Make him believe she's actually just an orphan girl glad to know who her parents are?
Will she be safe if he believes her?
"I'll be fine," Aurora whispers, nudging me with a little smirk that tells me she isn't worried. And either she's an even better actress than I gave her credit for, or she doesn't fully comprehend the risks. To keep the panic at bay, I choose to believe the former.
"She will be," Atticus agrees, and opens another file that has information about her apartment. "We own this building and the one across the street."
Aurora lifts a brow. "Another shell company purchase?"
Atticus grunts. "We'll be able to keep an eye on things from those exterior cameras, and I've already installed some smaller ones and bugs throughout your apartment."
Her jaw drops. "Youwhat?"
He frowns, confusion in the knot between his brows. "It's for your safety."
"Fuck no. I'm not living somewhere you can watch me and listen to everything I say and do."
"That's not what it's for?—"
"Take them out or I don't move in."
"We have to keep tabs on?—"
"No," Aurora crosses her arms, "I want them out."
"If you have cameras outside, are the bugs and cameras inside really necessary?" I prod, siding with Aurora on this one. I know Atticus is trying to take every precaution, but this is definitely overkill. Who would be comfortable living without any privacy whatsoever?
Especially when she knows whose eyes and ears will be on the other end of those devices twenty-four seven.
Atty's nostrils flare, and his jaw clenches. When he speaks, it's through his teeth. "Okay,fine,I'll remove them."
He pushes the tray with its remaining items toward her.
"But you willkeep one of these on you at all times."
I recognize the tiny black tracking chips on the tray. Aurora lifts one. "What is it?"
"They're tracking devices."
She opens her mouth to say something, but Atty speaks over her. "They don't have audio capabilities. Just location tracking. This one," he lifts the bug from the tray, "doeshave audio. When you meet with Ambrose, you'll need to wear it. I'll show you where to put it when it's time."
There's a long beat of silence before Sev speaks. "That's it, then?"
"That's it," Atticus confirms. "For now. Aurora, if you want to go get your things, I'll take you."
"Like,rightnow?"
"Yes."
Her brow furrows. "Can't Elijah or Seven drive me?"
His dark brown eyes have a bite to them when they fix on her. "They could've, but now I have to undo hours of work installing twenty-three devices in your apartment."
Atticus closes the files and shuffles them all into a stack, taking them with him as he heads for the door. "Don't worry," he says, pausing to look at Aurora one last time. "I know once we leave this room I go back to not existing."
Her lips press into a taut line.
"Your phone," Atticus holds out a hand to her. "I need to scrub it."
