Page 95 of Tech

Aurora nods as she rearranges Alexander into the crook of her elbow as he sleeps, content with her.

“How are you even sane right now?” I ask in shock.

If James did that, I’d castrate him.

She shrugs. “I have my daughter to think of, you know, and now this baby I’m not even sure I should have.” She shakes her head and my stomach drops as guilt shines through her eyes at her confession. “God, when we met, it was so innocent, you know, and my heart fluttered; he was my one, and despite my pain, my trauma, I gave him a chance, I gave him my heart, but he lied, then lied some more, and when I decided I couldn’t stay with someone who broke my trust, he threw me over his shoulder and dragged me back here.”

I drop my chin and mutter, “For God’s sake, Sniper.”

Aurora chuckles. “Yeah, and to make it worse, right now, Phil has his eyes on me.”

I look up, and then around the common room, and sure enough, Phil’s eyes are on Aurora while he has April who has obviously come out of the kitchen, in his arms, her head on his shoulder.

I huff. “Who knew a man can multitask?”

Aurora laughs, and I laugh right along with her, before sighing. I look at her, chewing the inside of my cheek, and ask, “What happened?” causing her to look at me in confusion. I give her a small smile and add, “For you to hate brothers because. honestly, the ones I’ve met are absolutely amazing, and you also fell for Sniper, so…. What happened to you?”

Her eyes cloud over with horror and pain, hurting my heart, before she blinks and whispers, “If I tell you, then I need to tell Theo, and I’m not ready for that. I’m mad at him, yes, I told him I want a divorce, when really, I don’t, but I’m not ready for him to know and I’m not ready to forgive him.”

I nod in understanding and whisper, “I’m here for you when you’re ready, Aurora.”

She gives me a small smile and says, “Thank you. Now, enough about me. How are you doing, my badass boss?”

I laugh but shrug. “I’m having nightmares. Emily, Tats’ momma, will start seeing me for counseling sessions, so I hope that will help.”

Aurora nods. “Counseling is good. You get everything off your chest without having to look at your loved ones, who look back at you with pity or concern.”

I smile, “You sound like you know.”

She half smiles back. “More than you’d think.”

I hum, and then continue, “Being a momma is amazing, but I feel disconnected because I can’t do anything. I’m-I’m worried he won’t love me enough, that we won’t get that bond….”

Aurora furrows her brows, gently rubbing her hand over my son's sleeping head, and says, “You do have the bond, Brook. As soon as he’s with you, he’s settled.” I give her a small smile, not believing her words, and she sighs, and then asks, “Have you spoken to Tech about how you're feeling?”

I shake my head. “In the hospital, we promised to leave the past in the past, but every time I see him spacing out when he looks at me and looks at our son, I see guilt. He feels guilty for sleeping with someone else, even though I left him first. He feels responsible for Nina and what she put me and Alexander through, and then my guilt builds because he feels guilty, and I don’t understand why he does….”

Her eyes soften, and a voice says, "Because I love you, Brook,” making us both gasp and jump, our heads looking toward him.

James and Sniper both have grins on their faces, but Sniper’s falls, and I look at Aurora to see she’s turned her body toward me, ignoring him and making him sigh.

“Firecracker, let’s give them a minute, yeah?” he states firmly, making me raise a brow at him, but he widens his eyes and subtly shakes his head, basically telling me not to say anything, confusing me, until Aurora growls at his tone and stands abruptly while ensuring she doesn’t scare Alexander.

I hide my smile, realizing he knew his tone would piss her off and get her to stand. However, all he’s doing is pushing her further away, and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have so subtly told me to talk to James anyhow.

She looks my way and states, “I’m stealing your baby for a little while, and no, your momma nor Carol are having him. You two talk!” proving my thoughts.

I don’t even protest when she turns and walks over to the other end of the common room, away from the mothers who are all staring at my baby, which makes me chuckle.

Sniper sighs, watching her, and I rasp, “I asked her what happened to her, and she said if she told me, then she’d have to tell you, and she isn’t ready…. Go win your girl over, Sniper, without the hard tones, otherwise you’ll push her further away.”

Sniper looks at me and smiles a little. “Thanks, darling,” he says, before kissing my head, and then walking over to Aurora, and taking a seat next to her. He kisses the side of her head, making her tense but she doesn’t move away. He then kisses my son's head, making me smile before Autumn, Aurora’s little girl, runs over to them, shouting ‘daddy’, and then instantly climbs in Sniper’s lap, resting her head on his neck. Aurora’s eyes soften, and even from here, I can see the love shining through them.

“They’ll get through this, Angel,” James rasps, taking Aurora’s seat, and I nod.

“I know, Love. She just needs time; she basically just admitted it to me.”

He hums as we watch Sniper dote all over the three-year-old while his wife, his flipping wife, looks at him like he hung the moon, though you can see the desire to hit him in her eyes, too.

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