Page 70 of Tainted Ties

She didn’t want to leave, and I didn’t want her to either.

My phone rang, slicing through the air and I squeezed my eyes shut, reining in my temper before pulling it out and answering.

I kept my eyes glued on Aurora, who fidgeted with her nail between her teeth, deep in thought as I talked to Luca on the phone.

After hanging up, she stared at me with a weariness that made me clench my fists. All I wanted to do was wipe away anything that distressed her.

I couldn’t deny it anymore. Not to myself. It was driving me insane knowing she meant more to me than I had led myself to believe.

If I allowed myself to let Aurora into my life, I knew it would be a grave decision, one that would have backlash and consequences.

The thing was though, I didn’t care for any of it. Not until I needed to. All I cared about washer.

“I have to leave for a few days for work.”

Luca informed me we needed to take care of an urgent business matter out of town, and it was the most inconvenient interruption.

Aurora tucked a curled strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, okay.”

I should’ve walked out the door and left before I dug myself a deeper hole, but my feet were rooted in place.

It wasn’t right to leave her this way, not after last night and not after this chaotic conversation.

Internal conflict tore at me, a silent battle of how to proceed.

Without contemplating further, my body moved before my mind could catch up, closing the distance between us and cupping her delicate face in my hand.

Her eyes widened, pupils dilating and almost drowning out the green in them.

Her soft skin against my fingers elicited a spark of energy that radiated through me like a shockwave.

“I don’t understand what’s happening between us. For the life of me, I can’t conjure up an answer.” I locked eyes with her, a warm cloak of fierceness radiating off me, trying to speak the unknown with my eyes. “I know I did wrong by you in the beginning and while I don’t regret it, I’m giving you a choice here. Whatever you decide to do is in your hands.” I stroked my thumb across her cheek. “But I know what I want,anima mia.”You.

Before she had a chance to respond, I placed a kiss on her forehead, savoring the intimacy of it and walked away.

Chapter24

Aurora

It had been a week and two days since I last saw Roman.

And I was still here, in his house.

My head pounded profusely from replaying our last conversation.

I don’t understand what’s happening between us.

I did wrong by you in the beginning.

I know what I want.

I couldn’t fathom the mess that was my life and the tangle of webs that were my feelings. I felt things that I shouldn’t have been, like missing Roman’s presence.

The past week had gone by dreadfully. My father called me continuously, asking if I found any incriminating information or files regarding his assets and the answer was always no.

Not that I’d been searching anyway.

“Mrs. Mancini, what do you want for dinner?” Gianna asked, walking into the library all bright and cheerful, interrupting my shambled thoughts.

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