slurps of broth, blowing on each one to cool it off a little.

  “You don’t have to take care of me, you know,” I say between bites, trying not to sound ungrateful. “I mean, I can make my own dinner and whatnot, if you just point to where things are.”

  His gaze scans my face. “I don’t mind.”

  I glance away from the intensity behind his eyes. It’s too much. “I appreciate it. Truly, I do. But if I’m ever going to be free of Alessandro and start my life over, I really need to be taking care of myself. I can’t rely on other people.”

  Jack doesn’t say anything at first. “Whatever you’d like,” he finally concedes.

  Silence descends again while I continue with my meal. I glance in his direction several times. It feels weird to be eating in front of him. However, it’s obvious, he has no intention of vacating his spot, so I suffer through the awkwardness until I can’t eat anymore. I set the spoon in the bowl with the remaining soup. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t eat another bite.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He reaches for the bowl at the same time I do. Our hands brush. Jack pulls back with an apology.

  “I’ll get it,” I tell him firmly.

  He raises his hands in surrender. I pick up my bowl, take it to the sink to wash, and place it in the dish drainer on the counter. I’ll put it away after it dries. Not wanting to appear rude, I return to my seat at the table.

  “Did you find everything in your room, all right?” he asks.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  More painful silence ensues.

  “Are you in trouble for helping me?”

  “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

  That’s an evasive answer if I’ve ever heard one. “Considering you’re the one that seems to be caught in the middle of all this, I think maybe I should be worried. It’s not up to you to try and save me, Jack. Not if it’s going to cause problems between you and your family. Especially if it’s going to cause problems.”

  Jack’s bright blue eyes bore into mine. “There are no problems that you need to worry about. I’m taking care of things.”

  I bite back a growl of frustration. “Your brother—that was your brother with you today, wasn’t it?” He nods affirmatively. “Your brother didn’t seem too happy about you helping me.”

  “It wasn’t you Paddy wasn’t happy with. Neither of us like seeing a woman abused.”

  That’s what I am isn’t it? An abused woman? A wave of self-pity washes over me. Lucia’s voice whispers in my ear. Bad shit happens to good people. It sucks. But you can’t let it control you. Pick yourself up. Brush yourself off. Hold your head up high. What happened to you doesn’t define you.

  “Still,” I continue. “I don’t want to be the reason for any trouble between you and Mr. Ricci.”

  Jack reaches out and lays his hand on top of mine. My stomach dips, but not in a bad way. Rather, in that fluttery, excited way. It’s warm against my skin and travels up my arm. My belly heats.

  “You let me worry about Emilio,” he says.

  Chapter 24

  Jack

  * * *

  I shouldn’t be touching Aurora. Yet I can’t help myself. There’s a soft fragility to her. As soon as I laid my hand on hers, those lips I remember the taste of part slightly as she pulls in a sharp breath. I don’t think she realizes how expressive her eyes are. They show the depth of her emotions. A wary caution is present. But just past that, a tiny light flickers with something more primal.

  My nostrils flare as I breathe in her scent. She smells like the body-wash I use. There’s also a hint of arousal. I have to tamp down my own. Except everything about her brings all my protective instincts to the front. God, what is it about this woman? Reluctantly, I remove my hand from hers. I could swear there’s a flash of disappointment in her gaze.

  “I have to make a few more phone calls. If you’d like to get anything out of the library to read first, go ahead,” I tell her as I stand from the table. I ignore the voice that says I’m running away. I’m not. Merely putting some much needed distance between us.

  “Actually, I think I might just grab a glass of water and go lay down if that’s all right.”

  “Of course. This is your house while you’re here. Do whatever makes you comfortable.”

  “Goodnight,” Aurora says.

  My feet refuse to move at first. I stare down at her, taking in the pink of her cheeks, and the chocolate eyes that don’t seem to want to pull away from mine. “Goodnight,” I finally manage and make a hasty exit.

  I close the door to the small office a little too loudly before crossing the room and settling in the chair behind the desk. Making calls had been nothing more than an excuse. How the hell am I going to handle being in this place day in and day out with Aurora? It’s only been a few hours, and I’m already on edge. My phone rings, bringing with it a welcome distraction.

  “Hello?”

  “You’ve got balls, I can tell you that much,” Emilio says.

  I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to call.

  “I wasn’t going to sit back and wait for Costa to get his hands on her,” I grind out.

  “So you swoop in like some knight in shining armor and save the damsel in distress.” His sarcasm is heavy. Except, is that a note of respect in his tone?