Page 91 of Burn With Me

He’s right. Goddamn it, I know he’s right. Whatever happened between him and Aurora, I’ll have to find out on my own. I knew she’d been bullied in high school long before she came to California, to Hazelwood. I knew Emilia had been married many times before and divorced, but I’d never looked deeper.

I already know without having to ask what the story is. That night in the parking lot when I’d chased her down, tackled her to the ground, and the panic on her face. The way she’d screamed and cried—and none of it was because of me. I know because it’s such a common fucking story; but I want her to tell me. I want her to open up and reveal all of her secrets. Not because she has to, but because she trusts me.

“Focus on the job at hand,” Shep whispers, keeping his face tilted up as my father takes center stage in front of his audience.

I suck in a breath and turn, returning my focus to him as well. My father lifts his flute and takes the small utensil from a nearby waiter to clink it against his glass as a sign that he’s ready to speak before he hands it back and addresses everyone.

“Thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate the joining together of our two families,” he says. “When I met Emilia Summers, I knew, in an instant, that my life had been forever changed.” Emilia leans into him and smiles. He glances down and I have to admit, he plays the part well. The doting, love struck husband. “Emilia, you’re the key to my future success, I just know it. You are the one thing I was missing, and with you, I’ll reach new heights—heights no one even knew existed.”

Applause rings loud throughout the ballroom as everyone raises their glasses in response. I put the rim of mine to my lips and take the lightest sip. What a fucking con artist. His words were calculated, precise. No doubt Emilia didn’t hear it, and no doubt no one who doesn’t know the man, himself, could understand. But I know—I know him so well.

Those were not words of love but of greed. To Damien Icari, Emilia Summers is nothing more than a tool—his ‘key,’ as he proclaimed her. To me, Aurora is so much more.

I bide my time, though, as people swarm the ‘happy couple’ to offer their congratulations. I’m increasingly aware of eyes on me—attention I’ve never sought but has followed me from birth. For Emilia’s guests, this is nothing new—another wedding, another marriage that they all assume will end in failure. For my father’s guests, however, marriage comes as a complete surprise. They’re all asking the same thing:What does this mean for his heir?

“Isaac, it’s so wonderful to see you.” A tall, potbellied man calls out as he approaches. I dimly recognize him as an associate I’ve seen at the house a time or two, though his name, I can’t recall.

“You too, sir.” I nod with a smile.

Paris and Shep both take a step back and I wave them away. Now that the party is in full swing, they know what to do. My presence will be missed, but theirs won’t.

“Your new stepmother is quite the pretty thing, isn’t she?” the man says with a laugh.

My lips tighten, but I don’t respond to the comment. Instead, I quickly down my champagne and hand it to a passing waiter. “If you’ll excuse me, speaking of the couple—I have to go pay my respects.”

I head one way and out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Shep and Paris head the opposite. The distinct lack of security for an event this big at the main Icari estate concerns me, yet we don’t know when we’ll get another chance like this.

Straightening my back, I march forward, cutting around several people obviously waiting in line to address my father and his new bride. He sees me coming. “Isaac.”

“Father.” I nod to him before turning to Emilia. “Emilia, you look lovely. Congratulations and welcome to the family.”

While Emilia is vastly different from her daughter, the two do share the same soft brown eyes and when I lift the back of her hand for a chaste kiss to her knuckles, a light blush stains her cheeks. Very similar to Aurora, though without the caustic retort no doubt my Sunshine would respond with.

“Thank you, Isaac,” Emilia says. “Your father’s been so wonderful. I hope we’ll get a chance to bond too.”

“Of course,” I reply easily. “Just let me know whenever you have free time. I’d be happy to take you to lunch.”

Emilia chuckles as she takes back her hand. “I also need to thank you for taking such good care of Rori. I know she can be a little distrusting and hard to get along with, but your father tells me that you’ve befriended her. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

My smile falters and I slide a quick glance at my father. His face, however, reveals nothing. “Aurora is quite easy to like,” I say. “There’s no need for thanks.”

Emilia’s smile is blindingly bright, but before she can respond, my father cups his arm around her side and leans down. “I think that’s enough, darling,” he whispers. “We have plenty of other guests to attend to. Let the boy go—” His eyes lift to mine even as his head stays tilted towards hers. “I’m sure he’d like to spend some time with his friends and new siblings.”

We lock eyes for a continued beat before I straighten away from the two of them and flash Emilia another smile. “Enjoy the rest of your party,” I say.

“Thank you, Isaac.” Emilia’s voice follows me as I turn and head away.

In my pocket, my cell phone buzzes. I know I need to check it, but as I’m striding through the center of the ballroom, the glittering flash of Aurora’s dress catches my eye again. Without a second thought, I change direction and make a beeline for her.

Her voice, lowered into a whisper, reaches me as I move closer. “I don’t want to make a scene,” she says.

“I don’t give a fuck if you want to make a scene or not,” Marcus replies. “The second I find him, I’m going to drag him outside. Obviously my last warning didn’t take.”

“Now, now, calm down,” the older woman standing between the two of them lifts her head and raises her brows at me. “We have company.”

Marcus turns as I stop in front of Aurora. “Get the fuck away from her,” he snaps as I reach out.

Aurora looks up at me, her eyes clouded with emotion. I watch them as they flit across her face. Surprise. Confusion. Fear. Resignation. My hands itch to touch her, but when I try, she takes a step back, leaning away from me as her arms come up and close around herself.

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