Exhaustion sets into my bones as I come to terms with the fact that I was stuck in a hole with the enemy.
I shake my head, hating that she managed to fool me.
Is it possible she didn’t know who I am?
No, she saw the stars on my arms and must’ve seen the tattoos on the back of my hands as well. She has to know what they stand for.
Even if she didn’t know, it doesn’t change anything. She’s a D’Angelo, and therefore, my enemy.
There’s a bitter taste on the back of my tongue, and for a moment, I’m torn between loyalty and the attraction I felt for her.
But it’s only for a moment, then I shut my emotions down and turn my head to look at my brothers.
“You okay?” I ask.
“Broken fucking arm,” Armani growls.
“Just banged up,” Alek answers. “You?”
“Couple of broken ribs. Nothing serious.” I turn my attention to Director Koslov. “Thank you for coming to get us.”
He just nods.
“Do you know who attacked the club?” I ask.
“D’Angelo,” Director Koslov answers. “He didn’t know his daughter and her friend were there.”
I shake my head as a bitter chuckle escapes my lips. “So we were the targets?”
“Yes. Viktor will take care of it. He wants you to focus on your training.”
I’m not surprised to hear we were the intended targets of the bombing, but had I known that, I would’ve handed D’Angelo the lifeless body of his daughter.
Green, wide eyes intrude on my vengeful thoughts, but with a merciless swipe, I erase her from my memories, and every flicker of emotion she made me feel is buried among the screams of the souls I’ve killed, never to see the light of day again.
She’s nothing but a mistake. One I’ll never make again.
Chapter 5
Aurora
Two years later…
Misha Petrov; 24. Aurora D’Angelo; 21.
Sitting in the private jet with Abbie, I stare out of the tiny window. Whenever I have time, my thoughts return to the night of the explosion and my prince.
To this day, I still don’t know who he is.
I’m not going to lie. I was crushed when he didn’t come to visit me in the hospital and disappointed when it was clear he wasn’t going to make contact.
But with time, the disappointment faded until I was left with a beautiful memory.
My tall, dark, and handsome mystery man will forever be my prince and the first man I kissed. My stomach is always filled with butterflies when I think of him, and I hope it never stops.
Yes, I almost died, but the fantasy I’ve built around that night far outweighs the trauma. In a way, it helped me deal with it all.
My parents were so upset that I snuck out with Abbie, I never dared to ask my father to find the man. Secretly, I held onto the hope that I’d run into him somewhere.