Page 42 of Taboo Flames

“Princess, I don’t know what I’m supposed to be looking at here,” I tell her honestly.

She huffs and points at the bottom of the screen, and my eyes follow her fingers to a particular comment.

WE’RE COMING FOR YOU, OUR LITTLE DEBTOR. AND THIS TIME AROUND, WE WON’T MISS.

“I’ll take care of it. I’ll have Fiore trace the comment. Tomorrow. For now, you need to sleep.” I unbutton my blood-soaked shirt and toss it away. This is why I always wear dark clothing, to conceal the bloodstains.

If Aurora had seen blood splattered all over me, I’m sure she’d have asked a million questions.

“We’ll find them, I swear it,” I add.

“Okay,” she says quietly.

I climb into the bed behind her and pull her to me.

“Sleep, princess,” I say, pressing a kiss to the top of her forehead.

As her breaths even out, the only thing on my mind is how I hate to see her anything but happy and how I’ll do anything to bring back that easy and open look on her face.

I already know I’m a despicable man, but the lengths I’m willing to go to keep Aurora happy is terrifying even to me.

CHAPTER 12

Aurora

Igape at the building before me that has my name boldly displayed in front of it. Then I look over my shoulder at a blank-faced Giovanni and frown.

Earlier, he told me he had something to show me. As we drove here, I just assumed we were going to his cafe and was confused when we drove past it, only to pull up across from the cafe.

“You can’t just buy me a whole building,” I say.

“I can, and I did.”

“I’m not accepting it,” I say stubbornly.

“You will,” he says insistently, “because you don’t have a choice. This location is closer to me so I can keep a constant eye on you. If those men can infiltrate your old studio undetected, who's to say what else they’re capable of or what hidden threats might already be lurking in plain sight? Your previous studio has been compromised, so this building stays.”

“Gio, you can’t just wake up and completely upend my life. I have clients and a schedule to maintain. I can’t just make decisions like this on a whim.”

“You seem to forget I’m a meticulous person, princess. I already took the liberty of closing down your old studio and notifying your students’ parents via email about the change in location.”

My glare darkens. “You had no right.”

“Do you not have a class in a few hours?” he points out, completely ignoring my last statement. “You should prepare the place before then.”

He dangles the keys in front of me, and I snatch them from his hand and march to the door, muttering about thick-headed, domineering, controlling, and annoying men.

I open the door, step into the room, turn on the lights, and gasp. It’s obvious that whoever designed this place not only saw the previous place but knew me very well.

The only suspect? Giovanni.

The long wall of mirrors was still present, but this space was much larger, and it allowed more light to flood in. Gone were the LED lights built into the ceiling that used to wash the old studio in sickly white light. Now, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the space appear warm rather than severe.

Suffice it to say, it was gorgeous.

I turn around and fly into Gio’s body, my arms winding around his waist.

“I’m assuming you don’t hate it then?” He chuckles.

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