Page 67 of Broken Princess

“What are we going to do with him?”

“You’ll need to get him out of the club without being spotted.”

“How are we going to do that?” Nico growls. “I assume he’s going to have some sort of protection watching the main areas in the club.”

“True, but that’s where Benny comes in.” Benny’s eyes brighten as if he can sense where this is going.

“You need some pyrotechnics to keep people busy and cover your escape,” Benedict says, an unsettling smile appearing as he speaks.

“Correct. Aurora and Nico will be in the room closest to the fire escape, and you will light a few distractions that will keep the staff busy and cut off the access to that fire escape. I’ve emailed you the building plans with notes on the escape routes you need to manage. Study them and come up with a plan by four, you need to know what we’re setting on fire and when.”

His smile grows, morphing into a malevolent grin. Only mildly disconcerting. We carry on talking out all the other details—escape routes, timings, logistics of getting Marco back here without being tailed.

As we wrap up, Nico becomes uncharacteristically fidgety.

“What’s up, Nico?”

He doesn’t speak and a look of concern washes over him.

“What’s wrong, Nico? You heard me last night, we’re good.”

Glaring straight at me, his words take me by surprise. “You and Aurora may be fucking good, and Benny and I may be good, but you need to talk to Benny and me if we are all… I don’t know what the fuck to call it… we’re not dating, it’s not just fucking… if we’re all together in some way. It doesn’t matter if you are not with Benny or me. We still need to talk about it because we will all affect each other in some way.”

Huh.

He’s not wrong.

I was so busy trying to reassure Aurora, I dismissed out of hand how it might impact others.

Nico continues and makes sure I’m paying attention, “Especially when there are dynamics involved. You know it’s not just me.”

“You’re right,” I concede and volley my head, “but now is not the time. We need to focus on tonight, and then we’ll talk.”

He doesn’t look happy, but he lets it go for the time being. Benny hops up and pulls out his phone. I assume that he’s already studying the building plans. He wanders to the kitchen and pulls open the fridge, burying his head, searching for his first, second, and possibly even third breakfast. He’ll set up camp close to the fridge until he’s figured out his plan.

Nico leaves him to it and retreats back upstairs, not before kissing the top of his head. That leaves me on the sofa with Aurora.

“So, what am I supposed to do all day?”

I smile because she’s looking sheepishly at her hands as she worries the hem of the hoodie she threw on. “Well,” I say, running my hand along her sleeve and tugging on one of the ties, “as much as we love seeing you in our clothes,” she blushes hard, “we need to go and sort out your wardrobe. Can’t get you in and out of the club inconspicuously if you’re in sweats.”

She hesitates for a minute. “Only on the condition I’m still allowed to steal everyone’s clothes. They’re comfy,” she adds with a coy smile.

“Deal.”

I had assumed Aurora Bianchi didn’t enjoy shopping based on her reaction to being brought on a spree. After dragging her to the mall, I’ve had to listen to her complain in every damn shop we’ve been to and she’s getting tired. She insisted on leaving the boot off and the crutch at home. I only agreed on the condition that she wore the wig again and took the painkillers Doc Em prescribed. She may be struggling with the amount of effort, but at least she’s not in pain.

We’ve finally found our way into some kind of alternative boutique, and as soon as we entered, her face lit up. I’ll be damned if I spoil her fun. In the other stores, all she found were jeans, leggings, and tanks. Here she’s all smiles and excitement pulling out all manner of items.

I sneak up behind her while she’s staring at a sapphire-blue corset. “Trying to figure out which one of us you’ll wear this for?”

Turning slowly, she walks her fingers up my chest before grabbing my chin between her thumb and forefinger. “Listen here, Sinclair, the sweats I’ll wear for you. This, I’ll wear for me.” She playfully slaps my cheek and then grabs the corset and heads for the changing rooms.

Fuck knows how long she’s gone, but I know from the low battery alert on my phone that it must have been longer than I thought. I grab a power bank from my coat pocket to charge it as the idea of my phone dying and my being disconnected from my servers makes me nervous.

The dilation of time makes it seem like she’s trying on everything. I don’t really need to see every outfit; I’ll see it at some point if she buys it. Plus, Aurora doesn’t need my approval, she’s fucking gorgeous in everything. But there is a part of me that loves that she wants to show me.

Eventually she walks out, and I’m stunned into silence.

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