AURORA'S POVDevon grabbed my phone from my hand and added Aiden’s contact information. “How do you know my passcode?” I frowned. “I had to write your birthday six hundred times when I filled out the paperwork last night. You seem like the predictable type. Again, no” “Offense. I know.” His eyes stayed on my phone, his thumbs moving fast over the screen. “You realize saying that makes whatever you say next automatically offensive, right?” “The way to reach him is four-four-five. He only replies to texts. Sometimes.” Of course. Devon placed my phone on top of the stack of papers I was holding. “Cheers, Aurora.” “Wait!” I called after him. “What about Peter Vory? Can I tell him I’ll have his money soon?” He stopped at the doorway. “Ah, that’s the best part of becoming a King.” He stretched his arms wide. “Your problems aren’t yours anymore. I believe Peter is Daniel Sterling’s problem now. So I’d say you’re covered, and Vory is completely and totally screwed for laying a hand o
AURORA'S POV She reached for the shoulder bag hanging over her chair, pulled out her checkbook, and slapped it on the table. Clicking her pen, she started writing me a check. “For my part, I’ll ask Father to recommend a good divorce lawyer,” Ariella said cheerfully. “This is totally fixable. It’s not too late to back out. We can make sure you still get” “You want the truth?” I snapped, jumping to my feet, shaking with frustration. “Fine. Here it is, I’m not like you all. Annabelle is bold, fearless, and determined to take over the world. Ariella, you were born into privilege. You have more money than some countries, two brothers who would do anything for you, and a bright future as a doctor. Sandy, you found your perfect match, and your family would always have your back no matter what. Me…” I let out a bitter laugh. “I’m different. I wanted to marry for love. And I did. Saying it didn’t work out would be putting it lightly. Now, I’m choosing security. It’s not the honorable thi
AIDEN'S POV “All there?” Vory sniffed, eyeing the open black duffel bag. Kenneth stood behind him, arms crossed, towering over us like a bodyguard from a crime movie. “Count it,” Daniel ordered,spitting his cigarette on the floor. Vory started flipping through the stacks of hundred dollar bills. His shoulders finally relaxed a little. We were in his office, making our delivery. He had insisted we meet here, probably because his place was stocked with more weapons than a gun shop. “Kenneth.” Vory snapped his fingers as he counted, wetting his fingers to separate the bills. His man stepped closer. Vory took the chance to slap the back of his head. “Count with me, you useless piece of shit.” It took them twenty minutes to finish. When they were done, Vory zipped the bag shut and smiled at us. “I’m pleased to say we have no outstanding debts between us, gentlemen. Thank you for your business.” Daniel nodded, stood, and turned around. I followed suit. We reached the d
AIDEN'S POV “Where’d you hurt her, Kenneth?” I asked the man hanging in front of me, my eyes level with his stomach. He flinched, realizing how close I was. Neither of them would snitch on me. Crossing Daniel Sterling wasn’t something people in Boston did. And those dumb enough to try didn’t live to tell the story. Even if Vory and his muscle decided to talk to the feds, I had half the city’s judges in my pocket. “I…I…” "Her eye?" I asked calmly. "Yes, I remember my fiancée had a bad black eye." I swung the poker at his face, hitting him above the nose. The hot metal sizzled against the burlap, burning into his skin. He let out a wild scream, twisting like a trapped animal. "I also remember you hit her cheek." I slammed the poker against his cheek. "And her brow, ribs and knees." I beat Kenneth while Daniel held Vory’s head underwater in his own bathtub. Ten minutes later, when both wannabe gangsters were barely conscious, Daniel threw a towel onto the floor. I wiped th
AIDEN'S POV “Dead? I don’t think so. I bet Reynolds is alive. The moment he hears his wife married a billionaire, he’ll show up and start making demands.” “Not possible,” I said firmly. “The divorce papers will arrive tomorrow morning. He won’t get a penny. I don’t care where Reynolds is or what he’s doing.” “He can call Aurora and make her feel guilty. He’s still her husband.” “He was her husband.” “She picked him.” “She made the wrong choice,” I shot back. “If anyone’s soft enough to forgive the man who abandoned her, it’s your future wife,” Daniel warned. I cracked my knuckles under the table. “Exactly. I need to get her pregnant before she decides to run off with her ex.” I didn’t want a runaway bride. I didn’t trust Aurora not to run straight back to her ex-husband the moment I pulled him out of whatever hole he was hiding in. And the longer he stayed unaware of me, the better my chances of getting Aurora pregnant without him getting in the way. Daniel gave m
AIDEN'S POV “I wasn’t. It’s your job to stay updated. I’m not your assistant.” “Could’ve fooled me. You’d look stunning in a pencil skirt.” Henry snapped his teeth together like he was going to bite, adding nothing useful to the conversation, as usual. “Herold spent the morning jumping from one talk show to another,” Devon said. “He’s planning something.” “No doubt,” I agreed. “Is Daniel handling it?” Henry asked. My younger brother didn’t know who Landon was or the history we shared. But like all Kings he could smell trouble from miles away and had the natural born killer instinct to destroy it. “Not yet.” I glanced at my watch. “I want him to make the first move. See what he’s got before I destroy him.” My assistant knocked on the door. She stepped in carefully, wearing a bright pink blazer over what looked like a bra and her long, platinum hair reached her waist. “Mr. King?” “Ms. Brandt. Is it Halloween?” She tilted her head in confusion. “No.” “Then
AURORA'S POV After a month of being ignored by the groom every time I called and texted him, I arrived at my wedding in a black limo with Annabelle and Sandy by my side. It was a surprisingly sunny day, especially since winter had stretched into spring, and the nonstop rain made this the longest, gloomiest winter Boston had ever seen at least, according to the local weather reports. Since I was the one making all the plans, I designed the wedding to fit my own taste, without worrying about what Aiden preferred. Even though Ariella told me Aiden didn’t like fruit in his dessert, the cake was a six-layer soft sponge cake covered in white chocolate and topped with red fruit seeds. The ceremony was held at St. Luke’s, the Protestant church I’d attended since I was a child, even though I knew Aiden had grown up Irish Catholic. I wore a fancy, pearl colored dress, and my hair was so packed with hairspray I probably could’ve set something on fire just by standing too close.
AURORA’S POV “I can’t believe I’m getting married again,” I whispered to her more than to anyone else. “It’s not too late to change your mind,” Sandy reminded me. “Really. Ask any Julia Roberts movie out there.” “Enough,” Annabelle warned, giving our red-haired friend a look. “Let’s at least give the guy a chance today.” “You’re right.” Sandy sighed, rubbing her nose. “Sorry, Aurora.” The event coordinator poked her head through the open window. “We’re all set. My goodness, you look like a movie star, Aurora. Oh and before I forget, Henry is waiting for you by the church doors. “He’s the one walking you down the aisle, right?” “Well Actually,” Annabelle said, linking her arm with mine, “we’re all walking her down together.” “Oh, I'm pretty sure we have a choice,” Sandy joked. With that, I walked down the aisle surrounded by my friends and family, feeling loved, cared for, and safe. Just not by the man I was about to marry. After weeks of not seeing him, Ai
AIDEN'S POV Aurora raised an eyebrow, looking at me with eyes so intense, if I had a heart, it would have broken for her. She clearly wanted me to care. “And you, what would you have done if Herold did something to me?” she asked softly. A cold shiver ran through me as I remembered the torture, burns , beatings and being locked in a dark church for hours, only with my demons to keep me company. Coming back to him, asking him for more. To pay for my father’s sins. To mourn our friendship. To numb my feelings and just like that, I remembered who I was. Who Herold Landon had made me. Who my father, my whole family wanted me to be. A sad smile twisted my face. I leaned down, my lips near my wife’s ear, my hot breath in her pale hair. “And I wish he’d finished what he started, Aurora, so I could finally marry someone better than you. You were a mistake. A stupid, careless mistake. I can’t wait for the divorce.” I felt, but didn’t see, her step back and that’s when I realized I
AIDEN'S POV She walked quickly toward me. “I kicked him out the night he came. You would’ve known that if you had answered any of my calls. Or if you had let me see you when I came to your house.” Your house. Of course, it was mine. Why would it be ours? I had taken her from the plain apartment I put her in, moved her into a guest room, and thought she would…what? Feel anything for the place? “Do you want a prize for staying loyal?. " She stopped right in front of me and her smell filled the room, making it hard to think. I wanted to grab her, shake her, push her out, kiss her, sleep with her, yell at her. All those things showed feelings and no control. “Daniel told you, didn’t he?” She tilted her head, watching me. She meant Herold Landon’s laptop. She must have seen the videos. “He works for me.” “So does the rest of the city.” “You too. So stop digging into my business before I cut you off.” “We both know I’m not here for the money. I want to talk about what I f
AURORA'S POV The third time I ran to the bathroom to throw up, I gave up. I shut my laptop and hid it under my bed, like the videos could still hurt me. I couldn’t watch my husband back when he was just a teenager being hurt, beaten, stuttering, crying, laughing, losing control and getting it back anymore. I wanted to hurt Herold Landon with my own hands and I knew, deep down, that I really could do it if I ever got the chance. Herold’s face wasn’t in the videos. But his voice was. You could hear why he did what he did. At six thirty in the morning, I got up and went to the shower. My eyes were swollen from crying all night. I knew two things for sure: One, I was going to make sure Landon paid for what he did, even if it was the last thing I ever did. Two, Aiden didn’t know how to feel anything after all he’d been through. But even someone who doesn’t feel love still deserves love. He still deserved peace, a place to belong, and a real home. From now on, I was going to give my
AIDEN'S POV After weeks of not seeing or hearing from Herold at Evon, I finally saw him at the main chapel. I felt both happy and scared. I waved at him from across the chapel. There were lots of students between us, and we all wore the same uniform. Herold saw me and looked away. A sharp pain hit my chest. That scared me. I couldn’t feel anything. Feelings would cause more nerve attacks, and nerve attacks would make Father kick me out. I did like baby Henry, but I didn’t want him to take the oldest son’s spot as heir to King Royal Pipelines and Father, Mother, and Henry were the only family I had left now. Herold probably hated me. After Sunday Mass, I walked across the lawn with my hands behind my back, looking at the grass and frowning. I didn’t care much that I had Tourette’s. It was annoying, yes but after reading a few books and medical papers about it, I had made a decision. I would beat it before I finished school and went to college. And when I make a decision, I always
AIDEN'S POV "Well,I guess it's because I have something called Tourette's syndrome." I leaned back in the chair, looking at all the white around me. It felt calm, and that made me feel better. There was a long silence from the other side of the window. "How long have you known?" "About a week." I heard pages turning on a clipboard from the other side. I smiled sadly. Usually, it's the patient who doesn’t know. "How can that be? It says here your tic attack happened two days ago," another voice said. It was a middle aged woman's voice. Both doctors had accents. One sounded Italian, and the other probably Swiss from the French side. "Yes," I said slowly, giving them time to write. "But I felt the attack coming in the days before, so I looked it up." "So you knew it was going to happen?" the Swiss doctor asked, surprised. "The attack." I nodded. She gasped. "Poor thing," she said. It wasn’t very doctor-like. "Well that's a new one. I’ve never been called that before,"
AIDEN'S POV THE PAST The first time I went to a juvenile treatment clinic was when I was fourteen. Earlier that week, I hurt myself so badly that I was still bleeding and had lost some teeth. My face was so swollen that it took three people to recognize me when they found me on the library floor. My mother went with me to the clinic in Switzerland. She didn’t want to go. I wore a coat, hat, and sunglasses to hide my bruises, like a celebrity trying to stay unnoticed. My mother didn’t say much on the flight from England to Zurich, except for one quiet sentence after the flight attendants had passed by. “Your father can’t know.” That was the first thing she said. Not asking how I was. Not asking how it happened. “Your father can’t know.” I didn’t say anything. She was right. Father couldn’t find out. And honestly, there was no way to explain what happened. One moment, I was sitting in the library studying hard to be first in my class like always, feeling a strange pressure i
AURORA'S POV I couldn’t lie, so I gave a small smile and shrugged, trying to look confident. “Your secret is not really a secret anymore. That’s not good for someone who is the head of Green Living. Anyway, I’m here to tell you that was the last time you hit your son. I’m going to report this to Child Protective Services. I’ve done this before, so I’ll tell you what will happen. I’ll file a report, and CPS will come to your house within a day to check on the kids. They’ll see the bruises on Tinder and find other signs of abuse or neglect. When they do, they’ll take the kids to a foster home and charge you with a crime.” Morgana looked like she was going to choke. “I’ve worked with many schools and know some people at CPS. I can probably help Morgana get full custody, since she didn’t hurt the kids. Now, as for you” I looked at Morgana. She slid down the wall, crying hard on the floor and face was wet with tears. “You should always put your kids first.” “I did.” Morgana he
AURORA'S POV “I’m leaving after today, but things are going to change here. I wanted to tell you.” I sat Tinder down in front of the burnt cookies. We didn’t eat them. His big brown eyes looked at me like I was the only thing keeping him safe. “Change how?” he asked. “Your dad isn’t being nice to you. He’s doing bad things, and I can’t always be here to help you. One day, you’ll grow up and think about what I’m going to do. And even though there's a possibility that you might hate me, or thank me in the future.” I shook my head as my eyes started to fill with tears, but I didn’t let them fall because Tinder needed me to stay strong. He deserved more. He deserved everything. “No matter how you feel about me later, I’ll understand. I think your dad is going to get into big trouble soon because of me. But you will still have your mom and your brother. They are the ones I want you to think about, okay? They are what matter most.” He nodded slowly. It was a lot to hear. Even I didn’t
AURORA'S POV When Daniel knocked on the door, I pulled him inside really fast. He was wearing a black shirt, jeans, and had his usual serious face. “His laptop will probably have a password,” I said, still holding the door, my heart beating fast. I never broke the law. Not for anything or anyone. I didn’t even cross the street when the light was red. My love for my husband was making me crazy. Daniel walked past the living room without looking at the boy and went up the stairs. I followed him and pointed at Herold’s office. Daniel put on some gloves, took a tool from his backpack, and opened the locked door easily. We both went inside. I kept thinking about Tinder, who was downstairs watching TV, waiting for me. I felt very bad. I was about to change his life forever. Even though I knew it was the right thing because of his bad father, I also knew Tinder might hate me for it. “So Aiden was right,” Daniel said with no feeling, turning on the laptop and sitting in Herold’s chair.