“Now you see what we do, Caleb. She is sacred and worth giving everything for. Now you are one of us. We will have your back through everything, just as she will.” Luca said as he squeezed my shoulder and let me pass.
I followed Aurora to the bathroom, feeling like I had been reborn a new man, wondering what this meant for me as I began the next chapter of my life.
Chapter twenty-five
Aurora
Sweatdrippeddownmybody as I collapsed on the floor. Serena groaned next to me as Eric walked over to Caleb and Kenji.
“You did well. We have plenty to work with.” Eric praised me and I grunted as Serena rolled her eyes.
“Easy for you to say, you didn’t just puke your entire breakfast up.” she muttered. I sat up and watched as Caleb wiped the sweat from his brow. I liked seeing him like this. He was relaxed, more than I expected him to be after being put through his paces at the gym.
Luca was leaning against the wall with Kingston, having watched everything from the sidelines with Dante.
“Let’s hit the shower and grab a coffee and something to eat.” Serena said as she rolled over and handed me a towel. I went to follow when my phone rang, and I frowned at the number. Liam.
“Liam? To what do I owe the pleasure?” I said as everyone paused.
“Aurora. I need you to stay calm. First, everything is okay now. You need to come down to the school. There was a situation earlier with Fabian.” I could hear voices in the background as my heart pounded in my chest.
“What happened, Liam? Is Fabian okay?” I put him on loudspeaker so the others could hear.
“Yes. I am looking at him right now. He is a bit shaken up but alright. Luckily one of the teachers caught the situation and called us right away. It looks like Jasper tried to abduct Fabian. He wasn’t alone either.” Liam said something muffled to someone as Kingston swore.
“I’ll be right there.” I said, hanging up the phone and grabbing my bag. Rage rolled through me, a rage so deep that it burned through everything else.
I was done letting these men think they could control my life like this. I scrolled through my phone until I found the number that I was looking for, letting it ring. I wasn’t surprised when it went to voicemail.
“Rocco. I know what you are doing. I’m done playing these games with you. Do you want a fight? I’ll give you a fight. I never wanted the Moretti seat, but you pushed me too far this time. I will take everything you have and burn it to the ground. You seem to have forgotten that I am Aurora Moretti, Alonso’s daughter. The same blood runs through these veins, Rocco. That same insane determination to win at all costs. See you on the battlefield.” I snarled, hanging up the phone.
Dante was grinning like a madman as he watched me, Luca looked full of pride.
“This ends now. I want to take the fight to him. I’m done playing nice.” I said to the others before I got into the car, slamming the door.
I let the fire build until it was a slow simmer beneath the surface. Formulating a plan as we drove to pick up my son.
Rocco thought he could scare me into submission. At first, I thought that would work too but I know now that he will never let me live. This world is a kill-or-be-killed kind of place, my father made sure of that.
It was time to remind them who I was.
***
Fabian sat in the car with Caleb and Kenji as Luca and Kingston spoke to some officers. Liam came over to me with a grim look.
“I can’t keep doing this with Rocco and Nicolo. Fabian isn’t safe with us right now.” I said quietly and Liam nodded.
“I understand. I have a suggestion if you are open to it?” He glanced at Luca who was watching us, still nodding along to whatever the officer was saying.
“At this point, I’m open to anything.” I said, sighing as I looked at Fabian who seemed defeated.
“He could stay with us. We can look at getting him homeschooled until this blows over and then send him to the same private school that Alejandro and Dante’s nephew goes to. We have the room and there is no place safer than our home.” Liam smiled softly at my shock.
“Before you ask, I have already spoken to the others about this. We would extend the offer to all of you if we thought you would take it, but something tells me you wouldn’t.” He said and I grimaced.
“I don’t want to move again, not until this is finished but I will take you up on the offer of taking Fabian. If I know he is safe, I can focus on what I have to do next.” He nodded.
“Out of curiosity, what do you plan on doing next? I sort of need to be aware of what is to come to keep the local officers safe. I know this is going to end up worse than it is.” He looked over at the other officers and for the first time since knowing him, I wondered how hard it was on him to have a foot in both worlds.