Page 115 of No Promises, No Lies

“They didn’t take me Niko, I came to them. They protected me from Papa—from Matteo.” Reasoning with him, “They kept me safe.”

Trusting Niko is still too new and I watch him warily, uncertain what he’ll do—always a wild card. Slowly he looks between me and my two Irish brothers-in-law. How I put myself between him and them. Confusion clouds the fury in his eyes. “You married one of them?” His gaze hardens, glaring at Alexei again. “They made you.”

I place both hands on his chest, trying to push him away from the very vulnerable Irish at my back before he takes them both out in a blind rage. Shaking my head, I try to pull his attention back down to me, “No, no—they didn’t. I chose—I did. I wantedto marry him.” My brother is still trying to nudge me gently out of the way so he can get to Liam and Alexei, but I dig in my heels, refusing to budge. “Niko, listen to me.” He’s half past me already. “Niko,” I’m desperate now, my tone frantic as I catch him raising his gun, “YA lyublyu yego!”

My brother stills.

The room is so silent you could hear a pin drop. Nobody moves. I swallow nervously, keeping my eyes on my brother as he slowly turns his gaze to meet mine. “What did you just say?”

“I love him.” My voice shakes, but there is a certainty to it. I stare deep in his eyes, forcing the truth into his thick skull. “Aidan,” I add, in case there were any question, ignoring Liam’s slacked jaw, dropping to the floor over my brother’s shoulder.

Niko’s eyes narrow. But I’ve run out of patience with the situation. I reach for his gun, intending to disarm him, but he simply lifts his hand out of my reach. I jump pathetically, still intent on grabbing it.

“Jesus Christ, Sestrichka.” Shaking his head, “Did no one teach you the proper way to disarm a man?” He lowers his hand back down, gun facing straightforward, though not directly at me. Niko grabs hold of my wrist and forces my hand around his. “You hold the wrist and grab the gun at the same time. Try it.” He releases my hands but leaves his gun in the same place.

I blink up at him in confusion.

“Aurora,” he huffs impatiently.

I move quickly, slamming one hand down on his wrist and swinging with my right to twist the gun out of his grip. The ghost of a smile appears on his lips and he nods approvingly. “Khoroshi.Good.”

I’m too busy admiring the gun I’ve wrestled out of his grip to prepare for him plucking it right back out of my hands, taking it back.

“Hey!”

“We’ll work on that.” He considers me before holstering his gun at his waist and nodding at his men to stand down. For the first time since I’d caught sight of them, they lower their weapons, relaxing their stance.

Reality catches back up to me and I remember the letter I’d stuffed into my pocket. I grab hold of my brother’s arm. “Niko! You have to help me. Aidan’s on his way to meet Cole DeLuca. I have to warn him… It’s a trap.”

Niko regards me for a moment before admitting, “It is, but it’s too late to warn him. The Italians already have your—husband.” He arches a brow at me skeptically, still searching my face for any sign I’m lying. “They shot Koen and took Aidan.”

“The Irish boss lives,” Niko adds quickly as both Liam and Alexei give a start at his words. “They both do.”

“For now,” he adds with a shrug.

“Fuck,” I say, half under my breath.

“What about Reagan?” Liam practically begs.

“Who’s Reagan?” Niko asks, turning.

“Fuck you, Niko, I don’t have time for games. Just tell me Reagan is okay.”

My mouth twists uncomfortably as I start to open my mouth, Reagan’s letter burning a hole in my back pocket.

Niko’s deep in thought, “The O’Rourke, girl?”

“Yes,” Liam growls impatiently, “our sister. Is she alive? Where is she?”

Niko shrugs noncommittally, “I don’t know. We never had her.”

“The Italians did?”

Niko shakes his head, “Nyet. It was a bluff.”

I dig the now crumpled stationery out of my pocket and hold it up. “I found this. No one took Reagan, she just wanted some space. She left…”

Alexei looks to the ceiling and Liam gives me a blank stare, but I don’t have time for them. I turn my attention back to my brother.

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