Aurora’s POV
“You killed him?” I stood up and paced around his room frantically. “How were you even able to do that?” I continued.
“Someone helped me but I won’t tell you who it was.” He replied shrewdly and moved away from the window so that our eyes could meet.
He wasn’t the uncle I knew anymore. The man that has raised me would never soil his hands or hurt others, he even discouraged me from coming here, yet, he committed murder and didn’t have the slightest trace of remorse.
“You’ve changed, Uncle Lorenzo,” I whispered and he shrugged, tucking his hands into the pocket of his shorts.
“Don’t make it a big deal, Aurora. He was almost dead, I just finished him up so that our secrets won’t be exposed. Have you thought of what Matteo will do when he discovers who you are and what you came here for?” He hollered and I flinched, reality dawning on me over and over again.
“I’ve thought about it, uncle and soon I’ll have to tell him the truth,” I blurted.
He fixed an icy stare at me then chuckled drily. “You are in love with him, aren’t you?”
I cleared my throat and averted my eyes from him. He had finally given me the feelings I was trying to avoid a name, a strong one at that.
“I don’t know, Uncle. It’s not about my feelings here, but I think I made a mistake by choosing to hurt him. Can’t the Camorra stand again without putting anyone’s life at risk? Why do people have to die?” I asked, my voice cracking.
He snorted and glanced at me like I’d gone insane. Maybe I’d gone insane, at least it would explain the sudden urge to protect Matteo.
“You can leave now, Aurora. I don’t have anything to say to you.” He said tersely, returning back to his computer.
His bland response threw me aback as he had never talked to me in such a manner. “You’re sending me out because Erizo decided to walk this path with you? Where was he when you nearly got a heart attack because he ran away?” I yelled, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach.
I held onto it and stormed out of his room.
There was no one to talk to and ever since Giselle realised that she was my aunt, she distanced herself from me.
Just when I’d gotten to my room, I saw her standing by the door
Think of the Devil. I thought, but she was an angel in my case.
I approached her slowly, thinking of how to start a passive conversation.
Her eyes scanned my features and she palmed my cheeks, leading me into my room. I glanced at her blonde hair and wondered who she got it from. That was something I couldn’t tell because I wasn’t in the mood for such small talks
“Are you alright, Aurora? You look pale,” She commented.
“I’m fine, Giselle. I just feel like running away from this whole problem I’ve got myself into,” I stated and she patted my back, understanding flickering in her eyes.
“Is it about your Vendetta?”
I nodded and folded my arms. “I’m falling for the man I thought I could kill and uncle Lorenzo can’t take it. He feels like I’m betraying him and he doesn’t even want to talk to me.” I paused, sniffed then continued. “He’s always got my back since I was a child but now that Erizo is back, I guess I’ve been pushed to the corner.”
“Who’s Erizo?”
“You didn’t know that he had a son?”
She wore a blank look then I remembered her explanation at the hospital. She didn’t know anything at all.
“According to him, he had a son with a woman he fell in love with but she wasn’t ready to have a family with him . Uncle Lorenzo really wanted the child so he pleaded with her to keep the pregnancy. She listened and when she gave birth, she abandoned him with uncle Lorenzo and fled.”
Everything that happened in the past came flashing in my mind. Most times, he stared at her picture when he thought no one was looking. I was always there and at a time, I wished that I could find the woman and tell her what she was missing.
I could tell that uncle Lorenzo was a passionate lover, he just fell in love with the wrong woman.
“But you sound like he hadn’t been around. Did anything happen?”
“Yes. He ran to his mother because he felt that uncle was too hard on him. He was an addict and since his mother was very liberal and led a carefree lifestyle, he decided to stay with her. It wasn’t until he had a breakdown that he realised that he had a family who loved him. Unfortunately, I wasn’t around when all these happened. I was right here in New York.”
I was drained and I only wanted to rest. My eyes darted towards the wall clock and a yawn escaped my lips. It was past nine already and I had to sleep, but I hadn’t seen Matteo since he left the house.
Giselle picked up my disinterest and tiredness and got up.
“I won’t tell you what to do, Aurora, but if there’s anything I’m sure of, I know that Matteo cares for you deeply. We’ve always known him to be cold and merciless but you brought out another side of him that no one knew about. So don’t hurt him, please.” I nodded in agreement while she kissed my forehead.
She turned off the light as I pulled the covers over my head, thinking of Matteo and wondering how I fell in love with him.
If uncle Lorenzo could tell that I loved him, then it meant that other people had also noticed.
My door pushed open and footsteps pounded closer to me. I jerked up, my heart thudding fast against my chest as I bit back a scream.
Then his musky scent wafted into my nose causing me to relax. He pushed my covers away and pounced on me, tearing my dress apart. Then I perceived a metallic odor as he kissed my neck, his hands working on my panties.
“What are you doing, Matteo?” I whispered in a shrill scary voice.
“I want to make love to you.” He growled and merged my lips with his.