95
AURORA
Without the shadow of my mother hanging over my shoulder, things are looking up. Life is becoming easier with each passing day.
Summer is fast approaching and with it comes piles of excitement from Selene. She’s eager for the break—and time away from her tutor—but Lucian has also tossed around the idea of taking a vacation.
Maybe somewhere tropical. Selene’s never been anywhere like that, and as soon as it was mentioned, it became a done deal in her eyes. It’s all she’s been talking about for the past week. We’ve poured over brochures and scoured the internet for the best places to stay with the hottest sun and biggest swimming pool. It’s utterly heartwarming to see Selene so full of life, and luckily, it’s not just her.
Orion has a lighter air about him, a determination that he refuses to share with me. It appeared not long after he and Lucian took a trip together one night. Orion had returned and crawled into bed next to me without a word. We cuddled until the sun rose over the trees. His grip was so tight it was almost painful, but I reveled in the closeness.
He never said a word about why. Ever since that night, a new fire has been burning under him.
I can only assume that’s a good thing.
Lucian is also working alongside Cassian to acquire a few of his businesses. With the world still thinking that Cassian is dead, no one thinks twice about Lucian snapping up what appears to be unclaimed business and territory. From the outside, he’s making savvy business decisions for the good of his family.
For those of us inside the walls, however, we see the real reason.
Lucian decided that securing these businesses and taking over the land was the best way to protect some of Cassian’s assets. Until we know who tried to kill him, it’s too risky to reveal his survival, especially if the culprit exists within his own family. Lucian will keep an eye on the pushback, if any, arises from his acquisition of these places while screening each and every single man and woman he absorbs from Cassian’s family.
Things are looking up for everyone, and it warms my heart as we sit in the late May sun outside an Italian restaurant after a gorgeous meal.
“You know,” I say quietly, toying with the end of a breadstick. “It would be nice if Cassian could join us one of these days.”
“When people aren’t trying to kill him,” Orion remarks. “Then he can come and eat all the pasta with us that he wants.”
“Well, his cast is coming off today, right? He’s basically back to being brand new, so why don’t you send him back to his family with some protection and then just wait for the culprit to make a move? Then you can catch them in the act.”
Lucian lifts his head from where he’d taken over coloring in Selene’s activity book when she ran to the playpen, and shakes his head.
“Your innocent outlook on things is to be admired.”
I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Sending Cassian back to his family would be like sending a lamb back to the wolves—some very smart wolves. If the traitor exists within his own people, then we have to assume they will be smart enough to bide their time. It could be years before they try again, and Cassian would be unable to do anything. He’d be stuck waiting for them to betray him, and no one deserves to live like that.”
“Although,” Orion snorts, reaching for his wine. “Cassian is anything but a lamb.”
Lucian chuckles and I smile, popping some of the bread into my mouth. “You know, it’s so cute that you all get along now.”
“Cute?” Even through his glasses, I can see Orion’s distaste.
“Yes. I remember when you both were happy to leave him in the snow. Now you’re trying to protect him. It’s cute.”
Lucian and Orion share a glance.
“Let’s just say our perspectives changed.” Lucian spins a crayon around his fingers.
“How exactly?” I ask, growing curious. Watching the friendship grow has been sweet but I’ve never known exactly why they changed their tune.
“You.” Orion lowers his glass. “You can’t tell me that you didn’t notice.”
“Me?” I straighten up. “What did I do?”
“You asked Lucian not to kill him and ever since then…well, we couldn’t stand to see you cry.” An easy smile graces his face and I toss the next piece of bread at him.
“You’re mocking me,” I pout.
“No.” Orion pops the bread piece into his mouth. “Not at all.”
Before I can reply, Selene comes sprinting back from the playpen with a guard in tow. She holds up a one-legged doll and thrusts it into Lucian’s lap.
“Daddy, can I keep this?”
Lucian bites back a laugh and holds up the toy that’s well past its best. “No, sweetie. You can’t.”
“Why not?” She whines and stamps her foot.
“Because we can’t take toys from public places. They don’t belong to us.”
As Lucian explains it all to her, I rise and quietly excuse myself from the table and hurry off to the bathroom. Being out in public like this is perhaps my one and only chance to get access to the pregnancy test I need without anyone catching on. The last thing I want to do is spread any kind of false hope.
And it would be hope, I’m sure of it. Things are settling, and life is good. A baby doesn’t sound so scary anymore.
Using my phone, I huddle in the stall and scroll through my location to find the nearest pharmacy. There’s one right around the corner, and if I’m quick, they will barely notice that I’m gone. With the information secured, I head back to the table.
“I’m just going to nip to the pharmacy,” I say, grabbing my coat. “I just got my period, and I need some emergency pads.”
Orion stands immediately so I hold out one hand.
“I can get them myself. It’s okay.”
“I will go,” he says, securing his jacket with one button. “It can’t be that hard.”
I lift one brow. “Okay, what kind do I need? What type? Wings? Heavy flow?”
Orion hesitates and his lips part as he searches for an answer he doesn’t have. I smile, victorious, and take a step away until Lucian speaks.
“You can both go.”
Dammit.
“I don’t need an escort to buy period products.” I pout slightly. “Besides, it’s private.”
“It’s natural and we don’t care,” Lucian remarks. “And no one goes anywhere alone. So if you want to go, Orion goes with you.”
Orion sticks his tongue out and I roll my eyes. Usually, Lucian’s protectiveness is sweet but right now it’s just frustrating. I don’t know when I’ll get a chance like this, so I have no choice but to give in.
“Fine.”
Orion accompanies me to the pharmacy, where he pays close attention to the pads that I buy. He claims it’s so he will have the answer the next time and then look like less of an idiot. It brings a smile to my face, so I send him off looking for a cream I know doesn’t exist just so I can sneak the pregnancy test into my order.
Luckily, it’s all paid for by the time he comes back empty-handed and confused. I kiss his cheek and then excuse myself to the pharmacy bathroom to clean myself up. At least, that’s what I tell him.
Once behind a locked door, I open the pregnancy test and pour over the instructions. Then I read them again. I only had enough cash for one test, so I have to make sure I do this right.
Peeing on a stick is oddly more complicated than it should be and after two attempts, I get it right. Then I wash my hands, set a timer and sit with a pounding heart.
What if it’s positive? Will I keep the baby? Should I tell them?
My love for Selene and the joy I get out of being her nanny assures me that children are something I want in my life, but so much of my life has been planned out for me that this will be the first real choice I make by myself.
Without my mother. Without any rules of expectations. Purely my own choice.
If the test is negative, then I’m off to the doctor to find out where my period has been for the last two months.
“Everything alright?” Orion knocks lightly on the door. “You’ve been in there a while.”
All that reading was more time-consuming than I realized.
“Cramp,” I call back. “Can you get me some painkillers?”
“You got it.”
As his footsteps fade, my timer jingles to life and I focus on the test. The moment of truth. Taking it from the sink, I close my eyes and turn it over.
Then I open them.
Positive.
Two blue lines glare up at me like neon bulbs.
My ass lands back on the toilet when my legs give way.
I’m pregnant. Really pregnant.
The nerves twisting in my gut melt into fizzing excitement and a smile creeps across my face. Who is the father? Does it even matter? No…no, it doesn’t. I hope they won’t care either. I’m going to have a baby.
Oh my God, I’m going to be a mother.
A small laugh bubbles out of me and I tap my heels rapidly against the floor. This is amazing!
“Aurora?” Orion is back at the door. “I have the painkillers.”
I quickly shove the test into my pocket and smooth down my clothes. Pulling open the door, I throw my arm around his shoulders, then pull him down for a kiss. He melts into it after a grunt of surprise and places one hand against the small of my back.
“Wow,” he grins. “All this for painkillers?”
“You’re amazing,” I grin happily, cupping his cheek. “Thank you.”
“I gotta remember to do this next month too,” he chuckles.
Taking his hand, I squeeze affectionately. “Do it every month, and I’ll love you forever.”
“Noted.” With a pleasant smile, he leads the way outside and we walk down the pavement toward the restaurant. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”
“I can’t tell you.” I smile ear to ear. “Not yet.”
“Later?” Orion lifts a brow.
“I promise.”
We reach the edge of the crosswalk, but just as I step out, the squeal of car brakes fills the air. A black sedan tears down the street, and Orion jerks me backward with a curse.
“Motherfucker—”
Before I can respond, before I can even think to join in the swearing at the reckless driver, an explosion of gunfire erupts from the vehicle. Bullets tear like wildfire into the front of the restaurant.
Right where we left Lucian and Selene.
“No!”
