Page 94 of Niccolo

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I prayed silently for him to attack Lars and see what that got him –

But then Fausto stepped in and pulled Aurelio away from the others.

He smiled at everyone and played it off, then looked over at –

Us.

“Aurora!”

SHIT.

NO!

She turned back to me and said, “Time to go.”

In desperation, I reached out to catch her arm. “Wait – ”

But she intercepted me and shook my hand instead. “Goodbye.”

And that was it.

I was left standing there, bewildered and stunned, as the most beautiful, intelligent woman I’d ever met walked away from me.

41

Sofia

When I reached Fausto, he was propelling his son forward with a hand on his back.

Aurelio, predictably, was being a little bitch.

“Let me go! I can kickalltheir fucking asses!”

“Oh yes,” Fausto said sardonically. “All seven at once, and one of them Special Forces. I’m quite sure.”

“I don’t need you to – ”

“With everything that’s going on, you chosenowto pick a fight?”

“I – ”

“Be quiet!”Fausto hissed, then turned as I walked up next to him. “There you are – did you – ”

He stopped talking as soon as he saw my expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Wait until we’re in the car,” I murmured.

“If Sofia hadn’t been humiliating me by dry-humping Niccolo – ” Aurelio complained.

“BE. QUIET,” Fausto whisper-shouted at his son.

Thank God Aurelio shut up.

At least until we got inside the Rolls, anyway.

“What happened?” Fausto asked as soon as the doors shut.

“They know,” I said. “Or they will, shortly.”

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