MasukAurora’s POVThe room Lucien had booked was very nice. It was beautiful in the way only Paris could be. I sat on the edge of the bed with my knees pulled against my chest. I hadn’t opened the curtains all the way.I hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase or even changed out of the clothes I’d worn while escaping the mansion.Because somehow if I settled in it would make all of this real. A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.“It’s me.”I unlocked the door and Lucien stepped inside carrying two paper bags and a cardboard drink holder.“You haven’t eaten.” He said “I’m not hungry.”“I wasn’t asking.” I rolled my eyes weakly. “You’re starting to sound like Julian.”Lucien gave me a tired smile. “I’ve known him for over twenty years i suppose it’s contagious.”“It is.” I said and smiledHe placed everything on the small dining table near the window. The smell immediately filled the room.My stomach betrayed me with a loud growl.Lucien heard it. “I thought you weren’t hungry.”“I changed my
Aurora's POVThree days, it’s been three endless days. Three days of waking up hoping someone would knock on my door and tell me they'd found him.Three days of eating food that tasted like nothing.Three days of staring out the window, waiting for a black car to pull into the driveway.It never did and the mansion had changed. The servants whispered whenever they saw me and guards constantly came and went.Lucien barely slept.Every few hours he disappeared into his office to take another call before returning with the same answer.Nothing, no sign of Julian, no body and no evidence.I didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse. I was sitting in the library with one of Julian's books open on my lap when I heard footsteps.It was Lucien and he looked exhausted. His tie hung loose around his neck as dark circles rested beneath his eyes.He held a satellite phone in one hand. "Aurora."I looked up slowly and his expression was different."Take this." My heart skipped. "What is it?"
Aurora's POVThe world felt like it had just vibrated, there wasthe deafening ringing inside my ears and the smell of smoke.I blinked hard, trying to focus. Everything around me looked blurred. Broken chandeliers littered the marble floor.Pieces of the long dining table were scattered across the hall. People were slowly pulling themselves to their feet.Someone was crying.Someone else was calling for a doctor.Then i remembered, Julian had taken the bomb out, my head snapped toward the shattered window."No..." The word barely left my lips before I started running. My ankle screamed in protest, but I ignored it. "Julian!"I reached the opening and looked down. Smoke billowed upward, hiding almost everything below.My heart hammered painfully. "Julian!"No answer. I leaned farther over the edge. "Julian!"Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back before I could lose my balance."No!" I struggled wildly. "Let me go!""Aurora." The voice snapped, I looked behind me and i
Julian's POVThere are moments when a man knows exactly what he has to do to save himself and the one he loves, this was one of them.The hall had dissolved into chaos. Some members shouted over one another.Others were trying to force open the doors before Lucien barked at them to stop. Guards rushed back and forth, searching desperately for another exit.Nobody had found one. The threat remained where it was.I looked around the room and saw the fourteen Brotherhood members, nearly thirty guards.My eyes found Aurora’s immediately.She was standing exactly where I had left her, gripping the edge of the dining table so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.She looked terrified and kept on shaking her head at me, I recognized that look.I'd seen it once before, the day she'd thought my car had exploded. I turned away before she noticed I was looking."Lucien."He was beside me instantly. "What?""Tell me exactly what you've found."He handed me a tablet that one of the securit
Aurora's POVIf I was going to die, I definitely didn’t want to do it beside any of the brotherhood members, I tried to leave the bathroom but Elena grabbed my arm “If you really are pregnant we need to protect you” I used all my strength to push her away and then I ran downstairs, everywhere was chaos, the servers were running around while the guest remained seating.The first scream silenced the entire mansion and all the conversation in the dining hall died instantly."What happened?""Who screamed?""Find out!"Guards rushed toward the entrance, only to stop a few feet away. One of them swore under his breath.Julian immediately stepped in front of me.“Where have you been?” He asked“I was in the bathroom when Elena stopped to speak to me” I told him His arm stretched slightly across my body, shielding me from whatever was happening. I looked up at him.Lucien pushed through the crowd to get to us"Julian." He said "What is it?""The exits have been sabotaged and the bomb js
Aurora's POVI hated dresses.Correction.I hated dresses that came with dangerous brotherhood creepy dinners.The emerald gown hugged my waist before falling to the floor in soft waves. One of the maids had spent nearly an hour pinning my hair into something elegant.When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.I looked like I belonged here like the powerful wife of thr Capo or something .I didn't, not even a little.A knock came at my bedroom door. "It's open."Julian stepped inside.He wore a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his tie neatly fastened, his dark hair combed back.He looked every bit the powerful Capo everyone feared.For a second, neither of us spoke then he looked me over."You look very beautiful."Heat rushed to my cheeks. "I know."One corner of his mouth lifted."Feeling sassy today?""I've learned from the best.""I sincerely hope not." He said I smiled and he offered me his arm. "Ready?""No." I cried"We're going anyway."I sighed dramatically be
Rafael’s POV…. Something was wrong. I felt it before anyone said anything. A subtle shift in the air, like the moment before a storm breaks. The photographer lowered his camera, frowning. “Where’s Isabella?” I scanned the room immediately. Stylists hovered near garment racks. Assistants
Isabella's pov…."We should stop" had slipped from my lips like a half-hearted protest, but my body betrayed me, pressing closer to Rafael's body, I couldn't deny the tension and everything else.My fingers twisted into his shirt and I kissed him again, not slowly but hungrily like I didn't want al
Isabella’s POV……Few hours earlier….The music from the beach bar still echoed faintly through the resort even though I had slammed Aurora’s door shut nearly ten minutes ago.I was pissed and angry and drunk, everything irritated me, how dare he get angry because I kissed Sebastian wen his throat w
Isabella’s POV…. The hotel corridor was quiet in that late-night way too quiet, like the world was holding its breath. I hadn’t planned to come back. After everything at the beach, after the shouting and the looks and the way my chest still hurt when I thought about Sebastian’s fist meeting Ra







