Page 27 of Bianchi

There’s a darkness under her eyes that wasn’t there when I last saw her; it’s amplified by the paleness of her skin. And despite having only been gone for three days, she looks like she’s lost weight and is—if her blue-hued, cracked lips are anything to go by—dehydrated.

Securing her in my arms, I tighten my hold on her for a moment. Her body is limp and catatonic, even as I pull her into my warmth. Guilt assails me. It’s my fault she’s like this. If I hadn’t left, she’d be okay. I’ll be damned if she’s going to spend another night down here.

Crossing the threshold into the main house, I come to a stop when I find Massimo waiting in the corridor. He regards me with a look of curiosity, his brows raised before he walks off in the direction of his office.

My arms flex around Aurora and I murmur soothing words as we continue through the house. When we reach my bedroom, I lay her on the bed, but there’s still no sign of her behind the blank stare.

Cazzo.

I stalk into the bathroom to turn on the shower. Pent up energy rushes through my body and I move to stand in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection and urging myself to calm down. It doesn't take long for steam to fill the room. I rest my hands on the vanity unit, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension that’s seeped into the muscles. If I go out there now, I’ll demand an answer I don’t think she can give me.

With one last heavy exhale, I return to the bedroom. She’s still in the same position I left her in, staring at the wall. I take hold of her hands and pull her up. Banding an arm around her waist, I bend my knees to look into her eyes. She stares back at me, unseeing behind a dead stare.

I shake my head, before finding the hem of her T-shirt. My jaw ticks as I lift it, pulling the soaked cotton over her head. Her nipples are pebbled from the cold, and I force my gaze away from them. Now isn’t the time to be admiring her beauty. I drop the soaked material to the floor, the dull, wet sound on the carpet loud in the otherwise quiet room.

Scooping her up in my arms, I carry her into the bathroom before seating her on the counter. I cup her cheek, stroking the pale skin as I urge her to look at me. She blinks, and although she’s staring at me, I don’t think she’s really seeing me.

My eyes land on the reflection of her back in the mirror and it’s then that I notice the scar running nearly the entire length of her spine. Although the line is thin, its raised appearance tells me it’s old.

A memory of blood spilling into water fills my vision before I’m jolted back to the present, with a heavy weight settling on my chest. My brows tug together. What the hell was that?

I watch Aurora, trying—and failing—to catch another glimmer of the image that flashed through my mind. My concern forms a groove between my brows, and I pick her up, carrying her into the shower, uncaring whether I get soaked in the process.

Water covers us within seconds and I slide her down the length of my body, forcing my mind to think of anything but the temptation that she holds. Getting a hard dick is definitely not appropriate when she’s in this state. Murmuring into her hair, I loosen my hold on her a fraction. “Aurora.”

She flinches out of my hold, pushing her body into the corner, looking up at me with wide, terrified eyes. Her chin trembles, and I bend my knees to meet her gaze. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

Is she really?

As long as I have her, will she ever be safe?

Clearing my throat, I hold up my hands and take a step back. “Take your time, bellissima.”

Running a hand over my jaw, I sigh before returning to the bedroom. I head for the closet, pulling out a fresh T-shirt for Aurora and making a mental note to arrange some clothes for her. Right now, we both need sleep.

After making sure she was okay, I gave Aurora some privacy to have a warm shower while I got changed and checked my emails. Twenty minutes later, she steps out of the bathroom as I’m staring out of the window thinking about the clusterfuck of a mess we’ve found ourselves in. In the reflection of the pane, I can just about make out Aurora’s silhouette wrapped in a white towel. She remains on the threshold, her uncertainty clear as she clutches the doorframe.

The silence drags on and I turn to face her as I lean against the window ledge. “There’s a T-shirt for you on the bed. Get some sleep, bellissima.”

She bites down on her bottom lip, and it takes everything I have inside of me not to storm across the room and tug it free. She chews on the flesh, and I ball my hands into fists. “When will I be going back to the basement?”

Never. “You’ll sleep in here tonight.”

She appears to be thinking over my reply, her attention moving to the bed. Her voice is small when she asks, “Where will you sleep?”

I’m tempted to tell her that I’ll be sleeping with her, but she’s been through enough and I’m too tired to deal with her defiance. Although I’m not sure I’d get it in her current state. She might be talking but I don’t like how quiet and meek she’s being.

Straightening, I amble toward her, my movements purposefully slow and steady. Her eyes grow wide and I half expect her to take a step back at my advance. Instead, she catches herself and I watch the glorious moment the spark ignites in her eyes and she lifts her chin. The corner of my mouth kicks up and I brush away a strand of wet hair that’s resting on her cheek.

“Don’t worry, Aurora. You can have the bed all to yourself.”

Her eyes flit back to the bed and I can see that she wants to say more, but I don’t give her the opportunity. Stepping around her, I walk into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

Chapter 16

Aurora

“P-p-lease,” I plead.

---