Page 107 of Tainted Ties

“Thanks for letting us stay over the past few days, Aurora.” She appeared fragile, but her voice was firm.

Confusion creased my brows. “You’ve been here for a few days?” I turned, glaring at Roman who didn’t look the least bit regretful. “They’ve been here, and you didn’t care to tell me?”

“In your condition? No,anima mia, I didn’t care to tell you.”

All I could do was huff and cross my arms. I couldn’t be mad at my husband for taking my mental state into consideration, even if it made me angry. “It wasn’t your call to make.”

He pulled my hand to him and caressed his lips across my knuckles, kissing each one.

“You might have forced her into marriage, Roman, but she’s got you wrapped around her finger like no other.”

“Did you want the bullet between your legs or through your fucking skull?” Roman shot back at my brother.

“Thinking about what’s between my legs? Sorry, but you’re not my type.” Enzo’s rough chuckle elicited a scowl from Roman and it was an odd thing to see.

These two people who had loathed each other were now on civil terms, throwing around playful insults and threats.

They must’ve had a few days to hash out their business while I was unaware.

I didn’t want to diminish the lightness of the conversation, but there were far too many questions I still had for my brother.

“Why would our father tell me you died when you didn’t? I don’t understand.”

Enzo shrugged. “He must’ve wanted to make you believe your husband was responsible for my supposed death. Knowing our father, he tried using you to scheme against Roman, didn’t he?”

I nodded because that’s exactly what had happened.

“He said… he buried you.” A tremor racked through my body, and Roman squeezed my hand, reminding me I wasn’t alone in this. “Where were you, Enzo?”

My brother remained silent, the coldness in his eyes darkening the green in them.

He didn’t respond, waiting for me to figure out the answer to my question.

Our father didn’t bury him, which meant he hadn’t taken his body…

My breath caught in my throat, horror realization settling in. “He left you for dead?”

“I had enough strength to dial Sofia’s number and tell her my location.” He paused, closing his eyes in refrained temper. “I was in the hospital for a while, recovering from the multiple gunshot wounds. That’s why I couldn’t come to you sooner.” My brother’s eyes searched mine. “I would never leave you.”

His words were a sharp knife, slicing me where it hurt most. It gutted me that he went through that.

“I wish you would have told me. I would have come to you.”

It wasn’t lost on me that Sofia must have been with him, but I didn’t know the particulars of their relationship.

If I had been there with him, then he might have felt a sliver of ease to know I was okay. He hadn’t known what conspired between Roman and me while he was gone.

“There were too many unanswered questions for me to have contacted you. I couldn’t risk it.”

He clarified my thoughts and I hated that he pretexted me even on the brink of death.

“And that was his opportunity to take me down. Or try to. The fucker knew how much you meant to Aurora,” Roman added, bringing us back to the root of the discussion, stating the only sensible conclusion to it all.

My father had used me to try to gather information on his enemy.

Not only me, but my brother. Enzo had always been loyal to our father and had a better relationship with him than me, yet that left him with nothing but bullet wounds.

“I’m so sorry.”

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